Panel on Government and its role in the Economy (Summary)

The panel discussion on Monday morning, Mar 9, 2009 at Franklin High school was an instructional moment in politics and civics. The discussion was recorded and is available for listening in three parts.

Part One

Vice Principal Joe DiLorenzo provided the welcoming remarks and the introduction of the panel.
The panel included:

• Congressman James McGovern
• State Senator Scott Brown
• State Senator Karen Spilka
• Majority Leader of the House, Representative Jim Vallee
• Town Administrator Jeff Nutting
• Town Council Chairperson Chris Feeley

The moderator for the discussion was Franklin High School Senior April Crehan.

The first question that everyone on the panel got to answer was summarized as: "What is the proper role of government in our economy?" They spoke in the following order so you can make out who's voice belong to who. McGovern, Spilka, Brown, Vallee, Nutting, and Feeley.

Listen to Part One here

Part Two

Question - Senator Brown, you spoke of reform in your response, indicating that Governor Patrick has been in office for 2.5 years and has not done any meaningful reform, if you were in charge what reform would you make?

Answered by Brown, Spilka

Question - How do you think that market panic has contributed to the economic downturn?

Answered by Feeley, Nutting, Vallee

Question - How do we help people with mortgage foreclosures and business on Wall Street with bailouts?

Answered by McGovern, Brown, Spilka

Listen to Part Two here

Part Three

Question - When you are creating bills to help people in the foreclosure crisis, do you plan on differentiating between predator lenders, those who made poor choices and those with unfortunate circumstances? or do you plan on doing so?

Answered by Brown

Question - Have you agreed to a salary freeze for next year?

Answered by Nutting, McGovern, Vallee, Brown, Spilka, Feeley

Question - What's your opinion on the stimulus package that was recently passed?

Answered by McGovern, Brown, Spilka

Interesting side note: Brown challenged McGovern on the number of earmarks supposedly in the package. McGovern came right back with "There are none." Brown insisted there are and that they would take it offline to resolve. This occurs about 9:50 into the recording.

Senator Spilka gets cut short as the bell rings.

Listen to Part Three here

Pictures from this event can be found here