Affordable housing ≠ housing affordability

Cities become affordable when lots of new housing is built, not when a larger percentage of a small stock of new housing is made "affordable" by mandate.

Matthew Boonstra, Homes under construction, Edmonton, 2020. CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.

Why Building a Lot of 'Affordable' Housing Is Bad News for Affordability | Reason | Christian Britschgi:

January 7, 2025 - "On New Year's Eve, the Boston city government issued a press release touting the good work of its newly reorganized Planning Department at approving new development. The city reports that 3,575 net residential units were approved in 2024, of which a little over a third were 'income-restricted.' That top-line number is not necessarily anything to brag about....  Despite having some of the highest home prices and rents in the country, Boston is permitting fewer homes than less-expensive peer cities with equivalent populations.... 

"Even more concerning than Boston not permitting a lot of new homes is how many of the homes it is permitting are 'income-restricted.' Those are units (often also just called 'affordable,' 'below-market," or 'deed-restricted' units) that are reserved for lower-income residents and where rents are capped at steeply discounted below-market rates. Despite the city's celebratory touting of that figure, such a high share of new housing being income-restricted housing is very bad news.

"That data point suggests that not only is Boston not building a lot of housing, but that it's vastly under-building what the market demands. It says most of the projects getting approved in Boston are either dependent on public subsidies or command such high rents that they can bear the cost of the city's punishing affordable housing mandates. Understanding exactly why cities don't become affordable by raising the 'affordable" share of the tiny amount of housing that they do build is crucial for getting housing policy right.... 

"In a free market without subsidies and price controls, there wouldn't be such a thing as 'income-restricted" units. All housing would be rented or sold at market rates for a profit (save for whatever housing is provided by charitable nonprofits and religious groups). New housing would be pricey under such a system. But without zoning or other artificial caps on production, housing would still generally be affordable thanks to filtering. 

"Filtering is the process by which high-income people move into pricey, newly built units, lowering demand (and prices) for the older units they leave behind. Those units are then snapped up by lower-income people, who themselves leave behind an older, less-expensive unit to be taken by even lower-income people. Studies that follow the filtering process down the income ladder find that the addition of new market-rate units kicks off a chain of moves that ends up leaving more units available in the most affordable neighborhoods.

"Boston, of course, does not have a free market in housing.... One measure of regulatory burden finds Boston has the strictest land use rules in the country. A consequence of such strict regulations is that the natural market filtering process is thrown in reverse.... Units become more expensive over time, not less. Lower-income people economize by moving into older, worse housing.... People at the bottom rung of the income ladder either move out of town or move onto the street.... When filtering has broken down in a city, the obvious move for policymakers is to get rid of the zoning rules, permitting requirements, impact fees, taxes, mandates, and more that stymie new housing production. Instead, cities like Boston have decided to fix the ill consequences of overregulation with more regulation.... 

"The voluminous research on inclusionary zoning policies finds that they're an effective tax on new housing that lowers housing production and raises housing prices. For-profit builders need to make a higher rate of return on their market-rate units in order to make up for the tax imposed by 'income-restricted' units. If the returns on market-rate units in a project don't cover the costs of the inclusionary zoning tax, then that project just doesn't get proposed at all. That means that in Boston, fewer units overall get built and the market-rate units that do make sense to build are incredibly expensive.... Housing becomes affordable when a lot of it is built, not when capital-A 'affordable housing' makes up a larger slice of a tiny new housing pie."

Read more: https://reason.com/2025/01/07/why-building-a-lot-of-affordable-housing-is-bad-news-for-affordability/

Alleged Chinese agent arrested in Boston

Boston resident Litang Liang was arrested last week for acting as an agent of the Communist Chinese government without registering with the U.S. government. 

Man arrested in Boston for allegedly acting as foreign agent for CCP, suppressing political dissenters | Post Millennial - Hannah Nightingale: 

May 12, 2023 - "Boston, Massachusetts resident Litang Liang was indicted on Tuesday and charged with plans to act as an agent of a foreign government, according to Fox Business. Liang is accused of acting as an agent of the CCP beginning in or around 2018. 

"'Litang Liang knowingly acted and caused others to act in the United States as an agent of a foreign government, namely, the People's Republic of China, without providing prior notification to the United States Attorney General, as required by law,' the US District Court stated in its indictment. The US District Court alleges that Liang monitored and reported on individuals and organizations for the CCP ... as well as providing information on potential recruits.

"'Liang communicated with the PRC government officials – knowing them to be PRC government officials – in several ways,' the indictment states. 'These included telephone calls and messages using the social media application WeChat [...] All WeChat communications are stored on servers outside the United States.'

"Liang is the co-founder of the New England Alliance for the Peaceful Unification of China, created in January of 2019, [and served in] the anti-Taiwan independence organization through at least 2021....

"Liang pleaded not guilty on the charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government and acting as an agent of a foreign government without notice to the attorney general. He was given a $25,000 cash bond. Liang is prohibited from leaving Massachusetts and will be electronically monitored. He has also been ordered not to have any contact with the Chinese government or members of the New England Alliance for the Peaceful Unification of China."
Read more: https://thepostmillennial.com/man-arrested-in-boston-for-allegedly-acting-as-foreign-agent-for-ccp-suppressing-political-dissenters?utm_campaign=64466

Boston man charged with spying on Chinese dissidents in U.S. | Washington Times - Matt Delaney:

May 15, 2023 - "The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts announced that 63-year-old Litang Liang, of Brighton,... is accused of surveilling Chinese dissidents in the Boston area and relaying information back to the Chinese government between 2018 through 2022. He is also accused of organizing counter-protests against pro-democracy dissidents and identifying prospects for the PRC’s law enforcement arm, the Ministry of Public Security....

"Mr. Liang spied on Chinese family associations and community organizations that had pro-Taiwan leanings, according to prosecutors. He is also accused of taking photos of a person who “sabotaged” PRC flags in Boston‘s Chinatown neighborhood in October 2018. Further, he recorded a dissident at a 'Boston Stands with Hong Kong' march in August 2019 and took photos of anti-PRC dissidents who were demonstrating outside of the Boston Public Library in September 2019.

"All of the documentation Mr. Liang is accused of compiling was sent to either the PRC, the Ministry of Public Safety or the United Front Work Department, which reports directly to the Chinese Communist Party.... He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted."
Read more: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/may/15/litang-liang-boston-area-man-charged-spying-chines/

China Sentences 78-Year-Old US Citizen to Life in Prison on Espionage Charges | Statecraft | May 16, 2023:

Connecticut lifts some Covid restrictions

Connecticut dramatically rolls back COVID restrictions, allowing full indoor dining, increased entertainment and sports capacity; travel ban lifted | Hartford Courant - Emily Brindley, Eliza Fawcett, and Alex Putterman: 

March 4. 2021 - "Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday announced that he will roll back COVID-related restrictions in Connecticut starting March 19, including allowing restaurants to operate at full capacity, loosening rules on sports and entertainment venues and lifting the state’s travel ban. The state will maintain some key measures, including a mask mandate, social distancing rules, a curfew for restaurants and the closure of all bars. 

"Restaurants, retail stores, houses of worship and other businesses will be allowed to reopen at full capacity, within the confines of the remaining rules. Sports will be allowed to resume fully, with outdoor venues permitted up to 50% capacity, capped at 10,000 visitors, and indoor venues permitted up to 10% capacity. Travelers will still be recommended to quarantine after arriving in Connecticut, but they will not be required to do so....

"Lamont emphasized that Connecticut had not gone as far as Mississippi and Texas, states which drew sharp criticism from President Joe Biden after revoking their mask mandates.... Still, Connecticut’s new plan defies guidance from Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who recommended earlier this week that states move slowly in reopening.... Lamont said that he looked at other states’ reopening approaches. Massachusetts, for instance, recently announced a similar reopening plan, including lifting capacity caps at restaurants.....

• "Beginning on March 19, Connecticut restaurants will be permitted to move from 50% capacity to 100% capacity, with social distancing and mask requirements still in place.... Restaurants will also have an 11 p.m. curfew for on-site dining, and tables will be limited to a maximum of eight patrons. Bars that only serve beverages will still not be permitted to open at all.... 
• Retail stories, offices, houses of worship, gyms, libraries, person services such as nail and hair salons will all be allowed to reopen at full capacity on March 19. Masks and social distancing will be required....
• Lamont’s reopening plan also significantly opens up the playing field for sports teams. According to Lamont’s plan, all sports teams will be allowed to fully practice and compete — including in tournaments — beginning on March 19.... As of April 2, indoor sports venues will be allowed to open at 10% capacity and outdoor event venues will be able to increase to 50% capacity, capped at 10,000 people.

"Lamont’s emergency powers are set to expire April 20, but the governor said Thursday some of his executive orders — such as masking — will likely need to be continued beyond April 20. The governor implied that he does not plan to extend his emergency powers but that he will work with the legislature on those issues."

Read more: https://www.courant.com/coronavirus/hc-news-coronavirus-daily-updates-0304-20210304-56d7cbx6k5da7auqqroznhhdfa-story.html

More lockdowns across USA

Millions of Californians put under strict Covid lockdown | The Guardian - Vivian Ho:

December 7, 2020 - "More than three-quarters of California’s population are now living under the harshest lockdowns in the US, as Covid-19 cases hit record levels in the country’s most populous state. Regional stay-at-home restrictions went into effect for nearly 23 million residents in southern California and 4.4 million residents in a large swath of the Central Valley on Sunday night, as ordered by the state governor, Gavin Newsom.... The southern California region and the San Joaquin Valley region joined five counties in the Bay Area region whose local leaders pre-emptively ordered its 6 million residents to enter lockdown starting at 10pm on Sunday.... The restrictions, which require people to stay home and minimize contact with other households, will remain in place for at least three weeks, covering the Christmas holiday. 

"All retail stores can stay open, although at 20% capacity, along with outside spaces such as parks and beaches, but restaurants, bars, hair and nail salons and tattoo shops are required to close."... The new shutdowns were a gut-wrenching move for small businesses. Michelle Saunders James was in tears on Friday at the thought of closing down her Oakland nail salon just five weeks after reopening. 'We wear [face] shields. We take temperatures. We do everything we are told to do so everyone feels safe, including our staff and team,' she told KGO-TV. 'So I don’t understand why it’s not enough, and I’m terribly sad and afraid.'"
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/06/california-covid-lockdown-us-new-cases-hospitalisations-deaths-stay-at-home-order

Whitmer extends Michigan's partial lockdown through Dec. 20 | The Hill - Zack Budryk:

December 7, 2020 - "Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) on Monday extended her statewide partial lockdown order through Dec. 20.... The order ... closes bars and restaurants for dine-in services and restricts in-person instruction at colleges and high schools."
Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/529109-whitmer-extends-michigans-partial-lockdown-through-dec-20 

New coronavirus restrictions: Here's what your state is doing to combat rising cases and deaths | USA Today - Grace Hauck & Chris Woodyard: 

December 8, 2020 - "Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker instituted a partial stay-at-home order effective Nov. 6. The revised order seeks to restrict late-night congregating, telling residents to stay home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. ET. But it allows trips to work, running "critical errands," such as going for groceries or for health reasons, and allows people to take walks. Restaurants, liquor stores, gyms, hair salons, theaters and some other recreational businesses and attractions must close from 9:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. as well....

"New Mexico ... Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Nov. 13 announced a two-week 'reset' of heightened public health restrictions from late March and early April. Citizens were ordered to shelter in place, leaving home only for essential trips for health, safety and welfare. All nonessential businesses and nonprofits were to cease in-person activities, per the order.... 

"Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced a three-week, overnight stay-at-home order for Ohioans starting Nov. 19 ... aimed at getting people to stay home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly.... DeWine also said most retail businesses will be closed during those hours....

"Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on Nov. 23 issued a stay-at-home health advisory advising residents to only leave home to go to work or school, or for essential needs, like seeking medical care, going to the grocery store or pharmacy, picking up food or exercising. The advisory will remain in place through Jan. 4, unless an additional advisory is issued."
Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/11/13/covid-restrictions-state-list-orders-lockdowns/3761230001/ 

NOTA got most votes in Massachusetts LP primary

by George J. Dance

Results of the Libertarian Party (LP) primary in Massachusetts held on Super Tuesday, March 3,have been posted on Wikipedia. 4,158 people voted in the primary, making it the third-largest poll of LP members so far, after two other Super Tuesday states (California with 22,021 votes case, and North Carolina with 6,914).

324 Massachuetts LP voters, or 7.8% of the total,  cast blank ballots. Of the 3,834 marked ballots, the largest number of votes went to None of the Above (NOTA). NOTA received 804, or 21%, more than twice as much as any candidate.

Vermin Supreme received the highest total of any candidate, 398 votes (10.4%), and was declared the primary winner by the Secretary of State's office. Close behind was Future of Freedom Foundation founder Jacob Hornberger, with 369 (9.6%).

No other candidate beat the blank ballot total. Dan "Taxation is Theft" Behrman received 294 votes (7.7% of marked ballots), and 224 votes were cast for Kim Ruff (who withdrew from the race in January). Arvin Vohra was the only other candidate to break 150 votes, with 151 (3.9%).

Massachusetts was the final Super Tuesday state to release LP totals. Of the three states that held Libertarian primaries that day, NOTA took the most votes in two (North Carolina with 33% and Massachusetts with 21%), while Hornberger won California with 19%. (NOTA was not on the ballot in California.) Hornberger also won the March 10 LP primary in Missouri, where NOTA was the only other option, with almost 75% of the vote.

Three candidates who entered the race late - Mark Whitney (who filed in December), former Senator Lincoln Chafee (filed in January), and John Monds (filed in February) - have not yet appeared on any Libertarian primary ballots. 

Registered Libertarians doubled in Massachusetts

Libertarian ranks swell amid voter dissatisfaction | Gloucester Daily Times - Christian M. Wade:

March 6, 2020 - "Driven by voter dissatisfaction with the two major parties, the state's Libertarians have seen a surge in numbers in recent years, even as other parties shrink. The Libertarian Party of Massachusetts had 19,851 members as of Feb. 12 — a more than 130% increase from 2017 when it regained its party status, according to Secretary of State's Bill Galvin's office. A sizable portion of its membership draws from Essex and Middlesex counties, where about 6,300 voters are registered as Libertarians.

"While Libertarians are still just a sliver of the electorate – only 0.43% of more than 4.5 million registered voters – their ranks are growing faster than any other political party. Cristina Crawford, the state party's chairwoman, attributes the growth to voter dissatisfaction with the two major parties, as well as the Libertarians' message of civil rights, economic liberty and limited government.

"'We're seeing a lot of support, which is very encouraging,' she said. 'We've become a refuge for disillusioned voters who are tired of big government, high taxes and politics as usual'....

"Dozens of candidates are vying for the Libertarians' presidential nomination this year. In Massachusetts, 10 candidates were listed on the party's ballot on Super Tuesday. The Libertarians hold their state convention on March 22, ahead of the party's May 21–25 national convention in Austin, Texas.

"Nationally, the Libertarian Party has seen a 92% rise in membership in the last decade, fielding candidates in dozens of states. Two years ago, the party saw more than 600 candidates in federal, state and local races in nearly 40 states....

"Increased interest in the Libertarians also helped the party reclaim official state recognition three years ago, due to the party's showing in the 2016 presidential election. New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson was the party's candidate, with former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Bill Weld as his running mate.... The Libertarian ticket won 4.2% of the vote in Massachusetts – clearing a benchmark 3% necessary to be officially recognized and have its candidates listed on the next ballot.

"Two years ago, Dan Fishman of Beverly challenged Democratic State Auditor Suzanne Bump, and while he came in third [also with 4.2% of the vote - ed.] ... he boosted the party's profile.

"Independent parties come and go in Massachusetts.... Still, voter dissatisfaction with the two major parties continues to simmer, according to polls that cite frustration over divisive national politics. A 2018 Suffolk University survey found a strong appetite for strong third-party candidates, with only 22% of the respondents saying the Democratic and Republican parties do a good job of representing Americans’ views."

Read more: https://www.gloucestertimes.com/news/local_news/libertarian-ranks-swell-amid-voter-dissatisfaction/article_0261da49-c86a-5521-aad4-1a58cca4b91d.html

Buy flavored e-liquid, lose your car, MA bill says

Pending Ban on Flavored E-Cigarettes in Massachusetts Authorizes Forfeiture of Vapers’ Cars – Reason.com:

Novewmber 14, 2019 - "The Massachusetts House of Representatives yesterday approved a bill that would ban flavored e-cigarettes, impose a 75 percent excise tax on 'electronic nicotine delivery systems' (including e-liquids as well as devices), and authorize forfeiture of cars driven by vapers caught with 'untaxed' products. The House approved H4183 by a vote of 127 to 31, and the state Senate is expected to consider it next week.

"An 'emergency' ban that Gov. Charlie Baker (R) imposed on all vaping products in September will expire on December 24. This bill permanently bans 'flavored tobacco products,' including menthol cigarettes as well as vaping liquids that taste or smell like anything other than tobacco. It does not apply to hookah bars or marijuana vapes....

"Once their preferred flavors are no longer legally available, some ... vapers may go back to smoking, a far more dangerous habit, while others may buy potentially tainted pods or e-liquids on the black market. Or they might buy flavored e-liquids in states where they are still legal and bring them back to Massachusetts. But vapers who try to find ways around the ban should be aware of the potential penalties.,,,

"The bill says ... a police officer who 'discovers an untaxed electronic nicotine delivery system in the possession of a person who is not a licensed or commissioner-authorized electronic nicotine delivery system distributor' may seize both the product and the 'receptacle' in which it is found, 'including, but not limited to, a motor vehicle, boat or airplane in which the electronic nicotine delivery systems are contained or transported'....

"While both fines and asset forfeiture could be deployed against distributors of newly illicit vaping products, they apply to consumers as well.... [A] vaper is presumed to be in possession of 'an untaxed electronic nicotine delivery system,' which makes his car subject to forfeiture, unless he has receipts that prove otherwise. And in the case of newly illegal vaping products purchased out of state or on the black market, he will have no such proof.

"Under this bill, unapproved vaping products would be treated like illegal drugs, possession of which is enough to justify forfeiture of the vehicles in which they are found. Massachusetts is poised to deprive vapers of the harm-reducing products they used to quit smoking, then steal their cars if they dare to defy that unjust and irrational edict."

Read more: https://reason.com/2019/11/14/pending-ban-on-flavored-e-cigarettes-in-massachusetts-authorizes-forfeiture-of-vapers-cars/
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Bans are the wrong answer to vaping crisis

Legalizing Cannabis Is The Answer To Vaping Concerns - Kris Krane, Forbes:

October 7, 2019 - "Over the past few months the media has been awash with reports of people getting sick from vaping.... In response, politicians have been taking action to get ahead of the problem, with most relying on some form of vape ban. A handful of governors and President Trump have proposed banning all flavored vape cartridges, while Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker declared a public health emergency and banned the sale of all vape products in the state for four months.

'While these actions may be well meaning, they are likely to only exacerbate the problem.... To date, 805 cases of people suffering from vape-related illnesses and at least 12 deaths have been reported.... Despite the relatively small number of vape-related illnesses and deaths, the nation seems to be amid a media-fueled hysteria around the issue of vaping.....

"But the reaction to ban all vape sales, as they have in Massachusetts, may have hugely negative public health consequences. After all, people who use nicotine vapes are generally addicted to nicotine.... Without access to legal and regulated vape cartridges they will face two options: obtain illicit-market nicotine vape cartridges produced in an unregulated facility ... or go back to smoking cigarettes.....

"On the cannabis side of the equation, banning legally produced cannabis vape cartridges could be the most counterproductive response possible. Of the vaping-related illnesses, the vast majority appear to be related to counterfeit illicit market products that contain pesticides, additives and cutting agents dangerous to human health. By eliminating access to licensed and regulated products, states like Massachusetts may be inadvertently driving these customers and patients to the illicit market that’s causing these problems in the first place.

"In response to the wave of vape-related illnesses, NBC News took cartridges ... to CannaSafe, an accredited testing lab..... All the illicit-market products contained dangerous substances like pesticides and hydrogen cyanide.... None of these contaminants were found in the legally produced products that CannaSafe tested....

"Another problem arises from the fact that producers of illicit-market vape cartridges often cut their cannabis oil with thinning agents to decrease potency and increase profit margins. Then, to increase viscosity back to the level consumers expect to see, they add thickening agents, the most popular of which is Vitamin E acetate....

"The most effective way to combat these illicit-market products is for every state and the federal government to legalize cannabis so that vape production can be regulated under a uniform set of rules. With cannabis legal nationwide, there would be little reason for producers to bootleg legal products to ship out of state, since these products would be available to any cannabis consumer anywhere in the country.... Regulators could and should ... ensure that all products are being tested not only for pesticides, but thickening agents like Vitamin E acetate....

"Prohibition only drives consumers to the illicit market where more dangerous products are rampant, and results in negative public health impacts. As the country continues to wrestle with how to handle vape-related illnesses, we would be wise to heed the lessons of the past and recognize that the most effective remedy is legalization, regulation, and education."

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kriskrane/2019/10/07/legalizing-cannabis-is-the-answer-to-vaping-concerns/#7564a8a69488
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Midterm results disappointing for Libertarians

The Libertarian Party Future, Perennially Out of Reach - Reason.com - Matt Welch:

January 2019: ""He's going to finish certainly no worse than second, and maybe first,' Libertarian Party (L.P.) 2016 vice presidential nominee Bill Weld enthused about Massachusetts state auditor candidate Dan Fishman in mid-October.... It looked like Weld might be onto something two weeks later when The Boston Globe took the highly unusual step of endorsing the L.P. candidate....

"Massachusetts voters declined the advice. When the smoke cleared on November 6, the would-be Libertarian auditor for the government of Taxachusetts finished not first, not second, but a distant third place, with a desultory 4.2 percent of the vote. The effort was enough to give the party automatic statewide ballot access for 2020 ... but not enough to stave off the national wave of nausea that afflicted many libertarians on election day.....

"About the only federal candidate prioritizing the budget calamity was Gary Johnson.... Running in the state he governed twice, and where he earned 9.3 percent of the presidential vote in 2016, ... Johnson was able to participate in debates and generate extensive media coverage. The first independent three-way poll in late August hinted at a shockingly competitive race: 39 percent for Heinrich, 21 percent for Johnson, and just 11 percent for Rich. And yet Election Day 2018 brought another Libertarian bummer:... Rich doubled up on Johnson, 31 percent to 15 percent....

"Political fear and loathing, it turns out, is no friend to independent and third-party candidates.... As we learned in 2016, when voters feel revulsion toward a candidate or party, they are likely to go for the alternative with the best chance to defeat the bad guy. In a high-turnout midterm like 2018, minor parties undershoot their polling projections by massive amounts.

"The most anticipated of the 22 Libertarian races for governor, for example, was rising party star Larry Sharpe in New York. An energetic, fast-talking campaigner with a preternatural talent for fundraising, Sharpe brought in an impressive $450,000.... He pulled just 1.6 percent, behind even Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins' 1.7. Yes, the L.P.  achieved state ballot access for the first time in history, but that low showing came as a demoralizing shock.

"'WTF is going on?' Wisconsin Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Phil Anderson messaged me on election night..... Anderson's pre-election polling average of 4.2 percent had collapsed to a barely visible 0.8 percent. Eight Libertarian candidates for governor were polling higher than the Democratic-Republican point spread on election eve; zero repeated the trick once the votes were counted....

"The three state legislators who had previously switched from Republican to Libertarian once in office — Nebraska state Sen. Laura Ebke and New Hampshire state Reps. Brandon Phinney and Caleb Dyer — all faced their first election wearing the L, and all lost badly.... Insurgent Wyoming state House candidate Bethany Baldes came so close to unseating incumbent Republican Majority Leader David Miller that she was erroneously reported as winner on election night, only to eventually lose by 53 votes....

"Libertarians are accustomed to being outnumbered and excel at playing long-game strategies, often far outside the cyclical sugar highs of electoral politics.... As disappointing as November 2018 felt for the L.P., the party did emerge in a stronger position for 2020, when it will be the only minor party with a spot on all 50 state ballots. American politics moves fast, so the next two years may yet feature more political libertarianism than we can currently fathom. As hard as that may be to believe after Election Day."

Read more: https://reason.com/archives/2018/12/08/the-libertarian-party-future-p

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Also read: Libertarians see progress in midterm elections

Boston Globe endorses Fishman for state auditor

Editorial board endorsement: Dan Fishman, a Libertarian, for auditor - The Boston Globe: 

October 29, 2018 - "The office of the state auditor could do so much more for Massachusetts, but not under the leadership of Suzanne Bump. The unfolding payroll scandal at the State Police — which somehow escaped the incumbent Democratic auditor’s notice — is a good example of the sort of waste and abuse that a real activist in the job might ferret out on behalf of taxpayers. An auditor without any partisan axes to grind could shake up the state.

"In that spirit, the Globe endorses Daniel Fishman of Beverly, the Libertarian candidate, in the Nov. 6 general election....

"The state auditor’s job is to root out fraud and misspending by periodically auditing state agencies. In a state with a Republican governor and an overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature, Fishman, a software architect, makes a good case that an auditor from either party is inherently compromised. 'Why would you elect a Republican or a Democrat to audit Republicans and Democrats?' he asks.

"Events this year have helped make his case. Not only did Bump miss what appears to be rampant payroll abuse at the State Police, she gave the office a black eye in September with an embarrassingly partisan audit of the Registry of Motor Vehicles. She accused the agency of issuing licenses to licensees after their date of death, a charge that fell apart when the RMV determined the drivers were still alive.

"It’s part of a pattern for an auditor who has politicized the office, failed to complete the required number of audits, and pursued audits of overly narrow scope. Bump should not serve a third term....

"Fishman ... has worked at start-ups companies and in IT at Massachusetts General Hospital. A former colleague described him as a “math geek,” adept at managing large amounts of data. Government waste in the 21st century hides in databases like payroll records, and although Fishman isn’t a CPA (neither is Bump), he has an intriguing background for a modern auditor.

"Fishman wants to step up payroll audits and post information on the Web for citizens and journalists to scrutinize. And he wants to meet the legal requirements of auditing each agency once every three years....

"There are two other candidates in the race ... but [we] don’t feel either candidate is quite as ready to run the office as Fishman.... Fishman would bring a sorely needed independent streak to the office. Give this Libertarian a shot."

Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/editorials/2018/10/29/editorial-board-endorsement-dan-fishman-libertarian-for-auditor/wefAPjZ6BCss2FfDxg8IYJ/story.html
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MA cannabis rules allow cafes, craft cultivation

Massachusetts Is The New Testbed For Cannabis Legalization - Kris Kane, Forbes:

April 10, 2018 - "Massachusetts, whose residents voted in 2016 to legalize cannabis for adult use, is on the cusp of implementing experimental, never-before-seen rules that will be closely watched by both the cannabis industry and regulators around the country.

"Last month, the state’s Cannabis Control Commission, the regulatory agency tasked with overseeing the rollout and implementation of Massachusetts’ new adult-use cannabis industry, released the final rules that will govern the market.... Many of the rules have been seen before (child-resistant packaging requirements; separate licenses for cultivators, producers, and retailers; etc.) What’s noteworthy about Massachusetts’ new rules, though, are the ones that have never been tried before and could serve as a blueprint for other states....

"Massachusetts is seeking to ... rectify ... some of the social injustices that have been a result of marijuana prohibition.... Nearly 80% of people in federal prison for drug offences and almost 60% in state prison are black or latino.... And yet, for the most part, people of color and people who have convictions for non-violent cannabis offenses have so far been largely excluded from meaningful participation in the new cannabis economy....

"[T]he state has eliminated the vertical-integration requirement of the medical program, which mandated that all businesses must produce the products sold in their dispensaries.... The commission decided to not only split these into separate cultivation, production, and dispensary licenses, but also to create sub-licenses for cultivation facilities of different sizes. Under these rules, an entrepreneur wanting to open a smaller cultivation/production facility will have to pay some of the lowest registration fees in the country.... The commission will also allow these small 'craft' cultivators to cultivate collectively, meaning that they can pool resources to achieve economies of scale....

"It is important to note that these provisions ... did not happen in a vacuum. Commissioner Shaleen Title, one of the five commissioners ... is a veteran drug policy reformer. Shaleen founded a chapter of NORML/Students for Sensible Drug Policy as an undergrad in college in the early 2000s, worked for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (now Law Enforcement Action Partners), and ... went on to form a staffing company, THC Staffing.... It goes to show how important it is that people who have spent their careers advocating for sensible marijuana policies have a seat at the table as regulators, and not have these positions left solely to lifelong bureaucrats, attorneys, and businesspeople....

"The state will also be closely watched as one of the first in the country to roll out 'social consumption' licenses for businesses to allow customers to consume marijuana on-site.... Within a few years cannabis consumers will not only be able to indulge at their favorite dispensary, but could be able to enjoy cannabis at a cafe, movie theater, or yoga studio."

Read more: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kriskrane/2018/04/10/massachusetts-is-the-new-testbed-for-cannabis-legalization/#37324b123a39
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Prohibitionists dominate MA cannabis commission

Four out of Massachusetts' Five Cannabis Control Commission Members Oppose Recreational Legalization - News | MERRY JANE - Tyler Koslow:

September 6, 2017 - "With recreational cannabis legislation expected to go into effect next year, Massachusetts lawmakers recently finished putting together a marijuana policy board to help craft regulations for the Northeastern state's pot industry. At the surface, you might expect this to be the last progressive step towards full-scale legalization, but there seems to be a troubling pattern among the members of the new Cannabis Control Commission.

"According to the Associated Press, back in November, four out of the five appointed board members voted against recreational cannabis legalization. This has raised serious concern among local advocates, many of whom are calling for reassurance that the panel won’t try to hinder implementation of the voter-approved law....

"The board was selected by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey, and state Treasurer Deb Goldberg. Of the five appointed commissioners, only [Shaleen] Title ... voted in favor of the state's recreational cannabis ballot measure. Known as a strong voice in the marijuana movement, she is a founding member of the Minority Cannabis Business Association, an organization that pushes for local policies that promote diversity in the pot industry....

"None of the four members that voted against legalization have publicly expressed concrete reasoning for why they don’t support recreational marijuana....

As the future success of Massachusetts cannabis regulations rest in the hands of the Cannabis Control Commission, voters have a valid reason to question the track record of these anti-pot appointees. Whether the board satisfies the wishes of state constituents or not, they can be sure that marijuana advocates will be watching every step with a wary eye."

Read more: https://merryjane.com/news/massachusetts-cannabis-control-commission-recreational-regulations
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Freedom of speech mauled in Boston

A free-speech rally, minus the free speech - The Boston Globe - Jeff Jacoby:

Ausust 21, 2017 - "Participants in the 'Boston Free Speech Rally' had been demonized as a troupe of neo-Nazis prepared to reprise the horror that had erupted in Charlottesville. They turned out to be a couple dozen courteous people linked by little more than a commitment to — surprise! — free speech....

"Indeed, nothing about the tiny rally seemed in any way connected with bigotry or hatred. One of the speakers was Shiva Ayyadurai, an immigrant from India who is seeking the Republican nomination in next year’s US Senate race. As Ayyadurai spoke, his supporters held signs proclaiming 'Black Lives Do Matter.'

"But he and the others who gathered at the Parkman Bandstand had never stood a chance of competing with the rumor that neo-Nazis were coming to Boston. That toxic claim was irresponsibly fueled by Mayor Marty Walsh, who denounced the planned rally — 'Boston does not want you here'....

"A massive counterprotest, 40,000 strong, showed up to denounce a nonexistent cohort of racists. Boston deployed hundreds of police officers, who did an admirable job of maintaining order. Some of the counterprotesters screamed, cursed, or acted like thugs — at one point the Boston Police Department warned protesters 'to refrain from throwing urine, bottles, and other harmful projectiles' — but most behaved appropriately....

"The speakers on the Common bandstand were kept from being heard. They were blocked off with a 225-foot buffer zone, segregated beyond earshot. Police barred anyone from approaching to hear what the rally speakers had to say. Reporters were excluded, too.... The free-speech rally took place in a virtual cone of silence....

"Even some of the rally’s own would-be attendees were kept from the bandstand. Yet when Police Commissioner Bill Evans was asked at a press conference Saturday afternoon whether it was right to treat them that way, he was unapologetic. 'You know what,' he said, 'if they didn’t get in, that’s a good thing, because their message isn’t what we want to hear.'

"No, Commissioner Evans. It was not a 'good thing' that people with a right to speak were effectively silenced by the operations of the police. The ralliers did nothing wrong.... They absorbed the slanders flung at them by the mayor and others. They didn’t try to shut their critics down, and they weren’t the ones hurling 'urine, bottles, and other harmful projectiles.'

"All they were guilty of was attempting to defend the importance of free speech. For that, they were unjustly smeared as Nazis and their own freedom of speech was mauled."

Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2017/08/21/free-speech-rally-minus-free-speech/vymrZBl1NLtz04oW2IBpKK/story.html
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This column is adapted from the current issue of Arguable, Jeff Jacoby’s weekly email newsletter.

Libertarians end year with 38-state ballot access

The 2016 Election's Biggest Winner: Gary Johnson and The Libertarian Party? - IVN.us - W.E. Messamore:

November 12, 2016 - "The Libertarian Party is now an officially recognized party for the next election in [38] states, the highest ever for the burgeoning third party. Here’s a breakdown of the gains state by state from the LP’s website:

• The Texas LP retained ballot access with Railroad Commission candidate Mark Miller receiving over 5 percent. The party would have had to collect over 80,000 signatures to get back on the ballot if no statewide candidate received 5 percent. This will save the party approximately $220,000 in petitioning cost.
• The LP retained ballot access in North Carolina for four years with Gary Johnson and the gubernatorial candidate, Lon Cecil, each getting over 2 percent. The party would have had to collect over 100,000 signatures to get back on the ballot if neither the presidential nor gubernatorial candidate got 2 percent, saving the party approximately $250,000 in petitioning cost.
• Iowa and Kentucky LPs are recognized parties for the first time, with Gary Johnson getting over 2 percent in both states.
• The New Hampshire LP is a recognized party for the first time in two decades due to gubernatorial candidate Max Abramson getting over 4 percent.
• The DC party is recognized for the second time ever, with candidate for Delegate to the US House of Representatives Martin Moulton getting over 17,000 votes.
• The LP retained ballot access in North Dakota, with Gary Johnson getting over 6 percent.
• In Connecticut, Libertarian Dan Reale for US House in the second congressional district, Richard Lion for US Senate, and Gary Johnson for President all received over one percent of the vote. As a result, the party will not have to petition in these races in the next election.
• Massachusetts’ LP is a recognized party again, with Gary Johnson getting over 3 percent.
• West Virginia’s LP retained ballot access for four years due to David Moran receiving over 2 percent in his race for governor.

"Instant ballot access in these states’ next election, just like the Republican and Democratic parties get, is a coveted status that will save the Libertarian Party a small fortune in money, time, and energy previously wasted on petitioning efforts just to get on the ballot.

"That’s resources that can go toward more fundraising, registering more voters, campaign ads, poaching disaffected voters from the two major parties, and making the case for Libertarian policies to unaffiliated independent voters."

Read more: http://ivn.us/2016/11/12/2016-elections-biggest-winner-gary-johnson-libertarian-party/
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California, Massachusetts, & Nevada cannabis legalization initiatives pass

Voters Legalize Marijuana in Three States - The New York Times - Thomas Fuller:

November 9, 2016. - "Voters in California, Massachusetts and Nevada legalized marijuana on Tuesday in what advocates said was a reflection of the country’s changing attitude toward the drug.

"A similar measure in Maine led by less than a point with 98 percent of precincts reporting. Voters in Arizona defeated a legalization measure.

"Leading up to the election, recreational marijuana use was legal in four states: Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, along with the District of Columbia.

"With the addition of California, Massachusetts and Nevada, the percentage of Americans living in states where marijuana use is legal for adults rose above 20 percent, from 5 percent.

"A Gallup poll in October found nationwide support for legalization at 60 percent, the highest level in the 47 years the organization has tracked the issue. Support is rising even though some public health experts warn that there have been insufficient studies of the drug’s effects, and that law enforcement agencies lack reliable tests and protocols to determine whether a driver is impaired by marijuana.

"Supporters in California portrayed legalization as both a social justice and a criminal justice issue, saying the measure would help redress the disproportionate numbers of arrests and convictions among minorities for drug crimes.

"A bill to legalize marijuana in Vermont, supported by Gov. Peter Shumlin, a Democrat, failed this year. But in Massachusetts, public support for legalization rose during the fall, even with bipartisan opposition from the state’s top elected officials and an organized anti-legalization campaign.

"In addition to Tuesday’s votes on recreational marijuana, Arkansas, Florida, Montana and North Dakota all passed medical marijuana initiatives."

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/us/politics/election-ballot.html?_r=0
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Libertarian Simmons polls 41% in Massachusetts

New Poll: Libertarian Congressional Candidate Nearly Tied for Lead - Josh Guckert, The Libertarian Republic:

October 24, 2016 - "In a new poll conducted by the Associated Press, Libertarian candidate for the 1st Congressional District in Massachusetts Thomas Simmons is only 4 points away from overtaking Democratic incumbent Richard Neal.

Simmons for Congress 1st CD-Mass.
October 23 at 12:49pm

FIRST POLL IS OUT! Associated Press, conducted 9/26, and released to their affiliate stations:

Richard Neal: 45%
Thomas Simmons: 41% ... See more

"Neal has served in the House of Representatives since 1989. Having no primary challenger or Republican opponent, Simmons and Independent Frederick Mayock are his only opposition. Neal has faced no serious threat to reelection since 2010 when he defeated Republican Tom Wesley by 15 points. That comfortable margin of victory is to this point Neal’s closest election.

"Simmons is a 56-year-old professor at Greenfield Community College, a position which he has held for 18 years. Due to his background in education, Simmons has made this one of the major issues in his platform:

"Schools and teachers are spending more resources each year creating meaningless reports and data, and less and less time helping students at critical thinking. The result is that politicians claim they are addressing education issues, while in fact, some 60 percent of students enter our community college system at lower than college-ready aptitude in basic English and math skills.

"With only 15 days until election day, Simmons is expected to ramp up his voter outreach so that he may pull off an ... upset. "

Read more: http://thelibertarianrepublic.com/libertarian-congressional-candidate/
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Thomas T. Simmons webpage: http://simmons4congress.com/
Thom Simmons for Congress on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Simmons4Congress/?fref=nf

Kubby against CA cannabis legalization initiative

Pot Twist: Some marijuana activists urge 'no' vote on legalization | Fox News - Dan Greenhut:

September 1, 2016 - "As voters consider marijuana-legalization efforts in several states this November, they can expect opposition from the usual pot opponents like law-enforcement groups and anti-drug activists – but some of the most ardent foes come, unexpectedly, from within the marijuana community itself.

"Opponents include some in the medical-marijuana industry, concerned about what a wide-open recreational market would mean for their businesses. Advocates for recreational marijuana also fear the latest legalization measures come with so many restrictions that pot smokers might be better off, for now, within the existing medical-marijuana system....

“'I’m on the record totally opposing this law [California Proposition 64] that does not legalize marijuana,' said Steve Kubby, an original proponent of the 1996 ballot measure that legalized medical marijuana.... Kubby, who backed an alternate legalization measure that never made it to this year’s ballot, complained the Prop 64 proposal creates tougher punishments for people who have more than an ounce.

"California’s marijuana industry is centered in Humboldt County, the redwood-forested coastal region 200 miles north of San Francisco. Yet a July 12 report in the Humboldt Independent found deep divisions within the California Growers Association, a cannabis growers’ trade group, over the 'Adult Use of Marijuana Act.' An opinion poll found its members evenly split over Prop 64....

"Diane Goldstein, executive board member for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), touted the proposal. 'This initiative is the best chance California has to end a failed war on marijuana resulting in the criminalization of almost half a million people in the last decade,' she said.

"Such wide differences of opinion from within pro-marijuana circles are playing out in other states, also. The Massachusetts measure gives existing medical dispensaries preferential licensing treatment, so a number of existing companies have actively supported the measure.

"But Dan Delaney, a Boston lobbyist who has helped medical-marijuana clinics seek licenses and is chairman of Safe Cannabis Massachusetts, opposes the measure. He is particularly opposed to language that limits the ability of local governments to regulate it and said many of the state’s hardcore pro-marijuana activists have joined with the anti-marijuana activists to oppose the measure. They view it as being 'crafted by industry folks'....

"The latest polls show legalization ahead in California and split in Massachusetts and Nevada. It’s behind in Arizona, but was ahead in Maine in May."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/08/26/pot-twist-some-marijuana-activists-urge-no-vote-on-legalization.html
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Cannabis reformers rally at Mass. state house

Mass. pols taking sides as marijuana legalization campaign heats up | NewBostonPost - State House News Service

August 4, 2016 - "[P]roponents gathered outside the State House Wednesday to urge support for marijuana legalization and condemn arguments against it as rooted in fear.... Massachusetts voters will decide at the ballot box in November whether to legalize adult use of marijuana while also setting up taxation and a regulatory structure for marijuana sales....

"Supporters on Wednesday described backing the question as a matter of fairness and racial justice and said the tax revenue could provide an infusion of financial resources for areas like education, infrastructure and addiction treatment.

"'I want to thank my colleagues in government for being here and for their political courage as well, because we see a lot of our colleagues and other elected officials buying into the same old tired arguments around fear,' Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse said. 'And we should not be creating public policy by trying to scare people and making them believe this is negative for themselves, for their families and for their communities.'

"Along with Morse, the elected officials who participated in the press conference were Rep. David Rogers and Boston city councilors Michelle Wu and Tito Jackson. Rogers, a Cambridge Democrat, is one of ten lawmakers, all Democrats, who last week endorsed the legalization proposal, Question 4.

"'Sometimes when we make laws, we don’t always have perfect data or the empirical evidence to make good policy. We make judgement calls,' Rogers said Wednesday. 'In the case of marijuana, though, we have decade after decade after decade after decade of data, and our current approach has failed abysmally, and it’s obvious. If the goal was to stop people from using marijuana, how has that worked out?'...

"Wu, Boston’s city council president, said she has never used marijuana ... the first time she smelled marijuana smoke was while attending college at Harvard University, an experience she said she has since reflected on as an example of 'uneven enforcement' of existing marijuana laws.

"'What kind of a system are we building if Harvard kids can smoke pot and continue to enjoy every privilege, but black and brown residents go to jail, face disproportionate impacts in enforcement?' Wu said."

Read more: http://newbostonpost.com/2016/08/04/mass-pols-taking-sides-as-marijuana-legalization-campaign-heats-up/
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Top Massachusetts court OKs cannabis initiative

Massachusetts marijuana: Top court OKs legalization for ballot - Bob Salsberg, Associated Press;

July 5, 2016 - "Massachusetts’ highest court on Wednesday cleared the way for a November ballot question on legalizing small amounts of recreational marijuana, but it ordered changes in the wording of the question’s title and the brief statement that explains the measure to voters....

"The ruling from the Supreme Judicial Court [SJC] came hours before supporters of legalized pot turned in more than 25,000 additional certified voter signatures to the secretary of state, well above the 10,792 needed to assure a spot on the ballot.

"The court heard two lawsuits last month, one of which argued that tens of thousands of people who signed petitions supporting legalization were misled because they were not told on the petitions that the proposed law could allow the sale of food products such as cookies or candy with high concentrations of THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana.

"The court said it was disappointed that Attorney General Maura Healey did not prepare a summary for the petitions that included a reference to marijuana-infused food products that could become available in Massachusetts. But it ruled that the summary was nonetheless fair, and rejected other arguments that the question was unconstitutional as framed....

"The measure would allow people 21 or older to possess up to 1 ounce of pot for recreational use and impose a 3.75 percent excise tax on retail marijuana sales, on top of the state’s 6.25 percent sales tax. A state cannabis commission would be created to regulate the drug....

"Ruling it would be 'unfair and clearly misleading' to call the measure simply 'Marijuana Legalization,' the SJC ordered the title changed to 'Legalization, Regulation, and Taxation of Marijuana.'

"Several changes were ordered in the wording of the “yes” statement, the most significant of which the court said would make clear to voters that the proposed law would not only legalize small amounts of marijuana but products — including food — that contain marijuana concentrate."

Read more: http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/07/06/massachusetts-marijuana-legalization-ballot/57651/
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Weld supports Massachusetts cannabis initiative

Bill Weld supports marijuana legalization in Massachusetts - Adam Vaccaro:

June 7, 2016 ' "Former Massachusetts Republican Gov. William Weld, the newly minted vice-presidential candidate on the third-party Libertarian ticket, said Tuesday that he supports marijuana legalization in Massachusetts, an issue that is expected to be decided in a ballot question this fall.

"'In Massachusetts, I would be supportive,' Weld said at a question-and-answer session hosted by the public policy think tank MassINC.

"On the one hand, Weld’s position is no surprise, as the party he will represent this fall believes in limited government and has long called for legalization of marijuana and the relaxation of drug laws.... And as governor in the 1990s, Weld supported medical marijuana legalization. But as a former federal prosecutor, Weld also had a tough-on-crime approach as governor, and he acknowledged Tuesday that his support for legalization is 'something of a shift from what my position would have been in the past.'

"'I’m not absolutely sure that I would have been for that before spending as much time as I have with Gary Johnson,' Weld said. 'He’s very much in favor of the legalization of marijuana.'

"Weld said Johnson 'wants to look' at legalizing other drugs as well as a form of criminal justice reform, and said alcohol and legal prescription drugs can be more dangerous than illicit drugs.

"'I don’t know the answer to those things.… That to me is at least worth a discussion,' Weld said. “And I do think there’s something to the idea that by decriminalizing something, you take it out of the shadows. And then the incentives are not there for the bad guys to do massive criminal sales. Again, you wouldn’t have heard it from me when I was in the Justice Department'....

"The Massachusetts marijuana ballot question would legalize marijuana in 2017, and establish a taxed retail sales system in 2018. It would be similar to laws that have passed elsewhere, including in Colorado.... It has attracted powerful, bipartisan opposition, with Democratic Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Republican Gov. Charlie Baker among the elected officials who have actively voiced their dissent.

"Baker worked in Weld’s administration and is close with his predecessor. But even though the governor has said he will not support either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton as president, he has also said he would not back Weld’s Libertarian ticket. The reason? The party’s call for drug legalization is a big part of it, he told Boston Herald Radio last month.

"Asked about Baker’s plan to sit out the presidential election on Tuesday, Weld still seemed hopeful he could court his pupil’s vote. 'I bet he’ll think of someone to vote for,' he said to laughter.

Read more: https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2016/06/07/former-mass-gov-3rd-party-vp-candidate-weld-supports-marijuana-legalization
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