Final Push for Netroots Nation

So, I thought the Netroots Nation contest was finally finished -- it was supposed to close on the 10th - but unfortunately (for me, anyway), the window extends for people to offer their support, though no new people can sign up. That means I must still push for more supporters.

As the contest currently stands, I'm tied for 4th place in total support, but only by 5 people. Someone got 30+ votes overnight to make this real close, with another just about 5 more votes behind him. Either could easily surpass me if I don't keep pushing. Thus, one final time, I ask readers to nominate me for a scholarship to Netroots Nation.

Ten scholarships are being awarded, but I know DFA has been tasked with making sure that people from all over the country are present at the convention. That means just being in the top 10 won't guarantee me a spot. That's why I've been pushing for the top 5.

If I win the scholarship, I'll put whatever new skills, ideas and contacts I make to good use in the Mass Netroots and in my activism. Furthermore, I'll cover the entire convention through blogs and videos for the Mass netroots. Some of your favorite bloggers and politicians will be there, so it will certainly come in handy to have me there liveblogging it. So I ask, one final time (I promise!), for people to "add your support" to my scholarship page. So, if you haven't done so already (and many of you have -- thanks!!), please add your support and send this diary to your activist friends. I can't get there without your help.

Thanks,

Ryan

Support my DFA Scholarship Request

Every year, I hear amazing things about Netroots Nation -- formerly YearlyKos. Every year, I hear how useful it is for becoming a better blogger and bringing new tools to the community. Every year, I can't go, as much as I'd like to, because I just don't have the thousands in funds I'd need to make that feasible. This year, though, I just may -- not only is the trip within driving distance, but 30 scholarships are being offered to attend. Most importantly of all, you can help me receive one by becoming a supporter on my scholarship page. It just takes a click - that's it!

Normally, in life, I like to let other people have these opportunities, at least if it doesn't directly apply to me. However, given the potential this experience would have as a learning and networking opportunity -- I think it would be irresponsible if I didn't try to go. Simply put, the things I take away from Netroots Nation may just have a positive impact on the entire mass blogosphere. Given all my work through BlogLeft, LeftAhead, the grassroots and the who knows how many thousands of posts and comments I've contributed, I do think I warrant consideration for one of the thirty scholarships being awarded this year.

I ask that readers of Ryan's Take support my request by clicking here. You can help me become a Netroots Nation scholar this year just by clicking that link, signing up or logging in, then clicking the "add your support" link on my scholarship page. People who have a lot of supporters are that much more likely to earn the scholarship, so please consider it.

Thank you,

Ryan

Some Questions for Matt Viser on Slots

Hey Matt, how's it hanging? After reading your Sunday slot parlor article, I have some questions for you.

First off, before you go ringing the praises of the Pennsylvania slot system, what sort of investigation have you done on the numbers? While I'll take your word for it that tax revenue from slot machines in Pennsylvania brought $900 million in for the state, did you consider the fact that the state is much, much larger than Massachusetts? When you looked at the rate in which Pennsylvania taxes slots (55%), did you consider whether or not the state could actually get the sort of up-front fees Cahill seemed to wish? If not, at a 27% rate, doesn't that mean a potential Massachusetts slot parlor industry would earn peanuts next to Pennsylvania? Furthermore, since all the experts, including the oft-quoted Clyde Barrow, derided Treasurer Cahill's profit-per-slot numbers and licensing fees as wildly optimistic, why keep repeating them? Isn't that blatantly dishonest? Did you consider if the amount of lobbying dollars Cahill recieves (most in the state) has anything to do with these seemingly low-ball numbers or why he continually pushes the slot machine business?

Secondly, did you at all consider the revenue that other taxable businesses lost in Pennsylvania? How much of that $900 million was the state already bringing in from local restaurants, bars, clubs and other businesses -- all of which have a large multiplier effect, because money spent locally tends to go from one business to the next? If most of that $900 million is old money, isn't that actually a drain on the economy, since its now out of local hands and no longer multiplies, as local businesses are forced to close? Did you consider the loss of revenue the state lottery would take and how cities and towns would be able to cope with it?

Thirdly, how many of these numbers and articles are coming from industry press releases and sources? How many articles have you written boasting the revenue casinos bring in, without spending considerable time answering the previous questions above, versus the number of articles you've written about how the slot machines are predatory in nature. How many articles have you written describing the lives of those who have been addicted to slot machines? Have you written any articles that attempt to explain why counties with any slots in this country have bankruptcy rates that are 18% higher than counties without slots? Or how about articles on businesses that went under around Ledyard in Connecticut, Atlantic City, Detroit or any other area that's introduced casinos or slot parlors?

In all my years reading the Boston Globe, I remember only one really good article on the predatory nature of slot machines -- that explained how and why they were addicting in detail. My final, most important question: Why didn't your article at least reference that excellent piece -- and will your future slot-related articles include that side of the story?

Dear Trolls,

If you think I'm a "douche" or "thin skinned" or my posts are horrible, why are you here? Don't you have better things to do with your time?

Honestly, I don't care. I don't censor any of the comments on this blog. Never have. Feel free to say whatever the heck you want. Just note that if you want to troll around random lefty blogs on the internet, it says far more about you than it does me.

For everyone else out there, if you disagree with me - that's great. Let me know why and be prepared to back it up. We could have a few interesting comments. Hopefully the trolls won't get in the way.

Peace,

Ryan

Yo, NBC --

Heroes isn't about powers, it's about characters and how they can make the world a better place. While those powers are a part of those characters, they are not the defining characteristic. Having Peter and Hiro one day have powers, the next not, the next maybe, kinda, sort of have them (yada, yada, yada) isn't moving the story along. It's just annoying.


Honestly, it's about as irritating as defining gay people purely by their sexuality. Just like being gay is only a part of a person - in this case, a gay one - Peter's ability to absorb the powers of others is only a part of him. It's not the fraking impetus of the whole freaking show. Yet, while it's not the impetus, screwing with his powers so frequently as a plot device is as annoying as those who suggest to their gay coworkers, 'well, why don't you try switching teams, even if it's just once?' Let people be who they are as they face the challenges that come their way, please.

Just give Peter and Hiro back their fraking powers and *get on with the story.* Part of this new volume has been awesome, the anti 24, but it's really a TV first for me: I'm simultaneously exceptionally interested, yet in half the scenes (every scene with Hiro and Peter), I feel like someone's scratching a chalkboard with their finger nails. It's grating and repulsive. It's killing Heroes for me.

To put this all in perspective, I'm about to drop Heroes from my Facebook favorites - and, as we all know, nothing's official until it happens on Facebook. So, NBC, if you don't fix this volume fast, prepare for a broken heart on my newsfeed. I'm soooo going to quit you. Consider this fair warning.

Dear Governor Patrick,

Our state seems to be at a bit of an impasse. We have a massive budget problem and a Governor who isn't willing to raise taxes to close that gap. For decades now, both at the national and state level, whenever there's budget gaps, we've been cutting things to close them. We never get the core services that we slice back. They're just gone. Why? Because people on the fringe right, who are unfortunately effective at controlling the media's dialogue, have been successful in turning "tax" into a bad word.

What frustrates me, though, is that it wasn't a word you ran away from during the campaign - and that's a great part of why you were able to win a tough primary and competitive general election in landslides. Why, now, are you running away from it? As today's Globe story indicates, you're afraid to do what's necessary to avoid cuts to the bone in our budget. That's not acceptable -and it's not helping you win votes, either.

Instead of doing the right thing, winning and losing a few votes at the same time, you're getting the worst of both worlds: you're pissing off the mature adults out there who are willing to pay for services at the very same time that you're losing the few of the least-common-denominator votes out there who see you raising RMV fees and think this Michael Dukakis 2.0. Ignore those people - you're not going to win their votes anyway. Stop pursuing policies that try to have it both ways: increasing fees is exactly the same thing as a tax hike and it's dishonest to pretend anything different. Be honest and upfront. There are plenty of people, of all political stripes, who are waiting to support the governor that's actually going to do something to save their school and library. So far - and I mean no offense - you just haven't been that Governor, but you still have time to make it right.

We need to raise taxes - but do it the right way, not the dishonest Mitt Romney way. What you should be afraid of next election is in keeping your base happy. They got you there to begin with; they'll be the people who will get you reelected. But any member of the base who sees a school in their town close probably isn't going to vote for you - much less volunteer. Raising income taxes won't lose you votes in this crowd, it may just save them. So, while some of your measures were sensible - especially the bottle deposits - let's skip the increased fee hikes, excessive cuts and, most importantly, be honest with ourselves. Raising income taxes is the fairest, most transparent way possible to save this state. In 2006, we voted for change, not the Mitt Romney School of Governing. So please remember that the people of this Commonwealth don't expect miracles, just a Governor who is willing to level with them and engage with them to solve our common problems.

Yours Truly,
Ryan

P.S. I really don't want you to be a one-term governor, but if you keep following down this path, I fear you may be.

Oh No! The Media Didn't Get ALL the Attention!

David Bernstein, of the Phoenix, is just oh-so-frustrated that bloggers got 30 minutes of Deval Patrick's attention for the first time during his Governorship - as opposed to all MSM, all the time. Lynne has much more.

Here's my responce to Bernstein, a comment I left on his Talking Politics blog.

David,

First, how many press conferences has Governor Patrick had since he was elected? How many media interactions - interviews, press releases, etc.? Please, as a respected member of the fourth estate, please enlighten me. In the 2+ months Deval Patrick has been governor, bloggers have been given a little more than 30 minutes with the governor - basically, enough time for most - but not all - of the attending bloggers at Boston Latin to ask one question. Suddenly, he's going around the media? That's absurd.

Second, I find it downright offensive that you are suggesting he's wrong to spend time on his constituents. How dare he hold town meetings around the state! I mean, the nerve of him! Furthermore, it's even more offensive that you feel the need to dictate how much time he should or should not dedicate toward his wife. Isn't that a personal matter? Or, are you a psychiatrist close to the case?

Third, while your first point has some merit, it's nothing new or especially poignant. Furthermore, Charley is right when he says Sal DiMasi is partly responsible for this too - after all, he's the one trying to block the repeal of unfair corporate tax loopholes. The fact is Deval Patrick's entire campaign was littered with references to his outsider status and he continually railed against Beacon Hill politics. So, we should be shocked that he'd criticize Beacon Hill politics on Saturday?

Quite frankly, I expect more out of the Phoenix's political coverage. I could read this kind of stuff in a Frank Phillips article - and that's not exactly a good thing. Everywhere across the country people praise town meetings - politicians like Senator Feingold of Wisconsin have earned wide praise for actually caring enough about his constituents to hold town hall meetings. Why is it that in Massachusetts, suddenly Town Meetings are a bad thing? It's not about circumventing the media, it's about being accessible to the people. It's about respecting democracy. It's about doing his job.

Hey Deval

I think it's time for some good press - so here's an idea. The next Con Con on gay marriage is probably going to happen sooner rather than later; I'd love to go into that fiasco with some momentum. One good way to do that is to get some good legislation passed on gay rights issues. With that in mind, let's push a repeal to that nasty, archaic 1913 law that stops out of state couples from wedding here. You're against it. Presumably, so are a lot of the legislators of this state. It's time to push and lead on this issue. With your leadership, I'm convinced we can get it repealed fast. Thanks!

Sincerely,

Ryan

An Open Letter to Deval Patrick

Dear Governor Patrick,

So far, the dynamics of your administration has reminded me of the Superman/Clark Kent relationship. Superman was, well, super - while Clark Kent was purposefully clumsy and wasn't anything special. During your brief tenure as Governor, you've pushed some bold new policies for this state and seem to want to overhaul the way government works. Your ideas are great, forward-thinking and we desperately need to get them passed. However, there have been personal blunders that - fairly or not - has set off a media frenzy: there are hungry sharks in bloody water.

That's precisely why, from here on out, you have to be more Superman than Clark Kent. That means you have to be The Governor all the time; that means no more phone calls on behalf of your friends, even when you aren't doing it from the purview of your office. Don't get me wrong, I think it's ridiculous that you had to pay for new office furniture, drapes and the difference between the car you're driving now and what Mitt Romney drove then, especially given the fact that he was travelling across the country running for President in part using taxpayer's expenses. The media loves to be hypocritical when it comes to reporting on Democrats and Republicans, we both have known that for a long time. I agree with you when I think these are largely distracting, media-driven stories that ignore the important things going on. However, it's precisely because of those reasons that we can't keep having these Clark Kent moments while you're in office.

I promise to help pass some of these bold new initiatives, which I think in large part are a great idea, with all the might of my web site. That's not saying much, but there are thousands of people out there who agree and will do the same. That's why we can win. Your policies are important and I know I'm just as much a part of your campaign for a better Massachusetts as you. I believe you were genuine when you said that on the campaign trail and I believe you still mean it now.

You're going to be a very good Governor and we're going to get great things accomplished over the next 4 (and hopefully 8) years. However, we'll be able to accomplish far more if we don't have to read any of Frank Phillip's trash stories in the media that can easily be misconstrued among many in the public. We have a lot of work to do and, unfortunately, our leader - you - must sacrifice some of the most basic things in life in order to get things done. Trivial actions and words, sadly, become important when it's you that's doing it. Furthermore, being Governor means doing things we don't like - such as sucking up the media and becoming good 'ol chums with the Boston rags. It's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. These are all part of the job description for any Governor, but especially a progressive one such as yourself. We depend on the public knowing the truth to get things done, but that can't happen if most people know more about your office drapes than meals tax policy.

Thanks,

Ryan