DADT: Courage and Leadership?

While Scott Brown should be applauded for his courage for being one of only two Republicans supporting the repeal of DADT, he needs to show leadership by working to convince other Senate Republicans to vote on the measure during the lame duck session.  Otherwise, DADT is unlikely to be repealed. 

In a recent Boston Globe article Brown stated:  “The only issue that’s the important issue in my mind right now, while we’re fighting two wars, is the safety and security of our men and women who are serving, regardless of their sexual orientation. I want to make sure that we give them the tools and resources to do their job and come home safely’’ (http://www.boston.com/news/politics/articles/2010/12/04/brown_backs_dont_ask_repeal/?page=3).

California Public Radio reported in July 2010 that over 60 Arabic and Farsi linguists have been dismissed under DADT.  Are Arabic and Farsi linguists not vital to the safety and security of our overseas theaters of operation?   

DADT hurts the safety and security of our military men and women.  Scott Brown needs to do more than support the repeal, he must demonstrate leadership to make sure that DADT receives a vote before the new Senate is seated.

Scott Brown Fails the Massachusetts Middle Class

In a recent Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll, 46 percent of Massachusetts residents said the Bush era tax cuts should be extended only to the middle class (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/graphics/112110_economy_poll/).  Yesterday, Scott Brown sided with Mitch McConnell and voted with the Republican party, rather than the Massachusetts people, to prevent a Senate vote on the extension of the middle class cuts to the middle class.

In a recent letter to a constituent, Brown wrote he believes "that keeping the tax burden on individuals and families low is critical."  Does Brown believe it critical to keep the tax burden low for millionaires?

Brown writes on his Senate web site that he opposes "putting more debt on the government’s credit card and burdening our kids and grand kids with an outrageous level of debt" (http://scottbrown.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/keyissues).  Yet, according to the New York Times, the cost of extending the Bush era tax cuts to the wealthy will "add to the national debt the $700 billion cost of continuing the tax cuts on the highest incomes for the next decade" (Dec. 2, 2010).  How can Brown reconcile these positions?

The following link shows the impact on the middle class of Brown's insistence that the tax cuts be extended to the wealthy: 

What Else Would $60 Billion Buy? (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/weekinreview/05numbers.html?_r=1&ref=bush_tax_cuts)

Contact Scott  Brown and tell him to do the right thing for the Massachusetts middle class and oppose the extension of the Bush era tax cuts to the wealthy.


Brown's local office:  617-565-3170
Brown's Washington office:  202-224-4543