Aide: Governor Patrick focusing on long-term, not poll results

This governor is doing the best he can to address the problems of the state. I'm tried of the gamesmenship on the part of the media to attempt to make him look bad. I never seen this kind B.S. when they others were in office. The "Do Nothing" governors. If we want services as citizens of this state; there is going to be a cost. If I ask anyone do provide a service to me. There is a cost.

I don't agree with everything he has done or may do in the future but; I think he is doing better then what he get credit for doing.

It's comforting to know that at some point, when it's not too early, he will be focused on politics and not the job he was elected to do.

"Sullivan said Patrick has tackled tough issues, including curbing police details, raising the gas tax, and reforming government pensions. Addressing those issues will bring long-term benefits to the Commonwealth, he said, but they also "bring with them political consequences."

He's made mention of doing things in these areas, but nothing ever came to fruition and nothing ever will. I have yet to see one civilian flagger on a construction detail to date. The gas tax should not be raised, ever. Tolls are put on roads so that the people who use them, pay for them, and that's the way it should stay. Pensions reform? Yeah right. It is time he faces facts. He is out of touch with the people outside of Boston and if he hopes to get re-elected, he'd better start coming up with some better ideas.

Wow, that high? I don't believe that many people, even in this screwed up state think he is doing a good job. Go back and ask again, your numbers are WAY off. Remind the people being asked about the no show, high pay, do nothing jobs King Deval is handing out to his neighours and friends.

The State legislature runs state affairs- they've been sending governors of both parties to go sit in the corner since late in the Dukakis administration, if not earlier. It should be no surprise that Patrick is just another victim. Voters always focus their anger at the top job, yet keep voting for their rep and senate incumbents. If you're upset with the progression of things, make an angry call to your rep- until then, you get the government you deserve.

Gov Patrick does not need the media's help to make him look bad. He is quite skilled at doing that himself.

Delux Deval Partick is the worst excuse for a Governer ever and makes me long for the days of Jane Swift. Patrick is a pol-pig and an embarassment to the citizens of this State.

Deval is in way over his head similar to Obama. Promises being broken (where's my property tax cut). Taxes and fees being increased. No sense of urgency or responsibility (patronage hires, casinos, taxes on cookies, real reform and MTA and Massport, entitlements up the wazoo etc..).
Here is a budget plan - no more hiring or promotions. Salaries frozen for individuals making $40,000 or less. Salaries above this level take a 5% reduction. Health care co pays increased by 7%. No one collects a pension before they're 65 years old. No double dipping on pensions across state agencies (you get one pension payment only)! No essential workers are just that - get rid of them. Enforce our illegal immigration laws (that'll save millions). Bonuses to individuals that actually increase efficiency over some factual and measurable benchmark. Government should be looking at returns on revenue. Returns measured are not just dollars. Cut our highest in the nation unemployment benefits (no other state is close to what we pay and it is a magnet for fraud). End nepotism in government. Strengthen ethics rules and have outsiders run this. Make government accountable.

Enough. This guy is an Idiot. He has hired over 2000 state hacks since elelcted to his office. increased spending billions of dollars. Now we do not have enough to pay the bills and he needs to increase taxes and tolls. He rehires and appoints loser pols to vacant and otherwise uncessery positions. Any one who to sticks up for him should pay triple state income taxes. Change is comming see ya free fall duval. COME ON NOV 09.

Focusing on long-term issues from Jamaica? Plus he wasted so much time palling around with Obama that now he must focus on the issues in order make it look like he is doing his job in the hopes of snagging another four years doing nothing.

Bottom line, he has been a miserable failure since taking office. The state has been on the decline in almost every significant area entrusted to the governor's office. He creates nightmare scenarios and offers no solutions other than taxes and tolls. The next election cannot get here soon enough because it is overwhelmingly evident that he is the wrong man for the job and completely unqualified.

This state will be bankrupt soon like California....Just check the value of homes and the conditions of schools and it's not to hard to see that soon why would anyone want to live here.
Deval Patrick is doing his part to insure that corrupt Massachusetts politicians and officials maintain there agenda to socialize this once great nation.

Agreed Kevin. Look everyone would like to snap their finger and have these problems over with and go back to the economy of '98 '99 when everyone was employed doing well. It just doesn't happen that fast. It's no more Patrick's fault than it is Obama's fault. 8-16 years of mismanagement has brought this downfall on us. We should be happy that we have 2 smart guys who are doing everything they can to right the ship. I know the GOP folks want to piss and moan about it but much of it is thier fault. Also, do you really think we'd be better off with Kerry Healy as gov. and McCain as pres? No Way!!!!

This guy is a complete ZERO! I hope he loses his reelection bid and heads to washington to work with that other ZERO!

I have lived in Mass all my life. This guy is the worst governor we have ever had, and that is saying something.

Doing good? I do not think so. All he can think of is tax and spend. He has been a disgrace to Massachusetts. He has helped to bring back the term Taxachusetts! We should have the right to recall him. He should resign.

He's doing his best to tax us to death and toll us to death and open up my wallet and take my last buck, so that his friends can have wonderful six figure incomes and pensions the size of his head.

I voted for him, but he has to go. I woke up and lo' and behold, I remembered why I don't vote for these Mass Democrats- I'm not poor, I don't work for the state, and I don't belong to a union. This guy sucks as an administrator. I'm sure he's a great politician, but we need someone who knows right from wrong at this moment in time.

Governor Patrick is the best governor we've had in a long time. Be patient folks and let him do his job.

You forgot - hiring friends for vacant jobs for big $
FAIL

Kevin, the gov hasn't accomplished anything yet. All he has done so far is to go back on every promise he made in the campaign. He's a LOSER

"Governor Patrick focusing on long-term"

Yeah, like updating is resume so he'll be ready when we, the voters of Massachusetts, throw him out of office in 2 years!

Was he elected to buy custom drapes for his office? What about leasing a Cadillac? Did we elect him to do that, too? Did we elect him to hire staff with outrageous salaries for positions that aren't really essential? Oh, and did we elect him so he could have a fleet of State Police cars escort him everywhere he wants to go? I am a supporter of the Democratic Party, but I have to say I had more respect for Romney who never even took a salary as Governor. And Patrick is a fan of bringing casinos to this state, so we can attract the folks who spend their mortgage money on slot machines. Nice....

Kevin,
Seriously? Are you kidding me? HE is horrible, and any man not worth his word will get zero respect in this town. For some reason people think Attorneys make good political leaders, a shame really, as we have many great leaders who could do wonders for this State, but people vote based on assanine reasons rather than on what matters. Maybe we should hire an accountant, perhaps they will at least pay attention to the budget, after all budgest were invented for a reason, but some where along the line Governors decided to ignore them.

Has anybody commenting here taken a single economics course? Slashing public expenditure is exactly what you DON'T want to do during a severe economic crisis. Doing so simply sucks yet more demand out of the economy and makes things worse.

My guess is Patrick won't win reelection (if he even runs, which is doubtful), but that's simply bad timing. VERY few incumbents are going to have an easy time of it given the state of the economy. But that has little do with job performance, and a lot to do with the hangover from eight years of disastrous Bushian economic policy.

I vote for Jeff Smith for Govenor!!!

I didn't vote for him because he was all fluff - just like Obama! I don't feel either is qualified but everyone wanted change, which I agree but what positive changes has either made? NONE!

Pothole Patrick, please fix the darn roads and stop hiring more HACKS... you are a loser!

while he is terrible, the real problem are the good old boy democrats who control the state house and bureaucracy, all the way down to the state and local police and firefighters, time to flush them all down the toilet and give control of Massachusetts to people who have MERIT, not just a last name that is Sullivan, O'Reilly, etc....just because you are Irish and Italian doesn't make you the owner of this city, the population is diversifying and its time the city reflects that change