Why I Decline Campaign Finance Funds and Spending

The Title Should be:

Not All Gubernatorial candidates debate on Primary Day

By GLEN JOHNSON AP Political Writer
Published: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 11:53 a.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, September 14, 2010 at 11:53 a.m.

http://www.dailycomet.com/article/20100914/APN/1009140635?Title=Mass-governor-candidates-debate-primary-night

Bay State Future started spending $650,000 this week on an ad criticizing Baker for developing a key Big Dig financing plan while serving as budget chief in the Weld and Cellucci administrations.

Tonight, WBZ Radio Dan Rea is hosting a debate between the three of the four candidates for governor. The three men were invited, the one woman was not. Dr Jill Stein is being excluded, and so far, the folks at WBZ Radio have declined to provide any reason why, nevermind a valid reason.

http://wbz.cbslocal.com/2010/09/14/baker-cahill-patrick-debate-tonight-on-wbz/

Baker, Cahill, Patrick debate tonight on WBZ

Staff
Politics,WBZ News
9/14/2010
9:03 am

Charles Baker, Timothy Cahill, Deval Patrick (AP)

Candidates for Massachusetts governor will be competing today, but only in a debate on WBZ NewsRadio 1030.

Democrat Deval Patrick, Republican Charles Baker and independent candidate Timothy Cahill aren’t facing primary election challenges and will face off in the November second general election.

Tonight’s debate on WBZ’s Nightside with Dan Rea is set to begin just as polls are closing at 8 o’clock.

Jill Stein (WBZ-TV)
Stein allowed into Sept. 21 debate

A consortium of media outlets has decided to allow Green Rainbow candidate Jill Stein to participate in a Sept. 21 televised gubernatorial debate.

Stein’s campaign had received a letter Friday informing her that she hadn’t met the criteria set by The Boston Globe, WCVB-TV, WHDH-TV, WGBH-TV, New England Cable News and WBUR.

That includes having raised at least $100,000 by Oct. 1 and reaching at least 5 percent in an independent poll.

The consortium issued a statement Monday saying its has reviewed Stein’s qualifications and that she’s met all except raising the $100,000. Since Oct. 1 falls after the debate, the consortium agreed to allow her in.


Today we heard that the Media Consortium, The Boston Globe, WCVB-TV, WHDH-TV, WGBH-TV, New England Cable News and WBUR, had agreed to include her in their next debate, only because it came before Oct 1, their deadline for Candidates to have raised $100,000. Now, I must say that I have a problem with this, called conflict of interest. Since the media has a duty to we the people, and they stand to benifit from campaign finance funds, it would seem that they are saying that if a candidate does not purchase campaign advertising with the media they will not be invited to the debates. How very crass.

It should be no surprise to anyone, after the historic vote two years ago, to elect a president, and change we can believe in. Instead, the majority of Americans polled believe we got more of the same, and they also believe there is little difference between Republicans and Democrats. Both Republicans pols and democrat Pols are pushing back this perception, each claiming they hace the solutions to the very real and serious challenges we the people are facing. But do they? Does anyone believe that jobs will be created if Republicans are elected? If democrats can create jobs, what are they waiting for?

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/do_not_pity_the_democrats_20100913/
Do Not Pity the Democrats

By Chris Hedges

There are no longer any major institutions in American society, including the press, the educational system, the financial sector, labor unions, the arts, religious institutions and our dysfunctional political parties, which can be considered democratic. The intent, design and function of these institutions, controlled by corporate money, are to bolster the hierarchical and anti-democratic power of the corporate state. These institutions, often mouthing liberal values, abet and perpetuate mounting inequality. They operate increasingly in secrecy. They ignore suffering or sacrifice human lives for profit. They control and manipulate all levers of power and mass communication. They have muzzled the voices and concerns of citizens. They use entertainment, celebrity gossip and emotionally laden public-relations lies to seduce us into believing in a Disneyworld fantasy of democracy.

So, here you have it, both Republicans and Democrats are focused on getting elected, or re-elected, and in order to win a job for themselves they are going after campaign contributions big time. The "lobbiests," read front men for the corporations, control the candidate selection process by giving or not giving campaign contributions. Now, in "progressive" MA, the so called media is trying to keep the one truely independent from the system of campaign finance corruption from the debates. You see, Corporate America has the MSM in a stranglehold.

More Violence in Cambridgeport

Although the police in Cambridge prefer to keep the lid on stories like this, folks here want more transparancy. The issue is how to protect the rights of victims, and still respect the people's right to know.

Will Cambridge suffer when Governor Deval Patrick cuts the budget?

Massachusetts state revenues are down 243 million dollars for September, while unemployment continues to increase. Economists claim there are signs of recovery, but we do not see those help wanted signs.

How are residents of Cambridge surviving these economic hard times? What effect does it have on local business? Were there warning signs that were ignored? Can the City meet it's obligations? We have already used emergency funds to keep the tax rate artificially low, what revenues can we turn to if the Governor Patrick cuts funds to Cambridge?

These and more questions should be what the City Council asks the City Manager, but will they? Stay tuned....

Climate Change Emergency In Cambridge MA Still Unsolved? Now, How Could That Be?

Can we stop the DCR's destruction of the Urban Wilds along the Charles River Estuary,on the International North Atlantic Flyway, and protect the wildlife?



Thank you for sending the notice, copied below, to me, I will post it on my blog, asap, at http://votekathy.blogspot.com, and I will have it posted on the Captains Island Preservation and Protection blog, which I co founded with Marinly Wellons. I have beed advocating foreffective, meaningful and sustainable solutions to the Climate Change we are all expierencing, however, here in Cambridge most folks are satisfied with what some call green washing and others call wholly inadequate.

http://cipapa.blogspot.com/


In my opinion, the City still fails to take this isses seriously. Too many folks continue to make this a political bone of contention, and satisfy themselves bad mouthing the other party, the other organization, the other theory, and sign onto not only weak initives but schemes that are worse than the problem they seek to cure.

Some examples I have opposed are building the Urban Ring, ANOTHER highway thru Cambridgeport, Area 4, and East Canmbridge, whicu the so called environmentalists claim will be good for the environment. Another campaign I strongly oppose, and which I campaigned against when I ran for City Council 2 years ago, it bio fuels and ethanol which uses farm land to produce fuel. The City pushed thru a mandate for taxis to use this, its in the pubmps, and will be, if not already, be in heating fuel. This results in the contamination of water, including thew Gulf of Mexico, contributes to the rise in fuel prices, and contributes to the growing world wide food shortages and last years rice riots.

I am an advocate for pasive solutions, such as solar water and energy, with micro solar being locally manufactured and made available to homeowners, as well as joint ventures for/with large concerns, such as Hospitals, Universities, and commertial entities, be they for or free from profit.

One question I have for all of those who join groups, and/or preach "green energy" is why have you turned your backs on the environmental destruction going on right here in Cambridge, on our City Squares, in your very own neighborhoods, and along the Charles River? You want to make changes, and tell the State, Washington DC, Corporations and the world what to do? But you can't speak the truth to your elected City Council, nor oppose the DCR? If we cannot take care of our own back year, if we rubber stamp the destruction here, if we turn our backs at home, who outside Cambridge do yoy expect will take us seriously?

And, yes, I did convert to the energy effecient lightbulbs, the ones laced with Murcury, but, folks, where are the plans to deal with the fall out from recycling these time bombs?

take care, now, and do visit my blogs



Subject: [PSNA] announcement for distribution--in text and attachment
To: psna@portersquare.net
Date: Friday, September 18, 2009, 11:40 PM


==> HOW URGENT IS THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY? <==

· WHAT SHOULD THE CITY DO?
· WHAT SHOULD RESIDENTS DO?


After recognizing the existence of a climate emergency on May 11, 2009, the Cambridge City Council will hear from scientists about why climate is changing, what impacts to expect, and what response is needed at a Special Meeting of the Council at City Hall on September 24th at 5:30 pm.

Speakers will be Dr. Melanie Fitzpatrick of the Union of Concerned Scientists, Dr. Jill Stein of Physicians for Social Responsibility, Dr. Frank Ackerman of the Stockholm Environmental Institute at Tufts University and Dr. John Sterman of MIT Sloan School of Management.


If you want Cambridge to be a leader in responding to the global emergency,
—Come to the hearing on Sept. 24 to let the City Council know, and
—Please forward this notice to friends.

Background:

Ø Last March, more than 2,500 climate experts from 80 countries, assembled for an emergency meeting in Copenhagen to prepare for the UN Climate Change Conference in December, declared that

· "the climate system is already moving beyond patterns of natural variability within which our society and economy have developed and thrived;"

· "the worst-case IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) scenario projections (or even worse) are being realized;"

· "there is a significant risk that many of the trends will accelerate, leading to a risk of abrupt or irreversible climatic shifts;" and

· "there is no excuse for inaction."

Ø In December 2002, the City of Cambridge adopted a Climate Protection Plan with the goal of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) city-wide 20% below 1990 levels by 2010.

Ø Despite the efforts of City staff and others the City has fallen far short of this goal.

For more information see http://greencambridge.wikispaces.com/Calendar+of+Events
The meeting should appear on Cambridge cable TV channel 8.

Marjorie Decker Spins Her Tales: Fibs, Lies, and Barking At Civil Rights Laws

Now I hate dogs, now I love dogs....now dogs are a health threat, now dogs are therapudic...woof, woof, watch Majorie Decker spin her tales....



"I bring a dog to visit my father every week, because dogs are very therapudic."

{{Although Marjorie claimes to be confronted unexpectedly by the presence of my (service) dog at this City Council meeting, she is not. In fact, at the previous meeting she requested that I sit on the far side of the public seating section, which I agreed to do, because she wasn't taking her meds due to alergie testing. Then, at this meeting, I went right to the requested and agreed upon seating, thirty feet away from her. Notice how neither she, nor ken reeves tells the public that I had already 'accomodated" her "allergie." When I first filed the MCAD complaint, she claimed she was not alergic to all dogs, just dogs like mine. Huh? Can you believe it? Why didn't Marjorie explain how nicely I agreed to sit on the far side, and in the back, immediately upon her request?}}

In this video, in the second part, Marjorie Decker explaines how she brings a therapy dog to visit her father every week. However, in her reply to my MCAD complaint about her and ken reeves calling the police to try and expel me from a public City Council meeting, Marjorie Decker claims that the very presence of a guide dog poses a direct threat to the health of other people, equivelant to the health threat caused by cigarette smoke.

Pardon me, but if guide dogs are a health threat like cigarette smoke, why does Marjorie Decker bring a dog to visit her father? Wouldn't that pose a direct threat to his health?

Wait a min, in the first half, she claims that she has allergies to dogs. Oh, oh! Marjorie Decker, I think you are pulling someone's tail!

By the way, Ken Reeves, when an individual with a disability, accompianied by a trained service dog, attends a public City Council meeting, it is not an entitlement, it is a civil right. Segregation is NOT a reasonable accomodation.

The DOJ stated then, as now, that the City's "offer" to me of "reasonable accomodation" is neither reasonable, nor appropiate. In fact, it is a violation of law. Segregation, by definition, is discrimination, and is a fundamental basis for civil rights laws.

42 U.S.C. § 12182 : US Code - Section 12182

Chapter 126; Subchapter iii Section 12182

(a) General rule
No individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of
disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services,
facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place
of public accommodation by any person who owns, leases (or leases
to), or operates a place of public accommodation.

(b) Construction

(1) General prohibition

(A) Activities

(i) Denial of participation
It shall be discriminatory to subject an individual or
class of individuals on the basis of a disability or
disabilities of such individual or class, directly, or
through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements, to a
denial of the opportunity of the individual or class to
participate in or benefit from the goods, services,
facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of an
entity.

(ii) Participation in unequal benefit
It shall be discriminatory to afford an individual or class
of individuals, on the basis of a disability or disabilities
of such individual or class, directly, or through
contractual, licensing, or other arrangements with the
opportunity to participate in or benefit from a good,
service, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommodation
that is not equal to that afforded to other individuals.

(iii) Separate benefit
It shall be discriminatory to provide an individual or
class of individuals, on the basis of a disability or
disabilities of such individual or class, directly, or
through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements with a
good, service, facility, privilege, advantage, or
accommodation that is different or separate from that
provided to other individuals, unless such action is
necessary to provide the individual or class of individuals
with a good, service, facility, privilege, advantage, or
accommodation, or other opportunity that is as effective as
that provided to others.

(iv) Individual or class of individuals
For purposes of clauses (i) through (iii) of this
subparagraph, the term "individual or class of individuals"
refers to the clients or customers of the covered public
accommodation that enters into the contractual, licensing or
other arrangement.

(B) Integrated settings
Goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and
accommodations shall be afforded to an individual with a
disability in the most integrated setting appropriate to the
needs of the individual.

(C) Opportunity to participate
Notwithstanding the existence of separate or different
programs or activities provided in accordance with this
section, an individual with a disability shall not be denied
the opportunity to participate in such programs or activities
that are not separate or different.

Should The City of Cambridge Continue to Spend Taxpayer's Dollars Trying to Ban Guide Dogs From City Council Meetings?

Here a a video, where I discuss how "education" as a method to enforce civil rights of people with disabilities who use guide dogs, or service dogs, has failed.



One reason people file law suits is because other people refuse to obey the law, and choose to remain ignorant. here in Cambridge MA there is an actual effort to also ban accurate information about what Civil Rights laws are, and how to obey them.

Considering that in the Montero case, the City had an opportunity, early on, to settle the case, but refused to do so, and now the $$$$$ are up to a reported $4.5 million, should the City continue to refuse to settle the Podgers v City of Cambridge, et al, service dog in City Council case?

This should make howling good copy if it lands in federal court.

By the way, does anyone know of any other City Council in America that has banned Service Dogs? What is the MCAD's position on this? Segregation, by definition, is discrimination. Can Marjorie and Ken really segregate people with disabilities who use guide dogs? When will we ever learn?

Homeless In America? One of the Greatest Social Disasters of the 20th Century.

The Criminalization of the mentaly Disabled in America



I found this video to be very well done. Please take some time and watch this.

Whenever discussions about "the homeless" in Cambridge arises, one should understand that many individuals are UNABLE to fend for themselves. That is why they are called disabled. Not everyone who is mentally ill is disabled by their condition, but many are. Should we turn our backs on them, like we did in the Dark Ages, or should we work to craft programs to assist them to live as independently as possible, while providing them with the proper level of support needed?

Do you think mentally disabled people are doing their homless thing deliberately? Do you believe mental illness has something to do with "will power" or lazyness? Do you wonder why they don't just cut it out and get a job like everyone else? Perhaps compassion is what we need to understand that there but for God,......