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New England Politics [ME, VT, NH, MA, CT, RI]

2

Posts

  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    Malyonsus wrote: »
    The other crazy part is that, yeah, sometimes it isn't your fault. That's why you need a mechanism for consensus action!

    Anyway, in my part of New England, my biggest problem is that my mayor kind of sucks, and no one can primary my anti-choice representative. Last time around we had Brianna Wu, who didn't seem to run a campaign and lost 71-23, and this year it was Robbie Goldstein, who at least had leaflets and ads (and a real debate!), and lost 66-33.

    (To be honest, I think 66-33 is a pretty good showing, as far as it goes)

    Ducking WHAT?? I used to live in Quincy! I voted for him thinking he was more liberal than his predecessor!

    I feel betrayed even though I haven't lived there in a decade. What a douchecanoe.

    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • MalyonsusMalyonsus Registered User regular
    It's unfortunate - I look at my adjacent district (MA-7, Rep. Pressley) with longing.

  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    edited November 2020
    Whelp. It's was only a matter of time. Governor Baker announced new restrictions to stop the surge of SARS2 cases.

    DisruptedCapitalist on
    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • CptKemzikCptKemzik Registered User regular
    edited November 2020
    Whelp. It's was only a matter of time. Governor Baker announced new restrictions to stop the surge of SARS2 cases.

    Yes, a curfew that European countries already tried during the summer/fall (now a growing number of them are back to national lockdowns!) as if the plague is nocturnal.

    Also continues to massage the metrics of his vaunted map, to better browbeat school districts into bringing everyone back in person. Which we should maybe attempt!

    ...after making sure to close restaurants and casinos, oh and also maybe funding for staff and facility/building upgrades? But since Baker has an R next to his name, we're reminded that sales tax revenue, and satisfying the business lobby, is more important than prioritizing health and wellness.

    Baker is going to get more people unnecessarily killed this winter between refusing to close businesses with demonstrable transmission of covid (restaurants), and forcing people to get evicted. It just won't be covered that way because he's being polite and "moderate" about it.

    Oh also, where the fuck is the Dem statehouse supermajority during all of this?

    *Crickets*

    CptKemzik on
  • SmrtnikSmrtnik job boli zub Registered User regular
    CptKemzik wrote: »
    Whelp. It's was only a matter of time. Governor Baker announced new restrictions to stop the surge of SARS2 cases.

    Yes, a curfew that European countries already tried during the summer/fall (now a growing number of them are back to national lockdowns!) as if the plague is nocturnal.

    Also continues to massage the metrics of his vaunted map, to better browbeat school districts into bringing everyone back in person. Which we should maybe attempt!

    ...after making sure to close restaurants and casinos, oh and also maybe funding for staff and facility/building upgrades? But since Baker has an R next to his name, we're reminded that sales tax revenue, and satisfying the business lobby, is more important than prioritizing health and wellness.

    Baker is going to get more people unnecessarily killed this winter between refusing to close businesses with demonstrable transmission of covid (restaurants), and forcing people to get evicted. It just won't be covered that way because he's being polite and "moderate" about it.

    Oh also, where the fuck is the Dem statehouse supermajority during all of this?

    *Crickets*

    The funny thing is my Trumpist inlaws an hour west of Boston hate Baker for even acknowledging COVID is a thing.

    steam_sig.png
  • ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    Smrtnik wrote: »
    CptKemzik wrote: »
    Whelp. It's was only a matter of time. Governor Baker announced new restrictions to stop the surge of SARS2 cases.

    Yes, a curfew that European countries already tried during the summer/fall (now a growing number of them are back to national lockdowns!) as if the plague is nocturnal.

    Also continues to massage the metrics of his vaunted map, to better browbeat school districts into bringing everyone back in person. Which we should maybe attempt!

    ...after making sure to close restaurants and casinos, oh and also maybe funding for staff and facility/building upgrades? But since Baker has an R next to his name, we're reminded that sales tax revenue, and satisfying the business lobby, is more important than prioritizing health and wellness.

    Baker is going to get more people unnecessarily killed this winter between refusing to close businesses with demonstrable transmission of covid (restaurants), and forcing people to get evicted. It just won't be covered that way because he's being polite and "moderate" about it.

    Oh also, where the fuck is the Dem statehouse supermajority during all of this?

    *Crickets*

    The funny thing is my Trumpist inlaws an hour west of Boston hate Baker for even acknowledging COVID is a thing.

    Hey - mine are an hour south of Boston, but the sentiment is the same!

  • cckerberoscckerberos Registered User regular
    The only Trump supporter in my family lives in Chelmsford. His wife caught coronavirus in the spring, though, so I hope that has made his views on it somewhat reasonable. I have avoided bringing it up.

    cckerberos.png
  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    edited August 2021
    https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2021/08/11/scott-brown-resigns-as-head-of-new-england-law-boston-after-less-than-a-year-says-he-will-get-back-into-the-political-arena/

    Well, that didn't take long. Either he really fucked up at the law school, or he wants to jump into the Massachusetts governor's race. (Even though he lives in NH these days.)

    DisruptedCapitalist on
    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • MancingtomMancingtom Registered User regular
    https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2021/08/11/scott-brown-resigns-as-head-of-new-england-law-boston-after-less-than-a-year-says-he-will-get-back-into-the-political-arena/

    Well, that didn't take long. Either he really fucked up at the law school, or he wants to jump into the Massachusetts governor's race. (Even though he lives in NH these days.)

    I’m a NESL grad. I look back on the shitstorm his appointment set off with the alumni, and he didn’t even last a year.

    Personally, I’d bet good money that claims of “rebuilding the Republican Party” are just saving face. No one voluntarily leaves that kind of position without another job waiting or retiring.

  • CptKemzikCptKemzik Registered User regular
    My reaction was one of surprise that: a) a Boston-based law school would appoint him to run it, given his now-pro-trump baggage and b) someone as middling as him would throw away a golden goose like that to continue publicly humiliating himself on an understated level.

    While I hope it turns out to be so, I'm not holding my breath that this is the final whimper we're going to hear about the guy.

  • MancingtomMancingtom Registered User regular
    CptKemzik wrote: »
    My reaction was one of surprise that: a) a Boston-based law school would appoint him to run it, given his now-pro-trump baggage and b) someone as middling as him would throw away a golden goose like that to continue publicly humiliating himself on an understated level.

    While I hope it turns out to be so, I'm not holding my breath that this is the final whimper we're going to hear about the guy.

    The student body is generally left-leaning, but the leadership trends conservative and wealthy. Most alumni assumed they picked Brown to funnel money to the school through his political connections. I'm guessing that didn't happen, because he certainly didn't have any other qualifications to run a law school.

  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    edited December 2021
    Huh.

    DisruptedCapitalist on
    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    Mancingtom wrote: »
    CptKemzik wrote: »
    My reaction was one of surprise that: a) a Boston-based law school would appoint him to run it, given his now-pro-trump baggage and b) someone as middling as him would throw away a golden goose like that to continue publicly humiliating himself on an understated level.

    While I hope it turns out to be so, I'm not holding my breath that this is the final whimper we're going to hear about the guy.

    The student body is generally left-leaning, but the leadership trends conservative and wealthy. Most alumni assumed they picked Brown to funnel money to the school through his political connections. I'm guessing that didn't happen, because he certainly didn't have any other qualifications to run a law school.

    It's worth remembering that this sort of position (dean of a small law school) was the same sort of position that Alex Acosta wound up in when he was dismissed as a US Attorney after Obama's election.

    XBL: Nox Aeternum / PSN: NoxAeternum / NN:NoxAeternum / Steam: noxaeternum
  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    (In a NH accent) Ayup, and theah it is:

    https://www.concordmonitor.com/Scott-Brown-returns-to-NH-politics-41931686
    “Scott Brown’s name will not be on the ballot in 2022,” Brown political adviser Colin Reed told the Monitor. “But as a resident of Rye, New Hampshire, if he has another political rodeo in him, it will be in the state of New Hampshire.”

    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • zepherinzepherin Russian warship, go fuck yourself Registered User regular
    Mancingtom wrote: »
    CptKemzik wrote: »
    My reaction was one of surprise that: a) a Boston-based law school would appoint him to run it, given his now-pro-trump baggage and b) someone as middling as him would throw away a golden goose like that to continue publicly humiliating himself on an understated level.

    While I hope it turns out to be so, I'm not holding my breath that this is the final whimper we're going to hear about the guy.

    The student body is generally left-leaning, but the leadership trends conservative and wealthy. Most alumni assumed they picked Brown to funnel money to the school through his political connections. I'm guessing that didn't happen, because he certainly didn't have any other qualifications to run a law school.
    This has the ring of truth to it. It was likely this plus incompetence at other levels and he was encouraged to quit.

  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    Looking at the recent Boston Mayoral elections I noticed something about the electoral map at WBUR: https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/09/17/4-maps-that-explain-bostons-preliminary-mayoral-election

    Seems like Annissa Essaibi George got her strongest turn out in Southie, Roslindale and Hyde Park. And, if I remember correctly, those are the WHITEST neighborhoods in Boston. I can't help but wonder at the fact that Essaibi George has relatively low melanin (her father is Tunisian, but they're generally light skinned) was the reason she won in those districts. Kinda depressing if true.

    Also on a side note, I've always been amused by the 404 messages on Politicians web pages, and while most of them in the mayoral race didn't do anything interesting, Michelle Wu's website was kind of fun. https://www.michelleforboston.com/totallynotareallink

    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    Looking at the recent Boston Mayoral elections I noticed something about the electoral map at WBUR: https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/09/17/4-maps-that-explain-bostons-preliminary-mayoral-election

    Seems like Annissa Essaibi George got her strongest turn out in Southie, Roslindale and Hyde Park. And, if I remember correctly, those are the WHITEST neighborhoods in Boston. I can't help but wonder at the fact that Essaibi George has relatively low melanin (her father is Tunisian, but they're generally light skinned) was the reason she won in those districts. Kinda depressing if true.

    Also on a side note, I've always been amused by the 404 messages on Politicians web pages, and while most of them in the mayoral race didn't do anything interesting, Michelle Wu's website was kind of fun. https://www.michelleforboston.com/totallynotareallink

    Boston has a long, ignoble history of racism (see: bussing riots, the Red Sox being the last MLB team to integrate, among others.)

    XBL: Nox Aeternum / PSN: NoxAeternum / NN:NoxAeternum / Steam: noxaeternum
  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    Yeah, I mean, this is the 21st century we're living a post-racial society right?

    But seriously, those are also the most affluent* communities and according to that WBUR article the neighborhoods with the highest turn out (which is also a phenomenon of affluence) so admittedly, I feel like Essaibi George won't be anything new after the long line of white men before her.

    *Southie has become gentrified in the past 20 years and it's now fashionable to move to Southie because of all the movies that came out about it.

    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    Reading through the Concord Monitor this morning I came across this article about the conflicts some Magaheads are causing in their communities:

    https://www.concordmonitor.com/BowandBelmontatOddsWithProTrumpSignage-42646392

    And I came across this gem of a paragraph halfway down:
    “That flag is an expression of my disdain for this current administration,” said Guglielmo, who was incarcerated for 15 years after he was involved with a standoff with a SWAT team in Manchester. “They’re circumventing people’s political expression through town codes.”

    Gee, I wonder where the Monitor stands on Maga chuds' antics? LMAO

    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • cckerberoscckerberos Registered User regular
    Looked up the actual incident. 15 years seems pretty light for 8 counts of attempted murder.

    cckerberos.png
  • zepherinzepherin Russian warship, go fuck yourself Registered User regular
    edited September 2021
    cckerberos wrote: »
    Looked up the actual incident. 15 years seems pretty light for 8 counts of attempted murder.
    Seams about right to me. He served 17 years and was paroled. The sentence was longer. That seams appropriate.

    Although everyone should read up on that incident because it was truly insane.

    zepherin on
  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    The original arrest was after breaking into a drug dealers house trying to kill him and then fired at the SWAT team. He was also chased down for assault of a woman in his car. But then he's also a major bone marrow donation organizer and has done some great work there.

    Dude is super complicated. I hope he gets the help he needs

  • CptKemzikCptKemzik Registered User regular
    edited October 2021
    Looking at the recent Boston Mayoral elections I noticed something about the electoral map at WBUR: https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/09/17/4-maps-that-explain-bostons-preliminary-mayoral-election

    Seems like Annissa Essaibi George got her strongest turn out in Southie, Roslindale and Hyde Park. And, if I remember correctly, those are the WHITEST neighborhoods in Boston. I can't help but wonder at the fact that Essaibi George has relatively low melanin (her father is Tunisian, but they're generally light skinned) was the reason she won in those districts. Kinda depressing if true.

    Also on a side note, I've always been amused by the 404 messages on Politicians web pages, and while most of them in the mayoral race didn't do anything interesting, Michelle Wu's website was kind of fun. https://www.michelleforboston.com/totallynotareallink

    I think you mean Dorchester (where AEG is from) slash some of west Roxbury. Roslindale is where Wu resides, and along with JP comprises a white-affluent-liberal bloc that has been gaining clout over the predominantly white "old Boston" neighborhoods of southie/Dorchester. JP/Roslindale are the neighborhoods that helped propel Ayanna Pressely over Capuano for rep, and helped land Rachel Rollins in the Suffolk county DA seat (who is also going national as a Biden nom for US attorney, unsurprisingly being delayed by republicans).

    Not coincidentally the "old Boston" neighborhoods fall under the district of the very "old Boston" rep Steve Lynch. Worth noting that these towns were also the base for now-labor-secretary Marty Walsh.

    Also worth noting that the majority of white Boston voters, who didn't break for AEG in the enclaves that represent her base, went for Wu instead and citywide! Most voters of color (concentrated in Roxbury, Mattapan etc) broke almost evenly for the candidates who are African American women (the "token guy," which is crazy to say, got barely any votes). So it's a question of seeing where they go for round 2, but smart money is on Wu given her track record getting votes as city councilor, and the name recognition she's built up campaigning for mayor for over a year now.

    A likely Mayor Wu, who is unapologetically progressive, will be an interesting counterpoint to the "new face of the democratic party" narrative that's been written about by likely Mayor Eric Adams of NYC. I think it's fair to say both likely mayors will represent it! Almost like the party is a big tent coalition! Exclamations!

    CptKemzik on
  • KaputaKaputa Registered User regular
    edited October 2021
    Maine has 3 ballot questions this year. Question 1 seeks to require a 2/3rds majority vote in Congress for "high impact" electrical line projects, and stopping a current controversial project, seems like a good thing to me. Question 2 is a straightforward bond issue, an easy yes.

    But would someone explain Maine Question 3 to me? It's a constitutional amendment that says:
    Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to declare that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being?

    This doesn't sound bad on its face, but I'm also not sure what problem it's trying to solve, or why it's seen as necessary. Or what legal effects on agricultural practices it could have. Is this is a good thing? Bad thing? Inconsequential thing?

    Kaputa on
  • ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    edited October 2021
    Sounds like “You have to let me raise corn, chicken, and pigs in my backyard,” the law?

    Elvenshae on
  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    Damn Freepers. All the lon
    (In a NH accent) Ayup, and theah it is:

    https://www.concordmonitor.com/Scott-Brown-returns-to-NH-politics-41931686
    “Scott Brown’s name will not be on the ballot in 2022,” Brown political adviser Colin Reed told the Monitor. “But as a resident of Rye, New Hampshire, if he has another political rodeo in him, it will be in the state of New Hampshire.”

    Not again. Why the f did he move to my state. Go away.

  • Captain CarrotCaptain Carrot Alexandria, VARegistered User regular
    Kaputa wrote: »
    Question 1 seeks to require a 2/3rds majority vote in Congress for "high impact" electrical line projects, and stopping a current controversial project, seems like a good thing to me.
    I'm very leery of imposing supermajority requirements on anything that isn't overriding a veto or constitutional amendments. If the legislature isn't bothered by a negative assessment of the proposed electrical development, you've got bigger problems.

  • MayabirdMayabird Pecking at the keyboardRegistered User regular
    The antivaxxers are winning in NH. The executive council rejected $27 million in federal funding for vaccination efforts. That's after antivaxxers shut down another meeting by being so loud and obnoxious that the police would've executed them if they hadn't been pasty-skinned.

    The state already has the lowest vaccination rate in New England and small local hospitals are getting overwhelmed by similar surges as seen in other less vaccinated areas.

  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    Kaputa wrote: »
    Question 1 seeks to require a 2/3rds majority vote in Congress for "high impact" electrical line projects, and stopping a current controversial project, seems like a good thing to me.
    I'm very leery of imposing supermajority requirements on anything that isn't overriding a veto or constitutional amendments. If the legislature isn't bothered by a negative assessment of the proposed electrical development, you've got bigger problems.

    This is actively shitty for other reasons as well from what I understand. It's basically NIMBYism (except it's not even necessarily in anyone's backyard but way out in the middle of nowhere) fighting against attempts to make the north american electrical grid more secure and also cleaner because of where the power is coming from.

    This is literally the bullshit that prevents the problems with the electrical grid from being addressed.

  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    Mayabird wrote: »
    The antivaxxers are winning in NH. The executive council rejected $27 million in federal funding for vaccination efforts. That's after antivaxxers shut down another meeting by being so loud and obnoxious that the police would've executed them if they hadn't been pasty-skinned.

    The state already has the lowest vaccination rate in New England and small local hospitals are getting overwhelmed by similar surges as seen in other less vaccinated areas.

    Though I'll note even the R governor is rip shit at them.

  • MayabirdMayabird Pecking at the keyboardRegistered User regular
    Sununu son of Sununu can suck my ass. He's a Republican and the party he supports created this mess that he decries now. He fed the face-eating leopards and is now horrified that they're eating faces. That's what they do. That's what he does when he thinks he can be genteel about it and get away with it.

  • HefflingHeffling No Pic EverRegistered User regular
    Kaputa wrote: »
    Maine has 3 ballot questions this year. Question 1 seeks to require a 2/3rds majority vote in Congress for "high impact" electrical line projects, and stopping a current controversial project, seems like a good thing to me. Question 2 is a straightforward bond issue, an easy yes.

    But would someone explain Maine Question 3 to me? It's a constitutional amendment that says:
    Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to declare that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being?

    This doesn't sound bad on its face, but I'm also not sure what problem it's trying to solve, or why it's seen as necessary. Or what legal effects on agricultural practices it could have. Is this is a good thing? Bad thing? Inconsequential thing?

    It's a bad thing for a number of reasons.

    First, it is enshrining agriculture as a protected right, which can be problematic.
    Second, by allowing everyone the right to practice agriculture, you could end up with people in apartments with goats, pigs, and chickens as pets.
    Third, it is very difficult to regulate small operations. So the animals and plants could end up as disease vectors or bring new pests to the region.
    Fourth, what happens when someone uses this new right to produce home grown coca plants?

  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    Mayabird wrote: »
    Sununu son of Sununu can suck my ass. He's a Republican and the party he supports created this mess that he decries now. He fed the face-eating leopards and is now horrified that they're eating faces. That's what they do. That's what he does when he thinks he can be genteel about it and get away with it.

    Let's not forget that it was Sununu senior who orchestrated the entire modern day opposition to any sort of climate change action. Ronald Reagan was originally on board with taking some modest action to combat climate change, but Sununu, in his paranoia, convinced Reagan it was a hoax orchestrated by Democrats to ruin Republican businesses.

    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    Mayabird wrote: »
    Sununu son of Sununu can suck my ass. He's a Republican and the party he supports created this mess that he decries now. He fed the face-eating leopards and is now horrified that they're eating faces. That's what they do. That's what he does when he thinks he can be genteel about it and get away with it.

    Oh, I'm in the same boat, just pointing out it's by no means a cohesive picture in NH.

  • KaputaKaputa Registered User regular
    edited October 2021
    Responses in this thread have persuaded me to vote against the agriculture amendment; I thought it seemed questionable but it was helpful to have it's possible downsides spelled out to me, so thanks.
    shryke wrote: »
    Kaputa wrote: »
    Question 1 seeks to require a 2/3rds majority vote in Congress for "high impact" electrical line projects, and stopping a current controversial project, seems like a good thing to me.
    I'm very leery of imposing supermajority requirements on anything that isn't overriding a veto or constitutional amendments. If the legislature isn't bothered by a negative assessment of the proposed electrical development, you've got bigger problems.

    This is actively shitty for other reasons as well from what I understand. It's basically NIMBYism (except it's not even necessarily in anyone's backyard but way out in the middle of nowhere) fighting against attempts to make the north american electrical grid more secure and also cleaner because of where the power is coming from.

    This is literally the bullshit that prevents the problems with the electrical grid from being addressed.
    I keep hearing things from environmental groups about how it will fuck up animal migrations and have other detrimental environmental effects. I'll do more research over the next couple of weeks to see if I think that's overblown, but the arguments against the project that have given me a negative perception of it are ecological, not about property rights.

    Kaputa on
  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    Mayabird wrote: »
    Sununu son of Sununu can suck my ass. He's a Republican and the party he supports created this mess that he decries now. He fed the face-eating leopards and is now horrified that they're eating faces. That's what they do. That's what he does when he thinks he can be genteel about it and get away with it.

    Scott is also a republican and he's pretty much told the party to fuck off in regards to Covid. That's a big part of why his approval ratings are so high here.

  • shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    Kaputa wrote: »
    shryke wrote: »
    Kaputa wrote: »
    Question 1 seeks to require a 2/3rds majority vote in Congress for "high impact" electrical line projects, and stopping a current controversial project, seems like a good thing to me.
    I'm very leery of imposing supermajority requirements on anything that isn't overriding a veto or constitutional amendments. If the legislature isn't bothered by a negative assessment of the proposed electrical development, you've got bigger problems.

    This is actively shitty for other reasons as well from what I understand. It's basically NIMBYism (except it's not even necessarily in anyone's backyard but way out in the middle of nowhere) fighting against attempts to make the north american electrical grid more secure and also cleaner because of where the power is coming from.

    This is literally the bullshit that prevents the problems with the electrical grid from being addressed.
    I keep hearing things from environmental groups about how it will fuck up animal migrations and have other detrimental environmental effects. I'll do more research over the next couple of weeks to see if I think that's overblown, but the arguments against the project that have given me a negative perception of it are ecological, not about property rights.

    Even if that's the case, that's not what this ballot initiative actually does. It's literally just gonna be a NIMBY veto.

  • KaputaKaputa Registered User regular
    shryke wrote: »
    Kaputa wrote: »
    shryke wrote: »
    Kaputa wrote: »
    Question 1 seeks to require a 2/3rds majority vote in Congress for "high impact" electrical line projects, and stopping a current controversial project, seems like a good thing to me.
    I'm very leery of imposing supermajority requirements on anything that isn't overriding a veto or constitutional amendments. If the legislature isn't bothered by a negative assessment of the proposed electrical development, you've got bigger problems.

    This is actively shitty for other reasons as well from what I understand. It's basically NIMBYism (except it's not even necessarily in anyone's backyard but way out in the middle of nowhere) fighting against attempts to make the north american electrical grid more secure and also cleaner because of where the power is coming from.

    This is literally the bullshit that prevents the problems with the electrical grid from being addressed.
    I keep hearing things from environmental groups about how it will fuck up animal migrations and have other detrimental environmental effects. I'll do more research over the next couple of weeks to see if I think that's overblown, but the arguments against the project that have given me a negative perception of it are ecological, not about property rights.

    Even if that's the case, that's not what this ballot initiative actually does. It's literally just gonna be a NIMBY veto.
    You may be right. The earlier argument against supermajority requirements is something I usually agree with too. I dislike when ballot initiatives group things together in this way; now even if I want to vote against this project specifically I have to vote for an ill-advised legislative restriction for future cases. I'm now leaning towards voting against it on that basis.

    Not the best year for ballot initiatives in Maine, it seems.

  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    Shadowfire wrote: »
    Mayabird wrote: »
    Sununu son of Sununu can suck my ass. He's a Republican and the party he supports created this mess that he decries now. He fed the face-eating leopards and is now horrified that they're eating faces. That's what they do. That's what he does when he thinks he can be genteel about it and get away with it.

    Scott is also a republican and he's pretty much told the party to fuck off in regards to Covid. That's a big part of why his approval ratings are so high here.

    Same with Baker, it's always amusing to see my town's maga heads complain bitterly that Baker is a RINO.

    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
  • DisruptedCapitalistDisruptedCapitalist I swear! Registered User regular
    Speaking of Baker, he's done! So now the question is will the magaheads get their wish and nominate a fascist to be his successor, and if so will the Democrats decide to run 9 candidates like they did in the 4th congressional district which means the candidate most favorable to business interest (i.e. a Republican in any other state) gets elected?

    Massachusetts Democrats are particularly powerful these days which means that ambitious and unscrupulous people who want to cheat and steal will likely run as Democrats and could easily win if they can get a plurality of the electorate. Or will the Republicans find that unicorn and get another RINO who actually reminds the independents of the Baker administration instead of some frothing-at-the-mouth maga lunatic?

    "Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
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