Charlie Baker on tightrope, moves carefully

Governor Charlie Baker's life is a balancing act - a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic state, a reasonable and enlightened moderate while the top of his party is anything but. With an entirely blue Congressional delegation, he will be, for better or worse, this state's interlocutor with a potentially vengeful Trump administration. He took a rhetorical …

Continue reading Charlie Baker on tightrope, moves carefully

Patrick follows sober state-of-the-state address with focused $32 billion budget

Governor Deval Patrick yesterday proposed a state budget to back up the state-of-the-state address he delivered on Monday. That speech was competently, if not soaringly, delivered, and urged a modest, focused agenda, which the budget seems geared to implement. His list of state accomplishments was gratifying: students who lead the nation in test results; greatest …

Continue reading Patrick follows sober state-of-the-state address with focused $32 billion budget

Patrick Speech: the To-Do’s not the How-to’s

The largest personage in the House chamber for Governor Deval Patrick’s state-of-the-state address wasn’t there at all. It was, of course, Scott Brown. The address, the Governor’s first chance to turn around an outraged electorate and rally his partisans in his reelection bid, was an opportunity to tout his accomplishments – and they are many …

Continue reading Patrick Speech: the To-Do’s not the How-to’s