Incorruptible Mass

The State House just released its draft budget, which includes a few surprising good things (like fully funding what they already voted to support) but as usual leaves out many important items. We talk about the timeline for the budget and what we should be asking our reps to include. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version...

The State Senate staffers just voted to unionize! And the State House staffers have been working on this as well. We talk about the unionization movement and what it means for people who work in the state legislature. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of the Incorruptible Mass podcast, season 4 episode 41.   You can wa...

Today we're talking about strategy and power in the progressive movement. The Right is succeeding in taking away reproductive rights, voting rights, and more -- why? We talk about how important it is for us on the left to pass strong, life changing policy in blue states as a path to getting our policy passed nationally. Tune in to learn why this is the case and what we can do to change it. Jo...

Hi, this is Anna from Incorruptible Mass. We know you understand state politics, why it is so broken, what we could have here in MA if we fixed it, so I want to let you know how you can get involved.  This Thursday afternoon at 5pm we are having our first Incorruptible Mass candidate forum, where you’ll hear from at least four -- and maybe six! — amazing candidates for state rep who are dedicated...

Today we hope to inspire you -- to run for state rep, to ask your friends to run for state rep, and to join with us on a hunt for other great people to run for state rep. Because of redistricting, we have an incredible, once-in-10-years opportunity to elect a lot of progressives at once to the State House. If you are considering running for state rep or if you want to recommend someone, reach out...

Today is a lively discussion of all the bills the State House should have moved forward, but instead killed in their not-famous "Joint Rule 10 Day."  Voting rights, eliminating mandatory minimums for drug offenses, paid leave for municipal workers, public financing of elections, 100% renewables, banning the use of tear gas...the list goes on and on. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and...

Did you know that Medicare for All was on an almost certain path to victory in Massachusetts in the early 2000s?  Today we talk with Stephanie Nakajima from MassCare.  Hear how the State House illegally killed it all those years ago, as well as MassCare's current efforts with ballot initiatives all across the Commonwealth. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massac...

If our crisis in democracy is that we, the American people, don't fundamentally have the power to get the government do what we need, then how can we flip the balance of power and reinvigorate democracy?  We discuss a powerful strategy designed to do just that and how it will happen at the State House. Read more here: https://www.incorruptiblemass.org/incorruptible-book Jordan Berg Powers, Jo...

Millions of people doubt the legitimacy of the 2020 elections. Lawmakers have passed voter suppression laws in 47 states in the last 18 months. Negative partisanship is at its highest level in decades, and inequality is higher than it has ever been. We discuss the media, our political parties, policy, and power to get to the bottom of why our democracy is in crisis. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Co...

Today we talk with Dr Jennifer Childs-Roshak from Planned Parenthood about reproductive rights.  With the likelihood that the US Supreme Court will strike down Roe, we talk about what that means for reproductive rights around the country and here in Massachusetts. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of the Incorruptible...

Today we talk to Shaleen Title from the Parabola Center, who has been actively involved in the effort to put equity and justice at the heart of drug policy here in Massachusetts. We talk about how our state was early to make marijuana legal through a ballot initiative, but our legislature has been slow to enact the details that would make our drug policy fair. Shaleen's paper: https://papers....

Over the last 100 years, rent control has been the norm. It's just that 25 years  ago, the real estate lobby used some sneaky tactics (and millions of dollars) to ban it in Massachusetts. Today we talk with State Rep Mike Connolly and Beth Huang about how we're moving toward cities being able to enact this crucial tool for keeping our housing safe and affordable. Jordan Berg Powers, Jona...

Andrea James fights for women in prison.  Today we talk about the top-down nature of the state legislature as they ignored the commission they themselves set up, and tried to force the creation of a new women's prison.  When we remember that Massachusetts still incarcerates more people per capita than most countries, and the harm this does to them, their families, and communities, we discuss...

There was a bill on the books that would have made 90% of eggs illegal to sell in MA starting in January.  All it needed was some legislators to fix it, and the fix was approved by the Humane Society, "Big Egg", and everyone else.  But because only a tiny handful of people are actually allowed to touch any legislation, this has waited till the last minute.  Just another example of how dy...

If the pro-Uber ballot question succeeds in Massachusetts, it won't just be the end of workers rights for driving gig workers -- it will likely mean that other industries will follow suit in taking away workers' rights.  And these greedy tech giants are likely to spend tens of millions of dollars on a misinformation campaign.  We hear from Jonathan Paz from the No on Prop 22 coalition. J...

Today we go over what the State House worked on this year.  If we don't count the Climate bill that they really should have finished last session, or redistricting, or spending the extra federal ARPA money, they mainly took on one thing: sports betting!!  We talk about how the whole cycle that forces votes on bills to the very end of even years blocks important bills. Jordan Berg Powers, Jona...

Today we cover the new report, Democracy in Decline, headed up by Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts.  We'll cover our favorite (read: most horrible) parts, including how lobbyists and corporations can have access to bills before our own state reps, the steep increase in the number of paid positions (read: people under the thumb of the Speaker) to more than a majority, and how the paltry...

Today we speak with Kristina Mensik from Democracy Behind Bars.  In this truly horrifying but important discussion, you'll hear how we jail more people per capita than any other nation on earth, how we charge them exorbitant prices just to get enough food to eat, and then make them work for less than a dollar an hour. And that's not even the meat of the discussion -- we dig deep into how...

Today we talk about yesterday's elections. What happened in Boston, Malden, Holyoke, Worcester, Medford, and other cities? How did Lowell's switch to districts affect diversity? Did slate-bashing, racist mailers, or fake fliers pretending to come from progressive organizations ruin our chances? (Spoiler alert -- no they did not!) Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat...

Today we talk with Ben Ewen-Campen about Home Rule Petitions. Essentially, there are whole policy areas that city councils are not allowed to pass, but must instead beg the State House to approve.  We talk about housing policies that are clearly needed in Somerville, but disappear into the State House where no one can be held accountable because they have simply vanished without a trace. Jordan Be...

After 13 years of no action on climate change, the MA State House finally passed a bill committing to net zero carbon emissions.  After vetoing this bill (which thankfully later passed when our supermajorities of Dems in both houses stood their ground), the Baker administration has missed many of the legislated deadlines required in the bill.  Cabell Eames from 350 Mass gives us the details on thi...

Harriotte Ranvig of Mass ADAPT speaks about the fight to get more funding for people to live independently.  Under COVID, our system of forcing people to live in nursing homes has been catastrophic. But even before the pandemic, ADAPT has fought to fund Personal Care Attendants so that disabled people can live dignified, productive lives.  Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat...

Vatsady Sivongxay from Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance joins us to talk about education.  MEJA fought for years to pass the Student Opportunity Act, to ensure that every kid has access to a good education.  But even after the bill was passed, the State House has not fully funded it, essentially overturning that decision. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Mass...

We're in the season of hearings!  Every bill in the State House has a hearing, most of them happening this fall.  We discuss why hearings are designed to have little impact on the opinions of state reps, and how you can use hearings differently to help get your policies passed. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. Check out the video of this...

People in the US have a growing awareness of police abuse of power, and are demanding change.  Hear personal stories of interactions with police and a discussion of how public viewpoints have changed since the George Floyd protests of last year. Jordan Berg Powers, Jonathan Cohn, and Anna Callahan chat about Massachusetts politics. This is the audio version of Incorruptible Massachusetts season 4...