Talking Politics - All Comments

re: Jacoby's Latest Climate Debunkery

Dr. Manhattan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:25:56 GMT

The debate is quite simple, I still cannot figure what the fuss is all about. FACT : The alarmists' claims are grounded on climate models and little else. You cannot "observe" that carbon dioxide is impacting the atmosphere, you need figure it out of mathematical models parametrized to fit the modeler's preferences.

Once you figured this out, you start to inquire about climate models. Then you find out that mathematical models are not better at predicting the climate than economic models are at predicting the economy. Eeven most alarmists will not pretend that mathematical models are very reliable tools.

So the question you need to ask yourself is : are you sure you accept to doom western civilization in the name of worthless models?

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

bostongal86 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:19:45 GMT

Maybe Yoon doesn't have money because he's trying to change the political system and the people that have power/money are afraid of that? I don't see him getting money from investors, unlike Menino! And for Flaherty, he sure is spending money, but he still doesn't seem very different from Menino. Change is comprehensive and I don't think Flaherty's ready for that, I think his vision is to become the new Menino. In fact, he's been working for his law firm in Rhode Island for the past few years- maybe he should run for mayor of Providence!

re: GOP 2012 Pres. Rankings, Updated 6/30!

tj — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:59:22 GMT

What about Gary Johnson. There needs to be a libertarian minded candidate now that Sanford is out and Ron Paul is a little old.

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

DorchesterGuy — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:40:44 GMT

I don't think its fair, in fact it's pretty lazy reporting, to base the outcome of an entire election on fundraising results at any point in the game. Many municipal elections across the country have been won by lesser spenders—although I admit this would be a tough one to do so.

As for the Flaherty/Yoon competition, I think Flaherty's winning on message. Yoon needs a better one. Flaherty's Good, better campaign is catchy and serves as a base for a hundred hard hitting criticisms while remaining ultimately positive.

If Yoon's so geared for change, why doesn't he present a positive image of himself instead of always harping about how screwed up everything is? and I'm sorry to Yoon's campaign team if I missed the memo, but maybe you need to start thinking about branding/effective messaging. There's plenty of ways, these days, to get around the money thing. And I don't see you using them.

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

Boston Bertie — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:08:18 GMT

Great idea Studentsttest - I just went online and contributed $25. Everyone - raise some money for a real progressive for mayor. Hit twenty of your friends up to give Sam $25 each. If just 100 of us do that - it's fifty large. Sam may not have the most money, but he's got the best message. And he will have enough to get that message out there.

re: Jacoby's Latest Climate Debunkery

David Roberts — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:32:28 GMT

David, good on you for taking the time to debunk this stuff (better you than me -- it's endless).

But don't be so quick to accept the scary economic cost figures the same conservatives are throwing around:

www.grist.org/.../2009-06-26-overestimate-costs-climate

re: Jacoby's Latest Climate Debunkery

Pam-I-Am — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:30:56 GMT

Concurring with Michael, using the suggestion of Lindzen not-being-credible-wink-wink as a premise without supporting the slap with anything tangible simple feeds the notion that liberals consider name-calling a substitute for math skills.

Also, jump past the did he get the month right thing -- it again perpetuates the liberal, "I'm right he's wrong minutia, nyanee nyannee poo poo in place of facts" protocal -- and get yourself to a larger and more telling awareness that weighs an MIT staple like Lindzen against a paunchy post-relevant two time grad school drop out in search of a niche like Al Gore. If we're to be taken seriously we need to wake up and smell the agenda.

On the plus side, saving face when the facts are dropping all around you is best saved for a seasoned politico.

Here comes the dreaded math part. There is a cost-benefit analysis here that seems to be the elephant in the livingroom for many: if the cost of producing electricity/gas/fuel oil/wind power/energy ends up 50 - 90% higher, therefore exceeding most people's ability to buy it ... won't that be the same as not having it at all, and at that point why would we need a planet if we couldn't sustain a way to live on it?

Hello?

Certainly it was unintentional but you also seriously underplayed the number of dissenting scientists at the Polish Academy of Science event. People should Google that and get a look at what was said, by whom, and in what, (spiraling) numbers.

Lastly, continue to call Chicken Little if it makes for good sound bites and votes since you've apparently successfully completed the training for that -- but do be aware that when you finally wake up, you will feel so used.

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

studentsttest — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:08:56 GMT

Thanks for the heads-up Mr Bernstein! Every progressive needs to go to www.samyoon.com and contribute to his campaign to move Boston forward. Let's put our money where our mouth is - contribute what you can and set up a fundraising page, so your friends can give too!!

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

GSullivan — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:49:52 GMT

Yoon has already matched his usual cycle fundraising total within the first six months. Flaherty has only been able to raise half of his usual cycle total. Clearly menino is undercutting flaherty funders and probably other parts of his organizations too. Whereas Yoon support will be untouchable by menino. He is clearly a better choice for those who are looking for change.

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

Jim Rice 4 Mayor — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:47:00 GMT

What are these "anemic fundraising numbers" you're talking about? I remember reading that Flaherty only raised ten grand a month in January and February. Think that he may be reaching his cap after the last month or so? Flaherty's money is disappearing down a black hole.

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

ff2005 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:36:01 GMT

This is another reason that we need campaign finance reform in the City. First the incumbent mayor gets the special interest money...then candidates like Flaherty who are willing to sell themselves out get a chunk of the change....while real progressive candidates like Sam Yoon keep collecting small dollar donations in the city. HOW a candidate raises his/her money is just as important as the amounts they are raising.

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

NGkiwi — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:34:46 GMT

Come on, Berstein. Don't fall for the bait. Sam Yoon is a good money manager - that's why I want him as Mayor. Let's crunch some numbers here... in his 2005 campaign, Yoon spent about $221,00 and paid $5.27 per vote. The top spender in that race was then-city council president Michael Flaherty, who spent about $480,000 and paid $9.75 per vote. John Connolly, the son of the former secretary of state, who lost his bid for city council, spent about $333,000 and paid $10.55 per vote. In 2007, Councilor Yoon again spent nearly 25% less than the top spender and comfortably retained his council seat.

Money counts, but not as much as message. People who want to change Boston are going to vote for Sam Yoon. He might not have more money than the other guys, but he'll have enough money to get his message out.

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

Venkman — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:33:47 GMT

Looks like Bernstein took the bait here! This post doesn't make much sense. I looked at the numbers today too - and I see that Flaherty has only slightly raised more than Yoon this year - $350k to $250k. And why does it not say that Flaherty actually SPENT $160k in June - $50k more than he raised! Meanwhile Yoon banked $20k in his savings account. Yoon's finances don't look that bad to me.

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

belvi95 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:32:40 GMT

Looks to me that Sam Yoon has raised a lot of money this year - over $250k already. And seems that he is spending more wisely too. Not like Flaherty, who is just blowing through his money. $160k in a month!! You think that his poll numbers have moved anywhere? Of course not.

re: Yoon's Empty Pockets

tumble4ya — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:28:24 GMT

Some grad A spin yourself - "unable to spend" - ? Of course any one could spend money right now.

What makes Sam smarter than the rest of the guys is he remembers that slow and steady will win the race. Flaherty's always been the top fundraiser on city council yet Yoon and others like Felix Arroyo Sr. have been able to wage the campaigns needed to win. We all know that's city council but it's the same size of jurisdiction - it's citywide in Boston.

Yoon just has to have the $ to let his campaign smarts show. And keeping his pockets filled and his campaign machine lean and mean right now will pay dividends in the end. Campaigns really aren't that different than investing in the sense that there are good times to "buy" or spend and

Sam's proven he knows what to do in his past campaigns. By your math Gabrieli and others should have won their elections. Yet he and others like him across the country, at all levels of government have been beat by people who had better organizations and knew how to run campaigns. There's no difference here. Sam's got it together and I think you'll start to see that in a couple of months.