Warren and McGovern Confront Issues Hitting Central Mass.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Ashley Klann, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

Warren spoke with locals at Dinky's Blue Belle Diner in Shrewsbury Sunday morning.

US Senate hopeful Elizabeth Warren visited Dinky’s Blue Belle Diner in Shrewsbury on Sunday during a weekend-long tour of Central Mass. to speak with residents about issues that are hitting the area’s middle class. Congressman Jim McGovern was also present greeting locals and supporting Warren during her visit.

What’s on the Table

As Warren and McGovern made their way through the cramped diner amid a busy Sunday morning, they spoke to customers about economic issues Central Mass. is facing. Warren’s background in education is playing a key role in her proposed solutions to fixing the problems across the state.

“Many are worried about the future,” she said. “Education is probably the best example right now. If congress doesn’t act, the interest rate on government loans to students will double on July 1st, and the Republicans want to hold a bill to fix that hostage saying that the only way they will agree to it, is if there are cuts in basic healthcare services for women – cuts in mammograms and other preventive care. That’s just wrong.”

Warren is a law professor at Harvard and an expert in American bankruptcy. She also helped establish the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Warren spoke about what needs to happen to stop unemployment in the area and made education a large focus.

“Short term, jobs bills need to happen. Long term, we need to see an investment in transportation infrastructure and education,” she said. Warren agreed that Worcester has seen a lot of improvement on these fronts but addressed it as an ongoing issue. “Those are the two pieces. In the short term, it takes jobs bills to get people up and working. Create demand for the small business, so that they start hiring.”

Brown a let down

Warren cited multiple occasions that US Senator Scott Brown has voted against jobs bills, something she considers to be a key cornerstone in revitalizing the area economy.

“I think this election is all about which side you stand on. Senator Brown has been voting for oil subsidies and special breaks for millionaires and multi-national corporations,” she said. “He cosponsored a bill to kick a hole in insurance protection for birth control and he voted against three jobs bills in a row.”

Congressman McGovern also spoke to the negative effects of the “Republican agenda” in the area.

“I think the Republican agenda is bad for Central Mass. and Senator Brown supports the Republican agenda. Severe cuts in transportation infrastructure, education, medical research – right down the list,” McGovern said. “He supported the Republican budget. I think if people look at his voting record and look at what Elizabeth stands for, she’s going to win.”

Both Brown and Warren agreed that they would refrain from using outside groups to attack each other. The repercussion: a $35,000 check to a charity. Brown has already had to write two checks, while Warren reported they had no strikes.

“Our side has been behaving itself,” she said with a laugh.

Importance of Education

Given her background in academia, Warren met with area teachers yesterday at the American Federation of Teaching Annual Convention.

“Teachers understand about the importance of investing in the future. That’s their number one business,” she said. “That’s what we talked about. It was a real heart-to-heart talk at the Teacher’s Convention.”

Warren’s tour of Central Mass. continued to Marlborough and on to a Canvass Kick-off event held in Acton.