Our Commonwealth and certainly our nation are affected by a scarcity of frequent sense.
200 and fifty years in the past this month, Thomas Paine launched his 47-page pamphlet “Frequent Sense.” It was a sensation throughout the 13 colonies. In proportion to the inhabitants on the time it’s the most generally circulated publication in American historical past.
His pamphlet was a clarion name for frequent function and bridging the hole between social courses — a rallying cry for motion. Whereas its message centered on independence from the British, there’s a highly effective parallel to the challenges in right this moment’s society. Within the more and more bitter and divisive political setting we live by way of, there’s a severe want for this knowledge. Paine’s message of frequent sense is as vital right this moment because it was in 1776.
Our Commonwealth is dealing with severe challenges which can be placing our future and the way forward for our kids in danger. A latest Boston Globe ballot confirmed that one in three residents is contemplating leaving Massachusetts due to the rising price of dwelling. Persons are struggling to supply for his or her households as grocery costs are sky excessive, medical, and utility prices proceed to soar and there’s a determined scarcity of inexpensive housing.
Massachusetts, which was as soon as an engine of job progress and alternative, ranks forty seventh out of fifty states in creating jobs during the last 5 years. That is regardless of the efforts of Governor Healey, who’s working with the Legislature to seek out options. Younger persons are notably onerous hit, with 26 – 34 year-olds being the most important cohort leaving the Commonwealth.
Voters are demanding that authorities act, however all they see is politics as traditional. There’s a rising disconnect between the frequent sense options persons are searching for in Massachusetts and what they understand they’re getting from state authorities.
All of this fuels voter frustration, particularly after they see points with overwhelming public help not being addressed by the Legislature. A referendum to audit the Legislature handed in 2024 with over 70% approval and the Legislature has not actively engaged with the State Auditor to implement the individuals’s will. Polling additionally reveals an awesome variety of voters need mobile phone utilization to be banned in colleges. But, it seems that one other faculty yr will go by with out the Legislature performing to guard our kids.
The failure to behave has led to authorities by particular curiosity teams who’re funding a document variety of referenda to serve their pursuits — not essentially the long-term well being of the Commonwealth. Our political system is more and more pushed by extremes from each political events rewarding candidates and organizations who enchantment to the far left and much proper in low-turnout primaries.
The referendum poll query of hire management is a crucial instance of the crucial for a brand new strategy. We have now activists pushing a hire management poll query that whereas well-intended, may very well restrict new inexpensive improvement, and we now have actual property builders lining up on the opposite facet to boost tens of millions to defeat it. As a substitute of retreating to our respective corners, we want a method to carry builders along with activists to speak, hear, and discover frequent floor.
We have now the academics union versus the enterprise group on training points, the nurses versus the hospitals on well being care, and the Legislature versus the Auditor on bringing extra transparency to state authorities. There’s a document variety of poll questions that can be put earlier than the voters in 2026. This isn’t the fitting method to govern, and it’s in the end a disservice to the voters who want actual options now.
That’s why I’m proposing a brand new method ahead — a corporation that brings enterprise leaders, activists, and group teams collectively throughout the Commonwealth to hear, have interaction and construct consensus on frequent sense options to the challenges dealing with our residents and our companies. We want to empower our residents to make sure their voice is being heard and to indicate them we perceive the sense of urgency wanted to deal with problems with inexpensive housing, rising vitality prices, and the general price of dwelling.
That is an instance of the frequent sense that Thomas Paine wrote about in 1776. We have to carry this considering to the broad vary of points that have an effect on voters’ lives so we are able to construct a extra affluent future for all our residents.
Alan M. Leventhal is the chairman of Beacon Capital Properties and served as US ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark from July 2022 to January 2025.
