Trump – Putin’s Pawn In The Oval Office

Ken O'Brien

Is it plausible that a self-centered egotist who has only shown interest in his business concerns and in letting no personal slight go unnoticed would suddenly embrace a campaign for the benefit of so many people he has long considered beneath him?

Lithuanian wall mural

Thirty-five years ago Republicans claimed credit for the collapse of the Soviet Union under Ronald Reagan.

Now that same party has nominated a candidate for President of the United States who is financially and emotionally beholden to Russian oligarchs. 

Donald Trump’s candidacy is driven by the goal of securing a position that will allow him to trade American interests for the benefit of his dreams of an international real estate empire.

Throughout his career Trump has viewed his relationship with politicians as little more than a means to an end. The end is the favorable treatment of his real estate interests. The means has been financial contributions.

Trump’s goals have been coupled with a character dominated by the view that all things are personal – both compliments and slights. And those personal interactions are to be reciprocated – by any means possible.

So what motivates a person consumed by a passion for his business goals to suddenly seem to forsake those interests to pursue a political agenda? 

Fact Checking The Southbridge School Committee Chairman

Ken O’Brien

In an earlier post we commented on the Worcester Telegram article “Blunt-talking superintendent shakes up Southbridge's underperforming schools” (T&G April 1).

There were a number of items in that article that warranted fact-checking. However, given that the article focused upon the Superintendent, it was felt that his remarks justified primary attention.

In the interim, though, I have been bothered by a remark made by the august Chairman of the School Committee. In the report she is cited as follows: “Chairwoman Lauren C. McLoughlin noted that making an investment in the schools can improve a community's real estate market, as has occurred in Lawrence and in Mr. Nembirkow's former city of Brockton.” 

Can't Sell Your Property In Southbridge?

Neither Can the Town, But Either Way

It's Your Problem!

Ken O'Brien

Tomorrow will mark two years since our town manager announced his plan to sell surplus town buildings to infuse cash into the town coffers.

I want to thank Jim Sottile for reminding me of this fact.

With all the fanfare that can be afforded by the front page of the Southbridge Evening News it was announced on January 6, 2010, "Appraising properties: Subcommittee OKs Estimates Ahead of Town Buildings' Sale".

According to the article, "At issue are properties the manager hopes to sell to raise money for the new school project — Wells Junior High School, 70 Foster St., 115 Marcy St., and 114 and 62 Pleasant St. Except for Wells, they have assessed values between $318,000 and $971,000, but such values are not generally seen as useful on the commercial market because they don’t actually pay any taxes now. That also applies to Wells,which is assessed at about $6.3 million."