Massachusetts, A Leader in New Economy

Stateline:

Massachusetts once again leads all other states in moving its economy away from the old industrial “smokestack-chasing” model to one based on technology, creativity and innovation, a new report released Nov. 18 said.

Washington, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey round out the top five states, while Mississippi and West Virginia ranked lowest in making the transition to the new economy, according to "The 2008 State New Economy Index,” released by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, both nonpartisan groups that focus on innovation.

Myth of a Maverick

Four years late, but Sen. John Kerry gave a great speech last night. It's a little slow going at first but he picks up the tempo as the speech progresses. My favorite piece:

I have known and been friends with John McCain for almost 22 years. But every day now I learn something new about candidate McCain. To those who still believe in the myth of a maverick instead of the reality of a politician, I say, let’s compare Senator McCain to candidate McCain.

Candidate McCain now supports the wartime tax cuts that Senator McCain once denounced as immoral. Candidate McCain criticizes Senator McCain’s own climate change bill. Candidate McCain says he would now vote against the immigration bill that Senator McCain wrote. Are you kidding? Talk about being for it before you’re against it.

Let me tell you, before he ever debates Barack Obama, John McCain should finish the debate with himself. And what’s more, Senator McCain, who once railed against the smears of Karl Rove when he was the target, has morphed into candidate McCain who is using the same “Rove” tactics and the same “Rove” staff to repeat the same old politics of fear and smear. Well, not this year, not this time. The Rove-McCain tactics are old and outworn, and America will reject them in 2008.