Deval Patrick, our shiny governor-elect, has picked an outsider as his chief of staff. Joan Wallace-Benjamin’s got a Ph.D. in public policy but she’s also has a big heart and lots of administrative experience: She was CEO of The Home for Little Wanderers (Best-named. Nonprofit. Ever.) and used to head up the Massachusetts Urban League. So far, Patrick is making good on his message of hope.

On the other hand, Patrick’s team posted a disappointing site to help with the transition into office. It’s got some good information, and many pages have a link you can click to submit your own ideas. But the ideas go straight to the Patrick team. There’s no place for citizens to post in public and talk with one another. Judging from this site, the Patrick campaign—administration—still thinks it’s the hub of the universe. Let us talk together in public and we’ll come up with ideas isolated individuals won’t…and we’ll be directly engaged in our own governance. Now that‘s a hope for democracy.

[Tags: deval_patrick politics epolitics massachusetts ]

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