A few questions for Republicans about Massachusetts

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

We do all know that Mihos has all but folded his campaign, yes? His staff dumped him when he stopped paying the bills. I doubt he'll even be on the ballot at this rate.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Though technically not a Republican, I will be voting in this year's Republican primary to support a good friend of mine who is running for statewide office as a Republican. I'll be voting Baker, of course, because Charlie Mihos is made of lulz. I'm also kinda excited to back a gay Republican for Lt. Governor.

FWIW, I have met Charlie Baker, and I came out of the experience impressed. (PS: Dude is literally 6'6".) Barring a complete collapse, I think I'll be supporting him come November.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

FWIW, I have met Charlie Baker, and I came out of the experience impressed. (PS: Dude is literally 6'6".) Barring a complete collapse, I think I'll be supporting him come November.

I'm not going to pretend not to be partisan, but the number one reason I am scared of a Baker win is that I expect a Republican administration to defund the Green Line extension for political reasons. They aren't going to continue to devote scarce dollars to the parts of the state that vote solidly against them.

I'll admit my ignorance on the specifics, but I thought that a lot of that money was coming from the Feds.

Mainly, because the MAGOP sucks.

So you'd rather vote for a liberal Democrat?  I'm sorry, I just don't understand.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I'll admit my ignorance on the specifics, but I thought that a lot of that money was coming from the Feds.

The MBTA sets its priorities and whether it chooses to spend money on capital projects. I remember because Patrick tried to push it off to 2016 and there was such an uproar that he had to stick to the original date.

I'm not trying to sway your vote, I know that would be pointless and patronizing and this wouldn't be a reason for you to switch. It's just my two cents.

Interesting.  I'll have to pay attention to what he has to say on the issue during the campaign.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

The legislature could just pass funding for the Green Line over any veto anyway, right?

Provided there were enough Democrats who gave a crap about a tiny little part of the Commonwealth, yes.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

The legislature could just pass funding for the Green Line over any veto anyway, right?

Provided there were enough Democrats who gave a crap about a tiny little part of the Commonwealth, yes.

In other words, no. Probably not even close to a majority of the legislature would support the project unless the governor were pushing for it. At least, not over cutting the project to avoid raising taxes or cutting something more people care about statewide.

That's what I was getting at. It's a terrific project for my hometown of Somerville (and might result in me seeing a serious jump in property value), but I doubt someone out in Sturbridge, MA would be super excited about the Green Line getting extended into Medford.

In general, though, Massachusetts Republicans tend to be quite supportive of mass transit (especially commuter rail projects) because virtually all of them come from commuter rail districts.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Cahill is coming out full-force against Mass.'s health care law today, which puts him to the right of Baker and, I imagine he thinks, at the forefront of Scott Brown's silent majority.

I'm really starting to dislike this guy. He's all about we have to cut the deficit AND we have to cut taxes. Pure cant. I have much more respect for Baker in comparison.

I'm actually glad to hear that a candidate is seriously discussing the failure of the Massachusetts health care law.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I'm actually glad to hear that a candidate is seriously discussing the failure of the Massachusetts health care law.

He attacked in terms of its costs to the state budget which have been trivial.

It hasn't led to a drop in premiums, but that's a separate issue. Repealing the mandate won't do anything about the teaching hospitals' rates or how they play hardball on reimbursement.

Certainly, any cost overrun is a problem at a time where Massachusetts can't even afford its regular obligations.

My main gripe, though, is with the mandate part. The mandate was put there solely to force a decrease in rates. If it can't do that, then why have a mandate? To make the middle class feel good that a law passed under the guise of helping them out did nothing for them but impose a potential penalty?

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

FWIW, I heard Cahill talking with Michael Graham yesterday on WTKK about the disasterous implications of "Obamacare." It sounds like he's making a serious play for the mainstream Republican vote, trying to edge Baker out of the game. Smart move, though it does make you laugh at the current state and mindset of the Massachusetts electorate.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

FWIW, I heard Cahill talking with Michael Graham yesterday on WTKK about the disasterous implications of "Obamacare." It sounds like he's making a serious play for the mainstream Republican vote, trying to edge Baker out of the game. Smart move, though it does make you laugh at the current state and mindset of the Massachusetts electorate.

He's now claiming he voted for McCain in '08. This is getting very interesting.

That's a very small piece of the pie he's chasing after!

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Wow Cahill is quite the DINO. I'd vote for Baker over him in IRV.

Seriously how does claiming you voted for McCain help in Massachusetts?

To be a DINO, Cahill would still need to be a Democrat.

In all seriousness, though, the strategy is to basically pick up enough GOP support to turn this into a two candidate race, leading all rational voters to abandon Baker as a sure loser. If Cahill can do that, he wins.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Just some more general news about Massachusetts:

State Senator Steve Panagiotakos (D-Lowell) announced that he's going to be retiring from his seat in the First Middlesex district. It's one of the more Republican-leaning districts in the state. Brown won the district by 16%.

FIRST MIDDLESEX. — Lowell, Dunstable, Groton, Pepperell, Tyngsborough and Westford.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Not sure why the media is trying to manufacture a story out of Brown not going to a Tea Party rally. What's the story there? Should we really have expected him to ditch a senate session to hold a sign for an hour?

Damned if you do and damned if you don't, eh guys?

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

I don't think he's "damned"--it was unequivocally the right thing for him to do, politically. Ultimately he owes them nothing.

Well, the Herald is trying its best to cause trouble for him. Why, I don't know.

I heard no fewer than three talk radio hosts on WTKK defending Brown yesterday at various parts of my commute.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Christy Mihos paid for a plane to tow a banner reading "Vote Chris-tea for governor!" over the teabagger rally yesterday. I wonder if they'll crop dust his house when the check bounces.

LOL.  What a tool.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Since we're talking about the Massachusetts Governor's race here (somewhere), I'll add that tomorrow is the GOP convention. There are questions to be answered:

(1) Does Charlie Baker (Governor) escape the need for a primary?
(2) Does Mary Z. Connaughton (Auditor) escape the need for a primary?
(3) Does the conservative establishment find some nobody to run for Lt. Governor against the scary gay?

To make the ballot, a candidate needs to receive 15% of the vote at the convention. The last contested convention (2002) saw State GOP Chair Kerry Murphy Healey deny former US Senate Candidate Jim Rappaport the 15% he needed to face her in a primary.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Answers to those questions!

(1) Mihos barely got over 10%. There will not be a GOP primary for Governor.
(2) Kamal Jain didn't actually get 15%, but thanks to a rule where fractional percentages are rounded up, his fourteen-point-whatever got rounded up. He made the ballot by a single vote.
(3) No one came forward to challenge Tisei for Lt. Governor.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Though technically not a Republican, I will be voting in this year's Republican primary to support a good friend of mine who is running for statewide office as a Republican. I'll be voting Baker, of course, because Charlie Mihos is made of lulz. I'm also kinda excited to back a gay Republican for Lt. Governor.

FWIW, I have met Charlie Baker, and I came out of the experience impressed. (PS: Dude is literally 6'6".) Barring a complete collapse, I think I'll be supporting him come November.

Glad you changed the avatar and got it over with already.

You're welcome!  Sorry to hear that the I-MA was keeping you up at night.