Some post-vacation observationsDate: 8/27/2015 I was on vacation last week, and when I’m off I try mightily to disconnect. Of course it was a heck of a week to attempt such an endeavor.
I missed both Sheriff Ashe’s annual clambake, perhaps always the biggest event in the political year, as well as the mayoral candidate forum conducted at Classical Condos.
If my lament during work some weeks is that I can’t be everywhere at the same time in my three-city beat, then my vacation groan is “I’m missing something.”
But what would be the point of vacation if I didn’t disconnect?
So based on my observations I shouldn’t have been making during my time off, here are several comments.
Ashe is one of the astute political guys I know, but I think there was a definite misstep when it came to the relocation of the addiction treatment program. Getting the neighborhood buy-in should have been job number one.
I completely understand the neighborhood’s concern. My neighborhood of Maple High Six Corners once hosted a program run by the sheriff and it took a fair amount of discussion to convince people it would be a good addition.
I’m pretty sure this controversy will introduce another candidate for sheriff, one who does not have a background in either law enforcement or corrections, but does have name recognition and campaign acumen.
I’m curious what the next chapter will be.
The Ashley Madison story with a local connection broke when I was off and I debated how much of a story it really was.
Here is my thought process: before he was married, former Chicopee Mayor Michael Bissonnette allowed his tablet to use his city email to gain access to the Ashley Madison website. There is no record of any use of the website or any subscription paid for its services.
Was Bissonnette dumb to do this? Yes and he readily admitted it in a Facebook post.
That’s it, though – an expression of curiosity with no evidence of any wrongdoing. Despite the lack of any real details, this story had all sorts of legs in some media outlets.
It’s not much of a story, but a great start to making guesses.
Aren’t we supposed to be careful about casting stones? Apparently not when you want to attract viewers or website clicks.
Dinosaur chauvinist
On my desk waiting for me was a letter from a reader who wanted to communicate her displeasure with me without having it published. Well, when she wrote, “this week you truly offended all women,” I believe I have to address it.
The reader took offense to this paragraph from a column about the importance of local elections, “There really is a great – no qualifying quotation marks – story with the Democrats and that’s Sen. Bernie Sanders and his surprise candidacy. It’s too bad not many national news outlets seem to be paying too much attention. If Sanders can win one of the early primaries, we’ll have a real race. Otherwise it will be the Hilary Clinton show for most of 2016, something I’m dreading.”
It was the last sentence that caused her to label me a “Republican (shame) or a dinosaur chauvinist.”
I like to think I’m neither. So here is the explanation. I believe the race ultimately could be between Clinton and Jeb Bush. I don’t believe in dynasties. I also believe the country needs a far more progressive direction and that Sanders has positions that could appeal to both young voters as well as independents better than Clinton’s.
My opinion has nothing to do with Clinton being a woman. It has everything to do to who she is and the positions she has.
I’d like to think because I’m judging her on those characteristics I’m not a “dinosaur chauvinist.”
Great series
Chris Maza’s series on medical marijuana is being published at an opportune time. It is examining how the state handled the issue as the first dispensary in Western Massachusetts is getting ready to open its doors.
There are also two ballot questions that are being considered for the November election that would legalize the currently controlled substance if approved by voters.
Chris has done a great job examining the current legal status of marijuana. I hope you read it.
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