Keynote Speaker Gov. Deval Patrick (D) MA; Pa DSC in Valley Forge

I had the distinct honor and opportunity to meet with and have a one-on-one conversation with Gov. Deval Patrick (D), of Massachusetts. He was the keynote speaker at the dinner Friday evening at the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee meetings in Valley Forge this weekend. He is in his 2nd term in office and succeeded Mitt Romney as Governor of Massachusetts. His comments at the dinner received numerous standing ovations, as his primary topics were his successes as Governor of Massachusetts, and the re-election of President Barack Obama.

During his comments, he noted and contrasted his accomplishments as Governor, as compared to his predecessor Mitt Romney and the previous 16 years of Republican stewardship in Massachusetts State Government. 

When he took office 5 years ago, when Romney left office, Massachusetts was 47th in the nation in job creation, and now during his tenure, they are at the top of the list. Bridges were crumbling, their economy was in a tailspin, student education and achievements were at an all time low, the state pension funds were in disarray and their bond ratings were in shambles.

During his administration, they have eliminated the structural deficits that were created during the Romney administration, and dramatically increased the Commonwealth's Bond Ratings. They were able to establish reforms in their State Pension Plan as well.

He emphasized that we all needed to keep faith in the American Dream, so that our children and grandchildren could have it better than we did.

When it came to the re-election of President Barack Obama, he emphasized that his accomplishments while serving during these last 3 1/2 years have been overshadowed by the strategies of the Majority in Congress to create Division and Opposition to moving this country forward. He stated many of President Obama's accomplishments and policies that have not been acknowledged by many have been lost in political rhetoric.

This includes, access to healthcare to all Americans that has been elusive for over 90 years, the elimination of Osama Bin Laden and the withdrawal of all troops from Afghanistan, the elimination of "Don't ask, Don't tell", so that "love of country, not love of an individual determines who can protect our nation", created equal pay for working women, saved the auto industry from extinction, raised the stature overseas of the USA, and eliminated policies from the previous administration, that put his Country on the brink of financial collapse.

I look forward to seeing and hearing him again in September at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC where I will be a delegate from the 6th Congressional District in Pennsylvania.