Brown stays the course

Scott Brown has delivered the Republican response to President Obama’s weekly Radio address and he has done so quite well.

Obama’s speech tacked to safe center ground, promoting his education reform bill.  Citing reports that the state of education in the US is in relative decline compared to other nations, Obama contended that whereas American emphasis on education in the last century “lifted living standards and set us apart as the world’s engine of innovation.”  today “American 15 year olds no longer even near the top in math and science” and the US has fallen behind in both high school graduation rates and “the proportion of college graduates we produce[].”  It is not clear what “proportion” he was referring to.

Obama propped Arne Duncan as an “outstanding Education secretary” and touted the Race to the Top program that recently made Massachusetts a finalist for additional education funding and brought Governor Patrick some needed positive attention.  Obama announced he will propose an overhaul of No Child Left Behind and that the forthcoming reform bill will “provide educators the flexibility to reach” new, high standards.  Obama vaguely promised to reward progress, encourage reforms in failing schools, and promote constant improvement.  Obama also asserted contrary to evidence that parental involvement is the strongest factor in a child’s academic success, that teachers are “the most important factor in a child’s success,” a sop to populous and powerful teachers’ unions.

Obama then sought to bring his education reform proposal back to promoting those issues he holds more dearly -- “improving the economy, reforming the healthcare system, encouraging innovation in energy and other growth industries of the 21st century.”  Obama’s effort to link the inherent good of better education to the dubious good of his own popularly reviled health care reform proposal comes off flat and deceptive.

Brown’s statements were far more persuasive and far less forced.  Brown emphasized the same themes he pressed during his campaign, saying his election “told politicians in Washington to get its priorities right.”  Brown pressed over and over the disparity between the administration’s push for healthcare reform and the population’s despair for jobs, saying the people want “their president and Congress to focus on creating jobs.” Brown dismissed the Democrats’ headlong drive to pass a healthcare bill -- any healthcare bill -- as “bitter, destructive and endless;” Obama and the Democratic leadership “made takeover of healthcare their first priority;” Obama has failed to improve unemployment that was at 7.2% last January and now is almost 10%; Obama promised in the State of the Union to focus on jobs and the economy, yet promptly returned to the “same 2,700-page, multi-trillion dollar healthcare legislation.”  Brown dismissed health care reform as a distraction and a “disastrous detour.”

Brown also tapped into public frustration at Washington elitism.  Brown commented that Washington is behaving “at its very worst” by ignoring polls showing strong popular opposition to health care reform and Democrats’ demand that they are “going to get their way whether the American people like it or not,”  adding that the administration is “defying the public will” on healthcare.

Brown directly attacked Obama’s failure to live up to his own promises.  While Obama “pledged transparency,” Obamacare is “tainted by secrecy, concealed cost, and . . . backroom deals.”  Despite a promise of bipartisanship, the administration has “resorted to bending the rules” and will “seize control of healthcare in America on a strict party-line vote.” 

Brown hit directly at Nancy Pelosi and “others” as “handing down their marching orders, telling [Democratic congressmen] to vote for this bill no matter what.”  Brown continued that in the contest between the leadership’s dictate and the population’s demand, “I’d suggest going with the will of the people.” 

Brown’s final statements were the strongest by either man:

“[F]rom the very beginning of this debate, the American people have called it correctly. In every part of the country, Republicans and Democrats have agreed on serious, straightforward, commonsense healthcare reform. They expect us in Washington to do the same – working together, acting fairly and by the rules, and staying focused on the need to make the American economy as strong as it can be.  That is the business that brought me here on an unexpected journey to Washington. And, it’s the responsibility of everyone sent here to serve our country.”