A recent cover story in U.S. News & World Report ranked Massachusetts as the nation’s top state overall, which comes as little surprise to those of us who have spent most of our lives working and living in the Commonwealth.
While we acknowledge that numerous aspects of life here require improvement and various problems demand attention, Massachusetts has outperformed other states largely due to exceptional governmental stability maintained across nearly two generations.
Notably, throughout this period the legislature has remained predominantly Democratic, yet the governorship has been controlled by Republicans for 20 of the past 28 years. One might expect such ideological differences on Beacon Hill to produce legislative paralysis.
Instead, the opposite has occurred on issues both significant and modest, from education reform during the early 1990s through the landmark health reform act enacted 10 years ago that later influenced the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) nationally.
Furthermore, Massachusetts has led the way regarding social progressiveness and individual liberty, including marriage equality through a decision authored by a Republican-appointee to the Supreme Judicial Court, and marijuana decriminalization approved through popular vote.
What explains this achievement? The answer lies largely in a shared vision among our residents about our state’s future, combined with elected officials who embody that consensus and work to fulfill the public’s wishes.
The current leadership trio on Beacon Hill—Governor Charlie Baker, House Speaker Bob DeLeo, and Senate President Stanley Rosenberg—represents the collaborative spirit that has defined our state for nearly 30 years. These leaders recognize that rigid ideology contradicts what the Founding Fathers envisioned when designing our system of checks and balances. They demonstrate that politics, as Henry Clay observed, is the art of compromise.
We recognize Gov. Baker, House Speaker DeLeo, and Senate President Rosenberg for advancing our state to such heights.
We also commend ourselves, the people of Massachusetts, for creating a destination that attracts people globally. Our grandmother, Zita Quigley, often reminded us: “Even a dog likes a pat on the head every once in a while.”