Trying again: Pat Patrick's son sworn in as Governor of
Trying again: Pat Patrick's son sworn in as Governor of
The rich-text version with embedded photo didn't work out at all, so here's a plain text version.
This article doesn't mention Deval's father, musician Pat Patrick=20 of the Sun Ra Arkestra, at all.
www.nytimes.com/2007/01/05/us/05boston.html
"THE NEW YORK TIMES"
Massachusetts Swears in a Black Democrat as Governor
By Pam Belluck
Published: January 5, 2007
BOSTON, Jan. 4 - In a ceremony rich with gestures of openness and symbols of conquering adversity, Deval L. Patrick, the first black governor of Massachusetts, took his oath of office on Thursday. He promised far-reaching changes in attitude and policy and asked people to "see our stake in each others' dreams and struggles as well as our own, and act on that."
In the state's first outdoor inauguration, part of four days of events intended to include people across the state, Mr. Patrick, the first Democratic governor here in 16 years, said, "For a very long time now we have been told that government is bad, that it exists only to serve the powerful and well-connected, that its job is not important enough to be done by anyone competent, let alone committed, and that all of us are on our own."
"Today we join together in common cause," he said, "to lay that fallacy to rest."
Mr. Patrick takes over from Mitt Romney, a Republican, who is planning to run for the presidency, and already Mr. Patrick has revealed many positions that oppose Mr. Romney's. The former governor did not attend the inauguration.
Mr. Patrick has said that he will restore $383.6 million in budget cuts made by Mr. Romney to social services and other programs, that he will reverse the former governor's agreement authorizing the state police to arrest illegal immigrants, and that a Romney-endorsed effort to remove some Massachusetts Turnpike tolls is unrealistic.
Mr. Patrick also said he might revoke some of the 200 11th-hour appointments Mr. Romney made to boards and commissions.
And, while Mr. Romney strongly backed a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, Mr. Patrick spoke out strongly against it this week, even as the legislature gave it first-round approval.
While the legislature is heavily Democratic in this heavily Roman Catholic state, many Democrats are more conservative than Mr. Patrick on issues like same-sex marriage. He also faces a budget deficit of about $1 billion. And it will not be easy to put into effect the state 's new health insurance reform.
"I've never seen a governor who has such high expectations on him as Deval Patrick," said Jeffrey Berry, a political scientist at Tufts University. "Democrats regard him as something of a demigod. They expect him to be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound and pay for social services."
Paul Watanabe, a political scientist at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, said: "I think he's going to find that governing is a lot more challenging than being a candidate. And that the demands placed upon him by large numbers of individuals - a record number of people that voted for him - are going to be difficult to meet."
Mr. Patrick also faces criticism over his inauguration celebrations. While much was inclusive - the open-air ceremony, a town-meeting-like "youth inaugural" for students, and upcoming ceremonies in five other cities - there was also a gala whose cost was paid for largely by corporate donors, who were allowed to give up to $50,000 each.
At the inauguration itself, however, on one of the balmiest January days in memory, the tone was full of possibility, pride and humility. In a state where the legacy of busing and segregation still stings, Mr. Patrick, reared in poverty on the South Side of Chicago, took the oath on a Bible given to John Quincy Adams by Africans from the Amistad slave ship whom Adams had helped free.
Four previous Massachusetts governors were present, as was L. Douglas Wilder, the former governor of Virginia and the only other black since Reconstruction to have been a governor.
The populist timbre, and the high expectations of Mr. Patrick, were sounded early, with a benediction by Rabbi Jonah Pesner describing the multicultural electorate and the problems of poverty, violence and discrimination.
"Behind every face hides so many secrets - painful secrets of suffering," Rabbi Pesner said, urging the governor and the people to create "a commonwealth rebuilt, repaired and redeemed."
Among the crowd was Derward Jacobs, 60, who is disabled and who drove his scooter to the State House because "I felt like I should be here."
George Greenidge Jr., 35, leader of an alliance of black colleges, said, "Today is a beacon of hope."
Mr. Greenidge added that Mr. Patrick had "re-engaged a constituency that really never was involved in state politics, especially people from lower economic backgrounds."
Beth Gilbert, 52, of Norfolk, Mass., acknowledged the steep demands that confront Mr. Patrick, saying, "When you elect a Republican governor, part of their bargain is they don't really believe that government can solve the people's problems. That's probably what's led to higher expectations here."
Mr. Patrick signaled he was aware of the difficulties.
"I am an optimist, but not a foolish one," he said. "I see clearly the challenges before us."
He added: "Change is not always comfortable or convenient or welcome. But it is what we hoped for, what we have worked for, what you voted for, and what you shall have."
Face it or not, poverty
Face it or not, poverty remains unchanged. A report published Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that increasingly Americans are giving up their fight to remain profitable in an economic climate that refuses to recover. The amount of Americans living below the poverty line has increased to its highest amount since the bureau started keeping such records in 1959.
Face it or not, poverty
Face it or not, poverty remains unchanged. A report published Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that increasingly Americans are giving up their fight to remain profitable in an economic climate that refuses to recover. The amount of Americans living below the poverty line has increased to its highest amount since the bureau started keeping such records in 1959.