Incorruptible Mass

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about transparency. Massachusetts is the only state where all three branches of government are exempt from public records law. Andrew Quemere, host of The Mass Dump and Lights Out Mass, joins us to talk specifically about the governor's track record on this issue, as well as ongoing law suits in MA about transparency. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk to Vatsady Sivongxay about the Thrive Act. We'll talk about receivership and why it is so damaging especially for our BIPOC community, as well as about the MCAS, what it does to our kids, and we'll also talk about the positive vision the Thrive Act provides. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan as we chat about Massachusetts polit...

Please donate to the show ! Today we discuss seven of the proposed ballot measures for 2024. We cover 1. one fair wage, 2. rent control, 3. same day voter registration, 4. MCAS, 5. Uber/Lyft, 6. auditing the legislature, and 7. psychedelics. We'll give you our analysis of each of these so you understand how they might impact you and those you love. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna...

Please donate to the show ! Today we give you an update on the budget for the state of Massachusetts -- a few good things that are in it, but also a 30,000-ft view of why it does not meet the needs of our residents. We also cover the climate crisis this summer and how our state government and the media are not doing their part to avert even deeper crisis. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Ann...

Please donate to the show ! Every other curriculum framework in Massachusetts has been updated in the last nine years -- except sex education. Ours currently does not include consent, is not required to be medically accurate, and leaves out LGBTQ+. And is it a coincidence that we are now considering updating it when we have an LGBTQ+ friendly governor? Cara Berg Powers joins Jordan Berg Powers, Jo...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about location data -- did you know that many companies track your location and then sell that info to the highest bidder? We are joined by Kade Crockford of the ACLU to talk about the Location Shield Act in Massachusetts, which would ban companies from selling our cell phone location information. Kade Crockford joins Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about the Supreme Court decisions on affirmative action and on student debt. While higher education institutions with billion-dollar endowments are now bemoaning this decision that makes it more difficult to ensure that people of color have opportunities to attend, they still refuse to pay their fair share of property taxes so we talk about PILOT.  Jordan...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about housing.  With the Senate increasing funding for HDIP, is this actually solving our housing crisis?  We'll talk about all the more effective strategies that are bills at the State House and could allow municipalities to protect tenants and slow down our skyrocketing housing costs. Mark Martinez joins Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna C...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about the state Senate's version of the budget, and specifically their tax package. Thankfully, this relies less heavily on cutting taxes for the rich (capital gains and estate taxes), but it does have some details that could use improvement. We also discuss why there is no public discussion and analysis of the budget. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Coh...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk with Evan George of Bostopia News. We talk about Boston politics, local vs state politics, the recent redistricting in Boston and why it's to be questioned, as well as touching on media bias against progressive voices and why it's so important to have people like Evan covering these issues on his podcast and on his very popular TikTok. Evan Georg...

Please donate to the show ! Today we take on another question from a listener about youth voting. There are ten municipalities in Massachusetts that have passed legislation allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in municipal elections. In Massachusetts, these have to be approved by the state (by Home Rule Petitions) -- and yet the state has approved none of them. Why? David Seaton, Jordan Berg Powe...

Please donate to the show ! This week in activism! Wednesday, May 31st - Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women’s advocacy day at the State House  Thursday June 1st, 10am Lobby Day for Homes for All including rent control and foreclosure prevention June 6, 11am, Local Option for Housing Affordability - Day of action at the state house room 428 June 7th 2pm, Citizens for Juvenile Justice Y...

Please donate to the show ! Today we take on a listener's question: how do we pay for a single-payer, Medicare for All-style health care system at the state level?  We go over what happened in Vermont when they tried to pass one, as well as how it will be paid for here in Massachusetts according to the bill that has been in the legislature for decades.  And we throw in a bit about how the med...

Please donate to the show ! IM news for Tuesday, May 23, 2023. This week’s activism: May 24, 9am - State of Education in the Commonwealth. Suffolk University Sargent Hall  May 30 10am - Healthy Youth Act lobby day at the State House Wednesday, May 31st - MA Commission on the Status of Women’s advocacy day at the State House  Thursday June 1st, 10am Lobby Day for rent control and foreclosure preven...

Please donate to the show ! If you're a candidate, everyone will ask you why you are running for office. And you'd better have a good answer. Sadly, most candidates answer this question in a way that is not good for their campaign. We will talk you through how to craft a compelling short answer that is both personal and inspiring to voters and endorsing organizations. Jordan Berg Powers,...

Please donate to the show ! IM news for Tuesday, May 9, 2023. This week’s activism! May 16 1pm - support Massachusetts Social Workers at their lobbying for the SUPER Act at the State House May 20, 21 - Mass Alliance Grassroots Campaign Training for candidates MA also has their Grassroots Organizing Academy running from May 15 - June 14 Wednesday, May 24th - 9:30am-2pm, MTA THRIVE Act Advocacy Day...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about the budget that just passed in the State House. We'll tell you what's in it, what's not in it, what should be in it, what we're irritated about in terms of the way that they passed it. From no-cost-calls for prisoners to free pre-K to free community college to tackling climate change, we're covering it all. Jordan Berg Powers...

Please donate to the show ! This is IM news for Tuesday, May 2, 2023. This Week’s Activism! All week – Families for Justice as Healing Week of Action for No New Women’s Prison - see their site for opportunities to take action May 2nd 6:30pm Acton Climate Coalition - Building with Clean Energy May 4th 10am – MassCare lobby day to pass Medicare for All at the state level May 16th 1pm - MA Social Wor...

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk to Manny Alvarado from Manny Jae Media. His podcasts and videos celebrate and give voice to the Black, brown, and LGBTQ communities in Worcester. Manny has amazing stories from his childhood and from his current work, and we also talk about systemic oppression in different areas. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts...

Please donate to the show ! This is IM news for Wednesday, April 26. This Week’s Activism! •Wed 4/26 3-4:30pm Acton Water Wise Nature Walk Meet @ Bruce Freeman Rail Trail 4 guided walk •A27th 6-8pm 15th Taste of Dorchester, 256 Freeport St •Noon-4 Saturday, April 29: Poor People's Campaign Statewide Meeting in Springfield •May 4th 10am – MassCare lobby day to pass Medicare for All at the stat...

Please donate to the show ! Today we interview Jess Nahigian from the Sierra Club Massachusetts. We cover what environmental legislation was passed last cycle, where Massachusetts is falling behind on implementation, and how we can all bring more joy to our climate work. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of the Incorru...

Please donate to the show here: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/impodcast  This is Incorruptible Mass news for Wednesday, April 18th, 2023.  This Week’s Activism!  3:30pm Friday April 21 - Earth Day in Love and Rage Boston City Hall  2pm Saturday April 22nd – MAPA Peace and Justice agenda with legislators  Noon-4 Saturday, April 29: Poor People's Campaign Statewide Meeting in Springfield Ma...

Please donate to the show ! Today we analyze this week's news. We talk about Trump's indictment and how that relates to Massachusetts state politics. We talk about California's new environmental legislation and the hoops they had to go through to pass it. New Yorks climate law might have died on the implementation table -- we talk about how important it is to follow through the impl...

Climate, International, National and Massachusetts State news, as well as your Action Announcements where you can hear when and where to show up to transform our beautiful state. Thanks for tuning in! Please let us know of any other actions we can announce: info@incorruptiblemass.org. And donate to the show: incorruptiblemass.org/podcast

Please donate to the show ! Today we talk about the tax package that is moving through the house, senate, and governor's office. In a state that overly burdens low- and middle-income folks with taxes, and shortly after our state voted to increase taxes on the most wealthy, this tax plan includes multiple tax cuts for exactly those wealthy people. We are not fans and explain why we should all...