The HPR is staffed by Harvard College students from across the political spectrum, and seeks to provide thoughtful analysis of important issues in campus, domestic, and world politics. In addition to being a quarterly periodical and web publication, the HPR is a platform for political thought, and so from time to time publishes work from political actors. This HPRgument features thoughts from two Harvard students currently working for opposing sides in Massachusetts’s US Senatorial race between Senator Scott Brown and former Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Warren. Neither student is writing in a capacity as an HPR staff member, and their opinions are their own.
———————————
America is advancing towards a cliff, and partisanship is accelerating our approach. The 2012 election will determine whether the United States will continue to grant the same 236 year old promise – the American Dream – to future generations. Americans have a choice, but I would argue that it is not a difficult one. We can continue down our current path of Congressional gridlock or we can stop the partisanship and accomplish what the American people want done. If we want America to continue to prosper, the latter is our only option.
Scott Brown believes in putting his citizens first and partisanship last. Senator Brown has been able to rise above the fray in Washington. He maintains the unique ability to work with members of both sides of the aisle in order to find solutions and move America forward. He is the second most bipartisan senator according to a nonpartisan study.
You may not agree with every vote Senator Brown has cast, but you can trust his decision-making. Senator Brown is one of the few members of the Senate who actually reads every word of every bill. On important issues like Wall Street Reform, renewal of the START Treaty, and repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Senator Brown has voted with the Democrats, because he felt that supporting the issue was in the best interest of Massachusetts. We need to re-elect our Senator because at this important time, we need an independent senator that above all else, is looking out for the best interest of Massachusetts.
We need our leaders in Washington to be working with one another to find solutions, not arguing about ideology. Elizabeth Warren has said that she threw rocks in the past and plans on continuing to do so in the future (presumably in the Senate). This is not productive towards finding solutions to move America forward. We need a senator that can build bridges with the other side and compromise on bipartisan solutions. That is why we need Scott Brown.
Any Harvard student that has taken Economics 10 (the introductory economics course) understands that higher taxes create a dead weight loss and decrease aggregate demand. Elizabeth Warren does not understand that the absolute worst thing we could do in this stagnant economy would be to raise taxes. Job growth has been slow and our economy is not growing fast enough. Under Professor Warren’s proposal of increasing taxes, job growth will slow and families will have fewer dollars to invest in the economy [Ed. Note: Warren has said that she wants to raise taxes for people earning at least $250,000 a year and to raise estate taxes]. Scott Brown understands that in order to grow the economy and boost hiring, taxes have to be reduced. He knows that when individuals have more money in their pockets, it allows them to spend it in the free market, and that creates employment opportunities.
Come November, our choice is rather simple. Do we want a Senator that we can trust and that has our interests at heart or do we want rocks to be raining down on the Senate floor, crumbling the bridge that fosters bold, bi-partisan solutions?
Josh Chmara is a sophomore in Pforzheimer House. He has been an intern with the Scott Brown for US Senate Campaign since November 2011.