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Wu running for mayor in 2021

The Globe reports Mayor Walsh himself made the announcement, saying Wu told him of her plans in a phone call yesterday. The Globe says a Wu spokesperson did not confirm that, "but took pains not to deny it."

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Very Intefeting...

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n/t

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I like her because she is disgusted with the nightmare riders of MBTA have to go through and believe she has had it with what the drug problem has done to the city which is the root of the violence, sidewalk swill, and crime.

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It's one thing to be disgusted, it's another to solve problems.

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You do know the city doesn't run the MBTA? And she opposes reopening the Long Island recovery facility.

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She somehow thinks the city has something to do with the MBTA, which it doesn’t.

When she first ran, she concentrated on city level problems and offered solutions. That she has decided grandstanding is better than concrete action is worrisome.

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So Boston has A LOT to demand from MBTA.
Yeah, not seeing any grandstanding

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The MBTA is a state agency. We are in the middle of elections for state rep, and the race for Governor is 2 years away. Those positions have sway over the T.

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Irrespective of the formal lines of responsibility and authority, are you seriously claiming that the City of Boston doesn’t have a shit ton of influence over the MBTA? Unofficial soft power to be sure, exerted through politics, influence, and relationships, but power nevertheless.

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I am indeed claiming that Wu's dream of a free MBTA is not something she can accomplish as mayor, unless she is planning on the City of Boston taking over the funding of the agency (even with the state sales tax.) The General Court and Governor, on the other hand, could figure out a funding mechanism to do so.

Here's an example. The late, great, St. Thomas of Readville could not get the bridge to Long Island rebuilt. That's the limits of being a mayor.

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does the mayor of boston represent their constituents officially or otherwise or am i misunderstanding how government works?

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You misunderstand how government works. State Reps and State Senators represent their constituents at the state level. The mayor can meet with them and advocate that they take city concerns to the legislature, but the mayor has no direct representative authority for state-run matters. Additionally, the MBTA doesn't even have anyone with ties to the city on their board. https://www.mbta.com/leadership

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a president has no power to make laws but it doesn’t stop him from suggesting policy

EDIT: as i thought about this, the president signs bills into law so not a great comparison

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If the MBTA were a city agency, the mayor would have a lot of say as to how the T is funded, but it's not. As it is, Michelle Wu, Martin Walsh, and Ari Ofsevit all have essentially the same amount of say.

Again, unless Wu is suggesting the City of Boston get directly involved in funding the $2.3 billion T budget (and before someone writes it, the City of Boston pays a about $86 million to the state for the T, and some say that's too much) Boston has little to say about funding of the T.

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Not sure where I should be on that spectrum.

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You use it on transit issues. Be flattered.

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https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/i-dont-hate-women-candidates-i-just-...

Marty does nothing but ape the tired Charlie Baker patented 'don't worry about the details, I am handling this behind closed doors' nonsense, only without results.

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I will say this, there is a level of sexism in your contention.

When I spoke ill of John Connolly for being more style than substance, was that sexism, too?

As far as Baker goes, at least you are talking about a politician that can do something about the T. Perhaps Wu should run for Governor.

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Sexism would be if I claimed didn't like Wu because you're a man. But then you know that.

If you think John Connolly had less substance than Marty, I don't know what to tell you, maybe broaden your news sources. Makes sense though that you seem to be the type to cling to the old Boston of Tim McCarthy and Frank Baker, where our leaders were all unexceptional white guys from the neighborhood, scratching each others back and complaining about people who dream of a better city.

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Why did you bring up Clinton and Warren?

Connolly was a man of no substance. His goal (until losing) was to become mayor. That was it. He pulled all sorts of stunts while he was in elected office. But this is not about him. This is about why you brought you brought up Clinton and Warren. I mean, if you were critical of Sarah Palin's Vice-Presidential run, wouldn't that be the same thing. The irony was that I was a strong supporter of Wu from the beginning, until she decided to pick as her key issue something she can do very little about. But sure, any criticism must be due to her gender, not any substantive reason that I've been spelling out for the past few years on this website and beyond.

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Yes! During Michelle's first couple of terms, she championed local small business and other local issues. Now I think she wants to be Liz Warren, Jr (for better or worse), but has forgotten about the regular working people in the neighborhoods. Lots of grand-standing.

She completely lost me when she criticized city agencies for trashing some of the disgusting wheel-chairs and other debris at Mass and Cass. BTW, I don't think she's offered any real solutions for Mass/Cass.

When she first ran, she concentrated on city level problems and offered solutions. That she has decided grandstanding is better than concrete action is worrisome.

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cast my vote now?

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Michelle.

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Has a spare bedroom down in DC for when she loses.

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Hoping this comment isn't meant to be as offensive as it sounds.

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Yoon was a promising young reformer who dared to take on The Menino Organization.

When he (predictably) lost, he became persona non grata as anybody who hired him would be thumbing their nose at Menino, and nobody who needed to work with City Hall would do that. He had to move to DC to get a job.

Not sure if Mahty has that kind of juice yet, but he clearly aspires to follow that example.

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.

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Wu are people like Wu. Privileged Liberals.

Average Bostonian isn’t voting for her.

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Either way, it's the 25% that turnout that'll choose.

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What has Walsh done for the average Bostonian besides allowing the city to be looted by union and developer cronies?

Every time there's a problem he either pretends he didn't know about, that it doesn't exist, or that it is the fed's fault even if they've given or offered the city millions of dollars to fix it.

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Minorities don’t hate Walsh but they will vote for Wu over him for sure. This will be very tough for Walsh.

But I’m not convinced Walsh is running again.

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congressional race as a Boston Municipal election barometer. When Biden wins and Walsh assumes some job in DC, Kim Janey is your 2021 version of Tom Menino. Wu will be confronted with her ambition to replace the city's first black mayor. The progressive community will tell us that Wu is more qualified than Janey because they are woke and smarter than you. Popcorn please.

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Thank you "anon" from Saugus.

Average Bostonia thanks you for your voice.

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100% agree. And she will be extremely detrimental to public safety agencies.

We are in the midst of a violent crime epidemic right now, and I’m afraid that a vote for her will exacerbate that.

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We are? (A sincere question.) Sources?

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Sources? How about oh I dunno, the exact website you’re commenting on.

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What is an "average" Bostonian?

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anyone that plays keno with any consistency, basically

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it's a privileged liberal

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JP votes don't count for more than other neighborhoods.

I am still kind of shocked that Chinese style internment camps for the Uighurs haven't been set up in White Stadium for anyone in JP who voted for Steve Lynch so that they can be "re-educated".

Marty is in for a tough fight however. She is a good candidate, but remember Walsh beat Tito in a lot more precincts than was expected.

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Slamming people in JP who disagree with you? Bringing up the ugliness of internment camps? Wow, if pity was a positive I would feel much pity for you.

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I am still kind of shocked that Chinese style internment camps for the Uighurs haven't been set up in White Stadium for anyone in JP who voted for Steve Lynch so that they can be "re-educated".

sarcasm or not this is one of the craziest things i’ve ever read on this site

and you all remember Roman

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Your stigmata must be really acting up today.

Face facts. JP's Bernie Bro Brigade is self-righteous to the point of parody. The amount of lunacy I see from there is comical.

Someone from JP once told me Wu had a great chance against Steve Lynch, and I agreed, until I realized they were talking about Brianna Wu. The delusion is amazing.

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Face facts. JP's Bernie Bro Brigade is self-righteous to the point of parody.

...those voices in your head aren't "facts".

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Isn't is milking season or tobacco harvesting season out in the place where you live, you know the one where huge parts of Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut are closer to Boston than to your town? Do comment on issues in Albany and Hartford too since they are closer to where you live?

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You're slacking on your tracking, you crusty cranky old codger.

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showing up to tell those of us who do live in Boston who we're going to vote for.

You know she's been running for an at-large seat that the whole city votes for, right? Seems like she's been doing pretty ok getting votes across neighborhoods.

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The Boston City Council has the teeth of a 89 year old Vermont farmer who got kicked in the face by a horse back in 1942.

City Council is far, far less important when people are making at large versus mayoral decisions.

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Pipe fitter who graduated from CM and got a family hook up to a union construction job? The rest of us should just drop dead?

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Hit it right on the head. Almost. Actually, not at all.

What it proves however, is your incredible prejudice and stereotyping common amongst those who can't afford Brookline or Cambridge and instead moved to a majority minority area of the city, and made it less minority.

Good work guy.

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Your prejudice against pipefitters shows. Your stereotyping is amazing.

I know a few pipefitters. Great guys. One is one of coolest people I know. Talented artist, musician, father, husband and traveler to places I know I will probably never go.

He's a better person than you. No question at all.

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Nothing at all wrong with going to CM or having generational ties to the city or having a great job in a closed union. Those people are part of what makes Boston what it is but let's not pretend that the city hasn't had huge problems over the year recognizing that the city is made up of a huge diversity of people, not just those folks. So yeah, when people start throwing out "Average Bostonian" and railing against "progressive liberals", my assumption is that they don't think of Boston as a diverse city and mean 'average white Bostonian' and that's some tired, parochial bullshit.

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Come on, a lot of the 537 members don’t live in the city, but they will be holding signs.

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doesn't vote. I think the polls have yet to cross 30% voter turnout since I moved here in 1999. So technically "The average Bostonian won't vote for X" is 100% correct no matter who X is.

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I'm already on to the analysis. Why did she call him, did she. Did he preemptively announce to have her lose thunder?

Looking forward to the Herald headline. Which I was going to write but you make one. It involves Wu and China.

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Welcome to the Thunderdome, Michelle. Sorry in advance for the sidewalk in front of your home being torn up and repaved about 185 times at midnight between now and election day.

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it couldn’t get any worse today in this City.

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Our salvation.

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Pretty shitty of Marty to steal her thunder after she gave him the courtesy of calling him to let him know she was running. Sign me up for the Wu Train.

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Him for months. Payback is a bitch.

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you're a schmo. When it ends, Michelle will be another one in the long line of passengers on the Lake Shore Limited.

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You got to be kidding me, her sidewalk is not torn up. My streets are.

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Especially with that "took pains not to deny it" BS.

Just another sad example of how journalisim has lost all sense of ethics.

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Regardless of the provenance, it's still news. And I don't think we want our news organizations deliberately holding back news on the basis that it might hurt or help a particular candidate, regardless of who that is or the circumstances.

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Wu Announces Last Term for Walsh

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I hope she makes safety on the MBTA a priority. Marty has ignored the community complaining of Transit Police targeting black and brown riders in a recent story in the Bay State Banner.

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Are Transit Police city jurisdiction or state?

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Too bad the election isn't in November as she'd win with that sort of turn out.

Walsh's power is the union vote because the those groups have the power to give all their members the day off to vote which is a huge advantage in low turn out elections.

If early & absentee voting becomes the norm it's going to help Wu.

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Wu and Walsh are two sides of the same crony capitalism coin...One small example: since 2015, Wu has received $5,800 in contributions from New Boston Ventures, the developer who plans to demolish the South End's cherished Harriet Tubman House. Her office has remained silent about this for more than one year, despite repeated calls and emails from the community. You would think with her calls to dismantle the BPDA that Wu would oppose the agency's lifting of the Tubman House's deed restrictions (which allowed the condos to go forward).

Unfortunately, Walsh is worse: his Chief of Staff Kathryn Burton (since March), was the chief of operations for New Boston Ventures until then, making sure the Tubman condo plans ran smoothly (Burton, along with her bosses at NBV) contributed many thousands of dollars not only to Walsh, but nearly all city councilors (including Wu of course; and 21K to AG Healey, $$ to Rep Pressley, State Rep Santiago; Black and Latinx community leaders as "liaisons").

For those defending this BRA/Walsh move with the argument that United South End Settlements needs the $20 million sale to survive (their propaganda), there's a lot more not publicly known around their finances (beyond spending down their $5 million endowment since 2015 under new leadership and eliminating programs while giving raises) and deliberate neglect of the Tubman House to justify selling their "cash cow".

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Take a look at who is winning the races for City Council. At large: 3 progressive women, and one centrist man. In the districts: 5 women and 4 men, and I'd call at least 5 of them progressive. The city voted for Rachel Rollins, Ayanna Pressley, and Ed (AOC) Markey. Marty Walsh has a tough fight coming. He's going to be remembered for being more strict than Charlie Baker against COVID-19, but I'm not sure if that helps or hurts him with his base.

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The city just voted to send Stephen Lynch back to Congress.

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Only part of the city was voting in the Lynch-Goldstein race, and even though it's largely the most conservative neighborhoods of Boston, Lynch's margin of victory was less than 3,000 votes in Boston's portion of the 8th district. That's for a relatively unknown liberal going up against a 10-term representative.

Compare that to 82,000 votes for Pressley in Boston's portion of the 7th district. Yes, she was unopposed but you might remember that she trounced Capuano by 28 points in Boston in 2018.

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But he can not lead. The Boston police continue to act as though they are the law. Benevolent when they want, but still greedy and doing whatever they want.

The BRA/BPDA (whatever) continues to be an unelected body, with the power of eminent domain. Responsible to no one other than the mayor. This is not different from making the police both police and jury.

Marty has done well during this pandemic. But it would be hard not to in a city where medicine is a major industry.

Unfortunately the preference for what is comfortable and known, no matter how weak, remains a powerful force in elections even in liberal Boston.

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Your incredible lack of understanding of eminent domain and its function and activity shows your are just either not smart or just plain old angry.

The power of eminent domain is enshrined in the US Constitution. In Massachusetts, a vote was taken back in 1788 to join the US by accepting the constitution, and thus the power of eminent domain.

There are restrictions on eminent domain however and any good lawyer will tell you, you typically get way above market if you property is taken coupled with a judicial system in this state that is typically plaintiff protective with government action.

If you can cite anywhere in the past 35 years where the City has gone in tooth and nail with Eminent Domain to do overt harm have at it. If you are citing such abuses as the destruction of the West End and Barry's Corner in the 50's and 60's, then you are no different than some lunkhead who is still blaming Judge Garrity that he has to live in a crappy condo in Weymouth as opposed to some firetrap on West 8th Street.

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Yawkey Way?

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In other news, water is wet.

She has been paving the way for this for years. Be an interesting race though - Marty came in strong but has fallen flat on so many issues. Wu has issues she champions, but seems to be ignoring issues she doesn't like.

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From the Globe:

Will Walsh snag a post in a Biden administration, should the Delaware Democrat defeat Trump this fall?

Seriously?

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Biden was at Walsh's 2018 inaugural - they're long-time friends. Rumors are a cabinet post (Labor?) or an ambassadorship to Ireland.

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...for Bay State pols who have risen a couple of levels beyond their competence to get a nice sinecure when a Dem is elected president. But if he wants the ambassadorship to Ireland, he's gonna have to fight Richie Neal for it.

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Shillelaghs at ten paces?

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I would pay E-ticket money to watch that.

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You should be proud of yourself.

If you go with your line of thought I should be expecting a comment about Michelle Wu being really, really good at school or Ayanna Pressley really good at singing spirituals from you next, right? Perhaps Josh Zakim being really good with money or something along that line.

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Word on the street is that Neal is hoping for the Ireland post. As for Marty, he doesn't have the chops for a cabinet post, so it's an ambassadorship or nothing. I suppose he could hope for Belgium, but I'm not sure he knows any languages other than English.

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Why move to Ireland if you can't drink?

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If Ayanna Pressley gets reelected to Congress and wants to be Mayor, it's hers. Plus, 2021 is not a Congressional year, so she can run for Mayor without giving up her seat until she wins. Wu will be formidable but probably can't "outliberal" or organize/fundraise as well as Pressley.

As murder and disorder skyrocket in Boston, public safety and small business voters are furious with Marty for enabling the lawlessness and failing to pushback on Baker's absurd, ongoing lockdowns further destroying the city. My understanding months ago was that Marty may have agreed not to seek a third term but if he does, he may not make the final election where only the top two are on the ballot. Throw in a moderate/conservative, white candidate and Marty's problems only get worse. I wouldn't count on Biden winning. At least Marty has a law degree and the district courts are slowly reopening.

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Begins with the idea of a reelected congressperson preferring to be mayor of Boston?

Never mind.

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