Event Highlight: Senator Elizabeth Warren and GU Politics Fellow Rebecca Pearcey on “Leveling the Playing Field”

CLAIRE CHENG AND MELODY STAINBROOK: Gaston Hall bustled with excitement on November 30, 2021 as Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) mounted the stage with GU Politics Fall Fellow Rebecca Pearcey for a moderated discussion on “Leveling the Playing Field.” The event, hosted by the Georgetown Institute of Politics and Public Service (GU Politics), centered discussion on how the U.S. should move forward from the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen support for the families that have been left behind from the various exacerbated social, economic, and racial inequalities.

The moderator Rebecca Pearcey served as the former political director and senior advisor for Warren’s presidential campaign. The discussion was kicked off with a quick run-down of the Senate’s to-do list. Senator Warren likened the state of partisan gridlock in the Senate right now as to trying to swim in cold molasses. Democrats are having to “turn square corners on every rule” to pass any legislation given the strong Republican resistance. This theme of hyper-partisanship and policy stagnation carried out throughout the discussion.

One thing Congress did manage to advance on is the Build Back Better Act. Warren highlighted her two favorite parts of the bill: the expansion of universal childcare and pre-kindergarten as well as the institution of a minimum corporate tax. This discussion on tax policy was continued during the student Q-and-A session when one student asked about progressive tax reform. 

Pearcey then asked Warren how she chooses which playing field to level when there are so many inequities that exist. Warren stressed that policymaking is a team effort that requires working with people that possess an entrepreneurial spirit. But more importantly, making real change requires a willingness to get into political fights you know you will lose in: “What’s always tough to evaluate is if you’re going to lose this [fight], is the fight nonetheless important?... And the answer sometimes is ‘you bet it is.’” Getting into losing fights raises red flags on important issues and spotlights nuances that would otherwise go undetected. 

This pandemic has exposed the racial cleavages that have long thrived in America. African Americans are both more likely to die from COVID-19 and less likely to obtain COVID-19 tests and treatments. When talking about how to create policy moving forward to ensure Black and Brown communities are not left behind, Warren explained that it is not enough to write legislation that does not overtly discriminate against race. Legislators must be very intentional and deliberate about considering the racial implications with every policy creation. Warren exclaimed that policymakers “must stop and ask [themselves] with every one of these policies, what’s going on here? And who does this effect? And how is this affecting communities that have been left behind?” Additionally, the U.S. needs to collect more racial data on issues. Without the relevant data, policymakers will not see problems regarding racial disparity and hence will not know to solve them.

After about 20 minutes of a moderated discussion, Warren and Pearcey turned to the crowd for questions. Pulling from a container of tickets, Pearcey randomly picked several Georgetown students to pose a question to Senator Warren. As Pearcey drew the tickets, Warren explained that she preferred this method because she wanted to hear from everyone, including people who may not volunteer during typical Q&As. 

The first student selected was a graduate student who asked what Warren felt we could do to protect immigrants, an already vulnerable group in the United States hit hard by the pandemic. Warren said a major lesson we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic is that "we are all one world." Warren emphasized that Americans can not afford only to protect "their own group," regardless of how they define that group. 

The Senator continued by stressing the importance of improving the state of public health in the United States, regardless of a person's race or citizenship status. Warren expressed the need for global vaccination and universal healthcare. Furthermore, she explained that while the disparities immigrants faced were highlighted by the pandemic, these solutions can be applied to any threat multiplier (such as climate change) that immigrants face. 

When the next student asked about how to improve the equitability of tax policy, Warren grinned, wasting no time to launch into an explanation of wealth tax. Warren asked the crowd to imagine two graphs: one of the differences between Americans' incomes and one of the differences between Americans' wealth. The crowd chuckled as Warren showed the stark difference between these graphs by drawing them with her finger; she even joked that she should have "brought her slides." Warren pointed out to students that the differences in wealth between Americans are much more drastic than the differences in incomes. 

When explaining her point, Warren used Jeff Bezos as an example. On paper, Jeff Bezos's income is a mere $83,000, and Warren explained that this amount is used to calculate Bezos's taxes. However, Bezos, one of the wealthiest people on the planet, clearly amasses much more wealth than $83,000, hence the need for a wealth tax rather than an income tax. Warren finished her answer by saying, "The tax code is structured on this simplistic notion that if we just tax income, we will get to where we need to go."

The following student asked, "What role does the government play in addressing disparities in America?" Throughout her answer, Warren emphasized the importance of promoting democracy for all Americans. Warren brought up voter suppression and gerrymandering, stating, "we ensure every American has the right to vote, and we do not gerrymander their voices out of oblivion." The Senator passionately exclaimed that it is time to pass legislation to strengthen our democracy, briefly mentioning Republicans' use of the filibuster and the importance of removing it. 

Warren was next asked about bipartisan legislation supporting education development in developed and developing countries. Warren paused to think and then told the student, "I appreciate the question but you have to ask a Republican that." Warren explained that she was unsure whether Republicans would be willing to support legislation aimed at strengthening education in developing countries. 

The Senator's response led to a discussion of bipartisan cooperation, something we have not seen much of in Congress recently. Warren cited the bipartisan infrastructure bill as an example, mentioning that Republicans significantly cut funding for the bill and hindered the bill as a whole. Warren finished her response by admitting that she is unsure if we can solve critical issues in the current political climate, telling the student, "I wish I had a better answer for you." 

The following student asked Warren, "what was the worst political advice you have ever received?" Warren chuckled, admitting to the crowd that she was told to run for Massachusetts senator because voters would not elect a woman, and she would lose. Warren added that she was informed not to draw too much attention to the fact she was a woman; she should avoid topics such as child care and women's rights. 

Warren turned this misguided advice into a lesson for the crowd: it is essential to talk about your background. Warren urged students to lean into who they are and where they are from and discuss how that impacts what they believe. She said that one's work should "come from the heart." 

Next, a student from rural New Jersey asked Warren about voters in rural areas who feel left behind and abandoned by the Democratic party. The student asked Warren if she feels this critique is valid and, if so, what she feels Democratic politicians can do about it. Warren started by immediately validating the critique, "If they say they feel left behind, then it is true. That is evidence right there." However, Warren had more trouble pinpointing an exact reason for this feeling. Warren gave many possible explanations: maybe Democrats rely too much on talk rather than action, maybe the party comes across as too "woke," or perhaps some rural Americans are wary of change. 

No matter the root issue behind the feeling, Warren says she tries to talk to voters about their concerns. She asks voters what matters to them and "what part worries you?" Warren hopes that communication with hesitant voters will encourage them to support the changes she feels may be scary but necessary. Warren told students that although change may be overwhelming, she feels our duty is to build a better future rather than preserve a flawed present. Warren added that "We talk about the things that are broken because we love this country. We talk about the things that are broken because we know we can do better." 

After the student question portion of her discussion, Warren began to wrap up her time in Gaston Hall. She finished the night with two stories that displayed the stark inequalities in the United States. The first story was of three family members with diabetes who shared one dosage of insulin. Warren explained that the family could not afford the adequate amount of insulin, so whoever looked the most sickly would receive the medicine. Warren seemed frustrated when telling the story, saying, "Three people have to live off of one dose of insulin in the richest country in the world. What is wrong with us?"

Warren's final story began with a description of a happy, playful little girl Warren met at one of her campaign events. When Warren told the girl's mother how sweet her daughter was, the woman leaned in and informed Warren that the little girl had brain cancer. At this point in the story, Warren appeared to get emotional. She paused and took a breath, then told the crowd that the mother struggled to pay for medical treatment. The girl's mother told Warren to "remember all the children that need healthcare." 

The story ended with the mother's plea to Warren: "we need a government that is on our side." Warren's discussion with students centered around this idea; creating policies that benefit everyday Americans. Discussions of inequality, poverty, and disease were crucial points of Warren's answers. 

Warren finished by thanking students for attending the discussion and asking such engaging questions. The crowd applauded and stood from their seats, as Warren waved and left the stage. 

Claire Cheng is a sophomore at the Walsh School of Foreign Service and Melody Stainbrook is a sophomore in the Georgetown College.