Senate

Latest Articles

Making the ‘Buffett Rule’ LAW

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has received plenty of ink for his "Buffett Rule" legislation, named after billionaire investor Warren Buffett.
Tax Dept.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | February 17, 2012

What they write about

Thanks for coming to my power-point presentation.
The Maine Democratic Party's US Senate prospects
By AL DIAMON | February 17, 2012

Maine's congressional delegation appears to be in a holding pattern while attempting to form positions on two bills that address widespread copyright and trademark violations via the Internet.
Online Freedom
By JEFF INGLIS | January 20, 2012

Congress gives us all detention

The $662 billion military spending bill expected to go before both houses of Congress later this week includes controversial provisions allowing the US military to arrest and indefinitely detain, without trial, anyone suspected of terrorism-related crim
Rights watch
By DEIRDRE FULTON | December 16, 2011

Our quirky, compelling senator

Any faithful reader of the Providence Journal is familiar with the talents of G. Wayne Miller — a reporter with a remarkable knack for storytelling.
Profiles
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | September 30, 2011

Rolling Rally

It would have been impossible — or at least boneheaded — to print this sort of treasure map a few years ago.
Make the most of your freedom
By CHRIS FARAONE | September 16, 2011

In a job-starved economy, casinos are still a good bet

As Beacon Hill considers — yet again — an expanded gaming proposal, some say that the opportunity has passed. We disagree, and continue to support a carefully crafted plan for bringing resort casinos to Massachusetts.
The issue provoked a rare show of common purpose on Beacon Hill
By EDITORIAL | September 02, 2011

Boston's last congressman?

At the moment, neither the Senate president nor the Speaker of the House lives in the city. And in two years, the unthinkable could become reality: Boston might not have a single congressman residing in its borders.
Musical chairs dept.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | September 02, 2011

The debt crisis is only on hold

The United States was only hours away from joining in the international community of deadbeats and bunko artists — think Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Portugal — when President Barack Obama signed the legislation raising the national debt ceiling and cu
Plus, what does congressman Bill Keating have against Cuban families?
By EDITORIAL | August 05, 2011

the great depression and republican Bolsheviks

There is no mystery to the debt crisis. Plus: Scott Brown, and the Boston Foundation

Understanding the debate about raising the debt ceiling, and imagining the economic crisis that will follow if Congress fails to do so, is really very simple.
Republican Bolsheviks
By EDITORIAL | July 22, 2011

End of the innocence

As the legislative session ends, the amount and nature of Governor Paul LePage's political influence has become clearer.
Gubernatorial Scorecard
By PORTLAND PHOENIX STAFF | July 01, 2011

Democrats celebrate victory in the face of defeat

Senator Dawn Hill, of Cape Neddick, the lead Democrat on the Legislature's Appropriations Committee, which fashioned the recently passed $6-billion state budget, explained to the Phoenix why she voted to reduce income and estate taxes on the rich whi
They cozy up to Republicans and the rich
By LANCE TAPLEY | July 01, 2011

Liquored up + lacquered down

It's possible that every member of the 125th Maine Legislature is dead drunk.
Maine's senators need to sober up
By AL DIAMON | June 24, 2011

The plan to turn Rhode Island red

The Rhode Island Republican Party's reputation for ineptitude is, by any reasonable measure, richly deserved.
GOP strategist Ken McKay is quietly plotting a data-driven explosion of the state’s one-party rule
By DAVID SCHARFFENBERG | June 24, 2011

Deval Patrick is on a second-term winning streak, and casinos might be the next payoff

Last summer, when Deval Patrick's veto killed a gaming bill in the final days of the legislative session, many thought he had badly damaged himself politically. He was, after all, the one who had pushed for casinos in Massachusetts almost from the day he
Gaming the system
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | June 17, 2011

We are family

Campaigning for office is easy. It's governing that's hard.
The Maine Republican Party
By AL DIAMON | May 27, 2011

NAACP, others bristle after GOP Senator censors anti-private-prison testimony

What is it with some Republicans and racial issues, anyway?
Words ‘slavery,’ ‘racism’ banned
By LANCE TAPLEY | April 30, 2011

Earth Day observances

Last week, the Maine House voted to ban bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical found in some plastics — much to the regret of beard-wanting ladies all over Maine.
Going green
By DEIRDRE FULTON | April 15, 2011

The State vs. the People, Pt. 1

On Monday, the most prominent headline on the front page of our daily paper or, as the Bud-I calls it with a unique mixture of glee and sadness, "The Pamphlet," was "Cesspools given notice."
A variety of cesspools; the right to know; taking aim
By RUDY CHEEKS | April 02, 2011

It's a reasonable bet that gaming could once again gridlock Beacon Hill

Gaming bills have plagued the last two legislative sessions on Beacon Hill.
Slow play
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | April 01, 2011

Prison administration

Joseph Ponte, 64, a veteran warden for the nation's largest private-prison operator, the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), has been nominated by Republican Governor Paul LePage to be the state's Corrections commissioner, replacing Martin Magnusso
Prison administration
By LANCE TAPLEY | January 28, 2011

Little things

In the midst of the new Republican majority's mania to reduce the size and cost of state government, I offer some advice and a warning.
On shrinking legislatures
By AL DIAMON | January 14, 2011

The Kennedys will rise again!

As you've probably heard a couple thousand times by now, Rhode Island Representative Patrick J. Kennedy's retirement means Washington is without a member of Team Camelot for the first time in 64 years.
Dynasties
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | January 07, 2011

Sub Rosa

Rosa Scarcelli is running for the US Senate in 2012. Her husband is still running away from what he did in the 2010 gubernatorial race.
Rosa Scarcelli's Senate run
By AL DIAMON | January 07, 2011

The 2011 political forecast

The great wave election of 2010 did little to reshape Rhode Island's Congressional delegation. Neither of the state's senators faced re-election and Democrats held onto both House seats, with Congressman-elect David Cicilline replacing the retiring Patr
Getting Back To Business
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | December 17, 2010

Let them eat cake

Phillipe and Jorge will be keeping a close eye on the upcoming Senate vote on continuing the tax cuts for the filthy rich (the top two percent of Americans) who now appear to control America. And we trust Messrs. Reed and Whitehouse will do the right th
Obama caves, FIFA cashes in; Don checks out; Huzzah for Bill and Jaimy
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | December 10, 2010

Activist and friend hope for DREAM Act passage

Jessy Galvéz is kneeling at the altar of El Sinai Church in Portland, at an interfaith vigil supporting the DREAM Act.
Immigrant rights
By ANNE HOFFMAN | December 10, 2010

Not-so-United States

The BeloJo had a story on Sunday that gave a rating of absolutely true to Senator Weldon Shitehouse's contention that "current US law permits companies that close down American factories and offices and move those jobs overseas to take a tax deduction f
Divisive radicals vs. the moronization of America; postcard from Florida
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | November 26, 2010

Keeping Close Buy

Masey Kaplan's children used to bring home fundraising catalogs — the ones from which part of the proceeds go to the school — from their Portland school, full of wrapping paper and plastic toys and goods "from god knows where." Kaplan, a graphic design
Going green
By DEIRDRE FULTON | October 29, 2010

What women want

It doesn't make much sense, on the surface. In the 60 years since Maine made history by being the first state to send a woman to the United States Congress, women have been regular, and stalwart, members of Maine's Washington delegation. But the state’s
And what they need to run — and win — in Maine
By DEIRDRE FULTON | October 15, 2010

Friends' Activity

Popular