Tag Archives: Jim McGovern

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McGovern, Warren, more than 130 Members of Congress Urge Secretary DeVos to Reinstate Student Loan Protections

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Congressman Jim McGovern

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UNITED STATES CONGRESS

Lawmakers urge Secretary DeVos to Reverse her Decision to Scrap Obama-Era Student Loan Servicing Reforms

On April 4, DeVos Rescinded Policy Memos that Included Consumer Protections for Borrowers

“Your decision to rescind these memos … will put millions of borrowers and taxpayers at risk.”

Today Congressman Jim McGovern joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and a group of more than more than 130 Members of Congress in sending a letter today to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos urging her to reverse a decision to rescind Obama-era memos on student loan servicing reforms.

The reforms had included new consumer protections for borrowers and improvements to the quality of federal loan servicing. In addition to Senator Warren, the letter was led by Reps. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA).

“Your decision to rescind these memos — including the guidance making servicers’ past performance and record of compliance with the law the most important non-cost factor in the evaluation — will put millions of borrowers and taxpayers at risk,” wrote McGovern and more than 130 Members of Congress. “Without accounting for past performance, federal contracts will be open to bidders that have previously violated state or federal consumer protection laws, mistreated members of our military, and consistently ignored the needs of their borrowers.”

On April 11, 2017, the U.S. Department of Education announced Secretary DeVos was rescinding three critical policy memos intended to reform the student loan servicing process meant to better assist borrowers in managing their loans, hold servicers accountable, and set financial incentives that will best support the interest of students.

The memos were issued by the Obama Administration following a request from Senate Democrats for common-sense improvements to the student loan servicing process. House Democrats also requested the Department continue to improve the student loan collection and servicing processes for struggling borrowers. After DeVos’ latest action, it is unclear how the Department intends to move forward with the current contracts for student loan servicing which are worth more than $840 million per year.

“With one in four student loan borrowers in default or delinquent on their federal student loans, it is the responsibility of the Department to address the student debt crisis and ensure that all service providers in the student loan program are doing everything they can to put students and families first ahead of the profits of student loan companies,” McGovern and his fellow lawmakers wrote.

Joining McGovern and Warren from the Massachusetts delegation on the letter were Senator Ed Markey and Representatives Michael E. Capuano, Katherine Clark, William R. Keating, Stephen F. Lynch, Seth Moulton, and Niki Tsongas.

The letter was signed by a total of 111 House Democrats. In addition to Representatives Scott and Bonamici, the letter was signed by Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Theodore E. Deutch (D-FL), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Eliot L. Engel (D-NY), Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Alma S. Adams (D-NC), Marcia L. Fudge (D-OH), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Ron Kind (D-WI), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), John Garamendi (D-CA), Daniel W. Lipinski (D-IL), Jared Polis (D-CO), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Gwen S. Moore (D-WI), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Val Butler Demings (D-FL), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), Peter Welch (D-VT), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Susan A. Davis (D-CA), Mark Takano (D-CA), Mark Desaulnier (D-CA), Bill Foster (D-IL), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Brian Higgins (D-NY), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), John Yarmuth (D-KY), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (D-VA), Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Suzan Delbene (D-WA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-MN), Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Anthony G. Brown (D-MD), Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-GU), David Scott (D-GA), Katherine Clark (D-MA), John Lewis (D-GA), Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Denny Heck (D-WA), Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Brenda L. Lawrence (D-MI), Mike Doyle (D-PA), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Robin L. Kelly (D-IL), Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), José E. Serrano (D-NY), Judy Chu (D-CA), Peter J. Visclosky (D-IN), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Peter Defazio (D-OR), Rick Larsen (D-WA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI), A. Donald McEachin (D-VA), Rosa L. Delauro (D-CT), Diana Degette (D-CO), Daniel T. Kildee (D-MI), Al Green (D-TX), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Ruben J. Kihuen (D-NV), James P. McGovern (D-MA), Gene Green (D-TX), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), William R. Keating (D-MA), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Filemon Vela (D-TX), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Rick Nolan (D-MN), John K. Delaney (D-MD), G. K. Butterfield (D-NC), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), Michael E. Capuano (D-MA), André Carson (D-IN), Kathleen M. Rice (D-NY), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)

The letter was signed by a total of 25 Senators. In addition to Senators Murray and Warren, the letter was signed by Durbin (D-IL), Brown (D-OH), Leahy (D-VT), Sanders (I-VT), Harris (D-CA), Feinstein (D-CA), Baldwin (D-WI), Franken (D-MN), Murphy (D-CT), Blumenthal (D-CT), Reed (D-RI), Whitehouse (D-RI), Wyden (D-OR), Merkley (D-OR), Markey (D-MA), Cortez Masto (D-NV), Udall (D-NM), Hirono (D-HI), Menendez (D-NJ), Booker (D-NJ), Schatz (D-HI), Kaine (D-VA), and Cantwell (D-WA).

The text of the letter is below:

April 26, 2017

The Honorable Betsy DeVos
Secretary of Education
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20202

Dear Secretary DeVos,

We are very concerned by your April 11th decision to rescind policy directives that would have protected student loan borrowers. This sudden and unwarranted action raises significant questions about how the U.S. Department of Education (“Department”) plans to proceed with the procurement of new federal student loan servicing contracts (“recompete”) and whether you will manage federal loan servicing activities in a manner that holds federal student loan servicers more accountable, helps millions of borrowers avoid the terrible consequences of default and delinquency, and ultimately protects the rights of students and families.

More than 42 million Americans collectively owe nearly $1.3 trillion dollars in federal student loan debt, and student loan servicers act as these borrowers’ primary point of contact for managing their loans. Whether borrowers are struggling to repay their loans, seeking actionable information about how to lower their payments, or just need help finding the repayment or forgiveness plan that best meets their needs, student loan servicers play a significant role in borrowers’ daily lives and act as official representatives of the federal government.

After years of pervasive and widespread failures in student loan servicing, many borrowers are simply fed up with delays, errors, and mismanagement of their loans. Serious issues with servicing operations and oversight have been repeatedly identified by an avalanche of complaints from borrowers, countless investigations of and settlements with servicers for alleged violations of consumer protection laws, and numerous reports from the Government Accountability Office and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

Given the strong consensus on the policies needed to dramatically improve customer service for federal student loan borrowers, the Department took steps to overhaul student loan servicing. Under the previous Administration, the Department issued several memos for the recompete to establish rules to prevent predatory, abusive, and unfair behavior by servicers, and to write new consumer rights and protections into the next round of servicing contracts. Your decision to rescind these memos — including the guidance making servicers’ past performance and record of compliance with the law the most important non-cost factor in the evaluation — will put millions of borrowers and taxpayers at risk. Without accounting for past performance, federal contracts will be open to bidders that have previously violated state or federal consumer protection laws, mistreated members of our military, and consistently ignored the needs of their borrowers.

Most notably, your decision to rescind uniform servicing standards—for activities such as the way loan payments are applied, how accounts are transferred between servicers, and the loan forgiveness and repayment information that must be provided to borrowers—signals an unwillingness to support and safeguard the best interest of borrowers. These consumer protections were carefully crafted based upon President Obama’s Memorandum on the Student Aid Bill of Rights and the joint servicing principles that the Department wrote in consultation with the Treasury Department and the CFPB to reform and simplify student loan servicing, improve borrower outcomes, and reduce student loan defaults. The standards also would have helped borrowers receive consistent, adequate, and timely communications from servicers and allowed for much greater transparency on the performance of the entire the federal student loan program.

Contrary to the rationale you provided for withdrawing these policies, which was “to negate any impediment, ambiguity or inconsistency,” the policy directives were quite specific, unambiguous, and consistent with previously-established principles for student loan servicing reform and repeated bipartisan requests from Members of Congress to reform student loan servicing in a manner that puts the interests of students and families first.

During your confirmation process, you stated that the Department “should do everything possible to ensure that our students are getting excellent servicing of their student loans,” and your April 11th memo committed to ensuring “that borrowers are being treated fairly and equitably.” Despite these commitments, you have not presented a strategy for ensuring borrowers are being treated fairly and equitably by servicers and you have not provided a plan for how you intend to move forward with this highly consequential recompete process.

With one in four student loan borrowers in default or delinquent on their federal student loans, it is the responsibility of the Department to address the student debt crisis and ensure that all service providers in the student loan program are doing everything they can to put students and families first ahead of the profits of student loan companies. We ask that you immediately reverse your decision and reinstate the previous memos and directives to Federal Student Aid. Finally, we request that the Department quickly clarify how the initial decision to rescind the memos was made and whether the current recompete will result in the development of a single servicing platform for borrowers, greater transparency and accountability from servicers, and high-quality student loan servicing that conforms to the joint servicing principles by the Departments of Education, Treasury, and the CFPB.

Fashion

Jim – always in style! … McGovern Blasts House GOP For Toothless NRA-Backed Gun Bill

Following House Democrats’ Nearly 26-Hour Sit-In, McGovern Continues Call for Republicans to Act on Bipartisan Gun Legislation

Congressman Jim McGovern led this week’s floor debate for House Democrats calling for action on real legislation to address gun violence. This came less than two weeks after Speaker Paul Ryan and House Republicans abruptly adjourned the House to avoid the debate on gun legislation that Congressman McGovern and House Democrats were calling for with a nearly 26-hour sit-in on the House floor.

Congressman McGovern continued the push for action and called out House Republicans for pushing a bill written by the NRA instead of the bipartisan legislation the American people clearly support.

“The American people overwhelmingly support the No Fly, No Buy bill and universal background checks. And they’re not going to fall for the theatrics my Republican friends are now engaged in this week, which is to bring up an NRA-written bill which they’re going to say is No Fly, No Buy. But what they’re not going to tell you is that all the loopholes still exist.

“It doesn’t matter what this bill purports to do, you can still be on the terrorist watch list and go online to buy a gun. You can still be on the terrorist watch list and not be able to fly, and still be able to go to a gun show and buy a gun. It’s pathetic that the loopholes in our background checks continue to be unaddressed.

“We are not going away. This issue is too important. We are not going to be silent. We are going to continue to use every means available to us to raise our voices and to demand that the leadership of this House respect not the wishes of the Democratic minority, but respect the wishes of the vast majority of the American people, Democrats and Republicans alike.”

Text of Speech by Congressman McGovern:

“I want to thank the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Sessions, for the customary 30 minutes and I really want to thank him because after what happened two weeks ago when we in the minority were denied any debate time on the rule or the underlying bill, I know that being given the automatic 30 minutes is no longer something that we should assume.

“We’re doing three rules today that would provide for the consideration of legislation on a separation of powers bill, a health savings account bill, and a financial services bill. All three bills, I want my colleagues to know, are going nowhere. There are statements of Administration policy saying that the Administration would veto them.

“Some of these bills are so bad I’m not even sure the Senate would consider them. They’re either press releases that were written in the Republican congressional campaign committee or they are bills that are so loaded up with extraneous materials and riders on all kinds of subjects that have nothing to do with the underlying legislation that, again, we’re just sitting here, debating bills that have no future, that are going nowhere. We’re wasting the time of our colleagues, we’re wasting taxpayer money.

“What we should be debating here today is legislation that would provide for comprehensive background checks on anyone who wants to buy a gun. And also legislation that says if you are on an FBI terrorist watch list and cannot fly on an airplane, then you should not be able to go into a gun store and buy a weapon of war, or buy any gun for that matter. Those are the two pieces of legislation that we tried two weeks ago to get the Speaker of the House to give us a debate and vote on. And we still demand consideration of these two very basic, commonsense pieces of legislation that I believe will save lives in this country. And quite frankly, that’s what we should be concerned with. How we better protect our constituents. How we better protect the American people.

“The issue of gun violence is something that Democrats and Republicans alike care about. In fact, the legislation we want to bring to the floor was offered by a Republican member, the distinguished member from New York, Peter King. He’s the prime author of both these pieces of legislation. This problem is something that worries the American people, trouble the American people, but doesn’t seem to trouble the people in charge of this House.

“Listen to this statistic from PolitiFact: ‘So many people die annually from gunfire in the United States that the death toll between 1968 and 2011 eclipses all wars ever fought by the country. There were about 1.4 million firearm deaths in that period compared to 1.2 million U.S. deaths in every conflict from the War of Independence to the war in Iraq.’

“Two weeks ago, many of us came to this floor and joined with our colleague John Lewis and Katherine Clark, John Larson, Mike Thompson, and so many others in a protest, a sit-in. And the reason why we did that is because the frustration level on this side of the aisle is boiling over.

“This is supposed to be a deliberative body where important issues get debated and voted on. And instead, this has become a place where trivial issues get debated passionately and important ones not at all.

“In the aftermath of this terrible tragedy in Orlando where 49 people were killed, all we could do in this House was have a moment of silence. That was it. So that’s what that protest was all about. That’s what that protest was all about. We had exhausted every other way to try to get this legislation to the floor. And every time we tried to go through regular order we’re blocked, we’re blocked, we’re blocked. Enough.

“The American people overwhelmingly support the No Fly, No Buy bill and universal background checks. And they’re not going to fall for the theatrics my Republican friends are now engaged in this week, which is to bring up an NRA-written bill which they’re going to say is No Fly, No Buy. But what they’re not going to tell you is that all the loopholes still exist.

“It doesn’t matter what this bill purports to do, you can still be on the terrorist watch list and go online to buy a gun. You can still be on the terrorist watch list and not be able to fly, and still be able to go to a gun show and buy a gun. It’s pathetic that the loopholes in our background checks continue to be unaddressed.

“All we’re trying to do is have our moment where we can debate this issue which, again, is a bipartisan issue. It’s not a partisan issue. The two pieces of legislation that we are trying to bring to the floor are offered by a Republican member.

“So we are not going away. This issue is too important. We are not going to be silent. We are going to continue to use every means available to us to raise our voices and to demand that the leadership of this House respect not the wishes of the Democratic minority, but respect the wishes of the vast majority of the American people, Democrats and Republicans alike.”

InCity Feature, InCity Voices

Message from our congressman, Jim McGovern, re: opening of two new district offices

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Dear Friend,

As a Member of Congress, it is my privilege to assist my agencies and offices of the Federal government.
In response to redistricting, over the past six months we have opened two new district offices, one in Leominster and another in Northampton. We are also relocating our Worcester office on July 1st to a new convenient location in the center of Worcester. This new office, in the heart of that downtown area, will allow us to maintain easy highway and public transportation access for constituents, and be a part of the continued renaissance of Worcester. Due to our move, our Worcester office will be closed June 26 – July 1. For emergencies, please contact our DC office at
202-225-6101. The addresses for all of our offices are listed below.
As always, my district staff is available to provide assistance to constituents on a wide range of issues, from basic information like phone numbers for elected officials, to more complicated matters like how to renew a passport or obtain a visa. In addition, my staff can act as a liaison with other government agencies with regard to matters including:

  • Military Awards and Commendations
  • Veterans Administration cases
  • Social Security and Medicare benefits
  • Immigration and passport matters
  • Federal workers compensation
  • Small business concerns
  • Internal Revenue Service issues
  • Housing challenges
  • Student loan cases
  • Military Academy nominations
  • Federal grant support and assistance

While we cannot assure a particular outcome from any federal agency or interject into an ongoing legal matter, my staff stands ready to assure that your concerns are given full and fair consideration.

If we can assist you in any way, please contact one of my offices below.
Sincerely,

 
James P. McGovern
Member of Congress

*NEW*12 East Worcester Street, Suite 1
Worcester, MA 01604
Phone: (508) 831-7356
Fax: (508) 754-0982
94 Pleasant Street
Northampton, MA 01060
Phone: (413) 341-8700
Fax: (413) 584-1216
24 Church Street, Room 29
Leominster, MA 01453
Phone: (978) 466-3552
Fax: (978) 466-3973

438 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6101
Fax: (202) 225-5759

InCity Feature, InCity Letters, Uncategorized, Worcester mafia

Local activists celebrate unemployment extensions – decry huge expenditures that will hurt economy

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US Senators give themselves and other very wealthy a double tax break!

“I am personally relieved the unemployment extensions passed but I am disgusted by the Republican driven give-away of the farm! How do we re-build jobs when all our government money is being spent in ways that CBO and recent history has shown destroy our economy?” said Sharron Tetrault whose own unemployment extension and job future rests in the balance. Ms. Tetrault, an unemployed human services worker, led local efforts to reach Congressman Frank.

Local members of the Grace Team, many of them unemployed themselves, spearheaded efforts in Massachusetts over the last few weeks to ensure unemployment extensions while fighting for long-term job and economic growth. That growth will be stunted by tax break for the very wealthy Continue reading Local activists celebrate unemployment extensions – decry huge expenditures that will hurt economy →

Green Island Grrrl, Rosalie's Blog, Uncategorized

InCity Times endorsement: Jim McGovern for Congress!

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By Rosalie Tirella

Tuesday, make the world (and Worcester) a better place, please vote for Jim McGovern, one of America’s (in our humble opinion!) best congressmen!

This election cycle incumbent Jim McGovern is up against nutty/racist/cynical Tea Bagger mouthpiece Marty Lamb. Anti- social security, civil rights laws, department of education, etc, etc Lamb makes my blood boil! I damn near wanted to mow him down as I was driving by the DCU Center and Lamb just walked in front of me, arrogant and out of touch – on his way to one of his fake, paid-for-by-the Tea-Party commericals/debates.

“Ugh!” I screeched to my little dog Jett, who is a boon companion and goes everywhere with me. “Pup!” I said, as Jett looked out the car window, “It’s Lamb!”

And then I got depressed about the cynical, racist wave that Lamb and all the other extreme right-wing candidates in America are riding this election cycle. But, I truly believe, their bullshit won’t stick here. Continue reading InCity Times endorsement: Jim McGovern for Congress! →

Green Island Grrrl, Rosalie's Blog, Uncategorized

Marty Lamb: Tea Party mouthpiece in “Lamb’s” clothing/Vote for McGovern and Chandler!

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By Rosalie Tirella

So besides having to put up with Marty Lamb’s fake news interviews on TV 3, we have this: Lamb claiming in radio ads that his opponent, incumbent Congressman Jim McGovern, has been arrested during these past few years. Arrested! What poppycock!

What the radio ads don’t tell listeners: Jim McGovern was arrested for protesting America’s slow response to the tragedy in Darfur and our two catastrophic wars in the Mid East – both of which McGovern was staunchly against from the get go. He and other folks were calling attention to the issues by calling attention to themselves. Civil Disobedience. You can’t get more American than that (think of Concord’s Henry David Thoreau!).

Jim McGovern will win reelection no sweat, but if he feels he needs to, he should tell voters Marty Lamb wants to kill Medicare, Social Security, the minimum wage, and the civil rights that Martin Luther King Jr. died trying to make a reality. King didn’t get to “the mountain top” Continue reading Marty Lamb: Tea Party mouthpiece in “Lamb’s” clothing/Vote for McGovern and Chandler! →

InCity Letters, Uncategorized

Vote for Jim McGovern!

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By Mike True

Daily, the rich are getting richer, and the poor get poorer in the U.S. Meanwhile, Republicans and some Democrats in Congress threaten to extend Bush tax credits to the upper one percent of the population.

In the 1970s, the wealthiest 1% of Americans owned 9% of the total national income.

Today they own 23%, increasing the income gap between rich and poor to the widest on record.

How more much evidence do we need to recognize that our economic system is not working for many U.S. citizens?

Many of us have reservations about the Obama Presidency, particularly on foreign policy. He has, however, worked hard to address the financial disaster he inherited from the previous administration. The stimulus package, though not large enough, has helped, even if the banks and Congress have fought Obama almost every step of the way.

By contrast, Congressman James McGovern has voted right on issues relating to domestic and foreign policy, including his call for an exit strategy in Afghanistan.

McGovern deserves both our support and our vote in the November election.

Green Island Grrrl, Rosalie's Blog, Uncategorized

Really sickening to see the Marty Lamb fake TV interviews on Charter/NECN TV 3!

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By Rosalie Tirella

How sickening to see all those “fake” TV 3 (Charter/Comcast) “news interviews” of congressional candidate Marty Lamb. The Tea Baggers via their right wing Koch brothers funding sources are buying up a shit load of TV time on our local cable channel (3) in a last ditch effort to unseat the overwhelmingly popular and effective incumbent, Jim McGovern. Lamb has no chance what so ever of beating Jim.

But that doesn’t mean he won’t spend the $100,000 Tea Bagger windfall that was dumped in his lap – most of it on the greedy TV 3, a “news” channel that is only to happy to take the thousands of dollars. And play Lamb’s deceptive game!

It IS pathetic that NECN and TV 3 have gone along with the game. If, when you turn on your TV to channel 3 tonight and find your show canceled to make room for this stupid commercial, you many not know, at first, that this is a commerical. In fact, if you catch the “Marty Lamb interview” in the middle, you DO think a legitimate reporter is asking Lamb all these questions. That there is genuine give and take – a real TV news interview – going on. The two men are sitting behind a desk. The interviewer is serious, asking questions. Lamb is answering them soberly and with purpose.

But it’s a set up! A fake! A commercial. Shame on NECN and TV 3 for shilling for Lamb and the Tea Baggers. TV 3 drones, why not place the disclaimer: PAID POLITICAL AD on the screen – in the top or bottom corner somewhere – while this poltical commerical is going on (for an entire half hour!)? Why not be honest with the viewers and help them make informed decisions – let them know that they are watching a fucking commercial?! And this show goes on all night – repeats itself 3 or 4 times!

Ca-ching! go the cash registers at TV 3 – NECN – Charter.

Fizzle, fizzle go the brain cells of their viewers!

This interview is a commercial paid for by Lamb’s team. Set up and rehearsed! Set up with questions lobbed to Lamb that HE – Lamb – has chosen his fake reporter to ask him! And then Lamb delivers his rehearsed answer! The Marty Lamb campaign sign at the beginning and the end of this political commercial doesn’t help! It is not enough of a disclaimer. Especially when it comes to: the elderly or folks whose primary language may not be English – follks on the periphery who may be confused as to what is real news and what is a commercial.

Money does corrupt. These Lamb 1/2 hour fake interviews are running all night (it seems!) on TV 3!!

Shame on the TV 3 whores for not making the Lamb team label their show what it is: a paid political commercial.

Green Island Grrrl, Rosalie's Blog, Uncategorized

Marty Lamb doesn’t have a chance against Jim McGovern

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By Rosalie Tirella

This isn’t Christine O’Donnel country. This isn’t even Connecticut. And forget Scott Brown. He won the late great Ted Kennedy’s US Senate seat because Attorney General Martha Coakley ran such a crappy campaign and was disliked in general AND Brown, looking every inch the Cosmo cover boy that he was, managed to bullshit voters about how he drove around in a beat-up pick up truck and was salt of the earth and all that crap. Unfortunately, the voters ate all that crap up, and now Scott Brown (who today pretty much disavows his Tea Party connections) has gummed up the works in Washington.

Thank you, Scott Brown! For diddley!

But this is Worcester. Congressional candidate Marty Lamb has a snowflake’s chance in hell when it comes to defeating our Congressman Jim McGovern. The Lamb brigade, flush with money from the Tea Party movement, which gets its money from oil-co. moguls like the Koch brothers and other Right Wing multi-national corporations that hide their political interests/identites by founding very sober sounding right wing/libertarian think tanks that distribute all the gold, want to keep polluting our planet, exploiting immigrants and dis-assembling the New Deal and great Society programs plank by plank, Continue reading Marty Lamb doesn’t have a chance against Jim McGovern →

Green Island Grrrl, Rosalie's Blog, Uncategorized

InCity Times candidate endorsements

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By Rosalie Tirella

Don’t forget to vote TODAY! We urge you to vote for:

1. Congressman Jim McGovern.

This election cycle incumbent Jim McGovern has a bevy of Republican challengers nipping at his heels, a la little chihuahuas in doggie day care. They think they can ride the nutty/racist/cynical Tea Bagger wave to Washington. They think they can spew the same crap as Rand Paul and expect it to work here. They will not prevail, if we all do what we have been dong for years – vote for Jim McGovern!

McGovern is one of the most well liked politicians in the region. Why? Because Jim McGovern is a genuinely nice, modest and effective Congressman. Because he not only brings in millions of federal dollars for all sorts of Worcester/Worcester County projects but because he always votes his conscience.

Let’s get past the millions of federal dollars McGovern has brought to Worcester/Worcester County for our streets, highways and byways, schools and parks. Let’s get beyond the fact that if reelected, McGovern will be one of the most powerful figures in Congress. Let’s put aside the political folks lore that under his political tutelege Tim Murray, Joe O’Brien, Jim Augustus and every other local Democratic bright boy blossomed and bloomed to become … political heavy weights in city and state politics. Which translates to more jobs, dough and projects for Worcester. We have never been a Tim Murray fan, but we have always loved McGovern, his political mentor.

Why? Because for years McGovern has advocated for the hungry and believes that in America no one – absolutley no one – should go hungry. Continue reading InCity Times candidate endorsements →