The Phoenix Network:
 
 
 
About  |  Advertise
Adult  |  Moonsigns  |  Band Guide  |  Blogs  |  In Pictures
 

U.S. Politics

Latest Articles

Has Obama learned from Clinton’s mistakes on health-care?

Action Speaks!
Action Speaks!, the always-enlightening panel discussion series at the Providence art space AS220, is back at it with weekly chats through the end of October.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG  |  September 30, 2009
0909_pol_list32

Six for the seat

After a tumultuous week, these half dozen are still in the mix for Kennedy's seat.
Over the next few months, as candidates for the US Senate travel the state, you're likely to hear them say again and again that nobody can ever truly replace Ted Kennedy. That's the truth. But what does the state want next, after such a legendary, larger-than-life figure?
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN  |  September 16, 2009

Sins and promises

Keeping tabs on the tweets of gubernatorial twits
Let's suppose you wanted Maine's next governor to be somebody who'd create jobs.
By AL DIAMON  |  September 09, 2009
0909_doctor_list

Merchants of death

Wall Street's latest bad idea. Plus, where the health debate will likely go.
Wall Street has found a new way to make a buck: buy up the life-insurance policies of the sick and the aged at a fraction of their cost, bundle them into bonds that will be sold to investors, and profit from them when the policy holders die sooner rather than later.
By EDITORIAL  |  September 09, 2009

With Kennedy's death, a chance to move beyond royalty

Dynasties
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the last "lion" of the Massachusetts clan, finally rests – in peace, I hope.
By MARY ANN SORRENTINO  |  September 02, 2009
Kennedy-pol-thumb

Giant shadow

Though he won't be on the ballot, Ted Kennedy's influence will be keenly felt in the special election to replace him.
One striking aspect of the Kennedy tributes was the focus on the help he and his office provided for ordinary individuals in Massachusetts — all those things that fall under the category of "constituent services."
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN  |  September 02, 2009

Onward, Christian governor!

Carcieri gets "loose"; plus, farewell to Tedy, and mind-boggling Bush
It's nice to see Governor Don "Laughing Boy" Carcieri loosening up by sharing the real Donnie Boy with the people of Vo Dilun. Initially (certainly in his first campaign for governor in 2002) Don tried to come across as a moderate conservative, not unlike his immediate predecessor, Linc Almond.
By PHILLIPE & JORGE  |  September 02, 2009

Lunch-bucket elite

Letters to the Boston editor, September 4, 2009
Your description of senatorial hopeful Stephen Lynch as a “lunch-bucket pol” is certainly a departure from the accuracy in political portrayal and substance I have grown accustomed to in the Phoenix.
By BOSTON PHOENIX LETTERS  |  September 02, 2009
0909_edit_list

Choosing Kennedy’s successor

The state needs to name a replacement — and soon
Massachusetts should have a temporary US senator until voters elect a replacement to serve out the remaining three years of Ted Kennedy’s term.
By EDITORIAL  |  September 02, 2009
ted-kennedy-memorial-tormenting-thumb

Tormenting Teddy

Republicans threaten Kennedy reign
After 32 years in the US Senate, Ted Kennedy remains a force to be reckoned with, both for his legendary family history and his considerable accomplishments.
By BOSTON PHOENIX STAFF  |  August 26, 2009
0908_quote_list

The end of the affair?

Mitt Romney's right-wing-media problem. Plus, Michael Bloomberg's blind spot.
During Mitt Romney's failed bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, he demonstrated a potent knack for wooing the conservative commentariat.
By ADAM REILLY  |  August 27, 2009
Kennedy-gaysupport-thumb

Gay Activists Work for Ted

Activists note Kennedy's gay rights work
Gay-and-lesbian community activists are heavily involved in what the chairman of the Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance of Massachusetts, Todd Fernandez, calls "a full-court press to ensure that Ted Kennedy's re-elected."
By LIZ GALST  |  August 26, 2009
0908_tedd_list

After Ted

Kennedy’s death came amid renewed speculation about his succession, his family, and potential candidates for his job
The death of Senator Edward M. Kennedy early Wednesday morning brings to a close the life and legendary career of one of Massachusetts's greatest political figures.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN  |  August 26, 2009
ted crowd list

Ted's turn

Clinton caves on crime bill, but Kennedy can still salvage it
A little-known provision in the crime bill now being negotiated by a House-Senate conference committee would greatly expand the number of prison cells available to house violent criminals, and it wouldn't be cost a dime. But it may be doomed unless Senator Ted Kennedy is willing to spend some political capital.
By AL GIORDANO  |  August 26, 2009
Kennedy-stage-memorial-thumb

Ted Kennedy's real record

A note on the 32-year-incumbent's accomplishments
When a 32-year incumbent seeks re-election, there is a long and well-documented record that can be examined. So it's disconcerting to note that admit all the miles of newsprint and videotape that have been expended covering the US Senate campaign, little has been said of what Ted Kennedy has or hasn't accomplished.
By AL GIORDANO  |  August 26, 2009
0908_edit_list

Rx for Barack

It's time for a dose of reality
President Barack Obama is taking his vacation not a moment too soon. As his painfully poor performance in the health-care debate shows, he is way off his game. He clearly needs some time to recharge his batteries.
By EDITORIAL  |  August 19, 2009
prog list

State House status

In a purportedly liberal state, the Rhode Island General Assembly has a stubbornly conservative bent. But can progressive politics make a dent in 2010?
Rhode Island voters, for all their supposed insularity, are an increasingly progressive bunch.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG  |  August 12, 2009
090937_mayors_list

Yoon or Flaherty

Who will win the chance to challenge Menino?
Boston voters will go to the polls in less than seven weeks to choose two candidates, out of the four now running, to face off against each other in November's mayoral election.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN  |  August 20, 2009
090937_edit-list

Patrick's latest train wreck

Plus, an Israeli diplomat does the right thing
There is no doubt that Governor Deval Patrick had — and has — much better ideas about reforming and restructuring the state's transportation infrastructure — including the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority — than the legislature.
By EDITORIAL  |  August 12, 2009
mad list

How's Obama doing?

Better than you think, but his health-care plans are a problem
Politics, an old cliché holds, is the art of the possible. Achieving the possible is a matter of power. And in a media-saturated democracy, power flows to those with good poll numbers.
By EDITORIAL  |  September 14, 2009
whale list

Secretly replacing Harry Reid

Big Fat Whale
The best part of waking up
By BRIAN MCFADDEN  |  August 06, 2009
stuff list

Stuff happens

A picture is worth 1k words dept. 
Thanks to the July 16 Cambridge break-in that wasn't a break-in — you know, the one that led to a boozy biracial four-way with President Obama — the Boston area fell under the international media microscope.
By PHOENIX STAFF  |  August 05, 2009
John_legend_thumb-backtalk

Interview: John Legend

A different kind of R&B star
Despite being one of the most successful R&B singers of the decade — with six Grammys and three top-selling albums — John Legend is something of an oddball.
By BEN WESTHOFF  |  August 05, 2009
lynch list

Lynch's bumpy road

Nothing unusual here
There is nothing all that unusual about Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch's now well-publicized travels to New Orleans, San Francisco, and other far-flung locales. Just the networking and fundraising forays of a pol gearing up for a gubernatorial run.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG  |  August 05, 2009
09037_edit_list

Patrick's opponents

A meaningful debate about Massachusetts will take intelligence and courage
Charlie Baker, former head of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and onetime finance chief for governors William Weld and Paul Cellucci, was scheduled to file papers this week to officially open his gubernatorial campaign. With that, he also unofficially kicks off the 2010 Massachusetts election season.
By EDITORIAL  |  July 29, 2009
Journalism-money_thumb

Our journalism echoes our politics

If the press reflects the times, which way will it go now?
Why won’t the Maine press inquire deeply into major issues?
By LANCE TAPLEY  |  August 03, 2009
jim list

Interview: Jim Langevin

This Just In
Rhode Island Congressman Jim Langevin has been in the news of late.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG  |  July 29, 2009
090724_iannucci_list

Loop dreams

Iannucci and the future of political comedy
After laughing at the benighted morals and intelligence and the mordant wit of the reprehensible politicos of In the Loop , I had to ask myself, why now? Wouldn't this film have made more of an impact, both politically and commercially, if it had been made, say, before the 2004 American presidential election?
By PETER KEOUGH  |  July 23, 2009
090727_edit-list

What ails the health-care debate?

A: Overly ambitious Democratic plans and unreasonable Republican opposition
If the idea of thinking about the ongoing push for health-care reform gives you a headache, you are not alone.
By EDITORIAL  |  July 22, 2009
09075_list4_loop

Review: In the Loop

Armando Iannucci wags the war
Six years ago, Armando Iannucci's slick and merciless political satire might have drawn more blood, but even now it blows away the recent satiric competition with its sharp, sardonic screenplay and uncompromising cynicism.
By PETER KEOUGH  |  July 23, 2009

MOST POPULAR
RSS Feed of for the most popular articles
 Most Viewed   Most Emailed 



  |  Sign In  |  Register
 
thePhoenix.com:
Phoenix Media/Communications Group:
TODAY'S FEATURED ADVERTISERS
Copyright © 2009 The Phoenix Media/Communications Group