Deval Patrick rises fast. But he is not a big achiever. He certainly is a flop as governor, and has been since the moment he entered the State House a year and two months ago.
I don't know what's the worst of his failures. But he has put himself way out for the most regressive method of raising Massachusetts revenues imaginable. What is that? It is using gambling casinos to collect taxes. Casinos (and lotteries) are simply the opium of the masses. Some people speak up in defense of gambling halls as a way of doing penance to the American Indians. This appeals to some liberals who whose hackles might otherwise be raised by the gaming racket. But the fact is that casinos do not make Indians rich; they make the big Las Vegas combines rich. And, in any case, they also deplete what savings the poorest part of the population.
Read in Thursday's Boston Globe a report about "Patrick's casino plan seen losing backers". The governor is up against the Speaker of the Massachusetts House, Salvatore DiMasi, a regular pol, one would think. But here he is on the progressive side and, it seems, leading the winning side, as well.