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Last week an important event happened that shook up the Senate and has the potential to reshape the U.S. political landscape – the special election of Republican Scott Brown to the long-held Democratic seat of Massachusetts. This improbable victory has been felt down to the state and local levels. Many Republicans are considering challenging Deomcrats in House races, as well as the people sending a broad message of discontentment and outrage to Washington.
Scott Brown’s election also threatens to stop or, at the very least, delay the Obama administration’s year-long effort to pass the healthcare reform bill by destroying the two-thirds majority Democratic vote in the Senate. The big question now is if the elites in Congress will listen to the message from one of their very own blue-states.
Samuel Adams, one of the leaders in the 1773 Boston Tea Party, wrote “It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brush fires in people’s minds.” Which is perhaps what is happening in the U.S. Senate.
At a time when voters are concerned and upset about the growing national debt, Senate Democrats are pushing for the pass of a $1.9 trillion increase in the debt limit, which would allow the U.S. to owe up to $14.3 trillion. In another big-government response to the nation’s financial problems, President Obama is working on a proposal to reduce trading activities and perhaps the size of big banks that have, in recent years, dominated the financial system. This comes at the same time for a plan to place a $120 billion tax on those exact same banks. Obama officials are demanding that banks increase their lending and agree to massive regulations that would allow the reign of government micro-management in financial institutions.
Many believe that there are reasons to be angry with bankers after they took taxpayer dollars as bailouts, and then turned around and paid huge bonuses. However, Democratic attempts to control every aspect of banking is not a solution, and some believe that the real reason for this new micro-management is to distract voters from the fact that most of Obama’s policies have failed to help the economy create new jobs.
This leads into what Senator-elect Scott Brown stands for and backed up by his voting record. Brown has said that he’s not in favor of new regulations of the financial market. “It’s all about the economy and jobs. Pulling back on the financial regulations, I think if you do too much too soon, it doesn’t have a chance to catch up. Let us see if we can work out of this ourselves through free enterprise, private enterprise, intervention and creativity. I’m in favor for just holding back for a little bit and letting private enterprise try to get us out of this mess.”
Brown also believes that another government stimulus is not a good idea. “We are leaving a legacy, amassing amazing amounts of debt, passing it on to our kids and grand-kids, and at some point we are just going to be top heavy.” He also states that “We should let free enterprise and the business market do what it needs to do to get our economy back and running. I’m concerned that government intervention into private business is just crossing the line.”
He also voted no on a $300 million in bonds to offset the budget deficit, “Budgets should be fiscally responsible and balance without gimmicks.”
“My record speaks for itself,” stated Brown, “If it helps people and creates jobs, I’m for it.”
When it comes to budgeting, the economy, and corporations, Brown supports an across the board tax cut, and has pledged not to raise taxes. Brown doesn’t want the Bush tax cut to expire in 2010. He has said that he supports a 15 percent across the board tax cut, including corporate and payroll taxes. He wants to permanently eliminate the estate/death tax, and opposes cap-and-trade legislation (which he believes is another un-needed tax on the people) to curb emissions, because he doesn’t believe climate change is entirely man-made and feels that “it would create higher costs for families and businesses”. However, he backs what he calls “reasonable and appropriate” development of wind, solar, nuclear, and geothermal energy.
In an television advertisement, Brown compares himself with the late President John F. Kennedy. “I agree with JFK - cutting taxes creates jobs.” Brown has appealed to the state’s 1.6 million registered Democrats with a message that their party has abandoned Kennedy’s ideals of “Different people, different party, different era, same message: Lowering taxes creates jobs. It was true with JFK, It was true with Ronald Reagan. It’s true now.”
He voted no on raising income tax to 5.95 percent to offset the deficit, he voted no on defeating corporate tax disclosures, and yes on extending corporate tax credit for five years.
When it comes to Healthcare, Brown vows to be the 41st vote against health-care legislation, effectively killing the effort. He says that Congress should start over, and believes that the current plan costs too much and will lead to higher taxes. He states, “You’re talking about a trillion dollar healthcare plan and a half-trillion in Medicare cuts.”
Brown says he is shocked that other Massachusetts representatives are pushing so hard for healthcare reform. “Massachusetts already has a government option, and we have almost 94 percent of our people insured. We have a fantastic health care system, teaching hospitals, insurance companies that provide great benefits for our state. Why would we want to – I feel—dumb down the medical services and medical insurance in Massachusetts to provide for that type of plan?”
Brown wants to ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms or state-funded care where necessary. He supports patients’ rights to sue their HMO’s, and supports patients’ rights to appeal to an administrative board of specialists when services are denied by their HMO. He also wants to increase state funding for training health workers to recognize and respond to the release of biological agents.
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