Governor Patrick's chief of staff is leaving; Doug Rubin will replace her

Joan Wallace-Benjamin (0.00 / 0)

I had thought Joan Wallace-Benjamin was a great choice for a policy-focused chief of staff, and would have been great with a more politically experienced governor, but I think having both the people at the top not as interested in politics made things a bit tricky. Doug Rubin might be a good idea, and seemed a good guy when I met him, but not so sure about having some one who is also a casino lobbyist and the Tsongas campaign manager becoming the chief of staff: just seems a bit of scattered interests.

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by: alexwill @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 17:15:33 PM CDT

One assumes (0.00 / 0)

that he will cut ties with the casino crowd and will recuse himself from that issue.  As for Tsongas, I don't see how he could do both jobs at once.  Presumably she will need to find a new campaign manager...

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by: David @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 17:17:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Tsongas role not an issue (0.00 / 0)

Rubin was never her campaign manager - he was just consulting. Her manager is still in place.

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by: politicaljunkie @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 15:36:57 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Probably for the best (0.00 / 0)

I've never met Wallace-Benjamin, but when she was announced, there was skepticism from more than one person I talked to who had worked with her before.

The fact that she was invisible over the past 100 days seemed odd to me.

.08 Acres
.0000016% of Massachusetts Political Commentary

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by: sco @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 17:25:29 PM CDT

David, (3.60 / 5)

It seems like other pols (Sal DiMasi, Trav, Tom Reilly, etc.) have often been the target of much criticism on BMG for giving high level posts to Beacon Hill insiders, and people who were involved in their respective campaigns. Now, I realize that there is a wide range of opinions being expressed on this site, and you do not speak on behalf of everyone, but I sense a double standard that I hope you will address:

When Deval Patrick won and filled his administration with fresh faces, it was cheered as the end of "Politics as usual." Now he is filling top posts with Beacon Hill insiders and campaign strategists, just like any Beacon Hill good ol' boy would. Yet, when Patrick does it, it's not politics as usual, it's putting people in place who have "The right values, and some serious political savvy."

Something tells me that if Sal DiMasi were elected Governor and he appointed his top campaign strategist to be Chief of Staff, you might have something different to say about it.

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by: AaronUSA @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 18:24:40 PM CDT

You should give Deval a break (5.00 / 1)

he is learning on the job.  All of the neophytes and sycophants in his campaign kept on telling him that he was the Napoleon who would recast the Massachusetts political system into a more noble form.  Little did they know that the system would recast Deval.  Live and learn.

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by: RegularJoe @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 19:09:57 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

And what would that "something" be that is whispering such wisdom in your ear? (4.67 / 3)

Could it be ... your ass?

Seriously, what an absurd comment, Aaron.  There hasn't been a winning campaign in the history of the universe in which senior campaign staffers didn't transition into senior administration aides.  Strikes me as utterly normal, and utterly unobjectionable.  I was surprised that more senior Patrick campaign folks didn't take administration jobs.

You just love to make assumptions about what people "would do" or "would say" if things were otherwise.  You're usually wrong.

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by: David @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 19:44:28 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Aaron is right (3.50 / 2)

Aaron, thank you for your comments and for pointing out the absolute double standard on BMG!!!!

I find it mindboggling when people on this blog defend the Governor's misteps and blame them on the Beacon Hill insiders. Like Sal or Trav picked out his drapes!!

But you are right, now that he is hiring an insider - not a peep!!!

p.s. So no one gest confused I am a loyal Dem who voted for Deval...but I also appreciate and value my legislators and their support for my commmunity!!!!

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by: Capital D @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 21:05:53 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thanks Capital (0.00 / 0)

When I saw the words "Aaron is right" on the screen, I thought I was on the wrong website, but sure enough it was BMG!!

Thanks again for the kind words, and if I hear anymore "Somethings" I'll be sure to share them with you, and especially with David.

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by: AaronUSA @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 21:15:39 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Please do. (5.00 / 1)

Looking forward to hearing more of what your ass has to say!  ;-)

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by: David @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 23:00:58 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Joan Wallace-Benjamin (6.00 / 2)

I do not know Joan Wallace-Benjamin professionally, but I know her personally. She's one of the kindest individuals I've ever met. She's clearly very accomplished and intelligent as well. The Home for Little Wanderers will likely be ecstatic to have her back.

As for the Patrick administration, this to me is another sign of the difference between idealism and reality. In the ideal world, a Joan Wallace-Benjamin would be the perfect choice to change "politics as usual." In the real world, perhaps someone else with more experience on Beacon Hill is a better choice for advancing the Patrick agenda.

Good luck to Mrs. Wallace-Benjamin, the Home for Little Wanderers, and the Commmonwealth.

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by: dan.croak @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 19:32:07 PM CDT

Substance (0.00 / 0)

Anyone I spoke with only praised Ms.Wallace as a person.

You might be right regarding idealism and reality.

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by: Njord @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 19:46:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

John Sasso (5.00 / 1)

It was my understanding Doug Rubin was the first person asked to be Deval's chief of staff when he won.
After Deval victory many people who were close to Michael Dukukis when he won in 1974-worried Deval was making the same mistake Michael did. The mistake was not hiring a strong politically savvy chief of staff. This is not an attack on Deval or Michael's first Chief of staff's character or intelligence. They just were not the right fit for that time. Bring Doug back into the fold maybe the equivalent of Dukukis hiring John Sasso as his chief of staff after he won back the Governors office in 1982. The hiring of Sasso is considered one of Dukukis best decisions. Hopefully Deval's hiring of Doug Rubin will reap the same rewards.

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by: Njord @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 19:39:31 PM CDT

EXCEPTING THE FACT (3.33 / 6)

That both of Gov Dukakis's terms in office were abject failures. The state damn near went down the tubes!

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by: MCRD @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 21:41:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

You said it!! (0.00 / 0)

EXCEPTING THE FACT (4.00 / 1)

That both of Gov Dukakis's terms in office were abject failures. The state damn near went down the tubes!

Spoken like somebody who was elsewhere at the time!!!

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"Providing health care to the uninsured is a job killer, while not providing health care is merely a people killer....   Bonus: Job Openings!!"

--Stephen Colbert

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by: petr @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 22:25:20 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

AS A MATTER OF FACT (0.00 / 0)

I've spent a considerable amount of time at Perry Ave.
How about you?

I would venture to guess most people here have no idea how Ed King was torpedoed by the Beacon Hill crowd after he saved this state from financial disaster.

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by: MCRD @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 06:59:30 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

whatever... (0.00 / 0)

AS A MATTER OF FACT (0.00 / 0)

I've spent a considerable amount of time at Perry Ave.

Were you awake for any amount of that time? Outta diapers?

I would venture to guess most people here have no idea how Ed King was torpedoed by the Beacon Hill crowd after he saved this state from financial disaster.

Non sequitur...

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"Providing health care to the uninsured is a job killer, while not providing health care is merely a people killer....   Bonus: Job Openings!!"

--Stephen Colbert

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by: petr @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 17:34:27 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Rubin (4.50 / 2)

And ya'll need to hope Rubin has stature with the house and senate.  Certainly better than benjamin.  No experience! This is a good move but still won't close your tax loopholes.

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by: ino @ Thu Apr 12, 2007 at 19:58:20 PM CDT

Governor Patrick Gets Serious about Governing (6.00 / 3)

Unfortunately, when you make it to the major leagues of Mass. politics, you better be prepared better prepared to handle the inevitable brushback pitches (often thrown by your erstwhile part teammate), pick yourself up, and face allied and opposing politicans with confidence and steely determination. Hopefully, the appointment of Doug Rubin, an experienced political veteran of state politics, will help facilitate a transformation in the Governor's approach to managing the politics and the policies of state government.

Gov. Patrick has been the subject of several high and hard ones tossed by the media, Speaker Dimasi, and the business community over the last three months. The Governor, in several instances, seemed perplexed and chagrined by the fact that his election, by itself, failed to change the political culture on Beacon Hill and most of the political media's fascination with superficialities and appearances (e.g. the Cadillac and the drapes). Unfortunately, Gov. Patrick, merely winning a gubernatorial election, regardless of the margin of victory, will not, by itself, transform a Beacon Hill political culture dominated by the post-Beacon Hill professional ambitions of the elite power brokers (paging, Speaker Dimasi) of the Legislature.

Through his appointment of several top Beacon Hill and state politico hands and re-mobilizing his grass-roots  constituency through the vehicles of DevalPatrick.com and regional Town Hall meetings to promote civic engagement, the Governors has demonstrated sagely that he will need utilize an inside/outside strategy in advancing his budget and other policy priorities through the Legislature. Moreover, the Governor and, more importantly, the citizens of Massachusetts would benefit if Speaker Dimasi would try to limit the scope and intensity of his ill-considered public posturing with the business community, his own House members, and through the media about corporate tax reforms and local option hotel/motel taxes. It would be a welcome wind of political change in the Bay State if all stakeholders, including concerned citizens, their elected representatives in the Legislature, the Governor and key members of his administration, were afforded the opportunity to begin the authentic dialogue and negotiations about critical fiscal budget issues two months before the end of the current fiscal year and NOT two weeks before the start of FY 2008 on July 1. How about coming out from your plush locker room suite, Speaker Dimasi, and agreeing to play ball with everyone else here on the field before the game gets called on account of the darkness perpetrated by the likes of Howie Carr?

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by: eddiecoyle @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 02:12:18 AM CDT

Wrong on Dukakis (6.00 / 6)

I can't stand by and let the comment go by that "both of Gov Dukakis's terms in office were abject failures."  First, a disclosure -- I was chairman of the public utilities commission for MSD and later ran the MWRA.

It easy to forget now and join in the chorus about problems with his time in office.  The first term, admittedly, was a political disaster for many of the reasons that Gov. Patrick is now trying to remedy -- an insufficient understanding of the body politic -- notwithstanding some very sensible policy initiatives.  That's why he lost to Ed King in the Democratic primary in 1978.

In the second term, he combined policy and politics and had a very strong and effective administration.  That's why he was swept into office for the third term.

Highlights included an MBTA that worked because it had strong management and funds; a coordinated program to enhance the infrastructure and economic base of the older cities like Lowell, Brockton, New Bedford, and Fall River; an excellent program for the parks, both traditional parks and urban heritage parks; enhancement of the MDC pools, parks, rinks, and road; strong regulatory agencies in utilities, insurance, and the like; and revamping and bringing the department of revenue into the 29th century.

Then we had over a decade of governors who did not care about governing, and we have seen the resulting deterioriation of physical infrastructure and an exodus of talented people from the state government.  Governor Patrick is trying to reverse that, and good for him.  Good for him, too, for realizing that you can't do the policy without the politics.  The system was designed that way, and it is inherent in John Adams' design of the state constitution.  You have to get muddy to walk through this swamp, and it is not a sign of any lack of integrity to admit it, act on it, and get the job done.

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by: Paul Levy @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 05:58:18 AM CDT

Mr. Levy (5.00 / 2)

I beg to differ.

I too was employed by the commonwealth, however I was one of the folks that didn't have a big office. I was a commonwealth employee who was reuired to work another job and at the same time swallow my pride and accept public assistance to survive and keep a rof over my families head, but I digress.

1970's MBTA. I rode the rattler quite frequently. They always broke down, never ran on time  and they were filthy. The MBTA stations themselves were terrifying, filled with homeless, feces, vomitous and rubbish.  Then the commonwealth went out and bought trains that wouldn't fit on the rails , then they wouldn't run and then the Neponset train yard was full of new junk.

The MWRA pumping raw sewage into Boston's cesspool AKA Boston Harbor. It was entertaining to watch the tourists watch the "floaters" while they strolled down Northern Ave.
The folks currently residing in the MWRA Water District will be paying the exhorbitant and punitive price of
service for generations.

Mr. Boone and the riots, murders, and rapes in our prisons. The inmates were put in charge of the asylum. Willie Horton et al.

Dept of Revenue: Please relate to the viewers the story behind Stanley Barzac.Runaway taxation and profligate spending. The "Massachusetts Miracle": the smoke and mirrors and house of cards economy that fell with the first puff of wind.

MSD and the sellout to William S. Bulger. 99 State St. Packing the MBTA and MWRA with "friends and family.
Runaway taxation. Who can forget Fred Salvucci and the "Big Dig". "It will only cost one and a half billion----honest".

The state infrastructure crumbling can be laid primarily at the feet of MSD. I was out there dodging concrete from falling bridges.

Our homeless problem? MSD thought that it would be infinitely more compassionate for the insane, retarded, and others less fortunate amongst us to be cared for in the community and closed the state psychiatric hospitals , etc.Unfortunately, MSD hadn't conferred with the "communities"ergo we have batallions of "homeless" folks now in Boston and elsewhere, wandering around, drunk and lost  because they are essentially folks with psychiatric issues.

I've forgotten more than I can remember. No Mr. Levy, the years that Michael Dukakis was governor were not good years.

The professional "hit" that was done on Ed King was one of the sleaziest, scummy, perverse political assassinations I have ever witnessed. If memory serves, it was done with the knowledge and consent with a very, very high elected law enforcement official, with the complicity of Beacon Hill.

Those were the years when police organizations were ordered to steer clear of certain, now well known, criminals. The police officer who didn't play ball was demoted, transferred, or forced into retirement. If memory serves there was at least one suicide as the result of that
"indescretion" on the part of the governor.

Then we have David W. Davis. Another shill for the corner office and Beacon Hill. Massport being stuffed with friends and family in make believe jobs with salaries twice the going rate.

Mr. Levy, playing ball with dubious politicians with dubious intent is not politically savvy, it is sleeping with the enemy. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." "If you work in the sewer long enough, you're going to get some of it rubbed off on you."

This state needs reps and senators who want to represent their constituents because it is the honorable and civic thing to do,not because it is a great part time job and it has a great retiremnet package and lotsa perks! And they need to grow a set and say NO to the senate president and house speaker to do "the right thing," rather than worry about the nice office and the committee appointment with the nice bonus.

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by: MCRD @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 10:02:32 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Mike Dukakis v. Deval Patrick (0.00 / 0)

There is one fundamental difference between the approach to state government of Mike Dukakis and the one Deval Patrick is trying to undertake. It is their contrasting willingness to consider the public policy ideas and concerns from grass-roots advocates and modify the development and implementation of their public policies.

Mike Dukakis believed every solution to a public policy problem could be found exclusively in the public sector and should be developed and implemented by his elitst pals from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government or down Mass Ave at MIT. Gov. Dukakis abhorred solicitating and considering grass-roots opinions, views, and ideas about any of the daunting educational, health care, enviornmental, and transportation challenges Massachusetts encountered in the 1970's and 1980's. For example, if Gov. Dukakis  and Fred Salvucci, the Governor's transportation czar, did NOT believe they "walked on water," then they might have paused to consider the many less intricate engineering options and less costly fiscal alternatives to the $17 billion and counting Big Dig.  Governor Dukakis also had to agree to a repeal of his universal health care law in the 1980's because it was too complicated, the economic health on the state had cratered in the late '80's, and his Rube Goldberg scheme placed an undue burden on small and medium-size businesses.

While I have been critical of Gov. Patrick's missteps in the health care field, I must give him credit for soliciting the views of a wide range of stakeholders in the health care reform debate and utilizing his authority and power to require the Health Care Connector Board yesterday to make significant changes, at least, in the affordability area for the most vulnerable of our citizens. While I still believe the health care reform law remains fundamentally flawed and will encounter some serious implementation problems for working-class citizens, I applaud Gov. Patrick for his willingness to take into account the concerns of the health care advocacy community to try to ensure that the health care reform law is NOT implemented in a manner that penalizes unfairly the poorest and most vulnerable citizens of our state. On the other hand, if Mike Dukakis was Governor presently, he would have slammed the Executive Office doors in the faces of the health care advocacy community to enjoy a brown-bagged tunafish sandwich lunch while popping into the VCR a VHS tape of himself hosting WGBH's, "The Advocates." I still worry that Gov. Patrick coziness with his friends in the corporate world may adversely affect policy outcomes in health care and the environment. Nevertheless, I appreciate that Governor has created, maintained, and utilized political and technological vehicles that permit Bay State residents who didn't graduate from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, to share some measure of ownership in the decision-making process involving critical public policy matters facing Massachusetts.

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by: eddiecoyle @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 12:12:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Interesting observation and I concur with your analysis. (0.00 / 0)

That being said, I wish that legislators, executives, and politicians would ponder cause and effect, risk/benefit,  law of unintended consequence, and simple common sense before enacting any law and especially laws that will eventually cost billions.

Governor Patrick has the ability to be a good governor (I hope) however he has the house speaker to deal with and the house speaker is the Keeper of The Gate. The governor can muster all the consensus that he is able and if it doesn't pass muster with House Speaker DiMasi it will be all for naught. When Bill Weld was governor (for whatever few months)he took on the power elite and had enough Republicans and Democratic ship jumpers to sustain a  veto,if not enact legislation. That's not the case any longer. DP will have to pull a rabbit out of a hat. It's gong to be interesting, and I trust not too costly

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by: MCRD @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 12:42:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I've noticed a tendency (5.50 / 2)

on these pages to discuss the legislative leadership and membership as though they are merely obstacles to the Governor's hopes and plans, and as people who should get in touch with the grass roots the way the Governor is attempting to do.  But, if any branch of government represents the grass roots, it is the Legislature.  Each Rep or Senator has to answer directly to his or her constituency every two years.  Generally speaking, people really like their own legislators and often re-elect them.  If the Speaker or Senate President does not adequately serve the needs of the members -- and therefore their constituents -- he or she will not last or hold sway.

Of course, the leadership can also exercise power over the members.  With a group of that many members, strong leadership is necessary to conduct the business of the Legislature and actually get things done. Sometimes, though, the leadership is blamed for obstructing a bill when they are actually taking the heat for members who really do not like a certain gubernatorial proposal but would rather not vote on it.

The MA constitution is written to create check and balances between the Executive and Legislature.  The Governors who have been most effective in carrying out their platforms are the ones who have figured out how to build coalitions of legislators and also how to compromise when needed.  Sometimes they use the bully pulpit to build public support for their causes and to put pressure on the Legislature.  Sometimes they use quiet, behind-the-scenes negotiation.  I am sure we will see the full variety of these tactics over the coming months and years.  I, for one, hope that the Governor gets really good at using the full arsenal to pursue his agenda.

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by: Paul Levy @ Fri Apr 13, 2007 at 22:33:06 PM CDT

Mr Levy (0.00 / 0)

You're speaking of the Minnesota legislature. This is Massachusetts. The one party state. This is the state where the house speaker is the boss. The governor roams around all day long, signs a few papers, makes an unimportant speech and goes home.

The house speaker gathers his minions, has his research staff and informants fill him in on what's going on, calls a few reps and tells them that they are about to be moved into the cellar and will be docked $35K by losing their committee seats, calls a few agency heads and threatens them with losing their budget (like the latest labor agency got the axe) and sits back and has a cigar. If the governor wants to do something (god forbid) the legislators just take that power away (like the ABC)
Mr. Speaker, Sal DiMasi, is the emperor, The governor, Deval patrick is just the governor.

And yes, the legislature worries far more about their salary and pension than what is good for their constituents and the commonwealth. Marty Meehan, William Bulger, Tom Finneran, Mr. Travaglini, Sonny McDonough, just a few who left serving the commonwealth very wealthy men, but like you said Mr. Levy, they lay awake at night worrying about me--------right. Time to take the aricept.
Time we have a legislature like New Hampshire's: UNCOMPENSATEDand PART TIME. I don't want anymore Fred Savucci's and Commissioner Boones. I don't want executives who take a powder after two years (read past four republicans) I don't want governors who call big corporate cronies for favors for parasites screwing the working class. I'm sick of legislators who don't pay their taxes ( a felony) while they have no problems putting the boots to me and my wallet.Legislators who are thieves, pedophiles, drunks that urinate on cops, and the remainder of the unsavory on Beacon Hill.

I want decent, hard working, honest scrupulous to a fault, frugal, intelligent, open minded, common sense people who want to work for their fellow citizens, the state, and our country.

I've paid my dues many fold in my lifetime. I've asked for nothing in return other than being left alone and having my tax dollars spent wisely. The only thing I want from a legislator is hard work and honesty. I'm like Diogenes

I'm tired of getting screwed.

Your perceptions are somewhat accurate. Folks do see the legislature for what they are and the governor for what he may be. 

Wanna fix it? We need a two party state.

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by: MCRD @ Sat Apr 14, 2007 at 13:26:29 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

To some extent, (0.00 / 0)

I agree with you, MCRD.  But not completely.  A topic for another day.

But I do want to ask you this: to what do you ascribe the total meltdown of the Republican party in this state?  It's not as though the GOP never had a solid foothold both in the legislature and in the executive branch; our current state of affairs is a relatively recent phenomenon.  Nor is it as though the GOP hasn't occasionally tried to rejuvenate itself, only to fail spectacularly in the process (Romney's 2004 effort in the legislative races comes to mind).  You can't just wish for a "two party state" without providing a second party that people are interested in supporting.

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by: David @ Sun Apr 15, 2007 at 10:31:46 AM CDT

[ Parent ]