#5 I LIVE IN THE GREAT STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS

Tonight, our Republican Governor, Charlie Baker gave the annual State of the Commonwealth.   I need to emphasize our REPUBLICAN Governor, in Liberal, Democratic Massachusetts.  It seems shocking doesn't it? Well it shouldn't be.  The fact is the last five out of the six Massachusetts governors have been Republican starting with Bill Weld (before he had his second or third mid-life crisis and became a Libertarian) Paul Celluci, Jane Swift, Mitt Romney (yes, the original architect  and secret devotee of Obamacare), followed by Democrat Deval Patrick, and now Charlie Baker.

Well, Charlie was on fire tonight and it was a love fest from the get go, and it didn't stop until, well, when it stopped.  A love fest with the predominantly Democratic Legislature ( I think the Democrats hold somewhere between 105% - 110% of all the seats in the state) who were clapping and hollering, and hollering and clapping.  You would have thought Tom Brady himself was at the podium showing off his Fifth Super Bowl Ring and telling Roger Goodell to "Deflate this!"

Charlie went on to deliver the good news of the day.   Massachusetts has the lowest unemployment rate of all time - 3.7%, Our schools are number one in country for the sixth year in row.  We stole General Electric right out from under the nose of the state of Connecticut (my condolences to my old home state)  Bloomberg Business rated us the most innovative state in country for the second year.   The MBTA ran on time a couple of times last week  (thank you God!).  It when on and on, and each time Charlie would get met with a standing "O".....from the Democrats!

I just wanted to run out in to the street and hug someone.

But here was the magic of the night.  As he spoke, he actually thanked everyone for working together and he complimented Democrats by name, by name!   And the real beauty was in his closing. He closed by addressing the divisiveness in our country.   I cant say it any better him, so I will let him say it again.  Here is  an excerpt from his closing

“In closing, on behalf of Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, our Cabinet, our team and the people of Massachusetts, I want to thank you, the legislature, for your goodwill.  This may seem like a small thing.  But it’s not. Too much of what passes for political dialogue these days isn’t dialogue at all.  It’s talking points. Character assassination. And deliberate misrepresentation. Wedge issues may be great for making headlines, but they do not move this Commonwealth forward.  Success is measured by what we accomplish together.  Our obligation to the people we serve is too important to place politics and partisanship before progress and results.

The changes in Washington don’t change this powerful obligation.  Our jobs remain the same.  That is to represent Massachusetts to Washington and not Washington to Massachusetts.

God Bless This Commonwealth.  God Bless the United States of America.”

Mark my words, Charlie will be running in 2024 (against whoever the Democrats run in 2020.) You heard it hear first. 

And yes, I live in the great state of Massachusetts.