Incorruptible Mass

Please donate to the show ! Today we will be talking about corporate interests, lobbyists, and how they influence housing bills, from the state level to the city level here in Medford. We focus on the case of the real estate transfer fee and repercussions that we've seen recently. Jonathan Cohn and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of the Incorruptible...

Please donate to the show !   Today we discuss  what's happening with the budget, how the budget process is not meeting our needs, how different it is from what we voted for it to be. And then we dig in to talk about a number of specific topics, including inflation, earmarks, taxes and more. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the au...

Please donate to the show !   Today we discuss ballot initiatives, the committee in the legislature that has now "dealt" with ballot initiatives, and the wonderful way they did so with a predetermined outcome. We're also talking about the end product, and organizers and advocates who ignore the rigged nature of the votes.  Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat ab...

Please donate to the show !   Today we cover the politics of Earth Day and sustainability, some upcoming environmental lawsuits, and the role of corporations and government versus our role in preserving our planet. And no environmental discussion would be complete without coral reefs, fast fashion, American consumerism, and climate inequality. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan c...

Please donate to the show !   Today we cover a Supreme Court case about corruption, and the little decisions that lead up  to people eventually making  horrible corrupt decisions. We also discuss  the hollowing out of the middle class and how that has affected corruption as we see it in government, and the important implications for democracy. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan c...

Please donate to the show!   Today we talk about today we talk about how the media does not expect for conservatives to govern and only puts all of that burden on the Democrats and how that affects all sorts of issues, from abortion to climate to taxation, including all sorts of state issues and local issues and national issues. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn and Anna Callahan chat about Massac...

Please donate to the show!   Today we talk about today we talk about the Governor's Council -- what they do,  the unofficial tenure of the people who've been on there for decades, their (lack of) diversity and how this affects the lives of people who have been incarcerated here in Massachusetts. Jean Trounstine and Harry Margolis join Jonathan Cohn and Anna Callahan chat about Massachuse...

Please donate to the show !   Today we talk about who the government really works for. Does our government work for you? Does our government work for vulnerable people? Does our government work for the bottom 50% of wage earners? And if not, who does it work for? We'll talk a little bit about the grand bargain, big lobbies like real estate and insurance and health. And lastly, we'll disc...

Please donate to the show!   Today we talk about the three times when the state legislature broke the law instead of passing progressive policy, to make sure that they crushed progressive policy. And those times include crushing clean elections (getting money out of politics), Medicare for All (healthcare as a right for all people who live here), and education funding reform (ensuring that everyon...

Please donate to the show !   Today we talk about the Department of Public Utilities decision that happened in December, where they made some decisions about the future of gas in the state of Massachusetts. We also discuss a little bit of environmental history in Massachusetts, the reality of distributed environmental justice, and how Massachusetts compares to other states. Jordan Berg Powers, Jon...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about Joint Rule 10 Day, which is a deadline for getting bills passed through certain hoops before they can pass through other hoops. This includes bills like the Transfer Fee, Debt Free College, Rent Control, PILOT Reform, Public Banking, Medicare for All, Prison Moratorium, Safe Communities Act, Vote 16, and more.  Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about cities versus the state, and how the Massachusetts state constitution prevents cities' duly-elected city councilors from passing a whole swath of policy locally that  residents need. We discuss home rule, how we compare to other states, and how inefficient the state's oversight is. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan  chat...

Please donate to the show ! Today we are talking about the governor's proposed budget. We're talking about where that money comes from, how things are getting paid for as well now.  We also cover some questions, like: Can things be changed in the middle of the year like what happens next? How do we compare with other states? Phineas Baxandall from the  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Cen...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about why so-called "state wins" are actually small potatoes. We dive into how we hear from state reps or state senators "Hey, look at these amazing things that we did," and how looking into their boasts reveals that not a lot of actual change was made compared to what else could they be doing with their time and with their supermajorit...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about public banking--what it is, why it matters, and how you might be helped by it. We discuss how it might affect communities of color, women-owned businesses, cooperatives, and small farms, as well as the political movement for and history of public banking. And then we dive into a super wonky little subject at the end about the Mass Municipal Deposit T...

Today we talk about Governor Healy's 9C budget cuts. We'll dive into how it affects our funding of programs that we need, tying it to the Fair Share amendment and tax cuts that they passed. We will be talking about how you know the downturn is affecting all of us, government programs in need of investment, and explore the state budget.   This is the audio version of the Incorruptible Mas...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about the new regulations around shelters. We go into how Covid has affected homelessness as well as legislation to make things easier for a lot of the people who are homeless today. And of course, we will be exploring some of the deeper values that we share here among the listeners of our podcast and the underlying fundamental problems of why we even have...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk to two wonderful experts about parole and what needs to change about it. We talk about how long people can be on parole, how many people return to jail because they break some small technical aspect of parole, and what we need to do here in Massachusetts to make parole more humane and better for our society. Laura and Lisa Berland join Jordan Berg Powers,...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about the results of the local elections from Nov 7. We'll go over Boston, Worcester, and Medford in some detail, as well as quick updates for Malden, Somerville, Everett, Revere, Springfield, Newton, Marlborough, & Waltham. We also talk about how the electorate for local and state elections has changed since mail-in voting started during COVID an...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about city elections in Massachusetts. We'll cover why local elections matter, how to vote, and what to look for in local elected officials. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan to chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of the Incorruptible Mass podcast, season 5 episode 30. You can watch the video version on our...

Please donate to the show ! Cue the spooky music! Today we chat with Erin from Act on Mass about all the bills should have passed but died in the state legislature. Many of these bills have been around for years, and often they die not because they are voted down, but because leadership never allows them to come up for a vote! Erin Leahy joins Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan t...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about the $4B housing bond bill. You may think it allocates $4B to affordable housing, but in fact, our state has cut funding for affordable housing, rental assistance, and the unhoused. This bill simply allows the state to go into up to $4B of debt that will potentially be used for affordable housing. Listen in to hear more about the policies in this bill...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk with Evan MacKay, President of the Harvard Graduate Students Union about workers rights. We cover the UAW strikes across the country as well as what is happening here in Massachusetts, including worker-centered policies like worker safety and right to strike. Evan MacKay joins Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan to chat about Massachusetts...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about the MBTA, and how it has been under-funded for decades. Public transit can be such a benefit to society and to our future sustainability. We talk about what recent developments are influencing transportation as well as some of the fare-free options in Massachusetts. Jim Aloisi joins Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan to chat about M...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about how we can provide higher education in a way that does not leave people struggling with debt for decades. We talk to three experts about both the Cherish Act and the Debt Free Future Act. You'll hear how our current higher ed system impacts people, not only students but also our educators. Max Page, Ella Prabhakar and Vatsady Sivongxay join Jord...