When Steve Grossman was asked on television what from the last millennium he'd take with him and what he'd leave behind, he responded with democracy and intolerance, respectively. It's one of several questions the Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate turned on Tufts students in a visit to the Hill on Wednesday.
Grossman, whose wife Barbara chairs the drama and dance department at Tufts, may have surprised the small audience that had expected a campaign speech. Instead, they were treated to an interactive presentation on voting, civil involvement, and the issues facing college students.
"How can we get more people voting?" Grossman asked. "[Changing the status quo] is about removing roadblocks and making civic engagement more accessible."
Grossman, who helped start the Coalition for a Democratic Future to get younger voters more involved in government, said that voting was an inaccessible opportunity. He suggested Internet voting options, weekend voting, mail balloting, and same-day registration as possible solutions to low voter turnout.
Beyond addressing voter turnout, Grossman's presentation to students called attention to injustices he said he's dedicated to combating - anti-Semitism, bigotry, racism, racial stereotyping, and homophobia. Recalling a visit to Tufts Hillel as the president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on the eve of the Oklahoma City bombing, Grossman discussed the prevalence of racial stereotyping in the US.
Participants largely came from President Emeritus John DiBiaggio's Leadership for Active Citizenship class, and were eager to discuss the moral implications of political decisions. Junior Alison Clarke asked Grossman about his position on the death penalty. An opponent to capital punishment in all forms and situations, Grossman cited the questionable Sacco and Vanzetti executions as motivations behind his opposition.
Afterwards, students were impressed with Grossman's emotionally-charged speech.
Junior Greg Binstock said Grossman was a great speaker. "I agreed with almost all of his platforms. He's very interested in involving the people and engaging them to vote."
Senior Alain Chaglassian said "it was really good how he emphasized civic participation, but started off with an example of exactly what democracy is and cited further examples later on in his speech."
After the presentation, Grossman spoke further with DiBiaggio's class. Sophomore Phil Berenbroick said that in both cases, he didn't feel like he was listening to your typical politician. "I thought it was different than when you hear most candidates for office speak, because most only speak about their programs," Berenbroick said. "They don't necessarily want to hear what others have to say."
Grossman has visited campus on several prevision occasions, and said he would continue to do so after the election. He quipped that he would be happy to achieve even half of the popularity his wife has as a department chair.
Grossman says that if elected, he intends to make higher education a priority. Having served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Brandeis, he said that he maintains a strong connection with the colleges and universities of Massachusetts.
As evidence of his commitment, Grossman cited his record of being the first employer to sign on to Employer Assisted Housing. Under this program, employers receive a tax credit that then allows them to subsidize housing costs for younger employees, like college students, to keep them in Massachusetts despite the rising cost of housing.
"Massachusetts will rise and fall on the success of innovation," he said, adding that he plans to provide high school students with grants to continue their education in fields such as science, math, engineering, and technology.
And unlike incumbent Jane Swift, Grossman does not see a need for drastic budget cuts. According to Grossman, his commitment to smarter monetary allocations and buying products like prescription drugs in bulk could save Massachusetts upwards of $150 million. "Jane Swift and her predecessors have not been good stewards of precious goods," Grossman said.
He hopes to change that precedent.
"Massachusetts needs accountability and decisive leadership. You can impact the most lives as governor," he said. "We create change through politics."
