Dear Friends,
I am running as a Democrat for Governor and I am asking for your support. I am asking you to join me in reclaiming our Commonwealth. Join me on Tuesday March 23 at 10am on the steps of the State House where I will formally announce my candidacy for the corner office.
As you know, Massachusetts in many ways stands at a crossroads: the Scott Brown election underscored what I feel is legitimate anger among regular people. We are facing the worst economy in our life-time – we have lost 300,000 jobs, with 10s of thousands losing their homes through the foreclosure crisis and our state losing roughly $58 billion in two years from our economy. Add to that a completely solvable health care crisis that is sinking financially our cities & towns, small businesses, residents not to mention our state government; we simply need responsive state leadership willing to shift to uniquely American solutions like Medicare for all.
I have entered the race as the only person who has lived on their own wages and shares the same problems as so many of us who are frustrated. As you also know, I bring the ability to engage people in changing the policies that affect our lives, 25 years of working with others to successfully change policy at the local, state and even occasionally federal and international levels. I understand and can address the interaction of our economy and the environment.
From the last gubernatorial campaign, we know I can reach peoples’ hearts and minds. I am positioned to rebuild our democracy with my deep roots in communities across Massachusetts . I have worked with unions and small businesses. I have worked with the broad spectrum of our people including equal rights for women, people of color and LGBT communities. The time has come to work together for a new future that we all can have and deserve.
Please visit my website and Donate or Volunteer.
Thank you,
Grace
Grace Ross for Governor.
774-271-7677
www.graceross.org
I was out collecting signatures to put Grace Ross on the ballot yesterday at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Holyoke. It was easy and fun.
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p>About half of those I approached were either from out of state, Republicans, not registered, too drunk or didn’t want to talk to anyone with a clipboard. Of the remaining half, most who identified as Independents signed, along with a substantial majority of Democrats and a majority of Black and Latino voters. People who identified as union workers all signed. I would guess that about 10% recognized either Grace’s name or her photo, and of those, most signed immediately.
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p>I found that the best draw was simply saying that she’s running against Deval Patrick. For a small minority (Democrats only) this cost me their signature. For far more, Independents and many Democrats, this produced an instant yes. People rounded up husbands, wives and friends, and told them to sign. Some switched suddenly from an initial “go away don’t bother me” to an urgent “give me that, I’ll sign it!” The reasons given were about Patrick’s inaction and promises not kept, followed by the Mass health care plan, jobs and funding cuts for programs. (I’m happy to report that I heard not one racist comment, despite the venue and the amount of alcohol being consumed!)
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p>The second most potent message was telling about Grace’s “day job”, working for the Mass Alliance against Predatory Lending to stop the foreclosures and evictions, and formerly working for Single Payer as head of MassCare. Pointing out that she’s the only candidate who is not a millionaire was effective, as was talking about jobs. At one point someone lined up a pocket of people to sign because of her leadership on GLBT rights. Her leading part in stopping the privatization of Massachusetts’ hospitals however didn’t connect; perhaps the issue was too dated or complex for a one-minute conversation, or they hadn’t grasped what a disaster that would have been.
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p>Overall, we averaged 20 to 40 signatures per hour apiece.
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p>This experience confirms both my conviction that leaving Patrick at the head of the Democratic ticket would bring disaster on us in November, and my belief that a Ross win in the primary and in November is highly do-able.
. . . can I get some?
…is hardly a gauge of support. I strongly support the Governor’s re-election, but would certainly sign a nominating petition for Grace Ross. I sign for anybody unless I have a very good and specific reason for not wanting that person anywhere near a ballot.
On the Republican side. Nothing like a good primary to raise voter awareness.
on your website or youtube. Thanks.
you will only get there by supporting candidates that support the public option.
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p>Grace Ross has written legislation to move to a public option in a easy effective manner. There are no Republicans in Massachusetts to blame this on. We must quit enabling and demand better.
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p>When you get tired of listening to all the excuses of why it can’t be done, come listen to Grace on health care, jobs, economy, transportation, energy……
Is Grace Ross going to get us a public option from the Governor’s seat? Shouldn’t she be running for Senate then? Try to introduce such legislation there?
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p>Fact is, a Governor is not going to get anything close to a public option passed in this state, not for decades and we clear out the conservaDems in the legislature. Not to mention, a state version of a public option, while I’ve always thought it was possible by the numbers, is not the best way to get one – it really should be federal. The pool is a lot wider and the coffers a lot larger. SanFran, the city with a public option so to speak, is having problems paying for it because they are such a small pool. MA is larger, yes, but not large enough for it to be at its best efficiency IMHO. Not unless most of the state decided to opt in.
effective public option.
Municipalities major revenue sources are property and sales taxes, difficult to fund health care.
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p>Canada passed single payer province by province, Almost all provinces are smaller than Mass.. Greenland has single payer – population 56,000.
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p>We have a wonderful state insurance program that would be SiMPLE to expand. 82% of Massachusetts voters support a public option. http://act.boldprogressives.or…
W
We just need leadership that will lead instead of telling us we’re too small, we’re too broke, its impossible, can’t be done, blah, blah, blah.
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p>What happened to hope? change? Together we can? How did it change to let’s accept an incredibly dysfunctional system.
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p>What’s needed is people like Grace – like you Lynne, demanding health care, transportation, and government that work.
How is Ross, as Governor, going to have any more effect getting this done than Patrick?
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p>It’s an honest question. Just because she is more further to the left than Patrick on a few issues (and my guess/remembrance is that Patrick would prefer a public option as well even just in the state if it were politically viable) doesn’t mean she can accomplish any of them.
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p>The Governor’s office isn’t a kingship, and there’s no way something like that passes in MA. Not this decade anyway.
not a public option bill. Yes, it appears that Patrick’s gambling initiative has been struggling, but in a state with 82% support for a public option, it would have been easy to accomplish if he had worked on bringing public option health care to Mass instead of gambling to Mass. It says a lot about his priorities.
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p>So, as Governor, Grace will put forth a public option bill, expanding the current public system we have and allowing the public to opt in. Grace would be able to use the office of Governor to bring the attention to this very simple fix that 82% of voters support and with a 90% Dem legislature, how could it not pass?
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p>Please explain how this could not pass? It might very well have more support than green jobs.
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p>If Governor Grace Ross put forth a package that would expand MassHealth, would you support it. Is it important enough to call your legislator?
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p>This is legislation that would be a tremendous relief to labor, small business, municipalities, and make Massachusetts the most competitive market in the country – which brings in jobs.
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p>Simple, easy, saves money, energizes the economy. Why can’t we do it this decade?
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p>Sue Kennedy
Grace Ross for Governor
Campaign Manager
The legislature.
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p>That same one that can’t bring itself to do ANYthing progressive on revenues, in any way shape or form.
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p>I agree a public option/single payer seems like common sense. The math is good. The people like it. But the realist in me says it will not fly and would be a waste of time.
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p>Secondarily, I have spent a LOT of energy fighting casinos, and disagreeing with Patrick on it. I will even go so far as to say I am disappointed that a smart guy like him couldn’t see through the snake oil salesmanship of proponents.
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p>However, I am not a single issue voter.
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p>There’s really no convincing me to vote for Ross. I won’t vote for her at the convention either. Maybe to some people that makes me a bad progressive, I don’t know. I kinda like the progressive we have, frankly. Is he perfect? Nope. Are there things I wish he’d bank left on? Sure. Do I think Ross would do a better job? Nope. I’ve already said why I think that is so.
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p>The other thing that bothers me about Ross is, why not run for state Rep or Senator? She’d do a hell of a lot of good in there. Also, I’m rather a loyal Dem, and I kinda resent the idea that she’s gone party shopping. If the Dem party wasn’t good enough for her in her last run, why is it going to be good now? If we weren’t progressive enough before, what made her change her mind? By my views, I could have been a Green party voter, but I haven’t. I decided I wanted to work within the Democratic party because when they are good, they really are good. I certainly don’t dislike people for switching parties, welcome people who want to do so, but generally, it’s because someone’s had a change of heart. Why did she switch parties? Is it because she saw she couldn’t win as a third party candidate?
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p>How does the G-R party feel about that?
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p>Just honest questions, thoughts and feelings I have about it. I just don’t see her as being the candidate I want to see as our nominee. That said, I respect her views (obviously) and she’s very smart. Too bad she’s running for the wrong office.
I disagree that a public option isn’t affected by size.
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p>EVERYthing is affected, more efficient, by size. Buying power of drugs alone is (unless Republicans forbid Medicare from negotiating down the prices).
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p>But you forget that a public option is an option. As such, you have to have a certain level of people buying into it (as opposed to having employer based insurance, etc) in order for it to have a large enough pool to start being effective, having the buying and negotiating power, etc.
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p>Single payer is very different from a public option. Single payer isn’t even a dream in a dream, here or elsewhere, in this country. Yeah, sure, I’d love that not to be the case, but wishing don’t make it so. A public option was about as close as we could have gotten, and again, is not something we can get with a Governor pushing for it alone. It would be better, in fact, if Ross were to run for the state legislator and primary a conservaDem than running for Governor.
they can vote up or down on the Governor’s expansion of gambling.
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p>As Governor, someone can show leadership and be a driver to instead debate expanding health care options.
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p>And I already pointed to viable public systems even smaller than the current Massachusetts public insurance system. Allowing more Massachusetts residents and businesses to opt in would only make the current system more cost effective.
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p>A public option is a way of letting consumers slowly drive the market to a single payer system. Health care without the unnecessary expensive middleman is the obvious common sense choice, but currently most residents and business are prohibited from exercising the common sense choice to participate in the public plan. It’s time now Lynne. What are we waiting for?
Why not run for the legislature so we can have the votes THERE to actually accomplish it?
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p>I’m telling you, that would be a better use of her time. Not as glorious, I admit, but that’s where the hard work of progressives really is. We need progressives of Ross’s character there.
Sue, I followed your link and as near as I can tell the 82% refers to 82% of Obama voters who voted for Brown support a public option. This is not the same thing as “82% of Massachusetts voters support a public option”.
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p>If there is another link I should follow please let me know otherwise, please be careful when using poll results that focus on a select subset to represent the entire state.
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p>Good luck in the primary as I am a proponent of primaries as I think they can help better mold candidates for the general and provide all of us with better choices.
I mostly agree with her stand on the issues. It’s unfortunate that she is anti-casino, but that’s not the biggest issue on the books. I still have more research to do before the convention.
I’m sure Ms. Ross is a good, well-intentioned person who is perhaps more ideologically pure than Gov. Patrick, but she’s got no chance if she becomes a gubernatorial candidate. And although her previous no-chance campaign was refreshing, there’s a limit to the effectiveness of repeated runs by a no-chance candidate. I may be wrong, but I believe she’s already reached that limit. What she has said previously was important, but this candidacy, I think, is tone deaf to the current political conversation.
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p>Also, many of our governor’s “mistakes” have been due to his lack of political experience. I don’t believe Grace Ross, as a neophyte, would do any better.
Grace is hardly likely to buy a Cadillac, make a phone call from the Governor’s office to help a predatory lender get a deal, write a letter to support a predatory lender get an ambassadorship, promote casino’s, support regressive taxes, Paul Reville, corporate give always, creation of new positions such as: First Lady’s Asst., $75,000, Director of Real Estate Services, $120,000 (for neighbor/contributor). and what was that other make believe job?
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p>Or the very real Jim Aloisi.
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p>Grace has much experience working with state government as Deval had questionable corporate endeavors previous to running.
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p>Love a debate on background between the two. Do you really want to go there?
You of all people dragging that stuff out. Shame on you.
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p>Did you actually find out what really happened in those instances or did you just read the Herald?
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p>I’m looking forward to the debates, should Ross make the ballot, and honestly I think a primary on the Dem side is much better than not (not only because the media will pay more attention but also just for democracy’s sake), and it will be a treat to watch two smart people on either side of the debate podium, for once in our lives, we’ll get a REAL debate…but I sure as HELL hope Ross is smarter than to accuse Patrick about drapes or whatever stupid nonsense the papers drummed up. I say drummed up because they were, not because I’m some sort of blind Patrick supporter.
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p>I HOPE Ross will oppose Patrick on substantive issues and not talking points that could come straight out of the Baker playbook.
Do I really want to go there? Please do me the courtesy of not assuming I’m carrying water for the Governor.
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p>Unfortunately, I drew the short straw in my town caucus and will attend the convention and will have to support a candidate, it won’t be Grace Ross.
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p>I’m skeptical of political neophytes, regardless of their ideology. I’m do not firmly believe that a candidate have years of political experience, but I’m skeptical of those who don’t. Patrick had a great campaign, but his lack of experience and political skill has harmed his re-election chances and harmed the party. I think he’s learned a bit since then. Enough? Hard to say.
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p>Ms. Ross’s campaign may actually help Patrick by helping to define him as something other than the progressive he originally campaigned, and as others have said, providing him with more press attention.
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p>I didn’t realize until you commented that you were her campaign manager or I probably wouldn’t have responded.
today? Can you post it here please? I would like to see it.
Thanks.