At a time when lawmakers are wrestling with cost, access and regulatory questions, health care industry power players continued to dominate the Beacon Hill lobbying world last year, spending the most on employing influential insiders who sway development of public policy.
Beacon Hill
Posted inOpinion
The compelling case for Massachusetts legislative reform
What’s the one thing businesses, climate advocates, and lobbyists can agree on? The need to overhaul the state’s broken legislative process. Here are six ideas to get the conversation started.
Posted inPolitics
Lynch edges away from his ‘pro-life’ label
CONGRESSMAN STEPHEN LYNCH says he will renounce his “pro-life” label if the term becomes defined by the slew of measures passed by state legislatures to severely restrict or eliminate abortions. It is a subtle step in a debate with life and death implications that has been raging across the country as part of what Lynch […]
Posted inThe Download
Lynch edges away from his ‘pro-life’ label
Congressman Stephen Lynch says he will renounce his “pro-life” label if the term becomes defined by the slew of measures passed by state legislatures to severely restrict or eliminate abortions. It is a subtle step in a debate with life and death implications that has been raging across the country as part of what Lynch […]
Posted inThe Download
Transparency sacrificed with consolidated amendments
Back in January, the House Democratic caucus gathered to nominate Rep. Robert DeLeo for another term as speaker. There was no question that DeLeo had the votes, but a small group of lawmakers sought a rules change that would allow the next caucus vote for speaker, whenever that might happen, to be taken by secret […]
Posted inPolitics
Beacon Hill pols prefer less scrutiny of Beacon Hill pols
IF, AS THE Washington Post now proclaims on its masthead, “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” the already low-level lighting on Beacon Hill was just dimmed to a 5-watt flicker. When lawmakers passed reforms in 2016 to the state’s public records law, they left in place an exemption covering the Legislature, the governor’s office, and the judiciary. Instead, […]
Posted inThe Download
Beacon Hill pols prefer less scrutiny of Beacon Hill pols
If, as the Washington Post now proclaims on its masthead, “Democracy Dies in Darkness,” the already low-level lighting on Beacon Hill was just dimmed to a 5-watt flicker. When lawmakers passed reforms in 2016 to the state’s public records law, they left in place an exemption covering the Legislature, the governor’s office, and the judiciary. […]
Posted inEconomy
Grand bargain talks can now begin in earnest
Now that the millionaire tax is dead, state leaders can finally get down to work. The millionaire tax was a great excuse for doing nothing. As long as the question was on the ballot and its poll numbers remained high, the millionaire tax’s $2 billion-a-year haul was the answer to just about everything. Fix the […]
Posted inThe Download
Grand bargain talks can now begin in earnest
Now that the millionaire tax is dead, state leaders can finally get down to work. The millionaire tax was a great excuse for doing nothing. As long as the question was on the ballot and its poll numbers remained high, the millionaire tax’s $2 billion-a-year haul was the answer to just about everything. Fix the […]
Posted inPolitics
Is Charlie Baker beatable?
Charlie Baker, the most popular governor in America, looks like a lock for reelection, according to polls, pundits, and even lots of Democrats you talk to. But don’t count John Walsh as one of them. The former chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party insists Baker can be defeated — and he says the governor’s team […]