TO THE RESIDENTS OF NORFOLK: I love this town. I am relatively new to this town. I want to be proud that I live here and I want to be active and contribute whatever I can by way of my energy and commitment to the betterment of this town and the well-being of my neighbors. Everything is local... and it starts small. And it starts with each one of us. ... so, I am jumping in. Please, join me. As some of you may know or may not know, the Governor, OUR Governor, is coming to see us, his constituents, here in Norfolk, this Sat. May 15th, at the Norfolk Public Library at 12:00 NOON until 2:00 PM. The Democratic Town Committee invited the Governor last fall and we finally worked out the scheduling for him to come and discuss issues related to Norfolk, MA and surrounding towns. With so much of Massachusetts' city and town funding resources having been cut already, it is crucial to keep the conversation open with the Governor's office and other government officials and representatives. Leaders all around the country have inherited tremendous debt brought on by and from previous administrations and "unwise" corporate business decisions, including banking, investment/mortgage deals, etc. This has resulted in terrible misfortunes for citizens and huge handicaps for our leaders in bringing about any kind of significant change and betterment. We are all paying the price. So please come, bring your positive energy to support and encourage constructive discourse with Governor Patrick this Sat. There was some question about this visit being a campaign event sponsored by the Norfolk Democratic Town Committee. Well, the sitting Governor, Deval Patrick, was asked to come and talk to residents of Norfolk back in October,. Due to health issues and dealing with an onslaught of issues and scheduling problems, his visit now does coincide with the "campaign season", but we are just glad that he can make it!!! He will be speaking about what the State has to offer to us and we are surely going to inquire about how to make up for the $75,000 prison mitigation funds cut out by the Department of Correction due to lack of funding on their end. The bad economic situation is affecting every state and town across the country. You may not agree with all of the Governor's methods but the economic disaster in our nation is a huge dilemma and must be rectified. We live in a state where Blue Cross probably made more money than any other business. We WANT the Governor to hear more about what our needs are as a town. AND what better why than to host him and talk with him face to face. He is doing his job, what we pay him for, addressing a request that he come here and talk to the people of Norfolk about OUR concerns. Bear in mind, this is a great opportunity to have our concerns addressed. All that said, I was surprised today when someone forwarded me an email that was sent out around midnight Wed. evening from the Dan Winslow campaign to, from what I was told, Republican as well as some independent voters, calling for a demonstration and rally with signs for Charlie Baker, Richard Ross, Scott Brown and, of course, Dan Winslow before and during Governor Patrick's visit and town meeting this coming Sat. The Governor's visit should not be about, "Let's give Governor Patrick a big welcome to the heart of Scott Brown and Richard Ross territory!", to quote the aforementioned email. It would be far more productive if it was about showing OUR Governor respect and listening to what he has to say. He works for ALL of us, not just the Democrats. About the email, I would like to go on record as saying I want a dignified, even tempered, compassionate, intelligent and most importantly, bipartisan individual representing my family and my town. Turning Governor Patrick's visit to Norfolk into a political circus is wrong and even rude in my book. At least show up, be respectful of the office of the Governor and listen to him. Yes, Dan Winslow's email offends me. I had to actually tone down and edit this posting after I first sent it out... I do not want people playing politics, being exploitative and manipulative while representing me in the process of making collective decisions that will affect me and my family for years to come. I want and demand a CIVIL government! So please folks, show up! Get involved! Hear what the Governor has to say to us.... to all of us. Let's not PLAY politics. Let us be patriotic and show up and show respect. I ask you please as your neighbor, come to the Norfolk Public Library on Sat. May 15th at 12:00 Noon and let Governor Patrick know that you too care for and about your town and this beautiful state. We really can all work together. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this posting. Definition of politics: (FROM: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/politics) Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to behavior within civil governments. Definition of "play politics": a. to engage in political intrigue, take advantage of a political situation or issue, resort to partisan politics, etc.; exploit a political system or political relationships. b. to deal with people in an opportunistic, manipulative, or devious way, as for job advancement. QUOTE: (From Boston Globe 2/28/09) "The salary and bonus paid to Cleve L. Killingsworth, chairman and chief executive of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, increased 26 percent last year, to $3.5 million, even though the health insurer's membership declined and its net income fell 49 percent. Based on previous years' retirement benefits - which Blue Cross-Blue Shield did not report for 2008 - Killingsworth's total pay package was likely about $4.3 million, making him by far the highest paid healthcare executive in Massachusetts." PERSONAL NOTE: My health insurance premium was RAISED 39% on my 60th birthday. I had to cancel my health care plan after paying into it for all my adult life. And yes, I live in Massachusetts. What is wrong with this picture....? And, lastly: If decent, honest and hard-working people don't get involved in government, then government won't be decent, honest and hard-working.'' Dan Winslow, Massachusetts Lawyers Journal, March 2010 I hope everyone remembers that quote while the Governor is here visiting our town on Sat., May 15th! PRR Norfolknet.com your community, on-line