Although Governor Healey’s State of the Commonwealth began with sharp criticisms of President Trump, she failed to demonstrate that MA will be a true bulwark against his harmful policy agenda.
It’s deeply disappointing that Governor Healey offers nothing of substance in how to protect our immigrant communities in Massachusetts from ongoing ICE terrorism and Trump’s un-American, xenophobic agenda. Last year, she offered Marcelo Gomes da Silva a rosary; perhaps it should be no surprise that all she offers here is thoughts and prayers.
Activists have been fighting for years for bills like the Safe Communities Act and Dignity Not Deportations Act to end formal and informal collaboration with ICE. New legislation has been filed to protect court houses and to impose penalties on ICE agents from wearing masks. The Governor offered nothing. Let’s be clear: reining in ICE violence is a kitchen table, as there is no such thing as affordability when families are being broken apart and workers are being kidnapped on the way to work.
In a recent speech, Senator Elizabeth Warren underscored that the major fight within the Democratic Party is whether Democrats will be with billionaires or with the rest of us and whether Democrats will fight entrenched corporate interests and reduce inequality. To that question of “Which side are you?,” Governor Healey doesn’t provide a clear answer.
An archaic “all of the above” energy strategy locks in fossil fuel infrastructure for decades to come, lining CEO pockets and keeping energy bills high.
A “Health Care Affordability Working Group” filled with industry insiders is like asking the foxes how to keep the henhouse safe.
Successful policies she rightfully touts, like free community college, universal school meals, and greater investment in the MBTA, all resulted from voters answering Warren’s question: we said yes to taxing the rich and investing in all of us with the Fair Share Amendment.
As Massachusetts faces the threat of devastating budget cuts because of Trump’s Big Ugly Bill, Healey offers no insight into how or whether she intends to fight back. The Fair Share fight showed us how.
New initiatives like preventing medical debt from being reported to credit agencies (Even better would be abolishing the idea of medical debt with a single payer health care system) or adopting click-to-cancel policies are good, common-sense steps, but Healey failed to offer a bold vision for a Commonwealth that works for all.