Scott Brown, the caboose of the U.S. Senate
Bob Massie may, or may not, win the Democratic nomination for Senate to take on Scott Brown next fall. But IMHO, of all the candidates so far, Massie has come up with the best tag line about Scott Brown: “the caboose of the Senate.”
The lowly caboose is, of course, the funny-looking railroad car that brings up the rear of a freight train. It’s the quintessential follower, dragged along on its course by the powerful engines in front of it. By definition, it cannot lead, and it cannot deviate from the course that others have put it on without derailing.
And that pretty well sums up Scott Brown’s career in the Senate so far, don’t you think? On big issue after big issue, Brown says he has to think about it. He hems and haws for a while. And finally, after a careful assessment of where public opinion is moving and what would be the best way to further his own reelection, he takes a position.
Brown’s epic flip-flop on Paul Ryan’s Medicare Destruction Act is perhaps the best example. He backed it, then he wouldn’t say where he was, and then – the day before Kathy Hochul won her upset victory in the NY-26 special election by running against Ryan and for Medicare (the timing was sheer coincidence, I’m sure) – he opposed it, almost certainly IMHO because he belatedly realized that failing to oppose it would hand a tremendously powerful weapon to the Democrat seeking his the people’s seat in 2012. Brown’s decision to go along with GOP leadership and filibuster a jobs bill that he himself had co-sponsored was another fine example. That’s bravery, right there.
Even on health care, the issue that, probably more than any other, put Brown in the Senate as “#41” to vote “no,” Brown couldn’t pull the trigger. Remember this from last March regarding the health care reconciliation bill – the bill that put much of the health care law into place?
Brown, approached by reporters in Boston yesterday, punted when asked whether he planned to oppose the Democrats’ health care budget reconciliation bill in the Senate.
“I have to see what they are proposing. I’m heading back to get briefed. I think everyone is fighting fiercely, and I’m going to fight fiercely for jobs in Massachusetts,” Brown said.
Asked if that meant there was a possibility he would vote in favor of the reconciliation package, Brown replied: “I haven’t read it yet. I want to be able to read it first.”
The reconciliation bill has been a target of Republican ire for weeks….
Also in his earlier remarks yesterday to reporters, Brown demurred on the question of repealing the sweeping law that is supposed to expand coverage to an additional 32 million Americans.
“In order to repeal it, you need to see what’s in fact going to be in place. I think that’s a little premature,” said Brown, who was questioned by several reporters outside a fishing-regulation meeting in Boston. “I want to see what’s going to be in play.”
Turns out that Brown’s early and startling failure to lead on health care was merely an hors d’oeuvre for the banquet of caboosery that was yet to come.
The recent shenanigans over the debt ceiling are yet another example. Consider some comments he made at a fundraiser back in April, in which he outlined his brilliant strategy for cutting a deal:
if we raise the debt [ceiling], we’re going to do it only if blank, blank, blank and blank.
Seriously – that is actually what he said.
If that’s not exactly what a talking caboose would say in that situation, I don’t know what is.
More recently (i.e., last week), Brown had these highly constructive comments to make:
“I’m hopeful that the Democrat and Republican leaders will continue to work with the administration to basically come together with a deal that not only makes the appropriate cuts, but prohibits our country from moving into default,” the Massachusetts Republican said.
Ah. No mention of what the “appropriate” cuts might be, of course. Unless they consist of “blank, blank and blank.” So, what is Brownie going to do?
The senator said he’s unconcerned with the partisanship around the issue, and that he remains willing to buck his party when necessary.
“I’ll vote… against my party when I have to, and I’ll vote with my party if I have to,” he said.
Uh, OK. I wonder what constitutes a situation where he “has to” vote against his party. Blank and blank, I guess.
The Phoenix has picked up on Brown’s caboose-like quality, which is apparently an essential part of his political character:
[Maine Senator Olympia] Snowe’s position may be imperfect, but at least she has one — and it is superior to many of the more foolish ideas out there.
What about Brown? He styles himself a leader, but on the big issues he seems to duck a front-line position, making his mind up at the last moment.
Stop calculating, Senator. Speak up. It’s time to be counted.
Don’t hold your breath.
Scott Brown likes to pretend that he’s a leader. But his record in the Senate shows the exact opposite. Honestly, how can you lead when you filibuster your own legislation, and when you publicly declare that the key to a successful high-stakes debt ceiling negotiation is “blank, blank and blank”? Massie is exactly right: Brown is the caboose of the Senate. Massachusetts deserves much better.
This is a perfect characterization of Scott Brown 🙂
Just this past Monday, I rode a train. I usually drive a car. The train was not cheap, but came with good beverage service. The Connecticut (Essex) steam train is not like our MBTA. It is meant for family entertainment, not for commuting to and from work. A ticket to ride, however, might not be cheaper than what high speed rail would have charged per passenger and ride if no GOP Governor blocked such high tech railways being constructed in Florida. High tech trains in Florida would have stepped us up for competition with China and Japan. All because of GOP stupidity and anti-Americanism, Florida has only Disney’s Magic Mountain to show for. Anyway, the parlor car attendant on the Essex steam train looked better than Ayla Brown. The smoke the train coughed up reminded me of Scott: outdated and overpriced.
This Sunday, one of our Democrat State Committee members will host a meet and greet with one of our Democrat U.S. Senate candidates. Event details follow:
http://patch.com/E-gHNY
and other than commuter rail, MA is not really train country. So I don’t think the characterizaion will stick.
Everybody knows what a caboose is. It’s a great word, and it has a long history in America. I don’t know whether the characterization will stick, but if it doesn’t, it won’t be because trains don’t have cabooses anymore.
The quick wit of the master is not lost on me.
They didn’t get the idea of the Senate being the train, to the idea that it was on a track, or that anyone could be “at the back” of the Senate.
I guess they are too stupid for BMG.
🙂
Unless, that is, they are prepared to stand often in awe of, along with the present coarse and illiterate keyboard.
By the way, I hope those “several people at work” did not get the wrong idea of who it was that coined and uttered the caboose analogy. I expect Comrade Massie will be needing all the help he can get, and one must admit that a certain e-person was at least *trying* to help by scattering the dark sayings of RKM far and wide. In any case, Helpful, Esq., was certainly not out to grab credit for it himself.
***
Unrelatedly, I am reminded of the lady who, being told that most railway accidents especially involve the last carriage, wondered “So why don’t they just leave it off?”
(( An old joke and not mine, but I can think of a Senatorial application. ))
Happy days.
Hmm, David: what do propose calling John, the flipflopper, Kerry who finally came out for gay marriage? (see today’s Globe) Your prejudices re Brown are laughable—indeed, this site and its left-wing zealots will be the laughing stock after the next senatorial election.
Do you, as a conservative, think we should default on the national debt?
How would YOU have Senator Brown fill in the hilarious blanks?
Rather than distract us with noise about Senator Kerry, gay marriage, “prejudices” (methinks I see a pot there), and “left-wing zealots”, please share with us what YOU think Senator Brown should do.
Since it sounds as though you will be supporting Senator Brown in the upcoming election, what do YOU want him to do about the debt ceiling?
Hello, Tom, good to be talking with you again. As for the debt problem I favor both cuts and increased taxes on the well-to-do because I am tired of hearing the “shared sacrifice” mantra repeated by republicans when they send our kids off to sham wars or when they tell us that some bank or corporation is “too big to fail.” What David and friends here do not understand is that as long as Senator Flip Flop is in office Brown will always look better in comparison. Kerry is the best thing that Brown has going for himself.
David the Editor 0
Hilarious!
You still seem to be ducking my question. Your feelings about Senator Kerry are irrelevant until Senator Kerry is up for re-election.
The appropriate comparison is between Senator Brown and whoever is nominated to run against him. You have said that you favor both cuts and increased taxes on the well-to-do.
Senator Brown has, so far, described himself as opposed to raising taxes. Period. For example, in the promotional material for his book, he writes (emphasis mine):
Are you prepared to direct your criticism towards Senator Brown if he refuses to support the view that you and I share that increased taxes on the well-to-do are necessary? Will you still vote for him in 2012 if he votes to destroy the global economy rather than raising taxes on the already-wealthy?
Cabooses, in the romantic world of railroad lore, are cozy places where railroad engineers can relax by a warm fire on a cold night and have a cup of tea or cocoa. Or perhaps, on a day like today, a glass of lemonade. They have a storied history and an important and worthy purpose. Brown is just incompetent. Filibustering one’s own bill is not being a follower, it’s forgetting how to spell your own name.
You guys just keep laughing at each other’s jokes and patting yourselves on the back.
From Wikipedia
A caboose is a manned North American rail transport vehicle coupled at the end of a freight train. Although cabooses were once used on nearly every freight train, their use has declined and they are seldom seen on trains, except on locals and smaller railroads.
You will soon be banned!
🙂
If you really are Chris Christie, Republican Governor of NJ, as claimed and apparently acknowledged last June, then you should know better than to troll this community like this.
I wonder if the real Governor Christie is aware of the material you are publishing here under his moniker. I’d be willing to wager that whoever manages his public image is not aware of this.
Far from banning you, I encourage the editors to give your increasingly insipid comments as much visibility as possible.
I’m Nikki Haley.
but he never actually claimed nor acknowledged that he is Governor Christie. He’s a big fan perhaps, and his posts offer little of value, but I don’t read that dialogue as you do.
Cute analogy unless it gets spun the other way to scores of hobos riding the rails despite gazillions of dollars being spent in stimulus money.
People like cabooses.
People don’t like hemorrhoids. If you want a “bringing up the rear” analogy, you may want to take the bull by the tail and face the situation squarely.