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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
Q&A WITH SEN. ED MARKEY — I sat down with Sen. Ed Markey in his Boston office yesterday to talk about his Green New Deal rollout, why he sees climate change shaping up to be a top issue among 2020 presidential candidates and what it will take to get a Green New Deal through Congress.
Where do things stand with the Green New Deal resolution for you and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?
There hasn't been a debate like this on climate change in 10 years. That's all happened in two to three weeks. And the momentum is building. Every one of the Democratic presidential candidates will be talking about a Green New Deal, and a whole generation of young people are up and energized saying that it's time to deal with this issue.
Nearly all the Democrats running for president have come out in support of the Green New Deal. In Congress, the reaction's been mixed. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the resolution a "green dream."
All issues go through three phases: political education, political activation and political implementation. We have a lot of education to do. A lot of people have just complacently accepted the inevitability of climate change worsening without a response that matches the threat. I accept that. But there is no planet B for us to move to.
So you're not flying to Mars with Elon Musk? In 2008 there were only 2,000 electric vehicles in the United States. Today there are over a million. And it's because we began to put policies in place to encourage every manufacturer of motor vehicles, led by Elon Musk, to begin the revolution. ... I'm a technological optimist. It's part of my DNA. I think we can do this but it's going to require the same kind of boldness and vision that President Kennedy had when he challenged America to create a mission to the moon.
What's the end goal of the Green New Deal resolution?
Our goal in sum is to begin to save all of creation by engaging a massive job creation. This will create millions of new jobs in our country. It will create, ultimately, a $5 trillion private sector opportunity. And it will without question be something that's embraced by the entire millennial generation as a mission that they want to be a part of.
The Senate's top Republican, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, has been critical of the Green New Deal. What's the plan going forward?
A coal industry lobbyist will be the selection of Mitch McConnell to run the Environmental Protection Agency in 2019. That's just going to further inflame young people as he then plays political games with the Green New Deal. ... I think that Mitch McConnell is going to be defending the coal industry. It is our job to defend 21st century technologies that we know could solve the problem.
What's your ideal outcome in 2020?
I'm backing Elizabeth Warren for president, and my hope is that we're able to be successful legislatively on the Green New Deal in the next two years. And if not, then 2020 becomes a referendum on it with the presidency.
If a Democrat wins the White House, could you see yourself at the helm of the EPA?
I would see myself on the Senate Environment Committee helping to confirm the next president's EPA administrator and then helping them to get their job done.
What are people missing about the Green New Deal?
I don't think enough people deal with the dire nature of the threat. And secondly, I don't think enough people have focused upon how far we've come on wind and solar and electric vehicles just in the last 10 years once we started to put policies in place.
You've got a reelection coming up in 2020. Do you worry about a primary challenge, and does the Green New Deal energize you to keep going?
I've been working on this issue throughout my entire career. In 2009 I was the co-author of the Waxman-Markey Bill which actually passed in the House of Representatives that reduced greenhouse gases by 80 percent by the year 2050. And in a way it was the first Green New Deal. It did pass the House, then got blocked by McConnell in the Senate.
I now see the makings of a winning coalition. And my goal is going to be to try to press it as hard as I can because, like the telecommunications revolution that I was able to help to unleash in the 1990s, one revolution begets the next. I want to see this revolution happen.
Note: This conversation was edited for length and clarity.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY - Boston Mayor Marty Walsh attends a Harm Reduction Commission meeting. Rep. Jim McGovern holds a Q&A discussion on civic engagement and gun violence prevention with students at the Bancroft School in Worcester. Rep. Stephen Lynch talks about President Trump and the Mueller investigation on WGBH's Boston Public Radio. Rep. Lori Trahan holds a roundtable on the opioid addiction epidemic in Methuen. State Sen. Becca Rausch speaks at a ranked choice voting forum.
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "MBTA, union officials quietly renegotiating pension fund amid budget gaps," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "As the MBTA's top officials have publicly sounded alarms over its escalating retirement costs, the transit agency and its largest union for months have been quietly renegotiating the agreement governing what the T contributes to its $1.5 billion pension fund. The closed-door talks surrounding the MBTA and Carmen's Union Local 589's pension agreement come as the agency is again facing a budget deficit, weighing a 6.3 percent fare hike, and openly fretting about the ever-increasing checks it's cutting to its privately run retirement system."
- "REPORT SOUNDS ALARM ON MASS. TRANSPORTATION FUNDING," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service:"Massachusetts faces an $8.4 billion shortfall in revenues needed to ensure that state roads and bridges and MBTA infrastructure are in a state of good repair over the next ten years, according to a new report, which calls on the state to agree on an updated reform and revenue plan for the next decade and beyond. A Better City, a group of business leaders focused on the Boston region's economic health and competitiveness, concluded in its 80-page report that the funding shortfall at the MBTA between 2019 and 2028 is $1.9 billion while the biggest gap, $6.5 million, is at MassHighway, which is responsible for state roads and bridges."
- "Lawmakers Monitoring 'Painful' Situation At Hampshire College," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "As Hampshire College on Tuesday announced the layoffs of nine people from its admissions and advancement offices, lawmakers who represent the Amherst school said they are looking for ways to support their constituents. Rep. Mindy Domb of Amherst and Sen. Jo Comerford of Northampton issued a statement Tuesday, detailing their "involvement in this painful and rapidly unfolding situation" and concern "about the well-being of Hampshire College community and the impact of Hampshire's decisions" on faculty, staff, students and the region."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "Boston keeps its AAA bond rating for fifth straight year," by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: "Boston has its fiscal house in order, according to the ratings agencies. Mayor Martin J. Walsh's office Wednesday touted its "perfect AAA bond ratings" from Moody's Investor Service and S&P Global Ratings, noting in a statement that Boston has "maintained the top credit ratings from both rating agencies since 2014." Walsh, in making the announcement, sounded a bullish note on the long-term financial health of the Athens of America."
- "Ahead of clergy abuse summit, survivors say Vatican must act," by Mark Arsenault, Boston Globe: "On the eve of an unprecedented Catholic Church conference on clergy sexual abuse, a dozen survivors from around the world urged greater transparency and zero tolerance for abusive priests in a frank, two-hour meeting with Vatican officials Wednesday, saying the scandal has left worshipers angry and betrayed and looking for the church to take action. Bishops and Catholic leaders from around the world, including Cardinal Sean O'Malley, archbishop of Boston, have convened in Rome for the three-day summit, which begins Thursday, to address the scandal of sex abuse and coverups that continues to plague the Catholic Church."
- "'One unit at a time;' Mayor Marty Walsh announces $26M in funding for affordable housing units in Boston," by Jacqueline Tempera, MassLive.com: "Standing inside the spacious Knights of Columbus hall in Boston's North End Wednesday Mayor Marty Walsh announced $26 million in new funding for affordable housing units in the city. "As you know Boston is a city that is growing and thriving," Walsh said. "And as you know the growth brings challenges." Walsh said the city is continuing to battle a housing crisis that was in full swing when he first took office in 2014."
- "Mass. gaming regulators take steps towards Wynn lawsuit dismissal," by Catherine Carlock, Boston Business Journal:"Members of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved a push to end a legal battle with disgraced casino magnate Steve Wynn. Wynn's lawsuit was filed against the commission, the agency's chief investigator and his eponymous former company in Nevada. Commissioners voted after meeting in a closed-door executive session for more than five hours."
- "This Is the Minimum Salary Needed to Have Your Own Apartment in Boston," by Madeline Billis, Boston Magazine:"There's a good chance that if you've lived in Boston for years, you've shared a place with a couple of roommates. It's not by choice, of course—roommates are practically a financial necessity in Boston. Unless you earn $78,477 per year, that is. According to a new study from apartment search engine Nestpick, that's the minimum annual salary needed to have your own apartment in Boston."
- "Dot-based group making a push for cannabis equity," by Jennifer Smith, Dorchester Reporter: "Jones Hill residents lobbying to expand the social equity requirements for potential marijuana businesses are taking an initial tour through several Dorchester civic groups where cannabis is high on their priority lists. At a meeting of the Jones Hill Civic Association last week, Kamani Jefferson explained the requirements that his Massachusetts Recreational Consumer Council (MRCC) is advocating for on the city and state level. Their equity plan sets goals for local employment and contributions to a training fund designed to help those who live in a neighborhood scorched by the war on drugs benefit from the legalized marijuana industry."
- "Lyft incorporates MBTA service into its app," by Andy Metzger, CommonWealth Magazine: " LYFT IS TAKING ANOTHER DETOUR from its bread-and-butter service of offering people rides in cars with a new option to link its customers to Boston's existing transit network. The Nearby Transit service that started rolling out to Boston-area customers Wednesday shows customers public transit schedules of the MBTA as well as the app's existing car-hailing options. The new service could blunt criticism that ride-hailing services worsen traffic congestion and cut into transit ridership. If it gains popularity, the new service could also be a selling point in Lyft's battle with rival Uber for market share ."
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| WARREN REPORT |
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- "Elizabeth Warren's Ideas Could Win The Democratic Primary — Even If She Doesn't," by Perry Bacon Jr., FiveThirtyEight: "Sen. Elizabeth Warren's bid for the Democratic presidential nomination is good news for liberal policy activists. And that's whether she wins the nomination or not. The Massachusetts senator appears poised to serve as a progressive policy anchor in the 2020 Democratic field, pushing the field — and the eventual nominee — toward aggressively liberal policy stands. How might Warren have such influence? Because the Massachusetts senator is planning to release detailed and decidedly liberal policy proposals on issue after issue."
- "The Democrats attracting the most attention on Fox News? Warren, Harris — and Ocasio-Cortez." by Philip Bump, Washington Post: "The dominance of Fox News in Republican politics is hard to overstate. Ask Democrats which TV news or commentary source is their most trusted and about a quarter say CNN with another 16 percent saying MSNBC. Ask independents and about as many say PBS as Fox News, according to January Suffolk University polling. Ask a Republican? More than half point to Fox News."
- PODCAST: Sen. Elizabeth Warren sat down with Pod Save America. Link.
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| FROM THE DELEGATION |
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- "Rep. Pressley's husband pays $17G in back taxes," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley's husband built up $17,430 in unpaid federal taxes before settling up with the government after it filed a lien against him in December, he said. Conan Harris, a political consultant and former Boston City Hall employee, said the deficits came from a "miscommunication" that he moved to pay off as soon as he found out about it."
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| TRUMPACHUSETTS |
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- "Falmouth woman charged in MAGA hat dispute," by Beth Treffeisen, Cape Cod Times: "An East Falmouth woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Falmouth District Court to charges she confronted a man wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat in a Mexican restaurant, according to court and police records. Rosaine Santos, 41, was released on her own recognizance on charges of disorderly conduct and assault and battery, according to court documents."
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| EYE ON 2020 |
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- "Instead of running in 2020, these Democratic hopefuls should just stay home," by Nestor Ramos, Boston Globe: "Call them the POTeases: various in esteem but infinite in number. A POTease is someone who would very much like to be president but is terrified of committing the hubristic cardinal sin of admitting it — your Eric Holders, your Sherrod Browns, your Betos O'Rourke. It is, let's just say it, a little annoying. It is also an act as old as time, and/or Joe Biden — who, as it happens, is himself a POTease for what feels like the 20th time. If you're very publicly thinking about running for president, then you're already running for president. You're just trying to do it without the soul-crushing embarrassment of discovering that no one cares. If you never admit you're in the race, you never have to admit you lost."
- "Biden Leads, Warren Fourth, In Pair Of Polls," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "The early favorite to win the New Hampshire primary hasn't even declared his intention to run for president, according to a new UMass Amherst poll that showed U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren running fourth in the Granite State. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is is still weighing a possible campaign for president, led a field of 10 declared and potential candidates in New Hampshire with 28 percent support in the new UMass poll, followed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who declared his campaign Tuesday, at 20 percent."
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| MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
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- "Marijuana regulators consider limiting home delivery licenses to small businesses and 'equity' applicants," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "State marijuana regulators are counting on new home delivery companies to help bring social equity into the legal cannabis industry, by considering giving "equity" applicants and small businesses exclusive access to the initial licenses. Massachusetts state law requires that state regulators make an effort to open up the marijuana industry to communities that were disproportionately affected by enforcement of marijuana laws."
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| DATELINE MERRIMACK VALLEY |
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- "Toll from natural gas disaster in Merrimack Valley passes $1 billion," by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "The Sept. 13 natural gas disaster that ripped through the Merrimack Valley has now cost Columbia Gas of Massachusetts more than $1 billion, and the utility also reported Wednesday that it is seeking to settle the numerous lawsuits filed against it. The latest estimate is nearly double the initial projection made by Columbia Gas parent company NiSource, which conceded it had underestimated the 'required scope of the restoration work inside the affected homes and the extended period of time over which the restoration work would take place.'"
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| IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN |
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- "Grid operator laments lack of action on carbon pricing," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "THE CEO OF THE REGION'S power grid operator indicated on Wednesday that he was surprised at the reluctance of New England states to embrace a price on carbon. Many of the states are pursuing aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals, but so far they have shied away from putting a price on the carbon content of fuels used to generate electricity. Even Vermont has backed away from the idea, said Gordon van Welie, the CEO of ISO New England."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "INDICTED," — Globe: "Mueller probe may be nearing an end," "Survivors of abuse say Vatican must act," "A VINTAGE RIDE." |
| FROM THE 413 |
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- "Twice-fired Springfield Police Officer Anthony Bedinelli has termination overturned," by Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: "A police officer who was fired last March for alleged misconduct — his second dismissal in 12 years — had the latest dismissal overturned in arbitration, the city announced Wednesday. The firing was overturned for Police Officer Anthony Bedinelli, said Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, in a prepared release."
- "Amid New Chatter, Sarno Reelect Likely, but Not Assured," by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: "At last, a name. By no means is Orlando Ramos the only person who could take on Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno this year. Nor, should he cross swords with the incumbent, is Ramos favored to win. When the three-term Ward 8 City Councilor nudged the door open to a bid this month, though, discussion of Sarno's inevitability shifted, if marginally."
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "Police Contract Gone Wrong Triggers Crisis Of Trust In Methuen," by Isaiah Thompson, WGBH News: "In less than a minute, the Council unanimously approved the police superiors' contract — a contract which would threaten to bankrupt the city. In July, city officials revealed that the new contract would mean massive salary hikes to more than $400,000 a year for police captains — more than the governor makes. The news landed like a bomb, and in the weeks following the shocking announcement, angry residents flooded City Hall."
- "Despite minimum wage exemption, substitute teachers are getting a raise," by Ben Berke, The Enterprise: "As Massachusetts's minimum wage rises steadily toward $15 an hour, substitute teachers across the state are getting a pay bump despite a loophole that exempts them from the state minimum wage law. As public employees of Massachusetts, substitute teachers are only subject to the paltry federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. However, in Easton, Superintendent Lisha Cabral has learned that the discount isn't all it's cracked up to be."
- "Barnstable County officials call for Beaty to step down," by Geoff Spillane, Cape Cod Times: Calls for the censure or removal of Barnstable County Commissioner Ronald Beaty Jr. continued Wednesday at a meeting of his fellow elected county officials. Four members of the county Assembly of Delegates — John Ohman of Dennis, Brian O'Malley of Provincetown, Lilli-Ann Green of Wellfleet and Elizabeth Harder of Harwich — demanded he step down because of his tweet Tuesday inquiring whether gay politicians were "too self-absorbed and self-centered" to represent all constituents."
- "Duxbury lawmaker pens book about Hanson's namesake," by Audrey Cooney, Patriot Ledger: "A local legislator and former newspaper editor has written a book about the town of Hanson's namesake. State Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Duxbury, recently released "Mobtown Massacre: Alexander Hanson and the Baltimore Newspaper War of 1812," which tells the story of newspaper editor and politician Alexander Hanson."
MEDIA MATTERS - The New York Times Crossword is taking over Boston billboards, urging commuters to download the app and play the mini puzzle. From the Times: "In Boston, the campaign is visible across screens and billboards in the T metro trains and station platforms, and on buses and bus shelters." Link.
TRANSITIONS - Marinell Rousmaniere is the new president & CEO of EdVestors. Link.
- Samantha Phillips is the new director of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
- Chad Cain was named editor of the Daily Hampshire Gazette opinion page. Link.
- Massachusetts National Committeeman Ron Kaufman was named treasurer of the RNC Committee on Arrangements for its 2020 Republican National Convention.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! The Bruins beat the Knights 3-2.
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