Absolutely No Requirements

Jen Mehigan at "The Landing" Bar
Boston
June 27, 2009

The city came alive yesterday, thanks to a couple hours of sun.

Drinking a summer beer on the wharf during a sunny Saturday. And having absolutely no requirements. The lack of sun for so long in Boston made it even more enjoyable.

Unfortunately, now it's cloudy again.

City Council Forum: My Thoughts

Thirteen of the fifteen candidates for at-large seats to the Boston City Council appeared at a forum held this past Tuesday, sponsored by Boston's Ward 4 and Ward 5 Democratic Committees.

Adam Gaffin of Universal Hub was there, and David Bernstein of the Boston Phoenix was the moderator. They both filed nice summaries and stories based on the forum. I figured I would jot down my observations here, primarily so that I do not forget them later as the election gets closer.

For those that are interested, the Boston preliminary election is on September 22. The field of 15 will be slimmed on that day to eight. The final election is on November 3, when the four at-large seats will be filled from among those eight.

This year's election is a municipal election only; there are no state or federal offices on the ballot. Municipal elections in Boston are non-partisan. That's why there is a "preliminary" election and not a primary.

OK, enough with the primer. Here goes on my thoughts.

I voted to endorse four candidates. Two of them are incumbents: John Connolly and Steve Murphy. I also voted for Ayanna Pressley and Scotland Willis. Based on the votes cast, the Ward 5 committee officially endorsed Connolly and Pressley, as they both earned a vote from more than 2/3 of the Ward 5 members present (It took 17 votes to earn an endorsement).

Now, I know what you are thinking-- Why with so many candidates did you vote for the incumbents? Much has been written about how Boston is an incumbent-protected town; but the bottom line is, both Connolly and Murphy were the most educated candidates in the room. That's certainly because of their tenure. It might not be fair to the others, and this was the *first* forum of the campaign, so the others will only improve.

I was impressed by John Connolly's answer on education. He stressed the need for creative approaches that I have been looking for. And he somehow summarized his thoughts in 30 seconds (candidates were given 30 seconds only to discuss education, kind of like curing cancer by Monday).

I was impressed by Steve Murphy's reality check on the BRA. Everyone wants to change it; some want to get rid of it. But getting rid of it would require a change to state law. I don't like how Murphy says this is "impossible." It's not impossible, but of course it will be hard.

As for Ayanna Pressley, she is an incredibly exciting candidate on paper. She grew up in difficult circumstances. Her mom raised her while her dad was in prison. She became policy director for Senator John Kerry. She used to live in Ward 5 and served on the Democratic Committee.

The problem is the expectations for Ayanna, unfortunately, are sky high. While she performed fine on Tuesday, the sizzle of her resume was missing in her presentation. I still think she deserves the job (hence she got my vote), but the expectations' battle she faces might cause her problems down the road.

As for Scotland Willis, well, he touched me with his life story (raised four boys on his own), and he impressed me with his knowledge of the issues-- especially neighborhood development. And I really appreciated seeing him on the T on a random Sunday weeks ago collecting signatures to get on the ballot.

To be sure, there are many other impressive candidates. Tomas Gonzales performance was admirable. Felix Arroyo left his campaign kick-off early to attend, which is admirable, and he spoke with a passion that will remind many of his dad (a former councilor). Also, most of the candidates support an ultimate move to neighborhood schools, and a careful look at the way Boston plans its development, which are among my priorities.

Lastly, every campaign has its comic relief. And in this campaign, it has to be Doug Bennett. I caught myself chuckling at his colloquial, almost folksy style. He started the forum by noting that he's running for city council at large, almost as if that's his knee-jerk first line to any question. He pumped his fist and gestured to the other candidates when urging for a round of applause to congratulate them all.

I am not in agreement with Bennett's politics, but I have to say I eagerly awaited his answers on Tuesday.

First City Council Debate Tuesday Night

On Tuesday of this week, the Boston Ward 4 and Ward 5 Democratic Committees are hosting a forum for the candidates running for the four Boston City Council at-large seats.

Given that the Mayoral race in Boston has attracted two current at-large City Councilors, and by running for Mayor those two cannot also run to be re-elected as Councilors, this year's race has attracted a regular bevy of candidates.

Tuesday's event will be held at the Community Church of Boston, 565 Boylston Street, in Copley Plaza (over the Globe Bar and Restaurant). Beginning at 7 p.m., it is the first time the candidates will debate.

Following the debate, the committees will consider endorsing candidates. As a member of the Ward 5 Committee, it will be a tough choice. As of right now, I have decided to vote to endorse one candidate (I can pick up to four). And that's one of the incumbents, John Connolly.

Councilor Connolly has done a good job since he took office less than two years ago. I am impressed by his dedication. I hear he is often in the office very late at night and very early in the morning. He also called me personally to ask for my vote, which means a lot. To be fair, candidate Tomas Gonzales has also called me, but I have not decided if I will support him or not.

I am also hearing that the forum will feature new rules regarding how the forum will proceed. Candidates will receive the questions in advance, and the forum will be moderated by David Bernstein of the Boston Pheonix.

Here's what I am looking for at the debate:

-- Candidates that understand the limitations of the Boston City Council. Boston has a Mayoral form of government, and city councilors are not really given much power. However, given their staffs, they can greatly assist with constiutent relations and as feeton the street for pressing day-to-day challenges. I will be watching for candidates who know that a city councilor cannot effect sweeping change.

-- Candidates that have done their homework and know the issues of concern to Ward 5 residents. Given that Ward 5 includes portions of Beacon Hill, Back Bay, South End, Bay Village, and Fenway, we certainly have our hot-button issues.

38,000 Feet

38K Feet Somewhere over the United States

Aboard United Airlines Flight 179

June 15, 2009

I am back in San Francisco for work this week, albeit a short trip. Celebrity sighting: I ran into Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at Logan Airport before I left. I recognized him and went over to shake his hand while I was waiting at the gate for my flight to San Francisco. He was quite pleasant. I wonder if anyone else knew who he was.

Mayor Villaraigosa was in New England for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which took place this week in Providence, R.I.

A Car Salesperson is Not Your Friend

My friend Jen Mehigan bought a car this week, and I am very proud of her, because she did a good job negotiating. When I was in college, I took a persuasion and propaganda course, and we spent one entire lecture talking about car buying. We reviewed the common persuasion techniques used by car salesmen. The three tips that I most often talk about are below:

1) Do not test drive the car until you are sure you can buy it. Often I say, don't even bother to test drive the car. You know it's going to run fine if it's new. The reason you should resist is because the salesperson desperately *wants* you to test drive the car. When you drive the car, you start to feel ownership for it. That means you are willing to pay more for it. Car dealers know this; it's one of the reasons it is very easy to drive a car you don't even own and have not even indicated any interest toward buying.

It's funny sometimes to see how badly the salesperson wants you to take a test drive. If you resist, they will say they can't get you a quote on the car or negotiate a deal until the test drive is out of the way, almost as if your check will not cash otherwise. To be sure, a test drive is somewhat of a commitment from you, the buyer, to show that you are serious. But there's no reason why you need to test drive the car in order to buy it.

Since you you really should be ok with the feel behind the wheel before you drive the car off the lot, I concede it does probably make sense at some point to take the potential new car for a spin. Here's the key: Do not test drive the car until you are absolutely certain you can afford it. Literally, have everything else taken care of-- dealing with financing, making sure the monthly payment is one you can put in your budget, knowing what initial payments will be necessary, etc.

2) You don't have to buy the car *TODAY*. The car salesman wants you to buy it today. They don't want you to go home and "think about it," which is why you should go home and think about it. You will hear that the deal you were guaranteed today may not be available tomorrow. Something tells me it will be, if you show up ready to sign the dotted line.

My college professor used to say that you never want to make a difficult decision without a good night's rest and a good breakfast. The same goes with buying a car. Tell them you will be back tomorrow. And while you are at it, wait until tomorrow for that test drive, too.

3) In general, the more badly the salesperson wants you to take an option, the less likely you need it. My friends will tell you I am not a fan of warranties or insurance. Think for a second about why insurance exists. You probably don't realize this, but the main reason you have car insurance is not to fix the car if you are in an accident but so that you can pay to fix the car of the other person you hit, and as protection if that other person decides to sue you if it happened to be your fault. This is why so many people drop "collision" from their insurance when they own the car and have paid off any loans. The car at that point isn't worth too much, so it makes sense to get rid of coverage to fix it.

The insurance company is a business; it makes money by betting on the fact that you won't actually file a claim. And the system works pretty well. As car owners, we are protected if something really bad happens, and as businesses, the insurance companies are doing pretty darn well.

Given the model, let's look at the classic extended warranty, which is insurance in case something goes wrong with the car not caused by routine wear or neglect. The salesperson *really* wants to sell you it. And that's because it's a cash cow. You will pay an additional fee every month, and chances are you will never have a claim to file. Any repairs you have will be in the variety of routine maintenance, which is not covered. And if something catastrophic
happens, chances are you will no longer like the car and will want a new one.

The key here that I always point out is the salesperson will try very hard to sell you an extended warranty. Generally speaking, if they really want to sell it to you, I don't want it. The salesperson is not out to help you; they are out to help the dealer and themselves. Remember that. And that applies to other "offers" beyond insurance, including offers made to you by the finance team, etc.

So there you have it. Three tips courtesy of my persuasion and propaganda course taught at BU back in 1997. My college education at work.

Have a super Sunday.

Team Sonia Chang-Diaz

Team Sonia Chang-Diaz

(I am second from left; Senator Chang-Diaz is in center in white suit.)

Before the start of the Boston Pride Parade

Boston, Mass.

June 13, 2009

I attended my first pride parade in Boston today, and it was a lot of fun. Of course, it helped that the weather was perfect. I walked with my state senator, Sonia Chang-Diaz, and a number of volunteers I worked with during Sonia's campaign last year.

During the parade, I saw Representative Byron Rushing, Representative Marty Walz, and Aaron Michlewitz, the Democratic nominee for 3rd Suffolk State Representative.

Early Kudos for State Senator Chang-Diaz

The letter below was published in the Beacon Hill Times last week (June 2, 2009 issue):

It certainly has been a successful start for Beacon Hill's new State Senator, Sonia Chang-Diaz. She came to a Beacon Hill Civic Association Founders' reception a few weeks back and dazzled us with her knowledge. She understood many specifics about the state budget as well as the complicated questions surrounding regressive and non-regressive taxes.

More importantly Senator Chang-Diaz is not afraid to listen. She turned her presentation into a forum with the audience so she could hear our priorities for the district.

Given how impressive her appearance was, it is not surprising that her performance has been exceptional in the State Senate chamber. Budget battles are tough, and the recently completed budget discussions were no exception.

Senator Chang-Diaz stood up for what Beacon Hill cares about; she supported strong campaign finance measures as part of a Senate ethics bill, and she supported the local option for a meals tax, which will bring significant revenue into the city.

Kudos to Senator Chang-Diaz for a job well done.

Ross Levanto
112 Myrtle Street, Apt. 2

A Final Picture

The house I grew up in.

Franklin, Conn.

May 23, 2009

Live From Springfield

Josh Dawson (right) and Mass. Lieutenant Gov. Tim Murray

McCaffrey's Public House, Springfield, Mass.

June 5, 2009

Josh Dawson and I are in Springfield, Mass. at the State Democratic Convention. The convention is today, Saturday, but last night we attended two receptions. The first was sponsored by Mass. Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, and the second was sponsored by the Young Democrats of Massachusetts.

I got the chance to meet up with Oscar, the most passionate community organizer I have ever met. We first met in Denver at the DNC last August.

Thanks to the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper, we are ready for the day.

Endorsement: Mayor Tom Menino

Sometimes change is good, and sometimes change is not necessary. In Boston right now, we don't need radical change; we need leadership. That's why I am supporting Mayor Tom Menino's reelection this year in the Boston Mayoral race.

One cannot find a more trendy word in politics than change, and Barack Obama defines it. Based on his success, change is not scary; it's preferred. Except change can be a slippery slope. Ironically enough, Obama's election only reinforces my belief in Mayor Menino's candidacy. With a President now carrying an urban agenda, I want my Mayor to provide a seasoned voice at the table.

I am supporting the Mayor because I really do not have much to complain about. I have done what I can to contribute to my neighborhood over the past several years to clean the streets, provide my input on an agreement with a local university, and to debate the merits of additional liquor licenses. I played a minor role with my neighbors creating a new program to replace and prune trees, I assisted with the transition to new trash pick-up schedules, and I participated in neighborhood "welcome wagons" to greet new neighbors in September. Each and every step of the way, I felt as though Mayor Menino acted in concert with the interests of the city and supported my efforts.

Boston is a safe, liveable, attractive city. I travel around the country for my job; I have visited many airport bars in my time. Without exception, when I tell a new friend and fellow airport bar patron that I am flying home to Boston, they smile broadly. Those that have been to Boston deluge me with praise for the city; those that have not visited want to go.

Sure I have complaints. I think the payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) program needs to be changed. I don't understand the full role of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). I think the City could be doing more to encourage cross-neighborhood cooperation (Believe it or not, Beacon Hill shares similar problems with other Boston neighborhoods). But the sum of all these and any other concerns does not come close to outweighing the great things that are going on in Boston. It certainly does not justify a "grassroots campaign for change."

I like the fact the Mayor is a morning person (I am, too). I think he works incredibly hard for the people of Boston. I remember watching him calm fears at a televised press conference during a snow storm while I was squatting in a friend's apartment at Boston University in January 1996. He seemed to me to be the type of guy that would finish up the press conference and then hop into the driver's seat of the snow plow. I like that in a Mayor.

Plus, I know very well many people who work for the Mayor, and I can say unequivocally that they are among the hardest working individuals I have ever known. They are Boston residents who are committed to this city, love it, and are passionate about it. They take calls at every hour of the day and every day of the week. They care about every constituent, even those that call quite often. They understand and trust the vision of their boss. In many ways my pledge to support the Mayor is a vote of confidence for the many members of his team who I have stood alongside for the past ten-plus years.

Now, there are a couple of things I see as broad challenges for the city. I know the Mayor shares my thoughts, and I am eager to work with him and his team. Among the challenges, which I hope to detail more on this blog in the coming months, are:

o New energy for the focus on education. The number one reason why young families leave Boston, in my opinion, is for reasons related to education. I certainly don't have the answers, but I am willing to support creative ideas.

o Highlighting vibrant neighborhoods. In a city of neighborhoods, Boston doesn't do a good job introducing its recent college graduates to them. Its initiatives to reach younger residents are admirable, and I think they should be expanded so that a steady stream of graduates receive renewed incentives to rent or buy properties in the varied Boston neighborhoods.

o Truly planning for Boston's future. While I don't think the BRA should go away, we should certainly discuss what it needs to fully fill its role safeguarding the long-term interests of the city and its residents.

Given the economic reality of today, and the unsettling future we all face, it's important to appreciate what one has. Boston should appreciate the good state it's in right now and the many things that are going right. We should understand the need for leadership, and we must resist the impulsive desire to press for change for the sake of change. Certainly we have challenges to overcome, and Mayor Menino shows the vision and energy to get us there. He deserves four more years.

Signature Drive Complete

The signature collection period for the young election season is complete. To get on the ballot, a candidate needs to collect a certain number of signatures on nomination papers, and the number required varies depending on the office sought.

With few exceptions, I will sign anyone's papers, even if I don't agree with their candidacy. I believe that pretty much everyone has the right to be on the ballot. This year, I didn't get the chance to sign that often, primarily because I was traveling for half of the signature phase, so I wasn't around to be stopped by candidates or their volunteers on the street.

For the record, here are the candidates for whom I did sign nomination papers:

Mayor of Boston
Mayor Tom Menino

Boston City Councilor At-Large
Ayanna Pressley
Scotland Willis

Boston District City Councilor
Councilor Mike Ross

The Ups and Downs of My Ward Committee

It been a see-saw couple of weeks for Boston's Ward 5 Democratic Committee, which I am a member of.

Just this past week, I attended a great event hosted by Ward 5-- a fundraiser headlined by Massachusetts Lt. Governor Tim Murray (I am pictured with him on this blog at the DNC last August in Denver, by the way).

The room at Lir Restaurant in the Back Bay was crowded with candidates. Three out of the four candidates running for Mayor attended, as well as numerous individuals vying for an at-large seat on the Boston City Council.

It was a good event, and it stood as a contrast to a couple of weeks that have been not so hot for the Ward 5 Committee.

Just a few weeks ago, it surfaced that one of our own committee members, herself an elected official, passed on questions for a planned candidates' forum to one of the forum's participants. The only problem being that she only sent the questions to one candidate-- the candidate she was supporting in the election-- and the questions were sent before the forum took place.

We're not talking a major offense here. However, it doesn't smell good. And from a PR perspective (an industry I hope I know well), it looks pretty bad for the committee. The group is supposed to be a bunch of enthusiastic (one would hope innocent) democrats that want to encourage party members to run for office. Instead, with the recent controversy, we could seem to some as just a part of the old Boston political machine.

My friend and fellow Ward 5 Committee member Josh Dawson (who happens to be an elected member of the Mass. Democratic State Committee) has a good post over on his blog on this matter.

For what it's worth, I sent my own recommendations to the Chairman of the committee, Rob Whitney, and I hope they are considered promptly. They are pretty simple recommendations and involve clearly stating and following candidate forum rules and procedures (especially regarding the handling of questions). I would hate to have this issue discourage potential participants in future Ward 5 candidates forums. I am sure Rob and other members of the Ward 5 Executive Committee will rectify the situation.

****

On a related topic, I have been thinking a lot about the role of the Ward Democratic Committee in general. I joined the committee well over a year ago now, and I must say I have enjoyed the experience far more than I was expecting. I think most of the reason is the people. Committee members are pretty eclectic.

Mr. Dawson and I liken the committee meeting experience to the infamous Mos Eisley Cantina scene from Star Wars. Imagine your walking into the bar in the excerpt below, except it's actually a Ward Committee meeting and you are one of the characters (I must admit we've never had a band at our meetings):

I admire the fact that on the committee, we are all committed Democrats, and I truly believe we all have the best interests of our communities in our minds as we act (and I still believe that despite the recent incident regarding the candidates' forum).

At the same time, though, does the committee really matter? We endorse candidates, and we raise money as a committee, but do we really matter? Looking at the numbers of recent Committee actions since I joined, our record from an endorsement perspective is clearly mixed.

As a group, we endorsed incumbent Senator Dianne Wilkerson last summer, and she went on to lose the state primary to Sonia Chang-Diaz -- more importantly she got trounced in Ward 5. Personally, I ended up not supporting the candidate the Ward endorsed in that race. More recently, the Ward endorsed Aaron Michlewitz in his race to the be the State Rep for the Mass. House 3rd Suffolk seat, and Aaron went on to win.

Endorsements aside, there's no question that the Ward committee members themselves are among the only people who care, non-stop, about politics. So I guess if you are an aspiring politician, they are vital. And if you are just starting your campaign, Ward committee members are a lifeline. Who else would listen to you several months ahead of an actual vote; more importantly, who else would remember you when you come back? I have come to the conclusion that for this and many other reasons, the Ward Committee clearly does matter, though we tend to put way too much emphasis on the endorsement votes. However, the endorsement votes have become a tactic for the committee to attract candidates and get them to speak, collectively, to the group.

My best reason? Ward 5 paid for and organized three bus trips to Manchester, New Hampshire last year to help Barack Obama win that state. A bus load is 60-70 people. I can tell you, as someone who had to organize those trips-- that's a lot of people. So much so that my boss in the organizing game told me at one point, "We need to do those bus trips every week." To which I responded, "Whoo hoo, Ward 5!"

Yes, whoo hoo Ward 5! Let's put in place procedures regarding our forums so we don't end up with egg on our face again like a few weeks ago. And then let's continue our mission and serve our important role in the political process.

Neighborhood Meeting on Beacon Hill Crime

A recent spate of robberies on Beacon Hill led to a crime meeting, hosted by the Beacon Hill Civic Association, at the Firehouse on Mt. Vernon Street tonight. I attended along with at least 50 or 60 of my neighbors. Boston Police Captain Bernard O'Rourke, Sargent Tom Lema, the BHCA's Paula O'Keefe, and City Council President Mike Ross were at the head table and addressed the recent incidents.

Some very interesting points from the meeting:

o There are indications that the perpetrators of recent robberies on Beacon Hill (there have been four this year) are members of the new MVP (Most Violent Prophet) gang of high school students. The Boston Police Department has been tracking this group, which tends to focus on the Downtown Crossing area. In the case of the Beacon Hill incidents, it is possible that members of this group came to Beacon Hill.

o Capt. O'Rourke referred to cell phones--especially iPhones and Sidekicks--as a kind of currency for younger individuals. He called them big "status symbols." In many cases, the perpetrators see someone talking on an iPhone and steal the phone from behind.

o While crime overall on Beacon Hill is down this year, compared to last year, there is a sense of unease in the neighborhood of late, certainly represented by those who attended the meeting. Unlike previous robberies in the neighborhood, which were isolated incidents, the recent robberies are unsettling because they could be connected to the issues in Downtown Crossing.

o The best advice I heard from Captain O'Rourke: Most people can sense when "something is wrong" on their street--when people are congregating that "just don't belong"--and residents should not hesitate to dial 9-1-1.

o The most alarming thing I heard came from one of the owners of Charles Street Liquors, who noted that he regularly thwarts shoplifters (he said once a week someone attempts to steal something from his store). In almost all cases, he doesn't call the police, primarily because he often is able to retrieve the stolen merchandise. For this reason, it's pretty clear the neighborhood crime statistics (for shoplifting, at least) are low. The stats are only for crimes that are actually reported. Given that Captain O'Rourke makes changes to patrols based on the data, I find that very worrisome.


Of note, also at the meeting were City Councilor Sal LaMattina and the newly minted Democratic nominee for the 3rd Suffolk Mass. House seat Aaron Michlewitz.

Saying Goodbye to the House I Grew Up In

This weekend I said goodbye to the house I grew up in. Until a few years out of college, it was home, even though I had moved out of the house. Then when I started calling my apartment in Boston home, it became "12 Southgate." [The address is 12 Southgate Circle.]

"I will be at 12 Southgate on Saturday afternoon," I would say, meaning I would be going to my parents' house.

My parents are downsizing, moving to a condo they own in Mystic, after a few weeks squatting at my brothers' homes or at my family's beach cottage in Old Lyme (where I am now).

I spent one final night at 12 Southgate on Saturday, sleeping in the room where I wrote my first research report. Honestly, it was not as sentimental as it probably could have been.

Maybe it hasn't set it yet. Since college, the holidays were the times that I spent the most nights at 12 Southgate. Maybe it will hit me in November, when I drive to Connecticut for Thanksgiving. Where will I go?

I won't go to Franklin. My hometown. In fact, I might not go to Franklin again for a long time. The 1200 plus residents there can now live in peace. My parents move out on June 3.

I Don't Know

A Boston University professor once told me that you can gauge the intelligence of a person by the types of questions they ask, and that you can spot an ignorant person if they ask no questions at all.

A parallel theory of mine is those who profess to have all the answers are either ignorant or preying on ignorance.

As an extension to both statements, I thoroughly enjoyed a speech given by my brother this past weekend as part of commencement exercises for a program he completed at William & Mary. A transcription of the speech, as delivered, is available on his blog.

Congrats Brett! I am proud of you.

One Roomate at the White House, Another Walks at Commencement

My BU college roommate Scott Lauber went to the White House this past week. He's the Phillies beat reporter for the Wilmington (Del.) News Journal, and President Barack Obama honored the Phillies for winning the World Series last year.

Scott Lauber in the White House Briefing Room
Washington, D.C.
May 15, 2009

Meanwhile, my other college roommate, Ian Menchini, has the honor of walking with faculty and staff at today's Suffolk University commencement. Ian works in the Suffolk Law School admissions department.

As for me, I am catching up after a week on the road for work, while watching the Yankees.

My Niece Madalyn Visits American Girl Boston

I guess I should mention that I don't have any kids. However, I have a niece and three nephews (with another nephew on the way), and being an uncle is the best job in the world.

My niece Madalyn came to Massachusetts yesterday with her parents and two brothers. Her birthday is Monday (she's turning 8), and she wantd to vist American Girl Boston (which happens to be in Natick).

American Girl is quite a franchise. For starters, everyone who went brought at least one of the American Girl dolls they owned (My brother and Madalyn's dad Mark says they'd better, given how much they spent on the dolls).

I bought Madalyn a hair brush, a pair of glasses and a hair styling. Except the items weren't for her. They were for her doll. Yep, 25 bucks to have Madalyn's doll's hair done. Pretty wild.

Things did get pretty tense at one point, as Madalyn was overwhelmed by her choices and had trouble making up her mind. She was persuaded by her brother, Jack, to think about the decision over lunch.

Madalyn Levanto at American Girl Boston

Natick, Mass.

May 16, 2009

You can hear Jack's enthusiasm for lunch in the background. No matter what Madalyn's options were, it was pretty definite that Jack thought lunch was the answer.

Keeping an Eye on the Back Bay

My friend, fellow community organizer, and all around good guy Josh Dawson has a personal blog up and running. It's called "Boston Cordon Bleu," and for his first post, Josh talks about dog owning and-- separately-- the need for people to take off the iPod headphones and breathe in life.

Josh lives in the next neighborhood over from me, which is called the "Back Bay." He also has the distinction of being an elected party official, and I am one of his constituents. As an elected member of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee, Josh is responsible for representing the interests of Democrats in his district, serving as a conduit between the State party and local Democrats, and helping to get Democrats elected. Josh and I also serve on Boston's Ward 5 Democratic Committee together.

If you like what you read here (and at least six of you do), you will like Josh's blog as well. Happy reading!

My Report Card on President Obama

I give him an A.

I remember listening to the state of the union address back in 2002 (George Bush gave the talk). I listened to the whole thing, and at the end, I realized I didn't agree with anything the President said.

What a difference seven years has made.

After 100 days in office, I give President Obama an A. Considering all the challenges he has faced, and with only a couple exceptions (which I detail below) I have been beyond impressed with his performance.

The overarching reason for his success? I believe it's because the President is doing everything he can to be outside the bubble of Washington. In an interview with 60 Minutes a few weeks back, Steve Kroft asked him about many on Wall Street who were not happy with him (Obama at the time was attacking excessive bonuses). Obama's response was right on the money. When he talks to those on Wall Street, he says, "They need to spend a little time outside of New York."

The President has spent time outside of New York. He's even held town hall meetings in republican friendly areas (Orange County, Calif.). And the questions from the audience are not even scripted. Even his process of reading 10 letters from ordinary Americans every week (I saw a CNN segment on the person who picks the letters) represents his attempt to connect to regular Americans.

The list of my reasons for liking the job Obama is doing is long:

-- Ending torture. Waterboarding is torture. Period. I agree with the President that we can get intelligence from key detainees through respected interrogation methods. More importantly, by not torturing we greatly enhance our image in the world.

-- An honorable ambassador. It's great to see the President received so warmly abroad. He has been both firm but also compromising on his international trips. The bottom line is while I love America, we can't solve our the world's problems by ourselves. And there are a lot of people out there who want to help.

As a side note, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also gets an A from me. It's great to see her abroad with the President. Further, I have been impressed by the entire group of U.S. emissaries, from Dennis Ross and Richard Holbrooke to George Mitchell. All of them are former Bill Clinton advisers/appointees.

-- Admitting mistakes. We live in a time of petty corruption. The public has had enough with politicians making excuses. President Obama to this point in his Presidency has already said "I screwed up." And you know what, even though he admitted a mistake, the country didn't fall apart and the Presidential office retained its authority.

-- Fixing the economy with an eye on the future. One thing I have definitely learned over the past several months is that green technologies are not cheap. Moreover, more efficient energy creation doesn't necessarily mean cleaner energy creation. President Obama is right to direct the government's role in recovery so that it leads the country where it must go. His focus on greentech and cleantech technologies, and his emphasis on electronic medical records and other healthcare reforms as a prelude to more significant healthcare changes is just what the doctor ordered, no pun intended.

-- His budget. Most of the priorities outlined in the previous bullet are emphasized in the President's budget. Announced shortly after the stimulus package passed, the budget will be Obama's permanent mark on this country. It is what will make him the next FDR. Marking the official end of the supply-side, trickle-down failure of the last nearly 30 years, Obama's budget recognizes that government may not be perfect, but at least it can be somewhat transparent, which is more than I can say for the greed of the average human.

-- His focus on an urban agenda. It's refreshing to have a President who understands the importance of this country's cities. As I live in Boston, you can imagine this concept resonates especially well with me.

-- Focusing the war on terror where the terrorists are. The Al Qaeda that attacked us on September 11 has reconstituted itself in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the Taliban that supported that Al Qaeda is controlling large swaths of Pakistan. That is the epicenter in the global (yes, global) war on terror.

Given all of the above, there are two areas where I do, in fact, disagree with the President, and it's important to outline them below.

1) Certain aspects of his energy initiatives. Cap and trade has had a troubled history, and I am not convinced it will actually encourage energy companies to invest in cleaner energy creation techniques-- I am also not convinced it will reduce CO(2) output.

2) Guns. Why the Brady bill was never renewed is beyond me. The fact that a normal average citizen can go out and buy a semi-automatic weapon is beyond scary. The President has decided not to tackle gun control. I understand the political reasons why, but it is disappointing.

In summary, there's no question to me that the President and his family represent this country superbly. And that just might be the most important box in my report card. While we still have a long way to go together, I say to my President, "Keep up the good work."

David Levanto Visits The Public Garden

David Levanto in the Public Garden
Boston, Mass.
May 3, 2009

He called every bird he saw a duck and said, "Quack, quack." Even the pigeons on Beacon Hill. I was happy he got to use the Myrtle Street playground in my neighborhood, since it's a nice spot I walk by a dozen times a week.