Fantastic essay on the importance of how everyone matters and everyone has a voice, as long as they use it. The old line “it’s good for the town, usually the “convincer”, the “forget about it, it’ll be fine” line. History shows that this throwaway line is often not right.

The truth is without truly critical thinking, with an educated public process encouraging real community involvement - the it’ll be good for the town is an empty thought. Learning about issues that impact all of us before they are decided - without a public (education) process of explaining what is really being proposed - not when it is seemingly signed, sealed and delivered for approval - is the real way to go.

Smart and honest government is contingent on educating those that it is designed to protect and serve. That is the government that I want - “by and for the people”.

Thank you Maggie for your ongoing thoughts on these issues and thank you for all the Penelope Barkers and unsung women who have heroically and courageously and consistently demonstrated the need for that want of knowledge and true participation in those processes that have made a real difference in all levels of our country.