Ira Magaziner, the businessman-consultant, is leaving the White House
after serving in a number of capacities.
In Rhode Island he may best be remembered for being the architect and
leading proponent of the ill-fated Greenhouse compact, an economic
development program that contained many interesting concepts but failed
to win the support of the Rhode Island electorate.
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In Washington,
Magaziner may best be remembered as the chief architect of the national
health care reform efforts that also failed to win wider support.
In both cases what failed was process, not necessarily substance. In
neither outing, did Magaziner nor his allies draw from a broad enough
base initially to win the overall support of those who would eventually
decide the fate of months of research and work.
Magaziner is a talented and knowledgeable individual, whose ideas are
innovative, always well researched, sometimes complex and sometimes
controversial. His failings have been in developing a broad enough base
of support.
We don’t know what Magaziner is planning as he leaves federal service.
His talent, however, could be put to use here, working with Kip
Bergrstrom and the Economic Policy Council to help develop the state’s
strategy as it copes with the economic slowdown ahead, and redefines our
economy from manufacturing based to service oriented.
At the very least, Magaziner would make a fine addition to the council
as it goes about its most difficult task, developing a strategy that
keeps Rhode Island’s economy moving forward, even during an economic
slowdown.
