"Voters elected Patrick in the belief he would be a change agent full of energy and an ability to quickly coalesce his fellow Democrats in the House and Senate behind his major initiatives. Yet, many of these - a major investment in biotech research, casino gambling, a new means of financing bridge and road improvements - continue to languish.

Legislators, at Patrick's urging, did act to deny Massachusetts voters a say on whether same-sex marriage should remain legal here. And just last week they voted to have Massachusetts join the stampede of states moving to an earlier primary date, if you call that progress."