Blue Mass Group

While all the headlines have focused on whether we will have Health Care Reform, Governor Patrick was the first signature on a letter signed by 12 Governors last week that supported the enactment of protectionist provisions in the Health Care Reform bill seeking to create 12 years of market exclusivity (and monopoly pricing) for  pharmaceutical and biotechnology products in addition to the substantial and strong patent protection already afforded companies that invent and patent new cures.  Representative Markey also voted in favor of similar provisions when voting in favor of Health Care Reform legislation at the Energy and Commerce Committee, opposing the principled and progressive positions of Chairman Waxman in the House, Senator Schumer in the Senate and President Obama who are seeking to establish a workable regulatory pathway for biogeneric products.  Our legislators and the Governor need to hear from us. There is still time to fix the bills in conference.

Those old softies at Goldman! After accepting, and repaying, billions of dollars in government funds as part of the federal bank bailout, Goldman Sachs earned record second-quarter profits and has already set aside $16.7-billion for compensation this year, putting it in a public-relations bind that has fueled Wall Street speculation of major charitable activity. Bloomberg reports that: After rebounding from the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Goldman Sachs is considering a new charitable program and has been working with Bridgespan Group, a Boston- based philanthropy consulting and recruiting firm, people familiar with the matter said.

I have been concerned that too many of us who got super-excited about the Deval Patrick candidacy and Administration are bogged down right now in the negativity of hard economic times and the polls and punditry of the moment–and are not sure how to respond. The Governor’s letter in response to the Evergreen article gives us a great tool to begin shifting our focus to the real and the positive. It provides a framework for us to see the Administration’s record and vision differently than the daily grind of headlines. I would encourage that we actually read it, find the two or three points that resonate with us most deeply, and in doing so, begin to change the way we talk. Welcome to the “attitude adjustment hour” which comes along in every worthwhile venture when the chips are down and all the choices are horrible.  We need to resist the temptation to be the sharpest skeptic in the room. We chose Deval Patrick because of an uncommon vision and depth we saw in his readiness to lead. Let’s be there now despite the challenges of the times, when social pressure so often makes good people into finger-pointers. I think it [...]

Despite the rain, large and spirited visibility presence for Coakley and Khazei.  A few folks for Pagliuca.  How I appreciate those with the commitment to the democratic process and community engagement to stand out in a cold rain for their candidates. The large auditorium is only partially filled – many empty seats.   I’ll post some notes here on the candidate’s statements.  Full disclosure: I am supporting Martha Coakley.

Now truth is spilling over into mainstream news sources.  Link to the translated Spiegel page. http://babelfish.yahoo.com/tra… We are all “equal” right.

Why jobs?  First, the courageous path is not firing 2000 workers but ensuring more workers are hired.  For every state or corporate worker fired, from 20-100 families hunker down and go into bunker mentality.  What do I mean by “hunker down and go into bunker mentality”?  Each family  reacts to the news of a friend or coworker’s firing by believing that THEY could be without a job next.  So they and their whole family cancel vacations, defer purchases, and avoid any discretionary spending.  As a result, restaurants close, companies fold, and the “recovery” is in fact an illusion where the robber barons batten at the trough – Goldman Sachs trumpeted “profits” are a great example. On the other hand, every new hire is a new consumer, and a circle of family and friends who feel secure enough to plan for the future, go out for dinner occasionally, and dare to buy new sheets or other goods. If both government, the elite nonprofits like Harvard, and business had the “courage to hire” we might well see a real recovery.  Hey – Where is Harry Hopkins, the WPA, and a vision of economic inclusion when we need them anyway? And why housing? [...]

Placed delicately below the fold and on a Saturday with no big time sports contests in the offing, the Globe story about Harvard’s $1.8 billion loss in its cash accounts is exactly what we can expect from both institutions: the Globe and Harvard.  Title: “Harvard admits to $1.8b gaffe in cash holdings” A “gaffe”! That’s $1.8 BILLION. In a nutshell, they put most of the operating cash in a hedge fund. But not to worry, the story concludes. Harvard’s “strong management” will keep things moving ahead. No alarm bells necessary. No investigations. After all, it’s Harvard. It’s the Globe. Go back to sleep.  It’s only $1.8 billion. That’s only $736 for every household in Massachusetts. And, anyhow it’s not OUR money. But wait, it really is. Harvard University is a public charity. Its trustees hold its assets in trust-literally-on behalf of all the citizens of the Commonwealth. So how does Harvard lose our money and just go on with business as usual? Public charities come under the Attorney General-through the AG’s Division of Public Charities. Let’s see if the Attorney General has some comment about this situation. To be fair, the AG Division of Public Charity has never been leader [...]

We knew October 15th was going to be a special day. But we never imagined we would see Americans stand up to the insurance company death panels with such amazing courage in as many cities as we saw on Thursday. From Boston to Palm Beach, Washington DC to Portland everyday people risked arrest and went to jail in nine cities across the country. 54 people were arrested, those in New York endured a difficult night in jail, and one arrestee – Sam Pullen – is still in jail in Los Angeles today. Sam has decided to remain in police custody until Blue Cross agrees to immediately approve all doctor-requested care for its members with life-threatening conditions. His mother was denied critical care for cancer until she staged a sit-in at a Blue Cross office years ago, and Sam is carrying on her struggle to make sure no one else in our country suffers the same injustice ever again.

Please check out the forum for U. S. Senate candidates happening on Sunday.  I’ve mentioned that I have endorsed Congressman Capuano.  If you are undecided, this is a good opportunity to hear all four candidates.  I am optimistic that if you hear Congressman Capuano that you will also support him. I have this additional information on the format: The four candidates for the Democratic nomination for U.S Senate will each will take the stage for 30 minutes: five minutes to address the audience followed by moderated questions from the public and the media: 3:00 PM Steven Pagliuca 3:30 PM Attorney General Martha Coakley 4:00 PM  U.S. Representative Michael Capuano 4:00 PM Alan Khazei According to the in information I was sent, “Merrimack College is conveniently located at the intersection of Rt. 114 and Rt.125 in North Andover. The Rogers Center is located just inside the campus’s Rt. 114 (Turnpike St.) entrance.” I thought that this might be a good opportunity for another open thread where people can talk about candidates and their impressions of the candidates.  It would be great to hear how the fourm goes, and what people think of the format.