Were You Born in This Country? No, Milwaukee

Posted on July 29, 2009 by billmanzi

The old Three Stooges routine somehow comes to mind here. This video has some great fun with the “birthers” that seem to have sway over Republican elected officials in Washington. Great stuff.

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Charlie Baker Takes the Plunge

Posted on July 29, 2009 by billmanzi

Republican Charlie Baker will formally draw papers today for Governor. He has put out his first video, attached below. Is Baker ready for primetime?

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Flagger Economics

Posted on July 29, 2009 by billmanzi

The Governor came in for some renewed criticism in the Herald a couple of days back over the civilian flagger issue. The criticism centered around the prevailing wage for civilian flaggers, which is currently pegged at $36.35, only slightly less than the state police detail rate of $40. The argument has been made consistently by police unions that due to the prevailing wage law there would be no substantial savings to the state or localities from civilian flaggers. With the prevailing wage rate scheduled to go to $38.35 for civilian flaggers in two years the hourly rate savings are negligible. This fact has always been known, but there was some indication that the Administration might try to change the hourly rate downwards for this job category. That effort has not happened, leaving the higher prevailing wage rates in place, subjecting Governor Patrick to some criticism from Michael Widmer and Senator Steve Baddour. From the Herald:

“That was a lost opportunity,” said Michael Widmer, executive director of the business-based foundation. “The Legislature left that open for (the Patrick administration) to pursue that line, but they’ve taken the rate that’s on the books.”

Senator Baddour also expressed disappointment:

Sen. Steve Baddour (D-Methuen), who helped author legislation changing use of police details, echoed Widmer’s dismay.

“I’m disappointed we missed an opportunity to achieve more savings. The whole point of this issue was to save taxpayer dollars. We should revisit this and try and look for more savings,” Baddour said.

MassHighway Commissioner Luisa Paeiwonsky was left to defend the program, indicating that the savings would come not from a lower rate but rather from a decline in overall hours worked, including the potential for utilizing less manpower per job. Commissioner Paeiwonsky declined to quantify the savings.

Are there any constituencies that have left this table satisfied? It does not appear so.

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The Governor Responds

Posted on July 27, 2009 by billmanzi

Governor Deval Patrick’s top campaign advisor Doug Rubin sent an email yesterday in response to the release of the Globe poll that showed the Governor with severe slippage in his numbers. Rubin pointed to several factors that he feels have contributed to the less than stellar numbers. From the Rubin email:

The Environment: We are in the midst of a national economic crisis, and governors across the country are feeling the impact of leading their states through these challenging times. Many people are struggling in this economy, and it is natural for them to ask more of their leaders. Governor Patrick’s poll numbers are consistent or better than most other governors’, both Republican and Democrat.

Challenging the Status Quo: Governor Patrick has taken on many entrenched interests on behalf of the people of Massachusetts, pushing for major reforms in pension laws, ethics, transportation, civilian flaggers, and charter schools. These successes will have a positive long-term impact for our state, but bring with them short-term political consequences.

Timing: We are in the midst of difficult economic times, the three challengers are relatively unknown, and the Governor has been making the tough decisions. We need to deliver a budget that is balanced, on-time, and keeps our leadership in education in tact. Yet, the Governor still stays strong in an hypothetical 3-way campaign in the Boston Globe poll.

The Campaign: There will be plenty of time to focus on the campaign. Right now, the Governor understands that people are struggling in this economy, and he remains focused on helping them by creating jobs, keeping our commitment to education and health care reform, and reforming the way Beacon Hill does our business. When the time comes for the campaign, the Governor looks forward to talking about the specific actions he has taken to benefit the people of MA and put our state on the road to recovery. These include creating good-paying jobs in growing industries like life sciences, bio-tech, and clean energy, cutting auto insurance rates for consumers, cutting costs through reforms like civilian flaggers, and closing a $5 billion budget gap while keeping our commitment to public education and affordable health care.

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VFW Motorcycle Run

Posted on July 27, 2009 by billmanzi

It was a great day for yesterday’s Motorcycle run at the Methuen VFW, where a big group of motorcycle riders participated in an event to honor our veterans. I was pleased to participate and present a citation to Bruno Turchi, a World War 2 vet who helped our forces cross the Rhine by preserving the Lundendorff Bridge at Remagen. It was an honor to be able to participate, and honor Mr. Turchi for his heroism. And it was wonderful to see Mrs Vicente, mother of our own fallen hero Marine Cpl. David Vicente, who we lost in Iraq. Thank you to all at the VFW for a wonderful day.

Presenting Mayoral Citation to Bruno Turchi

With World War 2 Veteran Bruno Turchi

Link to the photo album.

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Governor’s Poll Numbers Continue to Sink

Posted on July 26, 2009 by billmanzi

Governor Patrick, sixteen months away from his re-election bid, faced a new set of poor poll numbers today with the release of a new Boston Globe survey.

The survey, taken 16 months before the election, shows that the public has lost faith in Patrick’s ability to handle the state’s fiscal problems or bring reform to Beacon Hill, as he had promised. He is either losing or running neck-and-neck in matchups with prospective rivals, according to the poll, conducted for the Globe by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center.

A couple of numbers jumped right out at me, including the Governor’s favorability, which stands at 36%, while 52% view him unfavorably. Job approval shows 35% approval for the Governor, while 56% disapprove of the job he is doing. Those are dangerous numbers that do not bode well for his re-election prospects. But for me the most significant number for the Governor is his low standing amongst political independents. He has plummeted with this demographic, and that may be the most important number to come out of this survey.

Patrick’s formerly strong appeal to independents – the state’s largest voting bloc – has dropped sharply, with only 17 percent viewing him favorably. Nearly two-thirds say they have an unfavorable opinion.

Seven months ago, a Globe poll showed that 52 percent of independents viewed the governor favorably.

That low standing among independents may be overcome by the Governor in a three way race, but in a head to head matchup it could be fatal. And the potential three way matchup between Governor Patrick, Treasurer Tim Cahill, and Republican Charlie Baker seems to show that. That three way race shows Patrick and Cahill both at 30%, with Charlie Baker at 20%, with undecided at 15% and others at 4%. In a head to head with Charlie Baker Patrick loses 41% to 35%, despite the fact that Baker shows a 63% “do not know” response on favorability.

It is clear to me that the guess made here upon the party switch of Tim Cahill has been largely borne out by these numbers. I speculated that Cahill and Baker in the race together provides the Governor, despite his poor numbers, a path to victory. The Globe thinks so as well.

Patrick’s best hope at this point appears to be that Cahill and Baker both run. The governor’s core constituency remains highly educated, liberal Democrats and voters in Western Massachusetts, which could help form a big enough base if Baker and Cahill split many conservative Democrats, independents, and Republicans. Baker has the potential to cut into Cahill’s support among independents the more he introduces himself to voters.

Patrick’s weakness amongst independents is so much less damaging to him in that three way race, with Cahill and Baker splitting that demographic and potentially allowing him to ride that progressive bloc to victory.

Both Baker and Cahill are pretty smart guys who know how to read numbers. Are there any conversations occurring between Baker and Cahill on this race?? And the last thing I will comment on is the Cahill poll numbers. He registers at 42% favorable, and only 17% unfavorable. He has a pretty large bloc at 32% that do not know him, but his numbers are in stark contrast to the numbers of Governor Patrick. He is a major player in this race, and the decision he reaches on his candidacy will determine so much about this upcoming election. Read the Globe story here.

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Health Care Reform and Small Business

Posted on July 25, 2009 by billmanzi

The President spent his weekly address on health care and small business. He cites a letter received from a small firm that provides health care for eight employees but continues to struggle to keep up with double digit increases in premiums. With the current system unchanged the firm will need to lay off help or drop coverage entirely. That is the crux of the argument across the board, whether it be small business, municipalities, or even large business. The rate of inflation in health care is bankrupting the country. And that premium inflation rate, if left untouched, will lead to millions of additional uninsured on an annual basis, creating further strain on the already cratering system. Meanwhile House Democrats ended up in open warfare, with Henry Waxman and the Blue Dogs breaking off negotiations in acrimony, and then kissing and making up a couple of days later. A key area of dispute was over the potential for allowing an independent commission to set rates for medicare without congressional approval. From the Post:

Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.), the lead negotiator for the conservative “Blue Dog” Democratic coalition, has pushed for creating a new commission that would set Medicare’s payment rates for health-care providers, rather than leaving it in the hands of lawmakers, who frequently try to push up the rates for their regions. In addition, the conservative Democrats have pushed to prevent a new government-run public plan for insurance to peg its payment rates to Medicare, because they say there are regional disparities in the amounts given to providers.

Liberal Democrats, however, have balked at turning over the payment plan to an independent commission.

Yes this is a tough slog, and there will be a lot of infighting. But to say that just leaving the status quo in place is sustainable is just so much nonsense.

Posted in National News | Tagged , | 23 Comments

President Takes a Slight Step Back on Gates

Posted on July 25, 2009 by billmanzi

With the controversy around the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Gates continuing to escalate President Obama took a step back from his “acting stupidly” remark, and placed a call to Cambridge Police Sgt Crowley, inviting him to the White House for “a beer”. The President had kind words for Sgt. Crowley, and appears to recognize that his remarks have set off a firestorm that needs containing. He appeared in the briefing room himself, which shows how important he felt it was to get out this message.

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IMAX in Methuen

Posted on July 23, 2009 by billmanzi

The IMAX experience comes to Methuen, with the grand opening of IMAX tommorow night at the fabulous Loop . Methuen’s IMAX theatre will be the first in the Northeast to show the new Harry Potter film. I hope to see you at the Grand Opening tommorow night! The Press Release from IMAX is below.

IMAX CORPORATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AMC ENTERTAINMENT® BRINGS THE IMAX EXPERIENCE®
TO AMC METHUEN 20

AMC METHUEN THE FIRST THEATRE IN THE NORTHEAST TO OPEN WITH HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

New IMAX® theatre opens at AMC Methuen 20 on July 24

Boston – July 20, 2009 – AMC Entertainment Inc. (AMC), a leading theatrical exhibition and entertainment company, announces today that guests visiting AMC Methuen 20 can now enjoy The IMAX Experience® from IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX; TSX: IMX). AMC Methuen 20 will be the first theatre in the Northeast to open with HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE five days prior to other IMAX theaters throughout the country on Friday, July 24, 2009.

The IMAX Experience combines crystal-clear images, powerful digital sound and customized theatre geometry – through the modification of an existing auditorium – to create a uniquely immersive movie experience. The field of view is maximized by installing a new screen that is slightly curved and positioned closer to the audience by removing seats, resulting in superior angles and sight lines for guests.

IMAX’s digital projection system combines two digital projectors with IMAX’s proprietary image enhancer and custom lenses to create an image with greater clarity, brightness and contrast. The images on screen are complemented with IMAX’s latest sound system, which features its proprietary loudspeaker technology and uncompressed digital sound. This system has ten times more dynamic range, cuts down on distortion and provides a sound quality that feels more immersive, especially with added acoustic paneling that absorbs sound and removes echo.

The addition of IMAX at AMC Methuen 20 builds upon decades of AMC offering the best and broadest menu of entertainment choices for guests seeking an unparalleled experience. Guests at AMC Methuen 20 will take in the world’s most immersive cinematic experience when “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” – featuring select scenes in IMAX 3D opens on July 24. The film has been digitally re-mastered into IMAX’s format exclusively for presentation in the IMAX auditorium. In addition to IMAX-formatted movies, AMC delivers other types of entertainment to guests, including live and pre-recorded alternative content events.

The IMAX® theatre at AMC Methuen 20 will feature IMAX’s digital projection system and exhibit Hollywood’s biggest movies that have been digitally re-mastered into IMAX’s format.

Upcoming Hollywood movies to be released in IMAX’s format include: “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” (Nov. 6); “Avatar” (Dec. 18); “Alice in Wonderland” (March 5, 2010) “How to Train Your Dragon” (March 26, 2010) and “Shrek Goes Fourth” (May 21, 2010).

-more-

Page 2, IMAX theatre at AMC Methuen 20

The combination of IMAX’s revolutionary digital projection system, customized theatre geometry, specially designed screen and powerful digital audio system with AMC’s guest service and innovative products and amenities will make AMC Methuen 20 the No. 1 destination for entertainment. The new IMAX theatre maximizes the experience for guests so they feel as if they are IN the movie they are watching.

The opening of the IMAX theatre at AMC Methuen 20 is part of a joint-venture agreement by AMC and IMAX to install 100 IMAX digital projection systems at AMC locations in 33 major U.S. markets through 2010.

About AMC Entertainment Inc.
Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., AMC Entertainment Inc. is a leading theatrical exhibition and entertainment company. With a history of industry leadership and innovation dating back to 1920, the company today serves hundreds of millions of guests annually through interests in 307 theatres with 4,612 screens in five countries. http://www.amctheatres.com

About IMAX Corporation
IMAX Corporation is one of the world’s leading entertainment technology companies, specializing in immersive motion picture technologies. The worldwide IMAX network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event Hollywood films around the globe, with IMAX theatres delivering the world’s best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX® 3D, and IMAX DMR® technology. IMAX DMR is the Company’s groundbreaking digital re-mastering technology that allows it to digitally transform virtually any conventional motion picture into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. IMAX’s renowned projectors display crystal-clear images on the world’s biggest screens, and the IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences for consumers. As of December 31, 2008, there were 351 IMAX theatres (231 commercial, 120 institutional) operating in 42 countries.

IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, Experience It In IMAX®, The IMAX Experience®, An IMAX Experience® and IMAX DMR® are trademarks and trade names of the Company. More information about the Company can be found at http://www.imax.com.

###

For additional information please contact:
AMC Entertainment Inc.
Justin Scott
juscott@amctheatres.com
816-480-2548

IMAX Corporation
Jackson Myers
jmyers@imax.com
905-403-6414

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The Obama Presser

Posted on July 22, 2009 by billmanzi

President Obama held his fourth prime time press conference tonight, speaking mostly to health care, but also issuing comments supportive of Harvard Professor Gates in his dispute with Cambridge Police. The President, in my opinion, made the general point that the current system is unsustainable but did a less than effective job of communicating the larger points on health care. He also declined generally to lay out markers beyond which congressional bills might draw a presidential veto. Not one of his better performances.

Posted in National News | Tagged | 6 Comments