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Sen. Scott Brown Asserts His Independence At Pittsfield Stump
.jpg) U.S. Sen. Scott Brown says he has visited the area more than any Senator in recent history. |
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Brown kicked off campaigning last week and stopped in at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center to meet with voters on Wednesday. There the Wrentham Republican assured voters in the heavily Democratic region that he is not a "rock thrower" and can work with Democrats.
"I am doing exactly what I said I would do, which is to read the bills and see how they affect Massachusetts, our country, our debt and our deficit, and vote. I am the most bipartisan person in the delegations by at least 20, 25 points and probably one of the most in the entire United States Senate," Brown said. "At a time when we need problem-solvers and not rock throwers, that's a good thing."
Brown propelled to victory in the 2010 special election with help from Republicans nationwide, a victory that shook the political structure. Shortly after, the rightest of the right-wingers had their hopes crushed by Brown's voting record. Yet, that support came mostly because of his opposition to the national health care bill, now known derisively as Obamacare, and that he has not wavered on.
"I will look you right in your eye and tell you, the only people who are cutting half a trillion dollars, that's $500 billion, from Medicare is the Democrats when they rammed through the health care bill," Brown said.
While health care may not have gotten him clapping at Tuesday's State of the Union address, Brown said he was clapping for some of President Barack Obama's policies such as immigration reform and the insider trading bill. But when it comes to taxes and deficits, Brown leans right.
"There are so many things we agree on and if we can put the partisanship aside, we'd be a much better country," Brown said.
That independence is what Brown will emphasis in the 2012 campaign, which is shaping up to be against Elizabeth Warren. Warren has already scared most Democratic candidates out the ring and garnered national attention.
 Brown returned to the senior center after visiting it a year ago. |
While Massachusetts is considered one of the Democratic strongholds, Brown isn't convinced that it is a "blue state." The state has voted for Republicans besides him including former Gov. Mitt Romney, who Brown is supporting in the presidential election. That's one of the things Brown loves about the state, the residents vote for people and not for the parties they represent, he said.
In the Berkshires, Brown is hoping to fare better than his last campaign against North Adams native Martha Coakley. The only Berkshire town Brown won then was Otis.
Recognizing the ever-present feeling of exclusion here, Brown pointed his background of living in Dalton, eating at Teo's and driving up and down North Street. He has visited the Berkshires more often than any U.S. Senator in recent history, he said. Mayor Daniel Bianchi greeted Brown with appreciation that he "knows how to get to Pittsfield."
However, there were also a one or two missteps in that regard by Brown on Tuesday such as when he said the Berkshire Wind Project on Brodie Mountain was still not operating because of permitting red tape. The residents were quick to point out that the turbines are currently operating.
State Election