With state primaries less than two months away, it seems like a good time for a discussion about the governor’s race. The Globe today has a story about a dead heat between Democratic candidate Martha Coakley and Republican Charlie Baker. Newton’s Steve Grossman‘s own polls (nearly a month old) show him trailing Coakley by a large margin. Democrat Don Berwick, also from Newton, hasn’t gained much traction, according to polls. Republican Mark Fisher is running as a Tea Party member.
While I haven’t read much about him yet, I know some people who plan to vote for yet another Newton resident, Evan Falchuk, who is running as an independent. The other two independents are Scott Lively and Jeff McCormack but I don’t believe they’ve secured a place on the ballot yet. (I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong.)
Thoughts? Opinions? Predictions? Keeping your fingers crossed wishes?
And…does anyone know which Newton pols have endorsed Steve Grossman? I couldn’t find anything on his site.
Sadly, my first thought is that it will be a long day for those of us working at the polls. I do look forward to having some free time waiting for voters to talk with my neighbors who I will see on primary day.
I’ve endorsed Steve Grossman, and from what I can remember from the endless Democratic State Convention in Worchester, most of my colleagues in elective office from Newton have endorsed him as well.
Alderman Brian Yates
I’m supporting Mark Fisher for Governor. I’ve spoken to Democrat Aldermen who remarked how far to the left Grossman has gone in his effort to win the nomination.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=931Bsku4wqU&feature=youtu.be
I can’t vote for Charlie Baker either based on that whole nonsense the MessGOP engaged in at the Convention with the blank votes. When Baker was a Swampscott Selectman, he supported the overrides there, donated to the pro-override effort and endorsed the Community Plundering Act Tax Surcharge. In 2010, he said that he was to the left of Obama and frustrated people don’t appreciate it. This time around, Governor Patrick recognized that Baker was his identical twin politically since Baker hired Democrat operative and former Ted Kennedy mouthpiece Will Keyser as his campaign communications consultant.
Evan Falchuk has my vote. The democratic and republican candidates are uninspiring, and as always, are beholden to their big donors. By virtue of the campaign finance laws, Falchuk (as well as the other independent candidates) isn’t allowed to have big donors. He’s beholden only to his vision for a better state of Massachusetts. The timing has never been better for an independent to take the reigns in our state, where over half of all voters are unenrolled.
Falchuk will be getting my vote as well. As a lifelong Democrat I’m very disappointed in my party. We’ve lost our progressive edge, and keep trotting out the same retread candidates over and over again.
Mike, as a developer in MA, you must have a broad view of what is happening in this state. Costs keep going up, young people can’t afford to live here. Economic growth is high but rapid transportation can not manage to serve the changes. What kind of leadership do we need for the next decade?
@Mike. Don Berwick is anything but a political retread and managing the entire national medicare and medicare programs for several years “ain’t beanbag” as Mr. Dooley would say. I’m backing him for several reasons, but one of the strongest of these is that he’s willing to move the state towards a single payer health system.
Sorry to say, Don Berwick has failed to develop a good, affordable healthcare system in this state and elsewhere.
My daughter in law just had her first baby and does have HC. However her medical bills are so hich after a c-section she can not afford to pay the bills and must try to raise the funds via family assistance.
@Colleen– The short answer is NEW leadership. Because for the most part the “leaders” we have lack any sort of real vision for Massachusetts, and also lack the creativity to effectuate change on a meaningful scale.
This entire country has been on a downward trajectory since 9-11. Our freedom has been eroded by those we elected to preserve it, and our economy has never recovered from the 2001 attacks and subsequent wars. So the top two issues that I’d personally like to see Massachusetts gubernatorial candidates address, are personal freedom and growing the economy here in Massachusetts.
@Bob– As you know, we are finally starting to emerge from some horrible economic conditions. It bothers the hell out of me that so many thousands of laborers who were willing to work during that time, were denied the opportunity to earn a paycheck. In large part, I blame their plight on the politicians who dropped the ball on casino gambling. I know from our prior conversations that you’re opposed to casino gambling, but I see it addressing both of the issues that are important to me… personal freedom and economic growth. As much as I respect you, and also sense that Mr. Berwick is a good and decent man, I’m done voting for anyone who supports restricting personal freedom and shuts the door on entire industries like gambling and marijuana.
Mike, do you think the low interest rates hurt economic growth in the long term?
@Colleen– I hate my answer, but I’d say yes and no. It depends a lot on other economic conditions. In most cases low interest rates are better for the economy, but that’s not the way it’s worked out for these recent times of extraordinarily low rates. If the banks won’t lend, and the criteria for borrowing is overly restrictive, the rate doesn’t matter. Despite these low rates, I’ve never seen a time when it was so difficult to borrow. Banks have made this economic recovery cycle torturous.
As an example of how this has effected commercial real estate, I’ve tried to refinance some large commercial properties through a process known as “blend and extend,” which in theory offers property owners the benefit of a lower interest rate in exchange for extending mortgage periods. 10 years ago banks did this routinely. Today banks would rather keep landlords locked into the higher rate, and take the chance they can resign them at the expiration of the loan term. This puts an enormous drag on the commercial real estate market, because unlike private homes, most commercial mortgages stay in place through ownership changes. So if I have a shopping center I want to sell, and the existing loan is at 6%, it’s very difficult to find a buyer, even for the best performing properties.