In an Op Ed piece entitled 'Romney's rush to reform healthcare,' Joan Vennochi and the Boston Globe prove once again that Democratic Party politics are always front and center in any position the Globe takes on any issue. Party considerations will be first — even with those issues that the Globe has considered to be the centerpiece of its drive for social engineering in Massachusetts.

Healthcare reform has been a major issue in Massachusetts since the Dukakis era, when the then Governor of Massachusetts tried to make universal health care the centerpiece of his national ambitions. No one at the Globe denigrated Dukakis for his ambitions yet listen to Ms. Vennochi's take on Romney's efforts.

'A one—term governor with a thin political resume, Romney needs a major accomplishment.'

I guess what Joan is saying is that healthcare reform is a laudable goal but not if a Republican governor is involved in the proposal.

The true purpose of the Globe's desire to see slower progress on health care reform is presented later in the article. Although ostensibly about Governor Romney, it contains primarily quotes from Attorney General Thomas Reilly. Reilly is the Globe's anointed choice to be the next governor of Massachusetts.

Even though health care reform and fully insuring the the citizens of the commonwealth has been an often stated goal for the past thirty years, Reilly and Vennochi wonder why there is such a rush to re—write legislation by January 15th. With Senator Kennedy, Senate President Robert Travaglini and House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, all influential Democratic leaders supporting this type of legislation why not strike while the iron is hot and get a bill passed?

The answer is that Vennochi, the Globe and Reilly are all concerned that Romney will throw his hat back in the ring for Governor. Ms. Vennochi hides this concern under the thin veneer of concern over Reilly's one announced competitor in the Democratic Party, Deval Patrick. Vennochi reasons this way

'Reilly may have his own political reasons for slowing down the healthcare reform train. His opponent Deval Patrick, has embraced the most ambitious healthcare package'.

It is interesting that in an article in which Ms. Venocchi criticizes Romney for his interest in promoting healthcare for political reasons yet she has no criticism for Reilly for trying to prevent it for the same reason.

This is a pimp piece for Reilly because there is not a chance that Deval Patrick is a serious candidate for the Democratic nomination as governor. Mr. Patrick may be a wonderful man with good ideas and a reasonable resume however he is woefully under financed and a relative unknown to voters across the state.

The real threat to Reilly and to the Globe's agenda is the incumbent governor. Vennochi and the Globe know this, hence at every opportunity they will take shots at Romney for any percieved slight to the state. The article mentions two recent events related to Romney, his attack on the Massachusetts Supreme court for it's 4 to 3 vote to legalize gay marriage and the fact that he smiled when the speaker at the Federalist Society introduced him as someone who fought against the modern day KKK, the Kerry Kennedy Klan.

Certainly the venue was one in which it was apprpriate to criticize the Massachusetts Supreme court and secondly although the KKK comment might have been of questionable taste, was Vennochi or any other liberal up in arms when Whoopi Goldberg and the Hollywood crowd had much more offensive things to say about President Bush? Seems to me that the indignance rings a little hollow.

Romney will make up his mind very soon about a run for re—election in Massachusetts. You may have seen the recent Zogby poll showing any Republican running a very distant second to Reilly in a race for governor. Don't believe it for a second. Romney is a very effective leader, a charismatic personality and he will be extremely well financed.

More importantly is the fact that the although overwhelmingly a blue state, the people of the Massachusetts are reluctant to let the Democrats return to full control of all the branches of the government. The Globe knows this and like the true party organ that it is, it will make every effort to denigrate Romney whenever possible. The people at the Globe would make the old Pravda proud.