Notes of
Concern…
…Jackson Blair
SCOTT BROWN WENT TO WASHINGTON
U.S. Senator Scott Brown & Jackson Blair
Recently I attended the annual meeting of the MMA (Massachusetts Municipal Association) in Boston.
The entire program was very rewarding but I was especially pleased to learn
that Massachusetts United States Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown were
scheduled to speak.
When the time for the Senators arrived we learned that
Senator Kerry would not be coming and that Congressman Markey would “stand in”
for him. That was OK for me. I knew a good
bit about Kerry from his presidential campaign but I knew very little about
Scott Brown.
I must admit that I was surprised when Brown won the seat
previously held by Ted Kennedy in Democrat leaning Massachusetts. I wasn’t sure
how to read that election. It was obvious from the news coverage at that time
that Brown utilized, among other things, his old pickup truck and a barn
jacket. Everywhere he went, those two things went, too.
I am pretty jaded when it comes to politics.
Well, I not only heard Senator Brown but I met him and had a
brief conversation. He was warm and welcoming. He did not brush me off. His
handshake was firm and real. He was wearing the barn jacket, and it sure looked
like he loved the jacket and it did not look like a “prop.” In fact, he had on a nice business suit,
under the barn jacket. I have no idea if
he arrived at the conference in his pickup but after meeting him and hearing him
it would have seemed quite natural to me.
Congressman Markey is a longtime member of the Massachusetts
Congressional delegation. He has a great deal of experience in Washington,
DC. If I heard him correctly, he is
ninth in seniority in the U.S. House of Representatives. His presentation was
smooth. He was deft at handling tough questions. He articulated his answers
like the pro he is. I was sure impressed with him. But this column isn’t about
Congressman Markey.
Senator Brown, instead of insisting on taking charge of the
presentation, told the man planning to introduce Markey that he, Brown, wanted
to introduce Markey. And he paid great compliments to his Democrat colleague
from DC.
A U.S. Senator introducing a U.S. Congressman. Not exactly
the usual order of things in the hierarchy of government.
Brown’s comments seemed quite sincere. He did not have the
polish or the experience in speaking that Markey brought with him. But it
didn’t matter because Brown came across as a citizen politician. Those of you
who read my column know that I believe the Founding Fathers always intended
that average citizens would rise to national positions and then return to their
regular careers after contributing their time and talent to the government.
Scott Brown was a Selectman in his town. He served in the
State Senate. He is now a U.S. Senator, but that hasn’t changed him much yet.
So at the moment, he is very likeable.
Brown faces a tough election. The conservatives in
Massachusetts feel he didn’t turn out to be conservative enough for them. The
liberals in Massachusetts feel he was never liberal enough to hold a seat once
occupied by the liberal “Lion of the Senate,” Ted Kennedy.
At the same time, Brown talks a lot about representing all
the people of Massachusetts, both Republicans and Democrats. I have no reason
not to believe him. Everything he said at the conference would indicate his
positions and plans are not based on conservative or liberal ideology but
rather on what he thinks might be best for those of us living in Massachusetts.
I have to say that appeals to me. However, it sure isn’t a free-from-difficult
path to re-election.
This column is not an endorsement of Senator Scott Brown’s
re-election campaign. I know very little about the lady running against Brown
and, like a good citizen, I will learn a great deal more about both of them
between now and election day.
For now, meeting Scott Brown reminded me of that wonderful
old film with Jimmy Stewart titled: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Of course, in
that film an honest citizen gets sucked into corruption but eventually rights
himself. Hopefully, Senator Brown has seen the film and can avoid the pitfalls
that befell Stewart.
I do know that we are represented in Washington, in the U.S.
Senate, at this point-in-time by a down-to-earth man who earned his spurs
living amongst us in Massachusetts; a man who as yet has not been sucked into “the
Washington scene,” isn’t as polished as he might one day become, and just comes
across as a common man with an uncommon ability for public service.
It was refreshing.
