Blue Mass Group

One strange irony would be if the ICE raid on new Bedford – and Harry Spence’s combative public response to that raid -  saves his job as the DSS Commissioner.

Will Governor Patrick keep Harry Spence as the DSS Commissioner?  The hints being thrown out are that he will.  See  http://www.southcoas…

Gov. Deval L. Patrick won’t endorse keeping the state’s embattled child welfare boss, saying his new Health and Human Services secretary will decide whether to fire or retain him, and he expects a decision “soon.”

Lewis “Harry” Spence, commissioner of the Department of Social Services since 2001, has come under fire for the agency’s handling of two recent high-profile cases of child abuse. Health and Human Services JudyAnn Bigby was told to “pick the best people.”

“She’s got the permission to do what she thinks is right,” Patrick said as part of an interview with The Associated Press to mark his 100th day in office today.

Crossposted at The Eisenthal Report

To a certain extent, the answer to the question of what is to be done to promote Governor Patrick’s proposals to close corporate tax loopholes here in Massachusetts depends on Governor Patrick and his senior staff.

The Governor famously developed a cadre of dedicated activists that helped to put him in the Corner Office on Beacon Hill last year. This cadre could be put to work – and could make the difference in building enough support in the legislature to enact the proposals. The Governor has already signaled his intention to hang tough on the budget, potentially using his veto pen. Specific signals about what else might help the process would also be welcome.

The Massachusetts House of Representatives begins floor debate on the fiscal 2008 budget on Monday, April 23. Presumably, legislative allies of the Governor are prepared to file an amendment or amendments to the budget that would – if enacted – close the loopholes. I am hoping that before the amendments are actually filed, the Governor and his senior staff will be lobbying legislators – buttonholing them, as necessary – seeking their support for the amendment or amendments. This process, I imagine, should not be very different from what was depicted in the movie, The American President, when White House staff called, persuaded, cajoled, and – most importantly – counted legislators regarding their support of legislation that was important to the President. I am hoping that the effort from the Patrick administration will have the energy and focus that was depicted in the movie.

The Massachusetts Democratic State Committee today unanimously voted in John Walsh as Chair.  Congratulations to a truly good guy and to the new Executive Director, Stacey Monahan. Governor Patrick dropped by to “second” the nomination and received a rousing ovation.  Lt. Gov. Tim Murray and lots of senior staff, including Doug Rubin there too, mixing with the crowd.

A word of thanks to Phil Johnston for his service, particularly for his role in fundraising for last year’s final election. 

Now, a couple of issues:

The Massachusetts health insurance industry has scored a huge victory for themselves at the expense of the rest of us here in MA.

Who’s been asleep at the wheel while this has happened?  Or is something more sinister at play?  Please keep in mind that healthcare is not only an important economic issue but can be a life or death issue — if you can’t afford it.  I guess one could say if you’re “lucky” maybe you just end up maimed or permenently disabled from a preventable or treatable illness that you couldn’t access timely care for. Not dead.

Uninsurance is a leading cause of death premature death for people aged 55-64 yo in MA according to analyses by the Institute of Medicine and Families USA.

A nationally respected consumer watchdog group, The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, has completed an important analysis of the Massachusetts health reform plan. Their conclusion is not a pretty one but serves as a needed call to action to dramatically re-shape the MA reform plan.  But will anybody hear it? Read it below.

Thankfully there are some advocacy groups out there that are doing an honest analysis of the MA health reform plan and telling it like it is.  My hunch is that the groups that aren’t telling the truth and being appropriately critical of the new law are receiving big money “community grants” from the insurance industry foundations–the Blue Cross Blue Sheild Foundation here in MA is one of many of these health industry “foundations” that have found “community grants” to be an effective way to in essence silence dissent.