One of my greatest joys as a grandmere was accompanying Lydia to her first ballet recital. Of course, her points were superior and her twirls divine!

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 7:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The program was in full swing when I arrived at the Melton Center shortly after 8:30 A.M. Nearly 200 volunteers, young and older, had turned up for a day of service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King’s memory.

We listened to rousing comments by Reverend Anderson Porter, Minister of Race Relations from First Presbyterian, who reminded us that we are the “sugar in the coffee that needs to be stirred.” And I was moved to tears by Arthur Washington’s rendition of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Afterward, Mary Anne Feeley of United Way of Chester County read the list of service projects, such as sorting and organizing food for the Cares Food Network, painting and cleaning at the Care Center for Christ, child care at the St. Agnes Day room, or knitting warm caps for babies at the Unitarian Fellowship.

I chose knitting.

So for the next two hours, about twenty women, along with several boys and girls, sat together companionably creating tiny caps for newborns. Those who didn’t know how to knit were shown how by those who did.

Knitting is symbolic because it's about joining together strands to form a union of something new. And wasn't that what today was all about?

I think we just need to stick to our knitting on the topics and the subjects the American people care about. — Sam Brownback

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 8:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In West Chester, our first responder companies are 100% volunteer. Recently, I gave a personal $500 check to each in the 156th legislative district: First West Chester Fire Company, Goodwill Fire, Fame Fire, Goshen Fire, and Good Fellowship Ambulance.

Each company serves our wider community, not just the immediate area located closest to its building. These brave men and women are called at all hours of the day and night to come to our aid, many times offering back up to neighboring companies as well. Without these dedicated volunteers, our taxes would have to be greatly increased in order to hire full-time firefighters to protect our lives and property.

When any of these companies send you a request for a contribution, please dig deep and give as much as you can.

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 9:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At 7 a.m. on Saturday morning, I drove to Philadelphia to be one of 200 people invited to hear President-elect Barack Obama speak before he boarded the Amtrak train to Washington, DC. The day before, Congressman Joe Sestak’s office had called to say they had secured me an invitation.

When I arrived, the event doors were not yet open. With a wind chill factor hovering somewhere around 14 degrees, we early birds had to huddle together just inside the double doors to keep warm. Finally, we were admitted and ushered through security.

Once inside, I happily sat with some of my favorite people: Senator Harris Wofford and his son Dan, and the elegant Barbara Greenfield. Because Commissioner Kathi Cozzone was seated behind us, I offered to let her 6-year-old son, Victor, sit on my lap so he could see better.

When the President-elect and his family stepped onto the stage, someone shouted, “YES WE DID!” A huge smile broke across Barack Obama’s face. He stepped to the podium and spoke from his heart, his words lifting us to a place we thought we would never see again, a place where hope dwells.

Afterward, he moved into the crowd and began shaking hands. Eventually, he made his way over to our area, where he stopped to speak to the Woffords. I reached out and he took my hand. Oh, joy!

Suddenly I remembered Victor standing beside me. I quickly lifted him up as he called out, “Barack. Barack Obama.” Barack was working his way down the line and didn’t hear him. I told Victor to say it louder and call him President. So Victor shouted, “President-elect Barack Obama!” Our next President turned and stretched his hand way back as I strained to lift Victor forward so the two could join hands.

Hope has returned to America.

My dream is of a place and a time where America will once again be seen as the last best hope of earth. — Abraham Lincoln

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 8:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's hard to believe it's been two years since this picture was taken. As I ready myself for a second term and the swearing-in ceremony on January 6th, I'm working on introducing several pieces of legislation.

A clever reporter dubbed my most recent piece "the un-COLA bill."

Last week, I sent around a co-sponsorship memo asking my colleagues to join me in repealing the annual legislative Cost Of Living Adjustment, or COLA, also known as Act 51 of 1995. That act was supposed to keep the Legislature from voting itself a pay raise ever again, which we know was not the case.

The dilemma now, I'm told, is that if we vote to repeal Act 51, how will we ever get another increase in pay?

Doing what I believe is right won't always be popular, but I must act on those beliefs in order to stay true to myself.

"Christmas is the time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell government what they want and their kids pay for it."

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 8:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 8:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice Day to remind future generations of the tragedies of war. Fifty years ago, it was made a federal holiday; in 1954, Congress changed the name to Veteran's Day.

But I prefer the name "Remembrance Day" because on this day we pause to remember those brave women and men who faced the uncertainties of war and possible death, in order to protect our freedoms.

On Sunday in West Chester, many citizens came out to show their respect and gratitude as veterans from various wars gathered behind the color guard. After the East and Rustin high school bands played a stirring rendition of our national anthem, the parade commenced.

My granddaughter Lydia and I joined in. We preferred to march along with our vets, instead of taking an easy ride down to the Veteran’s Memorial at Borough Hall for the laying of the wreath. Afterward, when Taps was played, first by one trumpet, and then another that echoed in the distance, it gave me chills.

Please take a moment today to reflect on the courageous deeds of those brave men and women, and remember the sacrifices they made, all in the name of Freedom.

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We WON!!!!!

I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for helping us to succeed one more time! It's because of your support and dedication that we won by over 53% of the vote:

REPRESENTATIVE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 156TH DISTRICT
BARBARA McILVAINE SMITH (DEM). . . . 18,143; 53.23%
SHANNON ROYER (REP). . . . . . . . . . . . 15,909; 46.68%

I know how hard campaigning is, and so do you. Every other year, we spend way too much time, energy, and money — around $350 thousand dollars — to win a 2-year term. So let's change it.

It's time for reform: a constitutional convention to give state Representatives a 4-year term; set term limits; enlarge the house districts by 20% in order to reduce the number of legislators; make the Bipartisan Management Office in charge of hiring staff for the caucuses; and fire the staff that works one year for their caucus and then the next year as campaign managers. We, the people, deserve a smaller, more efficient government!

We also deserve a more efficient electoral system. Yesterday's events prove it. My polling place at Wayne Hall on the campus of West Chester University was a case in point.

We had 4 voting booths and one person with the official registration book checking in the voters. My family and I arrived at 7:15am and waited in line for an hour and 15 minutes. When I was close to the doorway, a poll worker came out and loudly announced that ALL people MUST show either their voter registration card or their driver’s license. I shouted back, “Only first-time voters must comply.” The woman stuck her finger in my face and said, “EVERYbody!”

I then turned around to face the crowd and shouted, “First-time voters ONLY must show their I.D. That’s the LAW!” I immediately called my campaign office and told them to send over a lawyer ASAP.

It took until almost 4 o’clock in the afternoon for the problems to be resolved. With over 3-hour waits in line in the rain, democracy staggered; but in the end it triumphed, thanks to the efforts of dedicated people like former committee woman Paula Schultz, Kathleen and Ed Bond, County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone, Committee woman Carolyn Comitta, West Chester Democratic Chair Nathaniel Smith, and Agnes from Voter Services who literally saved the day, according to all reports.

When people get engaged in the democratic process, they get the kind of representation they expect and deserve.

Yes, we do — and YES, WE DID!

Posted by Barbara McIlvaine Smith at 8:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)