Recently in Politically Speaking Category

On April 23, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law a controversial bill that requires immigrants to carry identification confirming their status as citizens of the United States.  Under this new law, police have the authority to detain anyone suspected of entering the country illegally. It has inspired countless long, loud and contentious debates.

Tonight the issue will be taken to the streets when a vocal alliance of social justice organizations protests Arizona's landmark law at Fenway Park just prior to the Boston Red Sox facing off against the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

But Arizona does not stand alone in its efforts to jumpstart immigration reform.

The Senate's debate of health care reform legislation has exposed its internal dynamics like no other legislative proceedings in memory.

And what voters have seen, they do not like.

Evan Bayh has been running for President since the day he got to town. Or was that the day his father brought him to town. To think that he got out for high-minded reasons is to think that Dick Cheney went to Iraq because of al-Qaeda. Congress is the sausage factory and if you don't like the smell of sausage, you should be somewhere else. Which brings us to Bayh's logical conclusion. Time to get out and make money. But Evan, don't peddle those 2016 nomination papers around here. Nobody will bet on a two-time quitter.

Watching the Supreme Court undo 100 years of established judicial precedent on a 5-4 vote, it made me wonder why we suddenly think it takes 60 senators to change the menu in the Senate cafeteria. If democracy is based on majority rule, the majority in one branch of government--especially the LEGISLATIVE branch--should not be rendered impotent by a set of rules that were never written or intended by the framers.

I don't know the precise moment when this 60-vote, veto-proof majority became the requirement for passing laws. I seem to remember when we were excited about winning the majority. Weren't those chairmanships supposed to mean something?

Today, a divided Supreme Court struck down limits on corporate political spending in a ruling that will likely affect campaigning in the 2010 elections. After reviewing the majority opinion in the case, we do not believe this will significantly affect the way most of our clients - or most of Corporate America -- currently participate in the political process.

For those of you who may have missed this over the weekend, here's an article from Sunday's Boston Globe that gives an interesting analysis of the divisions that defined Boston politics during the time of Mayor James Michael Curley, and how those divisions have carried forward and remain a part of Boston's political fabric.

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/01/03/curleys_people/

Woke up this morning having dreamt that I was skinny. Well...not really skinny. Just not fat anymore.

Made me start thinking about all the things that still need to change in the world and all the New Year's resolutions I'd like to see.

At 15 my grandfather lied about his age and joined the army. He needed a structure and purpose in his life and ultimately received more than that - earning a purple heart for his heroics on the beaches of Normandy, and later earning bachelor and doctorate degrees through the G.I. bill. Because of his experience, I have always had deep admiration for those who make the choice and sacrifice to protect our country and my freedom. While I try to do my best to support service members and their families with my prayers of well-being, expressions of gratitude, and donations of goods to those far away, I am ashamed to admit that there are days when I quickly flip through the pages in the newspaper or change the channel on the news to avoid the devastating coverage affecting our military families both on and off the battlefield. Seeing the anguish on the faces of parents and those who have lost loved ones makes me feel even guiltier about the energy I spend struggling over the mundane annoyances of my life - a missed train, a slow line at the grocery store (etc).