Manic Monday Markup 10/28/13…
…And the World:
Fallout continues after Edward Snowden’s revelations. Now Spain has summoned the US Ambassador after it appears that Spanish government also had its communications tapped. Meanwhile in Great Britain, Prime Minister David Cameron, whose government, too has been exposed by Snowden, has issued a not-so-veiled threat against media and The Guardian in particular, which published many of Snowden’s documents.
Meanwhile also in England, the trial of Rebekah Brooks, the former News International Exec and Andy Coulson, Cameron’s ex-spin doctor, has begun. Also on trial? British tabloids.
An expense account scandal in the Canadian Senate, an unelected component of our neighbor to the North’s parliament, is prompting questions about whether Canada should reform or go unicameral.
The New York Times looks at the problem of gang rape in India, despairingly called routine.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Labor party, after the Coalition took power in the most recent election, may back Coalition Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s repeal of the Carbon tax so that the party may be in a better position to pursue climate change legislation.
The Feds:
A Texas federal judge in Austin has halted, for now, the state’s new abortion laws that, in filibustering, rocketed Democratic candidate for Governor of Texas, Wendy Davis, to fame. The judge did not enjoin all of the law, but did put on hold the provisions that could have shuttered virtually all abortion clinics in the Western half of the state.
On the subject of abortion, Senator Rand Paul raises the specter of Eugenics at a rally with floundering Virginia Gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinnelli.
The Senate is poised to consider ENDA, that is the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Yes it is quite legal in too much of the nation to fire somebody for being gay. This law would ban that practice. Greg Sargent says this is a huge test for the GOP.
Democratic Mayor for New York Bill de Blasio has an insane lead in the latest poll. New York Magazine brings us back down the Earth with how his stratospheric poll numbers and expectations may exceed what he can actually do.
In the Ocean State, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras has announced his campaign for governor with a tour of the state. He seems likely to face Gina Raimondo, the state’s Treasurer and could face the grandson of former longtime senator Claiborne Pell. Incumbent Independent-turned-Democrat Lincoln Chaffee is not seeking another term.
The State of Things:
In the Boston Mayor’s race, The Boston Globe looks at the parts of the careers of at-large Councilor John Connolly and Rep. Martin Walsh that each would rather them not…or at least not the light their rivals would want. Walsh’s union ties have been dug into, but Chris Faraone of The Jamaica Plain Gazette goes into Connolly’s law work a bit more. The Los Angeles Times sees a parallel with its city’s recent mayoral election. While Connolly leaks an internal poll that calls the race…tied?
Worcester Magazine profiles candidates for office in the Heart of the Commonwealth.
Our story on Jeffrey Stanek’s business career, the man who would be mayor if he can unseat Alex Morse. But guess what? Holyoke is not just voting for public office! A primer from The Republican.
The Reminder‘s Mike Dobbs breaks down a debate between Holyoke Ward 3 Councilor David Bartley and Rep. Don Humason who are competing for the state senate seat vacated by Mike Knapik in August. Earlier today, Bartley got the support of Gov. Deval Patrick and AG Martha Coakley.
City Slickers:
Our Council profile effort continues. Ward 3’s Circosta & Edwards are done. At-large’s Kateri Walsh was posted early today. Two more at-large coming in very near future. AIC and the McKnight Civic Association are holding a big debate on Wednesday. We’ll be there!
Also by Dobbs a profile of School Committee challenger Dr. Calvin McFadden.
The City Council will consider a request from the mayor tonight to issue a temporary moratorium against medical marijuana dispensaries while the city writes regulations and considers proposals from developers of palliative pot.
Twitter Chatter:
One of the more unfortunate aspects of Twitter is the ability of people to totally blow out of proportion the meaning of a tweet. Last week, Boston Globe reporter Wesley Lowery tweeted a comment about “Boston Strong” the theme emanating from the Boston Marathon bombings. He observed that the phrase itself has become over-commercialized and that the real strength is in the stories of the survivors and the resolve of the city. That set off a wave of irrational and too often bigoted assaults from the Twitterverse. Many too, came to #TeamWesley’s defense, too. Today we award Lowery the tweet prize not for his original tweets (although they certainly qualify), but after an initial phase of shock, taking to twitter to find humor in others’ outlandishness. We offer two tweets, the first mocking a hash tag about himself that was started to make light of the reaction and one of his examples of the hash tag.
Dumb hashtags about wannabe “journalists” who clearly hate Boston and should move back to NJ! #StuffWesLoweryHates
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) October 28, 2013
@conoryunits @derjue @jgee @KevinFranck @gintautasd @martinepowers Kittens. Parades. Romance. DEMOCRACY #StuffWesLoweryHates
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) October 28, 2013