http://www.ksefocus.com Government Affairs and Strategic Communications Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:53:19 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Overview Partisan, election-year jockeying will reach heightened levels in the 46 legislatures scheduled to meet in regular session this year as the political stakes are high, money is scarce and recession-weary voters blame their elected officials for many of their economic woes. All major legislative decisions in 2012 will be made ... http://www.ksefocus.com/kse-legislative-preview I have now read the 23-page indictment around the child abuse charges at Penn State. Indictment of Jerry Sandusky It is must reading for everyone. It is horrific – yes. Paterno should have been fired. So should his bosses. The University made the right move in firing the president. I think ... http://www.ksefocus.com/penn-state-indictment KSE Partners and Common Good Vermont are hosting a Lobbying and Communications "Boot Camp" on Nov. 15 at the Vermont Statehouse. The one-day, hands-on gathering is for anyone who wants to learn how government works, how to get the attention of decision-makers and how to get your message across in ... http://www.ksefocus.com/lobbying-and-communications-boot-camp Are Super PACs to Political Parties as Asteroids Were to Dinosaurs? We are all aware of the theory of unintended consequences. Most, if not all of us, have had a direct experience with this concept. Generally speaking, unintended consequences can be grouped into three categories: 1. Unexpected benefit. 2. Unexpected detriment occurring in addition ... http://www.ksefocus.com/super-pacs-and-dinosaurs So now we learn that the Boston Red Sox of 2011 were a dysfunctional bunch that drank in the clubhouse during games, skipped workouts, ignored their manager and complained about having to play doubleheaders. When do we learn this? AFTER the season! Boston Globe sportswriter Bob Hohler brings us a great ... http://www.ksefocus.com/futurepart2 [caption id="" width="300" caption="Michael Ross, Diane Zeigler, Stephan Ross"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_2197" width="300" caption="Some laughs with Father and Son"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_2170" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Stephan Ross with accordian"][/caption] [caption id="" width="200" caption="Click here to watch WPTZ coverage of Ross receiving his award at Goddard"][/caption] The best part about my job at KSE is ... http://www.ksefocus.com/holocaust-survivor-stephan-ross-honored-at-goddard-college [caption id="attachment_2154" align="alignright" width="500" caption="KSE Staff on Randall Street in Waterbury"][/caption] One of my business partners, Scott Mackey, lives on Randall Street in Waterbury with his wife Kathy and their three kids.  Their beautiful, recently renovated Victorian house sits up on an embankment overlooking a large cornfield.  The corn is tall, ... http://www.ksefocus.com/after-irene-community The Future of Journalism - Part 1 So everyone says newspapers are dead and that great journalism isn't far behind. Papers in Seattle, Denver and elsewhere closed their doors. Everyone from the Burlington Free Press to the New York Times has laid off reporters and editors. Newspaper junkies (me) love nothing more than ... http://www.ksefocus.com/the-future-of-journalism-part-1 State Approaches to Fiscal Challenges May Provide Lessons for Federal Policymakers I’ve just returned from attending the two largest annual gatherings of state legislators in the country. The American Legislative Exchange Council – the organization for conservative, free- market legislators – met in New Orleans in early August. The National ... http://www.ksefocus.com/states-political-and-economic-laboratories One if by land; two if by sea. Tim Meehan: what are you thinking? A viewing party this Friday to watch the wedding between a royal and his consort! A Brit, no less! Surely, you remember; we fought a war. People died. We won! They lost! We poured tea into Boston harbor. The real tea ... http://www.ksefocus.com/one-if-by-land-two-if-by-sea