Sunday, November 8, 2009

Patrick Presses the Political Flesh

It's political pornography is what it is....

"Patrick wraps up two-day visit to Washington; Pushed state’s interests for development" by Lisa Wangsness, Globe Staff | November 6, 2009

WASHINGTON - Governor Deval Patrick swept through Washington yesterday, wrapping up a two-day tour to advance the state’s interests in health care, economic development, and transportation - a trip that also let him showcase his access to the city’s most powerful Democrats, including President Obama.

What was the carbon footprint and taxpayer cost of all this?

I mean, if the situation is so grave, the need so urgent, then why make this trip?

Patrick met with the secretaries of transportation, the Navy, and Health and Human Services on Wednesday afternoon and visited with wounded Massachusetts National Guard and Army servicemen at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Accompanied by House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo, Patrick met yesterday morning with the state’s congressional delegation. Then, Patrick, DeLeo, and Governor Jim Doyle of Wisconsin lunched at the White House with David Axelrod - Patrick’s former political consultant and now a top adviser to the president - and said a brief hello to Obama in the Oval Office. Doyle and Patrick later met with the two top Democrats in Congress, Senate majority leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“Everybody’s giving us a lot of time,’’ Patrick said in an interview. “They have been very open to taking my phone calls and giving us the time to visit.... ’’

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US Senators John F. Kerry and Paul G. Kirk Jr. of Massachusetts and a dozen or so other senators are asking Reid to raise the Medicaid match rate for such states by 3 percent, which could bring in an additional $300 million a year for Massachusetts over the next decade. Reid has said he understands their concerns but has made no commitments. “We’re working on it, we’re working on it,’’ Kerry said.

See: National Health Care: Federal Plan Screws Massachusetts

Patrick, whose popularity has sunk with the state’s economic troubles, said he spoke with Axelrod and others about the political landscape confronting Democratic governors “in this crummy economy,’’ but he would not provide specifics....

That's all he thinks it is, huh?

The CORRUPTION and LOOTING not a problem?

The DUMP INCUMBENTS ANGER out here means NOTHING TO HIM?

Related: Governor Patrick Phooling Himself

Slow Saturday Special: Patrick's Invisible Approval

Self-delusion occurs in all places, doesn't it?

Patrick said he has high hopes for a variety of projects he was pushing while in the nation’s capital, including efforts to expand broadband access in rural and low-income urban areas of the state, to adjust fishery regulations, and organize the state’s efforts to secure federal grant opportunities.

I noticed he didn't mention green tech.

He said he brought a list of all the major grants the state is seeking, and the congressional delegation divvied up lobbying responsibility....

Oh, he BROUGHT a LOOTING LIST with him, did he?

The trip also gave other state officials the chance to interact with high-level officials. Dr. JudyAnn Bigby, the state secretary of Health and Human Services, accompanied the governor to some of his meetings. And DeLeo, walking with Representative Edward Markey, the dean of the Bay State delegation, bumped into Pelosi in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall.

“He’s so visionary,’’ Pelosi gushed to DeLeo, referring to Markey, who co-authored the major global warming bill the House passed earlier this year. “He’s so far ahead of all the rest of us.’’

“Get out of here,’’ Markey said, looking pleased....

Awwwww, isn't the SCHMOOZING GREAT?


The
FART-MISTER is SO FAR AHEAD of US, huh?

Related:

"My view is that the legislation will create clean energy jobs that cannot be shipped overseas" -- Representative Edward Markey of Massachusetts, chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming"

Oh, REALLY, Ed?

"Markey, the dean of the delegation, has taken eight congressional trips abroad since 2005, some in his capacity as chairman of a select committee on global warming.

Yeah, THANKS for PITCHIN' IN, you FART-MISTING HYPOCRITE!!!!!!!!!!"

At Walter Reed, Patrick met one wounded soldier who he discovered had been collecting the trash at Patrick’s Milton home for years.

WTF? Homeless, poor, good Samaritan, worshiper, what?

And he choked up when he spoke of a young man whose best childhood friend had come down to keep him company during his recovery from a truck accident in Afghanistan. “Their sacrifice is so profound, and they’re almost matter-of-fact about it - it’s like, ‘That’s what we do,’ ’’ he said. “It’s very inspiring.’’

This guy NEEDS to have HIS HEAD EXAMINED? WTF is HE THINKING there?

How about CALLING OUT the WAR LIES then, guv?!!!!

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Brad Jones, the top Republican in the Massachusetts House and a frequent critic of Patrick’s, allowed: “I think the governor going down to Washington, D.C., to lobby on behalf of the Commonwealth is exactly one of the things that any governor should be doing.’’

I respectfully disagree in this case. Carbon footprint, taxpayers.

Has a telephone, right? E-mail on the computer?

Jones said Patrick, who faces what appears to be tough reelection fight next year, could benefit politically from the perception that he is close to the Obama administration.

It didn't help Corzine.

But those close ties come with risks, he added. “If a health care bill is passed that hurts Massachusetts, that runs the risk of people saying, ‘Hey governor, your closeness [to the administration] didn’t do us any good.’’

It is about SO MUCH MORE than that!

Related:

The State Budget Swindle

Governor Guts State Services

Pigs at the State Trough

A Slow Saturday Special: Statehouse Slush Fund

Biotech Giveaway Was Borrowed Money

Massachusetts Residents Taken For a Ride

UBS Picks Up Pike

Slow Saturday Special: Day at the Movies

The Hollywood Heist of Massachusetts

Why Massachusetts Needed to Raise Taxes

Massachusetts' New Nickel Tax

Massachusetts' Business Tax Increase Was a Corporate Tax Cut

Tax Increase Fails to Save Massachusetts Services

Blood All Over Massachusetts State Budget

State Government On Probation

The Next Taxachusetts Tax Increase

Bankers' Bark Worse Than Bite to State

Yeah, this state doesn't have any money -- and you SEE WHY!!

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