WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.399 --> 00:00:07.519 It's Nightside with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's new radio. 2 00:00:07.960 --> 00:00:11.599 Cole, thank you very much as we move through this 3 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:14.519 really chilly night boy. If you're out and about it, 4 00:00:14.519 --> 00:00:16.239 I hope you bundled up, and if you're driving, I 5 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:18.000 hope the heat is working in the car. We'll take 6 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:19.920 you all the way to midnight. As to Cole suggested, 7 00:00:19.960 --> 00:00:22.920 my name is Dan Ray, host of Nightside here every 8 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:26.199 weeknight from eight until midnight, almost weeknights. Every once in 9 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:27.679 a while I take a night off here in a 10 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:30.000 night there. But for the most start Rob Brooks and 11 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:33.520 the night Side team. Rob is back in the control room. 12 00:00:33.560 --> 00:00:37.679 Of course during the day, Marita or aka Lightning, helps 13 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:39.840 us set up the program, and we have a four 14 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:43.439 interesting guest in this first hour. And without any further Ado, 15 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:48.880 I want to introduce some Meredith Goldstein. Meredith, how are 16 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:49.280 you tonight? 17 00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:53.719 I'm okay, I'm losing my voice, which is ironic being 18 00:00:54.159 --> 00:00:56.000 considering what we're about to talk about. 19 00:00:56.520 --> 00:00:59.039 Well, I got it, and I'm going to try to 20 00:00:59.159 --> 00:01:02.280 help you. I've read the first of all, you're one 21 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:05.159 of the best columnists. I think one of the reasons 22 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:10.920 people read the Boston Globe. I got to tell you you're 23 00:01:10.640 --> 00:01:12.319 really a great writer, and I just want to say 24 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:13.879 thanks very much. I think this is the first time 25 00:01:14.359 --> 00:01:16.879 we've had you on, but you have written a very 26 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:20.519 interesting piece which my wife often reminds me about why 27 00:01:20.599 --> 00:01:25.640 am I always interrupting people? And you have a five tips. 28 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:27.400 I don't know how many of those we can get through, 29 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:30.760 and I guess your sister is somewhat of an expert 30 00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:33.280 on this as well. As I read the article, i'll 31 00:01:33.319 --> 00:01:35.879 read it more closely. First of all, tell us about 32 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:39.799 your sister. Does she teach at Harvard Business School? 33 00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:43.359 No? No, no, So my sister is a casting director 34 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:47.920 and speaking coach, and she's always saying to me, why 35 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:51.519 is everyone interrupting me? And she means me, I'm a 36 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:55.239 big interrupter right as her sister. And this is why 37 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:58.079 I'm laughing about losing my voice, because I am being 38 00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:02.280 punished for being an interrupter my voice. But I wondered 39 00:02:02.319 --> 00:02:06.799 why am I becoming someone who interrupts? And it was 40 00:02:06.840 --> 00:02:10.439 really fascinating to talk to Harvard Business School leaders, to 41 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:15.039 psychologists because I think that in twenty twenty five, we 42 00:02:15.080 --> 00:02:18.599 are a culture of people who cut people off a lot, 43 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:20.120 and so what what is that about. 44 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:25.639 Yeah, that's the that's the question. We are fast paced, 45 00:02:25.719 --> 00:02:29.159 I mean everything. I don't know about you, but I 46 00:02:30.039 --> 00:02:36.280 don't know. Some people prefer to text, others prefer to email. 47 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:39.159 Guys like me, I'd prefer to call you in the 48 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:40.960 phone and kind of you know, talk to you for 49 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:43.039 two or three minutes and move on with the rest 50 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:45.280 of the day. You send someone a text and you're 51 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:48.599 waiting for the text back. So I don't know, there's 52 00:02:48.680 --> 00:02:50.319 I think there's a whole bunch of factors at work. 53 00:02:50.319 --> 00:02:52.159 You're the expert. You wrote the piece, and you said 54 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:56.280 that this may have kind of arrived with COVID. 55 00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:00.039 Yeah, absolutely, because first of all, we all got a 56 00:03:00.039 --> 00:03:02.719 little bit weird socially, right, But also when you're on 57 00:03:02.759 --> 00:03:05.719 a zoom call, no one knows who should be talking, 58 00:03:06.240 --> 00:03:09.919 and when someone is talking, people are also writing in 59 00:03:09.960 --> 00:03:15.159 a chat, so there's this constant simultaneous conversation. And that 60 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:20.360 started to happen in real vocal conversations too, where my 61 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:23.080 sister starts saying a sentence and I'll try to finish 62 00:03:23.080 --> 00:03:25.840 for a sentence. So it was you know, I think 63 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:28.879 technology and zoom culture is a big part of it. 64 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:31.240 I also laughed a lot because a lot of the 65 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:34.360 people I interviewed said, well, not to offend you, but 66 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:36.400 how old are you? And I told them I was 67 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:39.400 forty seven, and they said, you are right around the 68 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:44.199 time when you start losing your thoughts, like whether it's 69 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:49.240 women going through menopause right aging in general, where if 70 00:03:49.240 --> 00:03:51.479 I don't say it right now, I'm going to forget it. 71 00:03:51.879 --> 00:03:53.759 So then I yell it. I just say it right. 72 00:03:53.800 --> 00:03:56.360 And so there's this rudeness that comes with a fear 73 00:03:56.479 --> 00:04:02.360 of losing your point, which now much more sensitive to. 74 00:04:03.560 --> 00:04:06.759 And and it also made me feel a little bit 75 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:10.919 better right that it's not an intended rudeness, it's a 76 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:12.560 need to say it before it goes away. 77 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:15.960 Yeah. Well, as they say, my wife will say to me, 78 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:19.800 you need to listen more. Maybe that maybe most wife 79 00:04:19.879 --> 00:04:22.439 say that to their husbands, but I don't know. And 80 00:04:22.839 --> 00:04:25.399 she also say say to me, when I'm talking to someone, 81 00:04:25.720 --> 00:04:28.279 you know, turn the conversation back to them. She's very 82 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:32.040 good now what she listens to which I can't listen to. 83 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:34.399 On a Sunday night, I'm going in to watch a 84 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:38.560 baseball game or a football game, and she's watching like 85 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:42.279 masterpiece theater, and you know, the piece of the dialogue 86 00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:46.800 and Masterpiece Theater goes something like this, Hello, darling, Yes, 87 00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:50.920 what would you like to have for dinner tonight? Claude, 88 00:04:52.160 --> 00:04:54.560 I don't know. Whatever you're preparing would be fine. And 89 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:58.879 that's a fast paced masterpiece. Masterpiece the drives me nuts. 90 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:00.240 It's fine. 91 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:00.879 Yeah, And. 92 00:05:03.040 --> 00:05:06.199 You're a radio right, you know radio, and in radio 93 00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:08.959 especially people are moving quickly. You're going back and forth, 94 00:05:09.000 --> 00:05:13.240 so I'm sure Masterpiece theater feels incredibly slow. But I 95 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:15.720 don't make the point for people listening that. When I 96 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:19.399 wrote this story, I was frustrated with myself and other interrupters. 97 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:21.879 But I think there are two big kinds of interrupting. 98 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:26.480 One is a more selfish, maybe even malicious, cutting someone 99 00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:30.839 off and changing the subject and like as dismissing what 100 00:05:30.839 --> 00:05:33.279 you're trying to say and saying something else. But what 101 00:05:33.399 --> 00:05:36.560 I started to notice is a real well meaning interruption, 102 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:40.079 which is I'm so invested I want to jump to 103 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:42.199 the next thought. I'm so invested, I want to guess 104 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:44.800 the end of your sentence. And that's what I see 105 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:45.439 a spike in. 106 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:49.079 Meredith. I think you have a book here. 107 00:05:50.480 --> 00:05:54.759 Maybe I mean I would I mean, I think we 108 00:05:54.839 --> 00:05:57.399 all need more practice with phone conversations and I think 109 00:05:57.399 --> 00:05:59.879 that would help and real life conversations. Too much is 110 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:03.519 done online, and I also think we have to you know, 111 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:06.720 the best tip of all the tips was the Harvard 112 00:06:06.759 --> 00:06:10.279 Business School expert told me that during my whole interview 113 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:12.759 with her, she had a notebook under her desk and 114 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:15.319 she was taking notes so that she didn't say things 115 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:18.920 out loud while I was talking. I have, since that interview, 116 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:21.879 started doing that myself so that way, if I feel 117 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:24.639 like interrupting, I just write it down and I save it. 118 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:28.480 Meredith, I have to tell you a quick, funny story 119 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:30.759 that deals with Harvard Business School, and I think you'll 120 00:06:30.759 --> 00:06:33.759 appreciate this. My daughter went to Harvard Business School. She 121 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:37.360 graduated there a few years ago, and as the parents, 122 00:06:37.839 --> 00:06:42.120 you were invited to audit emphasize audit one class. So 123 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:47.839 I went there with my wife and my daughter's husband, 124 00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:50.759 and we were sitting up in the back row and 125 00:06:50.839 --> 00:06:54.560 the teacher, the professor, who was about I don't know, 126 00:06:54.759 --> 00:06:57.800 thirty five years old, maybe forty years old tops, he 127 00:06:57.959 --> 00:07:02.839 was talking about the Ronald Reagan economy from the nineteen eighties. 128 00:07:02.920 --> 00:07:06.480 That was his subject. Okay. I looked around the classroom 129 00:07:06.879 --> 00:07:09.360 and I realized that I was the only person in 130 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:13.279 that classroom who had ever interviewed Ronald Reagan on radio, 131 00:07:13.800 --> 00:07:17.240 interviewed him on television, had conversations with him on the 132 00:07:17.279 --> 00:07:20.959 campaign trail, who actually kind of knew him as much 133 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:23.680 as you can know someone. And I was sitting there saying, 134 00:07:23.759 --> 00:07:27.079 oh my god, why can't I say something. I was 135 00:07:27.160 --> 00:07:30.279 not allowed to interrupt at Harvard Business School on from 136 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:31.959 your course. It would disown me. 137 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:37.680 So yes, yes, you did that valuable information to yourself. 138 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:40.439 I mean it is Listen, that's the place where I 139 00:07:40.439 --> 00:07:43.279 would be afraid to interrupt. And it is funny because 140 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:46.279 I think it can be more appropriate depending on where 141 00:07:46.279 --> 00:07:48.600 you are. It's a globe. Everybody's just shouting at the 142 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:51.480 same time, so interrupting isn't much of a thought. At 143 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:55.040 the globe, We're all just interrupting. It's one big interrupting session. 144 00:07:56.959 --> 00:07:59.000 If you kind of interrupted the globe, you'll never get 145 00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:03.839 a chance to speak exactly exactly. Mary. If you sound great, 146 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:07.120 your voice sounds like it's getting stronger than we started. 147 00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:09.600 I hope you're not going to come down with something. 148 00:08:09.639 --> 00:08:11.360 And I just want to say, thanks so much for 149 00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:12.079 being a trooper. 150 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:16.160 No, I need my interrupting power. My voice has to 151 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:16.639 come back. 152 00:08:17.160 --> 00:08:18.759 You bet you, you bet you well. I'll tell your 153 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:22.040 writing skills are great. I read your stuff, big fan. 154 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:24.800 Thank you so much for joining us tonight. And I'm 155 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:27.199 telling you you got a book here. I'm telling you, 156 00:08:28.199 --> 00:08:31.519 I'll think when you're right it, you're going to come 157 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:32.039 on the show. 158 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:34.360 Thanks Mary, absolutely, thanks. 159 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:37.799 I talk to you soon. All right, when we get back, 160 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:41.360 we're going to talk about a Republican initiative today at 161 00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:45.039 the State House in which there is legislation being filed, 162 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:49.039 reform legislation filed by the Republican party up there to 163 00:08:49.159 --> 00:08:53.720 reform the migrant crisis here in Massachusetts, and a lot 164 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:56.120 of it to me, makes a lot of sense. We'll 165 00:08:56.120 --> 00:08:57.960 be back on night Side right after this. There goes 166 00:08:58.000 --> 00:08:59.440 my voice. 167 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:03.240 Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World, 168 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:07.120 Nice Side Studios on WBZ News Radio. 169 00:09:08.039 --> 00:09:11.200 All right, joining us now is Republican state Representative Paul 170 00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:14.519 Frost here from Massachusetts. Representative Frost, you have been with 171 00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:15.639 us before. Welcome back. 172 00:09:15.639 --> 00:09:19.480 How are you excellent? Dan, and thank you for having 173 00:09:19.480 --> 00:09:19.879 me back. 174 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:22.639 You're more than welcome. Well today you had a news 175 00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:26.399 conference up on Bacon Hill, and right now the migrant 176 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:30.759 shelter system in Massachusetts is just broken. It's it's a 177 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:34.639 disaster in this state, and someone has to move forward. 178 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:38.399 And today Republicans in the House and Senate, I guess, 179 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:43.639 have indicated they intend to to what hold some hearings, 180 00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:45.600 file some legislation. What's the game plan? 181 00:09:47.080 --> 00:09:51.399 Sure, So today the House Republicans and the Senate Republicans 182 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:56.840 on Beacon Hill gathered to announce a big initiative that 183 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:01.159 we're supporting an omnibus bill lot of issues regarding the 184 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:04.480 shelter crisis and as well as some other immigration issues 185 00:10:04.519 --> 00:10:09.720 that affect Massachusetts. And we're calling for transparency, accountability, public safety, 186 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:14.039 and fiscal responsibility UH in the program. The emergency shelter program, 187 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:17.279 which he was already said, is a mess, and it 188 00:10:17.320 --> 00:10:19.559 is and it doesn't like it's more than. 189 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:24.120 It's a it's a disaster for the taxpayers, it's a 190 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:27.399 disaster for the authorities, and it's disaster for the migrants 191 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:29.840 who have to live there with people who are who 192 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:34.519 are dealing sentinel or or have have AK for AK fifty, 193 00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:37.919 AK forty sevens AR fifteen's I mean this is nuts. 194 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:42.440 No, it absolutely is. And it doesn't seem like the 195 00:10:42.840 --> 00:10:44.759 right hand knows what the left hand is doing or 196 00:10:44.840 --> 00:10:45.399 vice versa. 197 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:47.399 Uh, you know a. 198 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:52.200 Governor's claims that well, you know last spring, which which 199 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:55.200 by the way, a year ago. Last fall, we were 200 00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:58.399 told that background checks were being deducted. But apparently that 201 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:00.399 spring she said, you know, she made it at all. 202 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:02.320 You know that background checks are supposed to be happening 203 00:11:02.320 --> 00:11:05.039 in this and then recently just announce the other day 204 00:11:05.080 --> 00:11:08.279 that that they haven't been not happening. And you know, 205 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:09.639 acing according. 206 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:12.159 To what the governor said, I think representative not to 207 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:14.759 interrupt you, but according to what the governor said, was 208 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:18.279 she ordered them. She was never told by her staff 209 00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:21.519 that they weren't being conducted. Who's in charge? 210 00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:23.960 But exactly? And that is one of the big answers 211 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:25.919 that we asked today. Who's in charge? You know house 212 00:11:25.960 --> 00:11:29.039 More ear leader Brad Jones earlier in the week, you know, 213 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:31.919 was calling for someone's head, said look, he need a roll. 214 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:34.240 You know, someone dropped the ball and we want to 215 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:37.080 know why and how and who's responsible, and you know 216 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:37.960 they should be fired. 217 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:43.960 But today find someone being hired. It said, they're an 218 00:11:44.039 --> 00:11:47.320 endangered species on Beacon Hill. So let's get into some 219 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.519 of the specifics. You guys want to limit the shelter 220 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:53.240 stays to six months, but more important you you want 221 00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:56.799 to make sure that people who are availing themselves of 222 00:11:57.039 --> 00:11:59.759 shelters are people who have lived here for aboudy at 223 00:11:59.799 --> 00:12:00.440 least the year. 224 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:05.600 Yeah, we feel that exactly that there should be a 225 00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:09.720 residency requirement on eligibility, and that you've been a Massachusetts 226 00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:12.200 resident for at least a year and not just been 227 00:12:12.200 --> 00:12:14.159 here a day, not just get off a plane or 228 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:15.840 a boss or what have you, and all of a 229 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:19.360 sudden eligible for all these benefits and programs. We can't 230 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:23.279 afford it. It's bankrupting us, it's hurting the program, and 231 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:26.519 it's putting other Massachusetts residents who have been here, maybe 232 00:12:26.519 --> 00:12:30.279 their entire lives, who do need these services from getting 233 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:32.879 these services or be competing for these services in a 234 00:12:32.919 --> 00:12:35.240 wait list against people who've only been here a day. 235 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:38.720 And so yes, we're trying to put the year a 236 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:42.120 year eligibility of residency in there. We want to limit 237 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:45.200 it to six months. We want to prevent violent actors 238 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:47.799 from entering as well as re entering the shelter system, 239 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:52.360 and we want to authorize law enforcement and the courts 240 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:56.960 to honor ice detainers for violent offenders, which is something 241 00:12:57.039 --> 00:13:00.279 that it should be a no brainer. You want to 242 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:02.480 require competitive bidding on on all elements of the migrant 243 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:06.200 crisis response and create an Office of Inspector General to 244 00:13:06.279 --> 00:13:10.440 unit to provide oversight of the micro over the micro crisis. 245 00:13:10.960 --> 00:13:13.519 The other thing we also called for today and is 246 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:17.559 we asked the state auditor to audit the program, the 247 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:21.360 emergency shelter program, and she responded right away as yes, 248 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:21.799 she will. 249 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:27.320 Yeah, Diane Disaugly is Diana Dozaugli is doing a great 250 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:30.879 job in my opinion as state auditor. So one of 251 00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:33.159 the programs that I think you should look at. Have 252 00:13:33.240 --> 00:13:36.879 you heard about the no bid taxicab contract? And I 253 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:38.720 think it's on well, I know it's on the Cape. 254 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:41.159 I think it's in the town at Truro for six 255 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:45.120 point one million dollars. Do you know how tlexicab rides 256 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:48.080 you can get for six point one million dollars? It's 257 00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:49.720 a noble I would imagine a lot. 258 00:13:50.919 --> 00:13:51.919 Yes, I will, I will. 259 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:55.279 I mean that's just the other thing is that the 260 00:13:55.320 --> 00:13:58.600 governor was quoted I think in the Globe and the 261 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:01.799 Herald last week is saying that she wanted to take 262 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:05.200 a second look at the legislative history of the nineteen 263 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:09.120 eighty three statute that Governor d Kakassian, which established the 264 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:13.200 shelter law in Massachusetts, and it's seem to me like 265 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:18.120 maybe she feels consistent with what you folks said today 266 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:21.000 that this is being made available to people for whom 267 00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:26.159 the law never anticipated, never anticipated this influx of people 268 00:14:26.200 --> 00:14:27.200 from around the world. 269 00:14:28.639 --> 00:14:30.960 Absolutely, and this is something that we've been saying for 270 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:34.919 well over a year now, and that that this this 271 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:37.480 wasn't the intent of the program. It was here. It 272 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:41.320 was meant here for legal Massachusetts residents who are you know, 273 00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:44.360 who need this assistance, who need these programs, And it 274 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:46.799 wasn't meant for people who just show up one day 275 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:49.600 at our at our doorstep and say, okay, we want 276 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:52.240 we want access to all these programs. So so no, 277 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:55.000 and it's about time I wish he listened to us 278 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:58.840 well over a year ago. But nevertheless, you know, we're 279 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:01.519 going to push it again we enter our new legislative session, 280 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:06.559 and we welcome any you know, movement in that direction 281 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:09.799 by the governor or the Democrats and the legislature to 282 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:13.720 finally do something to fix this program and to make 283 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:18.519 sure that it remains intact for Massachusetts residents as it 284 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:20.399 was meant to since the nineteen eighties. 285 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:23.919 Well represented, Paul Frost, do you represent four towns if 286 00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:27.799 I'm not mistaken, in central Massachusetts, just south of Worcester, 287 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.799 And you are obviously working on behalf of your constituents 288 00:15:30.840 --> 00:15:34.679 and on behalf of everyone here in the cornwalth of Massachusetts. 289 00:15:34.679 --> 00:15:37.480 And I say keep at it any night that you 290 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:40.200 need some publicity on this. We got to keep that. 291 00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:42.159 We have to keep the pressure on because this is 292 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:46.200 a disaster. Massachusetts is once again the laughing stock of 293 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:50.960 the nation, and we just you know, we've got to 294 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:53.080 become a two party state. That's the problem we have 295 00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:55.840 right now. And I continue to believe that that they 296 00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:58.440 are just the Democrats do whatever they want up on 297 00:15:58.519 --> 00:16:01.519 Beacon Hill. They have a you know, old school leadership, 298 00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:05.600 and they have a young progressives in the membership, and 299 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:09.480 the residents of Massachusetts are leaving. We talked last night 300 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:13.120 about the out migration problem, so there's a lot to 301 00:16:13.159 --> 00:16:14.840 work on up there. I hope you folks stay on 302 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:16.960 top of it. Thanks very much for joining us tonight. 303 00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:20.720 Representative Paul Frost of Central Massachusetts. 304 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:21.840 Thank you very much. 305 00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:24.799 You're very welcome. When we get back, we're going to 306 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:30.120 talk about January. It is the biggest month, the busiest 307 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:34.080 month of the year for divorces. We're going to talk 308 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:36.559 with the divorce attorney and she's going to explain to us. 309 00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:39.639 I guess a couple of theories as to why. Back 310 00:16:39.679 --> 00:16:42.039 on Nightside right after the news break at the bottom 311 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:43.679 of the hour. My name is Dan Ray. This is 312 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:47.840 Boston's news Radio WBZ ten thirty on your AM dial. 313 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:53.679 You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on w Boston's 314 00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:55.639 News Radio. 315 00:16:56.080 --> 00:16:59.320 All right, we have turned the corner into a new year, 316 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:04.480 because January first comes around once a year and it 317 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:08.440 always starts the month of January, which turns out to 318 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:13.160 be a very busy month for divorce lawyers. With us 319 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:21.920 is divorce attorney Attorney Sharon Rimmage, Attorney. I guess we 320 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:27.119 can speculate as to why divorces is the busiest month 321 00:17:27.160 --> 00:17:30.559 for divorce attorneys, but you must know the real reason. 322 00:17:30.680 --> 00:17:32.400 Tell us what's going on. How are you tonight? 323 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:37.119 Thank you for having me. Well, I've done this work 324 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:40.680 a long time, and January is always very busy month, 325 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:44.960 and the average person before they actually go to a 326 00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:48.799 divorce attorney probably spends a good twelve to eighteen months 327 00:17:48.839 --> 00:17:52.960 thinking about it, and so they get through a variety 328 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:55.480 of reasons. They may put it off. They want to 329 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:59.960 get maybe some of their financials in order, maybe they're fine, 330 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:03.359 AELs are way out of order after the Christmas credit 331 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:06.960 card bills come in. But also they want to wait 332 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:11.240 and just get through the holidays, and they make a resolve. 333 00:18:11.400 --> 00:18:15.759 You know, most people make resolutions to do something different 334 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:18.039 after the first of the year, and I don't want 335 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:21.000 to say that divorce is a new Year's resolution, but 336 00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:25.279 turning a new leaf on life, going into a new 337 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:30.240 chapter and starting fresh and starting it kind of having 338 00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:33.440 a fresh start, starting over. That's a common theme that 339 00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:36.160 we see with clients, and they're finally ready to go 340 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:40.279 come January. And January sixth this year was, of course 341 00:18:40.759 --> 00:18:43.079 divorce Day. It was the first Monday of the month. 342 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:47.200 But we've been very busy and there's been really no letup, 343 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:51.720 and so this January of twenty twenty five has really 344 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:55.599 proven to be just as much of a divorce January 345 00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:56.759 as any other year. 346 00:18:58.559 --> 00:19:04.119 In your practice, who's initiating divorces? How much? What percentage 347 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:07.240 of them? Are sort of like mutual agreements where both 348 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:09.000 parties come to you and say, hey, we'd like to 349 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:11.519 save a little bit in our legal fees and we 350 00:19:11.559 --> 00:19:17.960 want to split things up evenly, and which gender is 351 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:20.039 initiating more of the divorces? Men or women? 352 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:25.799 I think historically, just across the board, women tend to 353 00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:31.759 be the ones that file more frequently. But in our 354 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:36.079 practice we're pretty much we're pretty even represented by men 355 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:42.279 and women. I think men tend to stay in and 356 00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:45.759 tolerate some things or ignore some things. Maybe they're just 357 00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:50.880 cluarless about some things longer than some women. And it 358 00:19:50.960 --> 00:19:52.799 just depends on a lot of different things, but we 359 00:19:52.839 --> 00:19:56.200 don't really see that it's more frequently in January it's 360 00:19:56.279 --> 00:20:01.160 women versus men. It's pretty much across the board. And 361 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:04.160 and sometimes they've agreed that most states and know in 362 00:20:04.200 --> 00:20:07.720 our state, one attorney cannot represent both people because they're 363 00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:11.039 really is a lawsuit. They're adverse parties, so we don't 364 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:14.359 meet with both parties. So frequently one party will go 365 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:18.319 to the lawyer and they will initiate the process and 366 00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:23.599 maybe it does end up getting handled amicably, but more 367 00:20:23.640 --> 00:20:27.960 often than not, both sides are getting representation if someone 368 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:32.200 has a lawyer. Unfortunately, a lot of people flood the 369 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:36.680 courthouse with the courthouse forms that are available or legal zoom, 370 00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:39.599 and a lot of people make a lot of mistakes 371 00:20:39.640 --> 00:20:43.599 in their haste to begin anew there's an art to 372 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:46.720 what needs to go into a divorce order, and they 373 00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:53.440 don't necessarily know ramifications, and so come about a year 374 00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:56.960 from when they go down this path, there may be 375 00:20:57.079 --> 00:21:00.839 things that just can't be undone. And so it's not 376 00:21:00.920 --> 00:21:04.319 just going to lawyers, it's just across the board going 377 00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:05.599 through the process. 378 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:12.519 Yeah, but I first past the bar the last century. 379 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:17.319 I actually knew some lawyers who would not, out of principle, 380 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:19.559 handle divorce cases. And it might they might have been 381 00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:25.680 religiously based, but there has to be sort of a 382 00:21:25.799 --> 00:21:31.079 ying and yang. I never handled divorce cases just because 383 00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:33.359 it wasn't an area that I was particularly interested in 384 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:36.480 getting involved in. So I'm interested from your perspective, there 385 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:38.880 must be some cases that come to you that are 386 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:42.559 pretty depressing, and there must be some cases that come 387 00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:45.200 to you, I assume in which you say, gee, this 388 00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:50.759 is really best for both parties. Do you how do 389 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:53.920 you keep your own human emotions as a divorce lawyer 390 00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:55.319 out of it. 391 00:21:56.279 --> 00:22:00.279 Well, my goal is to well represent my client and 392 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:03.480 be an objective voice, and so if I get too 393 00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:07.559 emotionally involved, it's kind of hard to do that, and 394 00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:10.839 so I strive to do that. In all the larriors 395 00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:13.359 in my office strive to do that to remove ourselves 396 00:22:13.400 --> 00:22:18.039 because we are to be their counselors and their attorneys, 397 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:21.039 not therapist counselor, but we're to counsel them on the 398 00:22:21.160 --> 00:22:24.960 legal ramifications of the decisions that they're making, and it's 399 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:27.279 hard to do that if you're all wrapped up in it. 400 00:22:28.279 --> 00:22:30.279 I will tell you I've had couples come in to 401 00:22:30.279 --> 00:22:33.119