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When Governor Patrick gave his state of the Commonwealth address earlier this month, there was a lot of grumbling because he called for higher taxes to pay for, among other things, improvement to our transportation infrastructure. Last week, one on of those single-digit cold days I had to ride the…
Read More »This coming Tuesday, January 29 at 7:00 p.m., Marie Sweeney and I will be hosting an informational meeting about Ed Markey and the coming special election for the U.S. Senate. Our meeting will be held in the ground floor Community Room of Lowell’s Pollard Memorial Library at 401 Merrimack Street.…
Read More »Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (D-3MA) on election night / November 6, 1012 (photo from The Hellenic News of America) The current Winter 2013 edition of Commonweath Magazine features Third District Congresswoman Niki Tsongas in their “Washington Notebook.” Writer Shaw Zeller notes that Tsongas is “neither a caretaker nor a token… cutting a…
Read More »Years from now historians will cite President Obama’s Second Inaugural Address as the launch point of a new era of progressive action and values in America. From climate change to gun control to education to gay rights, women’s rights and voting rights, to the “inherent value” of social programs such…
Read More »I haven’t dragged David “Uncle Dave” Brooks over here for a long time. He was irritating during the presidential election, trying to find ways to stay on Mitt Romney’s side—every once in a while he gave it up for the President, but I think Uncle Dave was always pulling for…
Read More »I enjoyed watching and listening to the inauguration of President Obama this time even more than the first time. In 2009, we knew we were seeing a history-making event. His election both represented and caused a developmental leap in the American psyche. I never thought his re-election would be easy.…
Read More »This is a repost from last year… but an important reminder of the formation and role of the Sixth Massachusetts with many volunteers who were Lowell millworkers. MassMoments reminds us that on this day – January 21, 1861 – the Sixth Massachusetts Volunteer Militia was formally organized. In early January 1861, as…
Read More »While January is typically a time for taking the oath of office and not kicking off a campaign, 2013 is a very different year. In the next twenty-two months we’ll have three very important elections (with at least two and possibly three primaries). When you add in the Elizabeth Warren…
Read More »It was a frigidly cold but sunny Inauguration Day morning that January 20 of 1961… a fierce snow storm had hit the DC area the night before creating chaos. The parade was nearly cancelled… the U.S. Army had to clear the snow-covered streets. Former President Herbert Hoover missed the event because his…
Read More »In 1958, the League of Women Voters published a pamphlet with results of a survey about Lowell, which was intended to provide “general background on which citizens can base informed opinions and take intelligent action on local governmental issues.” The pamphlet was produced with financial assistance from the First Federal…
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