Letters to the Editor

Politics of conviction

Over the past six years, in living rooms and convention halls, I have spoken with you about the importance of bringing conviction to our work. Leading and governing from our values has enabled us to navigate through the worst economy in living memory, and to emerge strong.

Making choices based on our values will assure that we bear our generational responsibility to leave this Commonwealth, and this country, better than we found it.

I have been traveling around the country, most recently to New Hampshire last month, to speak with people about this kind of politics. I do it for the benefit of the president and of the cause. I believe it is more important than ever in America that we resolve to campaign and to govern from a set of values-based convictions.

Right now, many of our friends and neighbors are deeply anxious about the future and asking themselves whether the American Dream itself is up for grabs. And people are looking to their leaders for a reason to look up rather than down.

There is a way forward.  We are demonstrating that way here in Massachusetts through the strength of our schools, the rate at which we are creating jobs and the number of people who have access to health care, and so much more. There are hopeful examples from other states of what good things come when people invest in themselves and their future. It’s all about helping people help themselves. And government has a role to play in that.

I am working on a book about that — about the politics of conviction. I want to highlight some of the shining examples of it across this Commonwealth and the country that are strengthening our communities and inspiring the next generation of citizens.

If we believe that there is a different way to do things, if we want to see conviction matter more than convenience in our politics, we need to start making the case for it. We need to show people there’s a better way and that it works.

We have been leading here in the Commonwealth with these values as our compass, but I want to hear your examples. What do the politics of conviction mean to you?  What have you seen in Massachusetts or across the country that reflects those values?  Where do see the best American values at work?

I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Deval Patrick