Election Day Voter Registration in MA: an open letter

I'm writing this blog post today to tell you about an issue that is near and dear to my heart: voter engagement/election day registration.  It isn't really a partisan issue (although you folks aren't really ones to worry about this) but it would make a huge difference in participation levels here in MA.  Minnesota has it and when I met the Secretary of State who started it there this past summer, he convinced me of the value it provides.  There's no evidence of voter fraud with it, only increased chances to promote an active democracy.  Just think about it.  College students across MA could register day of election to cast ballots, without needing to think ahead and ask for an absentee ballot. 

For the Harvard specific benefits, think about the benefits this could bring on a local level too.  Imagine having city councilors beholden to the student vote who wanted to help make sure Felipes was open past 2am.  Think about progressive student votes coming in in more conservative towns across MA like Olin College in Needham or the ladies of Wellesley.

I want you sign this petition to help move it forward, the bill promoting this is at a critical point in the approval process.  The governor has already said he would sign it, and so all it needs is to pass the legislature.  Sign here.

Massachusetts Democrats: soft on Communism, adultery, spitting

I cannot overstate my outrage at seeing this local news item:

BOSTON -- Massachusetts residents could spit on the sidewalk, give a tattoo, even commit blasphemy or adultery without fear of a fine or jail time under a bill being considered on Beacon Hill.

The bill would repeal nearly two dozen so-called "blue laws" -- laws that often deal with moral or religious issues...

One of the laws mandates a $300 fine or year in jail for anyone who "wilfully blasphemes the holy name of God by denying, cursing or contumeliously reproaching God, his creation, government or final judging of the world."

[...] The bill also would eliminate laws declaring the Communist Party a subversive organization, making adultery a criminal offense punishable by three years in jail or a $500 fine, and barring anyone from "acting in a suspicious manner around any steamboat landing, railroad depot, or any electric railway station." [...]

The bill's sponsor, state Rep. Byron Rushing, D-Boston, said there's more than just legal house-cleaning behind the legislation.

"There was a feeling that we shouldn't have laws that we never use," he said. "And there were a few laws that could be used and shouldn't."

Yeah. Good job, DEFEATOCRAT Byron Rushing. Way to give the terrorists unfettered access to our steamboat landings and electric railway stations! What will you say when Osama bin Laden and his henchmen arrive at the Old Colony House in Hingham, spitting and blaspheming (as terrorists do) with impunity, and our police are powerless to stop them? What will you say then, Byron Rushing?

(Via Dave Barry).

Wow, that's a long line.

Hoping to get one last chance to see Barack (as well as an opportunity to finally hear John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, who I hadn't yet seen speaking) I headed over to the World Trade Center with some people in my entryway. Having left nearly two hours before the doors were supposed to open (which was two hours before the event even started), we figured that we would be there in time to get a decent spot.

When we got off the T, we ran into this line, which someone was nice enough to post on DailyKos. The volunteers told us that we only had a bit farther to go. But the line kept going...and going...and going. Apparently around twenty thousand people showed up, making a one mile long line. We ended up being around nearly the nine thousandth in line; we barely made the cut off to get into the room, after waiting in the cold for around three hours.

Cold exhaustion is getting to me, so I'm ready to head to bed before my brain completely shuts down at my computer. However, being one of the few people who noticed the port-a-potty in the adjacent parking lot, I wonder how people were willing to stay in line that long just for a slight glimpse of Obama. It was nearly impossible to see him in that room, but his speech drew the usual roars.

My eyes are starting to shut, so I'll just note that A)there definitely was a big Harvard contingent there that was part of the larger college contingent that dominated the event and B) It's finally super Tuesday. the day has arrived. It's going to be a long but unforgettable event.

Tsongas Wins!

Its been called.

Massachusetts keeps its all Democratic congregation!  And thats enough celebrating, time to go back to work for the rest of the Senate and House seats we need.   

Election Day Registration rocks my world.

So I've been talking about my summer as a PolitiCorps fellow to basically anyone who asks, but a large achievement of ours was registering 1,500 people to vote.  We got to meet with the State Secretary of Minnesota which has election day registration (EDR) and hearing his stories made me swoon.  The idea that people could register to vote and cast their vote on the same day is an activists dreamland.  

We can make that happen in Massachusetts.  EDR is in committee right now, and it needs to be pulled out and passed.  To quote Blue Mass Group: "It's easy, however, to do something about it. You can write to your Rep via Act for Change, or you can click here and find your Rep's or Senator's info."

Let's make this happen here.  Sign the petition with a friend.  Turn to each other and say "Democracy thanks you."  Because, believe me, it does. 

Debate Update: Kennedy will debate political midget

Yes folks, Ted Kennedy is actually going to spend 30 minutes of his time debating his Republican challenger Kenneth B. Chase. Is he bored? Has he nothing better to be doing? Perhaps it is just that he hasn't debated an opponent since Mitt Romney ran against him in 1994. I guess he had to do things besides take pictures with supporters and maintain his most liberal senator title.

In all seriousness, I respect Ted for not taking his seat for granted. Debate is deserved by all challengers. I still want to watch my senator wipe the floor with whatever sacrificial offering the MA Republican party has come up with. I mean, come on! Chase lost in 2004 for a seat in the US House of Representatives against Ed Markey by more than 50 points. "I can't imagine that the senator would be afraid of a little old Republican like me." No Ken, I can't either.

UPDATE: I changed the title after Max Mishkin pointed out the error of titling the post "Kennedy will engage in child's play" Many thanks to him.

Predictions open thread

My money's on Patrick and Murray, but who knows. What do you think?

Don't forget to come to the MA Gubernatorial Primary Party...right now!

Update: Well, I was right. Of course, I made the prediction at 8:27 pm, which doesn't make it too terribly prescient.

Another update: Umm...most things accidentally posted as "The Harvard Dems" are actually by me. Yeah, I'm just trying to get credit for my good predictions.

The Dem Apples Improvement Project

My pet project for this campaign season, aside from trying to be more like David Krakauer, is to increase the reach of Dem Apples outside of Harvard. To that end we're going to try to get some of the high-profile people coming through Harvard to guest blog here. If you've got a suggestion for someone we should contact, or better yet, you want to use your connections, let our Communications Director Hayley know.

Another part of increasing the reach of Dem Apples is to start doing lots of local coverage on our campaigns, primarily the Rhode Island Senate race and the Massachusetts governor's race. To that end, we need you to charge up your cameras, start reading the local blogs (start with rifuture.org), newspapers (start with the Providence Journal), and blog, blog, blog...and also link.

Not a blogger yet? Now's the time to get started.

Bloggers take note: tag your Rhode Island posts with RI-Sen or "Rhode Island" and your Massachusetts posts with MA-Gov or Massachusetts and they'll automatically appear in the right place on the Rhode Island coverage blog and the MA coverage blog (soon to come).

Speaking of which, we need some clever names for those two blogs. Markus, I'm looking at you.

Update: Markus delivers. Vote here (or make up your own and leave it in comments.)