Did you see the column in the Globe where Scot Lehigh called me “loyal” and “devoted?” That was very nice of him.
What? That wasn’t the point, you say? I guess it’s all about your perspective.
Scot writes from the perspective of someone with long experience about the way things work on Beacon Hill and it seems he’s been talking with others under the golden dome, some named and some not, who support his theory that Governor Patrick doesn’t do things the way they “should” be done. He does things differently from other politicians in the past. Fair point, I guess – and certainly a legitimate perspective.
In the piece, Scot details an effort we at the Deval Patrick Committee/TogetherPAC are putting forward to engage supporters in telling THEIR stories about the difference Governor Patrick’s leadership has made for them, their communities and our commonwealth since he started running almost ten years ago. He was kind enough to point out that if folks needed some assistance with research or other areas, we would be happy to help. Maybe some would consider writing a letter to the editor or an OpEd in the local paper or blog? For others, maybe they’d prefer to record a short video to share their perspective? We’d appreciate the effort and would be happy to help. We’ll have a booth at the convention in Worcester both days (the Governor will speak on Friday night) and we’ll have some special gifts to thank the delegates who drive the grassroots organizing that makes Massachusetts Democrats successful. If you’ll be at the convention, I hope you’ll stop by. You can record your video right there if you’d like – or just say hello and pick up your gift.
Why are we doing this? From the perspective of many, Governor Patrick and the Democratic legislature have delivered on a progressive agenda that has been very successful – and put Massachusetts back in the leadership business in so many ways. Not everything is perfect for sure and no Democrat is flying any “Mission Accomplished” banners. There is plenty left to do and it’s urgent we stay on it. But if we want to continue these successes, we should celebrate the perspectives of so many who actually LIKE that Deval Patrick is a different kind of politician – certainly they like the results.
In 2006, Massachusetts was in a very different place and most people agreed we were headed in the wrong direction. We were 45th in the nation in job growth and our population had fallen for two consecutive years. The fiscal disaster known as the Big Dig Financing Plan had drained money from road and bridge repair and public transportation around the state and left us with over 700 structurally deficient bridges, a multi-billion dollar backlog of infrastructure maintenance, public transportation systems in crisis and the Mass Turnpike Authority weighed down by complicated, risky Wall Street debt schemes threatening its solvency. Massachusetts was trying to stiff-arm the future with its ban on stem cell research, departure from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and staunch opposition to Cape Wind. The equal marriage rights newly secured in the courts were under assault by some in the legislature. And that just begins to tell the story.
Today, Massachusetts is first in the nation in student achievement, healthcare coverage, energy conservation, venture funding and services for our veterans and military families and more. Our population is growing again – matching the national growth rate for the first time in decades as people and families are moving INTO our state – not out. And thanks to a joint push from Governor Patrick and the Democratic legislature, Massachusetts has protected marriage equality and led nineteen other states (and counting) to the justice that you can marry whomever you love. Our preeminent position as one of the world’s largest super clusters of life science companies and jobs is secure and our energy conservation and clean energy sector is booming with over 80,000 people employed. And it’s not just a couple sectors – – there are more people working in Massachusetts than ever in our history – EVER!
Looking toward the election in November, the debate is who will be best to continue this progress going forward? Even Charlie Baker, who ran aggressively AGAINST these policies four years ago, has reversed direction and is attempting to re-brand himself in a fuzzy “new Charlie,” etch-a-sketching his harsh tone to the point it’s hard to tell WHAT he’s running on.
If Massachusetts wants to STAY in the leadership business on issues we all care about, we need to choose wisely in November – and we need to celebrate the progress from the perspective of people from all across the state and all walks of life.
I hope you’ll join us in the effort.
John Walsh is the Executive Director of the Deval Patrick Committee and TogetherPAC.
My mom is a nurse at one of Partners’ hospitals. Diane Patrick, in her role at Ropes and Gray, is pushing her weight around negotiating to keep their wages low and staffing at levels that endanger patients. And lying to them about what nurses at other Partners hospitals make in an attempt to get concessions, even though the Mass Nurses Assn has the true data. So this Governor has taught me the importance of including my parents’ needs in my financial planning, since my mom will be in the poorhouse if his family gets their way.
At a time when many states are restricting voting rights, Deval Patrick signed into law major improvements in our election laws. Those improvements include early voting and pre-registration of teen agers.
Thank you, Governor Patrick for recognizing that, in a democracy, the government should make it easy for every individual to participate.
…I was standing outside the polls holding a sign for Deval. A voter was stopped in traffic in front of us as people searched for a place to park. He rolled down his window and yelled out “Who’s winning?”
I yelled back “Democracy!!”
“If liberty and equality, as is thought by some are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.” -Aristotle
But that’s not evidence that Scot Lehigh is wrong in criticizing him for failing all too frequently to roll up his sleeves, work the process diligently and manage proactively. The credit for getting the elections bill to the Governor’s desk doesn’t belong to the Governor. It belongs to voting rights advocates and Legislators, including Senate President Murray, who made it a priority when this Legislative session began in January, 2013. Unfortunately, the story of the passage of this bill (after years of failed efforts) better illustrates Governor Patrick’s disengagement than his leadership. Many of us wish there were more occasions when the Governor did do the hard work and therefore deserved the credit – there would be lots more to celebrate.
Thank you, Governor Patrick, for the Green Communities Act and everything you’ve done to make Massachusetts a leader in renewable energy. Ever since I lost my job writing software, I’ve been gainfully employed selling solar power systems, and while I’ve had my ups and downs, the ups have been more consistent.
However, let me give you a hearty “WTF were you thinking??” on the casino bill. It has stained your legacy, and I really wish you had never signed it.
See you in Worcester!
First of all, you did an outstanding job as party chair and Patrick campaign manager (twice). Thank you.
I’m fine with this generally — the Governor can do whatever he wants, and his supporters do have tales to tell. I met one person who was going to walk away from politics once the 2006 campaign was over (and did, as far as I know).
But the timing is strange. We’ve got a campaign going on, with hotly contested races for nearly every seat. Why now?
JimC,
Thanks for the nice words. Of course the re-elect was ably managed by the fabulous Sydney Asbury. I’ll still take the kudos for hiring her back in 2005 – doing advance and news clips. Everybody was a multi-talker in the earliest days.
I know your question is more mechanical, but I can’t help but starting off philosophically. I believe “now” is always the right time. Since I can remember, I’ve found strategic guidance from one of my favorite quotes from Dr Martin Luther King:
“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today.
We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.
In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there IS
such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or
complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”
More mechanically, the timing of the post was sparked by the opportunity of Scot Lehigh’s column yesterday. I always find Scot thoughtful and on some issues (not all) he challenges my assumptions in a healthy way. Yesterday, I felt he gave ink to an interesting prevailing wisdom among some in the state house that I completely disagree with. On top of that, he highlighted an effort I’ve been working on since landing at DPC/TPAC and I saw the chance to talk about it and invite others to join in and help.
I guess you also may be asking why work on telling the story now? Happy to expand on that, but as a foundation I believe now, as we begin to choose from the deep talent pool of candidates for so many offices, it’s a natural instinct to contrast among them but it is essential to keep in mind the road we’ve traveled in the last ten years and that there is a whole team on the other side that want’s to turn that around. I suspect in November, the basic decision frame will be do voters want to continue the progress or reverse it?
As a disclosure, neither the Governor nor his political committee has endorsed in the statewide contests nor do we intend to. We are actively engaged with Chairman McGee and Matt Fenlon over at MassDems in planning and preparing for the Coordinated Campaign after September.
I hope that helps.
You continue to amaze and inspire. Your intelligence and fairness is a gift that you share so well and so willingly.
I am a great admirer of Governor Patrick as well but – and there are some very big buts – the story and the legacy are mixed.
Governor Patrick is so very smart and a visionary but he has a blind-side to some of the people whose counsel and skills have been detrimental to the effectiveness of the policies, politics and services he has – and we as his supporters have wanted and needed.
I would suggest going forward and I write this from a place of humility not arrogance – that he and you – his greatest ally vet the people you bring into your leadership team more thoroughly. EOHSS is a mess and the problems that existed in the first term have come to roost in the second term. These tragic deficiencies should have been rooted out by the Secretary in the first term. That leader walked away on bed of roses.
Economic Development has done fairly well despite the lack of talent and leadership in the post. As a die-hard casino opponent I am aware that the Governor surrounded himself with pro-casino/predatory gambling advocates at the very expensive (costs borne by the Commonwealth/taxpayers) price of pseudo-economic development.
The appointment of the conflicted and ineffective chairman of the MGC is a fiasco. My hope is that whatever roads you travel with Governor Patrick will be better paved than those across the Commonwealth and that whatever blind-spot to the deficiencies of appointees will be carefully reviewed and adjusted. Take care of you.