The race to fill the US Senate seat vacated by Ted Kennedy’s death has national implications, and is therefore of interest to us all. Currently, there are three candidates: Scott Brown (R), Martha Coakley (D), and Joe Kennedy (I).
I have watched and listened to the debates, and have really formed some leanings here. Full disclosure – I wrote a post a little while back about a site that asked some simple questions, and gave a graphical depiction of where you were in the political spectrum. I felt it was accurate, and that my plot was Centrist, a hint to the right, and Libertarian as opposed to Statist. That being said, you can understand some of my bias in my breakdown.
Scott Brown (Republican):
Positives: Scott is charismatic to people who support him, and to many who do not. He has a great track record in the public and private sector of service to his country. He supports Roe v. Wade, but if he could overrule the decision, he would as he is a Pro-Life candidate. He is eloquent, yet appeals well to the “average Joe”. He comes across as a genuine good guy.
Negatives: His weakness was apparent during the debate when asked some tough questions by the moderator, he claimed the new sources mis-quoted, but never offered the correct response, i.e. instead of owning up to a quote that isn’t really great for him, he claims the several news outlets were out to get him.
Overall: Scott Brown is a strong candidate (in my mind) with strong backing from his party, and although not perfect, could make a great Senator.
Martha Coakley (Democrat):
Positives: Martha brings her own charisma to the ring, especially to those who support her. Of the three candidates, she appears to have the strongest debating skills – this is not to be discounted as the floor of the Senate hosts many lively debates. She is eloquent, yet, like Brown, can appeal to all audiences, not just the intellectuals.
Negatives: No legislative experience. As the state’s chief prosecutor, has refused to investigate Boston mayor Menino’s office for destruction of emails, as well as other groups that may or may not have a conflict of interest in NOT investigating.
Overall: I find her divisive. If you support large government, and increased taxes to support programs, you support her. If you don’t you don’t. There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground on her.
Joseph Kennedy (Independent):
Positives: Joe brings sharp business acumen to the race. Of the three candidates, he is the only one out of a business background. He also, challenged his competitors to resign their state-paid jobs (like he did with his private, non-taxpayer-funded job) so that they could fully focus on the campaign while not wasting the taxpayer’s money. As a business-person, he has appeared to be most focused on the substance of the issue, and less on appearances.
Negatives: No legislative experience. He has few political position papers and stances, so it is difficult to see his stance on other issues of his, or a track record therein.
Overall: Joseph Kennedy has not polled well. He has an endorsement from the Libertarian Party, but that is not a strong party in Massachusetts. I like his stance on small government and reduced spending, but I think he should seek lower office prior to running for this seat. If successful, then he would present as a strong candidate based on the issues.
Bottom Line:
This Senate seat is critical for Americans. Not because of it’s location, but because it represents a potential 60th vote for the majority-holding Democrats, and thus fosters more partisanship as the Democrats may not have to negotiate to push their agenda. In my mind, no party should have this control, along with the executive branch. During the debates, I have been impressed with the little-known Joe Kennedy, and more informed about Coakley and Brown. Were it up to me to decide who gets the seat, I would deviate from my opposition to major parties, and install Scott Brown as he has legislative experience, and is not part of the majority party. Let’s see how Massachusetts voters feel. For the first time in a long time, they have a meaningful vote, and the power to change (real change, not slogans) the political machine’s damage in Washington. We shall know soon.
Filed under: Politics | Tagged: Brown, Centrist, Coakley, Conservative, Democrat, Indepependent, Joe, Joseph, Kennedy, liberal, Libertarian, Martha, Massachusetts, moderate, Politics, republican, Scott, Senate, Tea Party, Third, united states
