A series of reflections now that we’re post-election

Date: 11/28/2022

Please consider the following election notes from this ink-stained wretch:

I’m very pleased I don’t live in the Boston media market for a variety of reasons. My annual trip to Cape Cod allowed me to witness the absolute onslaught of political advertising that covered three states: Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

Wow. There is nothing like moment after moment of attack ads when you’re simply trying to forget about politics for a brief time as you watch your show.

And it’s now an official cliché to show footage of your opponent in grainy black and white. Please stop doing that. And how many times should the same commercial run within a half-hour show? Once is my preferred choice.

I actually believe that one of the roles we have as journalists is to encourage debates among candidates. I was involved with the effort by Focus Springfield and New England Public Media to arrange for several debates. Only one of them happened, as some of candidates involved in the others just couldn’t find the time. I congratulate those candidates that did go toe-to-toe with their opponents. That’s what voters need to see.

I have a new way of assessing the possibility of results: if there is a stack of unopened quickly chilling pizza on a table at the election watch event, there is a chance that candidate might be struggling. Other political junkies, please weigh in about the validity of this notion.

I think lawn signs need to be printed on something that is easily compostable, unless of course, the candidate in question is ready for round two. Also, perhaps candidates have given up on me – I can’t blame them – but I received precious few oversized postcards this cycle. I was a tad disappointed.

On the state level, Gov. Charlie Baker has done what one would expect from him: he has said he will help with the transition by including incoming governor Maura Healey in budget meetings and other essential actions.

That’s the way it should be and in this era of election-denial, it is assuring that some folks get it right. I didn’t doubt that Baker would do the right thing.

In the commonwealth, we saw that voters approved the ballot question concerning the “millionaire’s tax,” and the move to give drivers’ licenses to undocumented immigrants. According to the State House News Service, the new tax was supported strongly in Western Massachusetts.

The effort to allow drivers’ licenses for those living here illegally also was supported here.

A word of caution to those who supported each measure: remember the Legislature can add its own take on the issue. The body has done that before with ballot question results.

Keeping to what people voted for in the tax question is vital in my humble opinion. The money raised is supposed to go to public education and transportation. It would be a huge betrayal to the commonwealth’s voters if the reps and senators decided to alter where this money would go.

On a national level, as of this writing on Nov. 14, the country is still waiting to see how the House swings. There are still enough contested races to keep this latest election result in the dark. This has a lot of implications for the commonwealth as the pundits are buzzing about how Richard Neal will react if he loses his chairmanship of the House Ways and Means Committee.

And there are plenty of potential candidates waiting in the wings to announce their intentions if Neal decides after decades of public service to step down.

That Democratic primary will be amazing to cover. I just hope I can cover it.