Nearly finished

Well, some very insightful stuff in the Sunday edition of The Standard Times.

First, the piece on how the Southcoast could influence the election for governor. Truth be told, the Southcoast has always had that potential, however has usually suffered from the blue blindedness.

As aptly observed, it isn't a matter of winning the cities anymore, it is about not getting trounced in the cities, and getting the suburban vote.  Well if you aren't a true blue democrat that is.

Interesting piece.  You need to read it.  Only thing I might disagree with is the assessment about would would be a democrat anywhere else.  A minor point really.  I think the reverse is true. Anywhere else, we would see a whole bunch of people who would be red instead of blue.

In Sunday's "Editor File", three topics were covered.  Each very interesting as far as topics, and the comments were also thought provoking.

Key line in the first segment:

Get famous and everything changes. Run for public office and it's all different. Everything you've ever said and done in your entire life is what other people use to determine whether you're fit. No wonder a lot of good people say "no thanks" to politics. 

In today's day and age, there would most likely be no Lincoln, FDR, Truman or Kennedy. We expect perfection, We expect saints. We seldom if every see either.  What we get are the yet untarnished. 

The less than perfect PC quotes noted, go to show that any candidate best tip toe through the tulips, because depending on the side of the line you stand, your comments will in fact be used to paint to in any manner the other side wishes. 

Key line in the second segment:

A little late to the party, don't you think?

With an honorable mention for this thought:

do we honestly believe that people who live in neighborhoods in Michigan or anywhere else thrill to the prospect of taking in a century’s worth of poisonous industrial waste produced here? 

As tempting as it would be to comment on these, I will simply ask, is there any need to say anything further?

As for the third segment, you have to love the sarcasm.  

Truthfully, hats off to Mr. Unger on this piece, one of his better musings.

Moving on ...

The midterms are just over a week away.  Everybody is taking out their oils and pastels and painting the perceived landscape. The pollsters are all over the place, as are the results of the polls. 

Anyway, closer to the homefront, we have the governor's race and the ballot questions.  Across the river they have an extra question or two, most notably whether the big city will adopt the extra CPC tax.

Seems the newspapers are trending toward endorsing Baker for the high office in the state.  The polls seem to be following the same trend.  

It is always very interesting in this very blue state to observe the periodic election of a republican for governor. Heck, in the 6th Congressional an even rarer event seems possible, that is a GOP Congressman.  In our own 9th district, the sitting Democrat seems to be holding the lead in the polls, but within the margin of error, which is over 5 in both recent polls, so both are fairly unreliable,  I wouldn't bet the prospects of two GOP Congressmen being elected. Not even sure if I would bet on one.

Applying the tried and true mantra, it all depends on the turnout.  

Six weeks after mid-terms in our home town we have our special Special Town Meeting. The outcome of a number of votes which will also depend on the turnout.

We need to seriously work on that concept.  Truth be told, you can't keep anything off the warrant if some individual goes out and collects enough signatures.  To be special on a Special, you need 100 registered voters to sign saying they think what you want is special. 

Then we have the selectmen's prerogative.  This is where at times I differ from others.  Putting matters on a STM warrant shouldn't be done simply as a matter of convenience.  Neither should matters that can wait be given a leg up for funding, no matter what the source.  

Any item which is going to require repeated funding, no matter how large or small, should be part of the budgetary process.  Christmas comes but once a year folks.  

And speaking of gifts ...

No one has given any final stamp of approval on the Mill Road land.  Decision made to date, to exercise an option under the law, said option being contingent upon Town Meeting approval to buy, presumably.

If you have been paying attention, the determination that this is definitely the future site of the public safety complex has not, repeat has not been made.

I realize you have probably heard chatter and read things that might indicate this is a foregone conclusion.  there is a whole lot of convincing that still needs to be done out there.   A whole lot of fill in the blanks.

Anyway ...

That's it for today.

Be safe.