By Megan Alderman-Person
Congressman Jim Himes joined Greenwich residents and members of the Retired Men’s Association Wednesday at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich to discuss his thoughts on policy issues and the state of politics in Washington.
Himes, a Democrat, represents Connecticut’s 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he is serving his fifth term. He holds a seat on the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) and is also a member of the House Committee on Financial Services. This is Himes’ third time presenting to the RMA.
Himes touched on three major points during his speech to the filled room: the “broken” state of politics today, the Trump Administration, and his role in Congress.
The broken state of politics, as Himes described it, is a result of the breakdown of the two major political parties, which have started to substitute outrage for ideas. He discussed how most American citizens’ instinct is to fear change, though our economic and social policies are constantly changing.
Himes said the middle class lifestyle is fading away. While many Republicans believe that tax cuts and deregulations are the answer, he said, this course would not help many American citizens.
“Jobs that used to pay 30 dollars an hour are now being replaced by robots and [people in] other countries,” Himes said. “The message fails to speak to most people in most parts of America.”
Himes noted that Democrats have been the party primarily responsible for advancing social issues. Citing gay rights as an example, Himes pointed out that all American citizens are on a journey of accepting new social changes.
The problem with some members of the Democratic Party, he said, is that they mock people who have not come as far in that journey, or who have not fully accepted these new ideas.
Moving on to his second point, the Trump Administration, Himes said there is no “silver bullet” solution to the problems he said it poses. He cited delegitimizing the media, the CIA and the judiciary branch as some of the most worrisome of these problems. He said he hopes that, eventually, a bipartisan “check” will form in Congress, and he encouraged the media to continue fighting back.
“On an optimistic note,” Himes said, “politics and its institutions seem to be working.”
Himes noted that the Republican Party has not passed many of the policies that President Trump pushed for during his election campaign, such as repealing the Iran nuclear deal.
In terms of Himes’ role as a Congressman, he said that, as a Democrat, he hopes to push back against many Republican issues, especially those that threaten the foundational structure of democracy.
But he also said he hopes the political parties will work together on important issues like infrastructure and tax reform.
Hollister Sturges, a member of the RMA and Greenwich resident, described Himes as an ideal representative after hearing his speech.
“Himes is extraordinarily fair and informed,” Sturges said. “He is willing to work with Republicans and is well-versed on a range of issues.”
During his closing remarks, Himes said that citizens of the United States have a key responsibility to critically examine the information they are given.
“We must demand more from ourselves,” Himes said. “These issues are not black and white. Be the kind of critical, thoughtful people that deserve to call themselves citizens of the U.S.A.”
The Greenwich RMA offers a free program every Wednesday that is open to the public; no reservations are required. For more information, visit www.greenwichrma.org or contact info@greenwichrma.org.
