On Tuesday morning, Don Berwick launched a petition to block the deal that would enable Partners to takeover South Shore Hospital and Hallmark Health System. He shared it on this site, and a lot of people signed it.
On Thursday, Steve Grossman decided that he’s now against the Partners deal, too. According to this Globe article, Grossman wrote a letter to Martha Coakley’s office and expressed that he’s “[ … ] deeply concerned that this settlement does not serve the best interests of the people of Massachusetts, [and therefore, is] submitting a public comment opposing the deal in its current form.”
But the deep concern is, indeed, new. As the Globe article goes on to describe:
Grossman’s criticism, however, seems to have evolved over time. In May, Grossman told the Globe: “This deal apparently represents a common-sense solution that will continue to deliver quality care to residents of the South Shore as well as control health care costs for consumers and employers.”
He said Thursday that that support relied on the Health Policy Commission’s endorsement; basically, if the commission thought the deal was good, he did too.
“I think I fundamentally said if the Health Policy Commission said they believe this is a deal they can support, then I see significant elements in it that are worthy of support,” Grossman said in a phone interview. “So I was really couching my own feelings on the deal in the work of the HPC.”
The article also mentions that Coakley yesterday postponed a future hearing about the proposed merger. Grossman took credit for the move. “She may not acknowledge that she was responding to what I said, but I think it was a pretty direct response.”
. . . So, anyway . . . This much is clear: while Berwick lags significantly behind the other gubernatorial candidates in terms of name recognition, HE is the one consistently leading and changing the debate–about this issue, health care, casinos, homelessness, and so many others.
Berwick is “the one consistently leading and changing the debate–about this issue”
Yeah, right. “A lot of people” apparently means 111 people now (the current number of signatories to Berwick’s groundbreaking decision)? I’d suggest that’s actually an absurdly low number of “followers” for any leader to garner for an online petition.
Aside from Berwick and Grossman, there have been dozens of high-profile critics of the AG’s proposed consent agreement in this case. Including numerous hospital CEOs, community organizations, the policy leaders on the Health Policy Commission board, and numerous media outlets.
Given that reality, for either Berwick or Grossman (or their supporters on their behalf) to take credit for the AG’s decision to ask the judge to postpone the decision in this case is hubris at best.
. . . There have been, indeed, many critics of the merger, but this blog was clearly about the dynamic within the gubernatorial race. I’m certainly not trying to “pull a fast one” or anything.
Grossman;s many things, but stupid isn’t one of them.
What is most apparent in the Dem or GOP gubernatorial race is the unwillingness of most candidates to stand firmly on how they would tackle politically uncertain issues. They narrow their platforms, and choose topics that are limited in their positive impact for this state. In short, they do lack backbone(or whatever you want to call it). Most of you know what’s on the list: Casinos. Reducing the cost of healthcare (too high premiums, deductibles, and co-pays ). Developing economic zones and improved education where they are needed(Newton 96% HS grads, Hampton 54%). Reducing prison populations and recidivism(35%). Evidence based abuse and addiction treatment. Candidate Berwick affirms repeatedly he will use evidence based and cost effective policies versus politically motivated solutions. And he talks about problems other candidates won’t touch with a ten foot pole: Reducing homelessness(over 19,000 people and rising) and poverty(11.6% of our population), a shame for the 3rd most prosperous state in the union. Don Berwick is characterized by many as seeking pie in the sky answers, but his approaches to these problems are clearly stated, and backed up by present knowledge. As for getting along with the legislature what governor has not banged heads with these reps? Republicans and many independents think the relationship is too cozy anyway, and, true or not, they are looking for a candidate who will meet the challenge of dealing with the legislature with the unvarnished goal of improving everyone’s lot. Maybe his firm, well thought out proposals might have cache in non Dem circles. His primary sore spot is name recognition. Don Berwick’s campaign talks about a “summer surge.” We’ll have to see. The other candidates in the meantime are not exciting the public from what I can tell.
What is most apparent in the Dem or GOP gubernatorial race is the unwillingness of most candidates to stand firmly on how they would tackle politically uncertain issues. They narrow their platforms, and choose topics that are limited in their positive impact for this state. In short, they do lack backbone(or whatever you want to call it). Most of you know what’s on the list: Casinos. Reducing the cost of healthcare (too high premiums, deductibles, and co-pays ). Developing economic zones and improved education where they are needed(Newton 96% HS grads, Hampton 54%). Reducing prison populations and recidivism(35%). Evidence based abuse and addiction treatment. Candidate Berwick affirms repeatedly he will use evidence based and cost effective policies versus politically motivated solutions. And he talks about problems other candidates won’t touch with a ten foot pole: Reducing homelessness(over 19,000 people and rising) and poverty(11.6% of our population), a shame for the 3rd most prosperous state in the union. Don Berwick is characterized by many as seeking pie in the sky answers, but his approaches to these problems are clearly stated, and backed up by present knowledge. As for getting along with the legislature what governor has not banged heads with these reps? Republicans and many independents think the relationship is too cozy anyway, and, true or not, they are looking for a candidate who will meet the challenge of dealing with the legislature with the unvarnished goal of improving everyone’s lot. Maybe his firm, well thought out proposals might have cache in non Dem circles. His primary sore spot is name recognition. Don Berwick’s campaign talks about a “summer surge.” We’ll have to see. The other candidates in the meantime are not exciting the public from what I can tell.
I was looking the change “stupid” to “limited” in the subject line, but wound up with an identical post with the word changed. The original impulse was to echo someone else’s use of the word, but then I thought better of it, thinking content was more important than raising someone’s ire. If I knew how to delete the first and leave the second, that would have been my preference.
The common factor uniting everything you mention and several that you don’t (public transportation funding for one) is a refusal to face the reality that we need to significantly raise taxes on the wealthy.
Wealth and income concentration is destroying our society both nationally and locally. Raising the minimum wage to $11.50/hr over a three year period was vitally necessary and got lots of headlines — and does absolutely nothing about wealth or income concentration in Massachusetts.
We are already paying the price now for decades of irresponsible tax-slashing by Democrats and Republicans alike. After more than 30 years of “eliminating waste and increasing efficiency” (the cynical lie that masks the deliberate understaffing and underfunding of critical agencies, so that those who remain are forced into even more overwork), a “Democrat” who proposes that as way of funding anything in 2014 is simply — well — lying. Even if he or she is smiling, and even if he or she is standing next to a gaggle of good true-blue Democratic Party functionaries.
A “Democrat” who proposes to increase the state’s structural reliance on regressive gambling revenues by adding casino gambling and slots is no “Democrat” as I’ve understood the word for fifty years. If any Republican governor had proposed a plan to increase tax revenues collected from our poorest cities and towns so that we can increase tax expenditures in our wealthiest enclaves, would the Democrat Party rally round to support that plan? Not in Massachusetts. That’s why I moved here in 1975.
A “Democrat” who perpetuates the economic policies of the GOP is more dangerous as Governor than an outright Republican (especially one who is clearly embarrassed to call himself one) — at least everybody knows where the latter is coming from.
We need dramatic increases in the capital gains tax rate (for capital gains over some high threshold). We need dramatic increases in the gift and estate tax rate (for estates and gifts over some high threshold). We may even need an increase the state income tax rate, with a corresponding increase in exemptions so that all but the highest, say, ten percent of taxpayers are held harmless.
We desperately needed the plan Deval Patrick courageously put forward — and Bob DeLeo torpedoed.
We desperately need to elect a Governor from the “Democratic” wing of the Massachusetts Democratic Party.