The Globe story mainly addressed his success in getting things through the legislature; this is not an evaluation. I was hoping BMG would create a systematic scorecard for recording all of Patrick’s significant actions and words in the key first year, perhaps using as a baseline his campaign promises.
We need to be reminded of all his positions (whether implemented or not), and hear the pros and cons for each. And let’s keep it going — BMG has the power to hold him accountable for the hopeful promises that were his mandate, and to mobilize support for those he needs popular help to get enacted.
Please share widely!
And you sound like a volunteer!
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p>Can you suggest the design for such a thing? What issues should be included? What promises were most important? etc.
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p>Let’s see it!
First, there are promises that have simply not been brought up (this is not a large category.)
Second, and I believe the largest, are the progressives ideas I supported him for and have been brought up, only to go down in defeat.
Third, actual victories,
And fourth, positions that one disagrees with (in my case, casinos and the rollback of environmental regulations)
Good ideas for categories. I’ll take a first crack at it, and people can refine and flesh out. I’ll try setting up a matrix that allows for pros and cons, effort and progress, etc.
I called the Patrick campaign office to ask if they are doing a year-end review of their own, and was told they are working on an “annual report.” Probably not something we want to sit and wait for, but it will be interesting to see what they come up with if they do it.
Any fair scorecard of the Governor’s performance should also be supplemented by one for the Legislature, where the Speaker of the House has unilaterally blocked several of the Governor’s key fiscal proposals (e.g., closing $500 million in corporate tax loopholes) from being fairly considered and evaluated by our state representatives.
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p>BMG should be equally prepared to hold Speaker DiMasi and the House leadership accountable for declaring such sensible fiscal proposals DOA (Dead on Arrival) without so much as a fair hearing and vote by the House Ways and Means Committee and, if passed, a subsequent vote by the full House of Representatives on these and other sensible revenue producing and spending reduction proposals to close $1.2 billion structural budget deficit in Massachusetts.