The Horse Race

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Episode 223: The all-nighter no one wanted Aug 04, 2022

Show notes

8/4/2022 -- This week on The Horse Race Steve and Lisa start the show off with a rundown of the recent democratic primary debates. Then we dive into the Wednesday announcement from the MBTA: The orange line will be down for 30 days! Lisa gives us the rundown on what this means for riders. On Monday morning the legislative session ended after 23 long hours. During the marathon, lawmakers passed bills that legalized sports betting, expanded mental health support, reformed cannabis laws, and much more. Our own Lisa Kashinsky was there and we also have Katie Lannan of GBH News on to talk about the great all-nighter and clarify the opening time of Capitol Coffee House.

Episode 222: The Unhappiest Hour Jul 28, 2022

Show notes

7/28/2022-- This week, a surprise amendment to the State Senate’s version of the economic development bill would give cities and towns the option of ending a decades-long ban on happy hour for their own municipalities. To talk about it more, Jenn and Steve are joined by the amendment's sponsor, Senator Julian Cyr. Later, Jenn takes a closer look at the history behind the ban and the other attempts to revive happy hour in Massachusetts.

Episode 221: Unsafe Harbors Jul 21, 2022

Show notes

7/21/2022-- This week is a scorcher! Jenn and Steve start the show off chatting about this extreme heat. There's talk of water restrictions in the Commonwealth within the next few weeks. Ironically enough, President Biden is in Mass this week talking about climate change. It also doesn't look like T service will be improving anytime soon. A shortage of dispatchers will continue to be a hurdle. State legislators passed a $52 billion budget to Governor Baker's desk on Sunday night. Once again Massachusetts is the only state left with a fiscal year that starts on July 1 where a budget has yet to be finalized. Mike Deehan, co-author at Axios Boston, joins the pod to break down the state budget. He also helps break down Taco Bell's brief roll-out of the Cheez-It Tostada. Later, Boston Globe reporter, Catherine Carlock joins us to discuss what the Supreme Judicial Court concluded last week about Boston’s municipal harbor plan and what it could mean for the rest of the state.

Episode 220: The Horse Race State Song Sing-along Jul 14, 2022

Show notes

7/14/22-- This week we divert from our regularly scheduled programming for the first ever musical episode of The Horse Race! Jenn and Steve walk us through the seven official state songs one by one. Lenny Gomulka, writer and performer of "Say Hello to Someone From Massachusetts" joins the podcast to talk about the inspiration for the tune and how it came to be the official state polka. Later Joyce Linehan, local punk rock enthusiast and former chief of policy and planning for Marty Walsh, stops by the pod. She helps unravel the saga of the unofficial state rock song, "Roadrunner" by the Modern Lovers. Will MA ever have an official state rock song? Stay tuned until the end for a never before heard recording of the official state glee club song, "The Great State of Massachusetts" arranged and produced by Charlie Koczela and performed by Robert Goderich.

Episode 219: SCOTUS Scaries Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

6/30/2022--This week on The Horse Race, Jenn and Steve unpacking the whirlwind of a news week that just was. Before diving into national news, a statewide race changed drastically this week when state senator and gubernatorial candidate Sonia Chang-Diaz dropped out of the race. She told reporters there was no reasonable path to victory, and she'll instead turn her focus to supporting down-ballot candidates with similar progressive views. Chang-Diaz's withdrawal makes Maura Healey the sole standing Democratic candidate for Governor. The Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, prompting Governor Baker to immediately sign an executive order protecting access to reproductive health care services in the state. The order would protect providers who perform these services for out-of-state patients seeking the procedures in Massachusetts. Planned Parenthood has already reported an uptick in demand for services here in Massachusetts from people coming out of state. Finally, reporter Sam Gross of The Boston Globe stops by to talk to Steve about a law that will allow undocumented immigrants to apply for drivers licenses in Massachusetts. The legislature passed it into law earlier this month, and then voted to override Gov. Baker’s veto. Now, opponents of the new law have formed a ballot question committee and are collecting signatures to try to put the issue before voters in the fall.

Episode 218: E-Bicycle Built for Who? Jun 23, 2022

Show notes

6/23/2022--This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Lisa share their opinions on a *critical* Massachusetts food service matchup -- Dunkin' Donuts and Market Basket. If the two were on the ballot, which is securing your vote? Later, Rich Parr, Research Director at The MassINC Polling Group shares details on the newest MPG transportation poll. The statewide survey asked residents whether they support policies like free and discounted bus fares, and their feelings on the safety of transportation modes like highways and the T. The poll also asked about e-bike rebates, and to talk more about proposed legislation surrounding e-bikes, Galen Mook of the Massachusetts Bicycle Coaltion stops by. An Act relative to electric bicycle rebates would provide $500 rebates for general consumers and up to $750 for low to moderate income consumers.

Episode 217: State of the Unions Jun 16, 2022

Show notes

6/16/2022--This week, Jenn and Lisa unpack a major development on the ballot question front -- the Supreme Judicial Court this week threw out a ballot question that would classify ride-share drivers as independent contractors. Jenn explains the court's reasoning behind the decision, and Lisa shares what it all means for the future of rides-hare drivers' fight to unionize. Tori Bedford, reporter at GBH, stops by The Horse Race to discuss her recent coverage on America's Test Kitchen employees' moves to unionize. Willow Montana works as a shift manager at a Cleveland Circle Starbucks location that has recently moved to unionize -- they share what the process of forming a union has looked like so far, Starbucks' response to the unionization effort, and the benefits unionizing Starbucks workers are seeking.

Episode 216: State House Roundup: Bills, Bills, Bills Jun 09, 2022

Show notes

6/9/22- This week, Jenn fills us in on this weekend’s Dot Day and Dorchfest festivities while eating leftover cake. Steve counters an argument made in a recent episode of The New York Times’ podcast The Daily, that “polling on gun control gets it wrong,” explaining the key difference between issues polling and ballot question polling, and why, as he’s seen in ballot question campaigns throughout Massachusetts history, it’s difficult for ballot questions to receive broad public support. Next, Lisa gives us a rundown of what came out of the MassDems Convention. Who’s in and who’s out. Breaking news: the closest race is for state auditor. This week we feature another Statehouse Round-up with BFFs of the pod Katie Lannan and Chris Lisinski of the State House News Service. We talk about the state budget, gas prices, murmurs about the aid in dying bill, Baker’s “revenge porn” bill, and whether the East-West Rail will come to fruition. -- This episode of The Horse Race was brought to you by Benchmark Strategies [www.benchmark-strategies.com] Benchmark is setting a new standard as Boston's fastest-growing public affairs consulting firm. To know more, connect with Benchmark on Twitter @benchmarkBoston.

Episode 215: Convention Tension Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

6/2/2022--This week, Jenn is gearing up for an exciting weekend Dorchester Day activities, and wants to see you all there. Meanwhile Lisa is keeping an eye on all the intraparty drama happening in the leadup to the 2022 MassDems Convention this weekend. Steve, Jenn, and Lisa discuss the upcoming convention as well as the recent MassGOP convention, and what we can possibly expect come the September primary. Later, MassINC Education Equity Fellow Simone Ngongi-Lukula stops by the virtual bunker to discuss her recent op-ed in the Boston Globe, "Massachusetts’ failure to forestall growing segregation." She talks about the well-documented benefits of magnet schools that draw students from varying racial, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds, and how Massachusetts' move to stop funding magnet schools in the nineties has set them back in terms of integration in schools. And that is despite a vast majority of Massachusetts parents wanting more integration in schools. -- “This episode of The Horse Race was brought to you by Benchmark Strategies [https://www.benchmark-strategies.com/]. Benchmark is setting a new standard as Boston's fastest-growing public affairs consulting firm. To know more, connect with Benchmark on Twitter @benchmarkBoston.

Episode 214: Survey says... May 26, 2022

Show notes

5/25/22-- This week on The Horse Race, Steve, Jennifer, and Lisa begin on the somber note brought about by yet another shooting tragedy, this time in Uvalde Texas, where 19 children and 2 teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School. This comes soon after 11 people were shot and killed in a racist attack at a Buffalo supermarket. Congressional delegates from Massachusetts expressed sadness and called for action, including disbanding the NRA (Rep. Jake Auchincloss) and abolishing the filibuster and passing gun safety legislation (Sen. Ed Markey). A Massachusetts Senate survey conducted in 2019 found what the Boston Globe called an environment of harassment among Senate employees. The report was never publicly released, but the Boston Globe obtained the report and shared the findings this week. Samantha Gross, who covered it, drops by The Horse Race to discuss what Senate staffers expressed, and how the lack of action surrounding instances of harassment contributed to a recent push to unionize. According to a 2020 study conducted by The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, more than a quarter of 4-year college students experienced food insecurity nationwide. Proposed legislation would take aim at that problem here in Massachusetts. Gina Plata-Nino, an attorney with Mass. Law Reform Institute and one of the co-chairs of the Hunger Free Campus Coalition, shares details on the bill and explains why food insecurity is such a persistent problem on Massachusetts college campuses.

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