The Massachusetts Legislature recently voted for another sales tax holiday the weekend of August 13-14. Just before the vote, the Retail Association of Massachusetts released the contents of a study on the holiday it commissioned from the Beacon Hill Institute.
Like the Sales Tax Holiday itself, the BHI study underwhelms.
Hillary Clinton is a VERY well known quantity and her critics have nothing new to add to their now decades-old litany of her character flaws and unsubstantiated misbehavior allegations. Gerson’s taunt isn’t going to tempt Clinton into anything that might distract public attention from the ongoing Republican disaster. GOP efforts to ensnare her in scandals involving her conduct as Secretary of State have so far been almost as counter-productive as the antics of the “sweet sixteen” at this point.So far, the New York Times appears to be the only casualty in the Republicans’ “War on Hillary.” Her free ride to the general election amounts to a free ride to the general election narrative and the general election issues that will most impact voters’ choices in November. Republican strategists understand this, which is why they are desperate to lure Clinton into engaging on the “character” issue.If she does so engage, it would help legitimate the candidate-centric narrative Republicans need in order to have any chance of winning back the White House next year.
As he surveyed the landscape of emerging political campaigns in the 1840s, former President John Quincy Adams denounced the “fearful extent [of] itinerant speechmaking” and the “revolution in the habits in the manners of people” that it brought about.
Adams wondered where this all might lead. Now we know: it leads to presidential candidates like Donald Trump and there will be plenty more in future.