On January 27th, I spent the evening in front of the television closely listening to every word that came out of our President’s mouth, analyzing each statistic, rhetorical question, exclamation and proposal. I also put my eyes to good use, observing everything in detail: outfits, facial expressions, applause, and silence. Obama spoke repeatedly of partisanship and its role as “the very essence of our democracy.” This Democrat-Republican division was blatantly obvious as the audience in the House, split down the middle, took turns rising in approval. I was instantly reminded of racial segregation and began wondering, how our representatives can work together if they would not even sit together?
The devastating fracture between Democrats and Republicans has never been more glaring than it was in the recent special Congressional election in my new state of residence, known to bleed blue (no, not the UK Wildcats, unfortunately). The experienced attorney general, Martha Coakley was pitted against the lesser known family man and state senator, Scott Brown, to replace the late Ted Kennedy in the US Senate. Nobody expected the race to even be close. However, Scott “Tortoise” Brown never seemed to quit in the seemingly hopeless race against Martha “Hare” Coakley. As Election Day drew near, Mount Holyoke was filled with more and more shouts for Coakley. Not only were Democrats determined to fill the liberal lion’s seat with another Democrat, but they were also attempting to maintain a supermajority in order to pass the controversial health care bill, among other important bills. If the Republicans won, Brown would be the first Massachusetts Republican in the United States Senate since 1972. It would also be a symbolic victory for the Grand Old Party as they tried to hold their own in a newly liberal-dominated government.
On January 19, 2010, the tortoise outran the hare, 52% to 47%.
In a state that normally goes democrat in national elections, the same independents that elected Obama casted their votes for Brown. There are still many people who claim that Brown is simply another one-track-minded Republican going after Obama. He does disagree with Obama on several levels, including both health care reform logistics and the new budget. Nonetheless, disagreement does not require disrespect and discord. Bipartisanship is all about the ability to work side by side; it requires parties to compromise. Some politicians hope to unite our country in unanimous, unquestioned agreement. That is silly. We need our representatives to all be on the same page. I believe that all Americans want the same things: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, as with the Constitution, each citizen interprets these rights and regulations differently. Still, we have the same ambitions in mind and it is vital that we put our pride and competitiveness aside to advance towards those ideals.
After his near landslide victory, the Senator (sworn in on February 4th) took the time for a tour of Massachusetts in his pickup to express gratitude to his constituents. In an interview with a local radio station he spoke of the need to have dialogue with both parties. “All I know is that I am now the senator for everybody,” Brown said. “I’m looking forward to having an open door, an open dialogue to policy to try to solve problems as they come along.” This is not a difficulty concerning a singular party; the entirety of the nation must work to keep an open, rational mind. Hopefully, Scott Brown will stick to his claims and make the first step towards a more incorporated United States of America.
Related posts:
- College Democrats, Republicans gear up for nearing state elections
- Democrats Hide, Republicans Seek in Wisconsin
- Conservative Women’s Conference draws College Republicans to Harvard
- Dems candidate gets nominated in primary
- Patrick visits College Democrats convention at Smith
