Former U.S. House Representatives Larry LaRocco, a Democrat from Idaho, and Connie Morella, a Republican from Maryland, visited Boston University Tuesday as guests at “Pizza and Politics,” held in the study lounge of Student Village One.
About 25 members of the BU community were in attendance at the open and intimate, town-hall style forum. The representatives were able answer questions from students and address their political concerns, while eating pizza.
Through the questions posed to LaRocco and Morella, one of the biggest concerns of the attendees was the possibility of a Republican-controlled House of Representatives. If this happens, Republicans would control both the Senate and the House.
Morella said it would be unique to have a one-party Congress and that she doesn’t know what is going to happen, but she likes to stay optimistic.
“If [the Republicans] have ability and the responsibility and it doesn’t work out, they are to blame,” Morella said. “I am not really sure what is going to happen because there will still be a President from the other party.”
Although Republicans may get the majority in Congress, Morella said it is still important to focus on the issues currently at hand, such as immigration.
“We have got to start doing something with immigration…maybe we have a majority, but we have a growing minority-majority.”
LaRocco said one of the most prominent issues is that one-third of the members in the House of Representatives are fairly new to the Legislature.
“You have this new conclave of people, and some of them want to burn the whole place down and start all over again and that has caused the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, a lot of problems,” he said.
Morella also said she finds it troubling how few women are members of Congress and how 87 percent of people vote for their own party.
Several students interested in politics were thrilled to meet the representatives in person.
“It’s nice to put faces to the actual name,” said Mark Nooth, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. “It gives you a sense of optimism that things can actually change. It was nice to use this as an opportunity to reconnect with what is going on in the country.”
Brian Monroy, a sophomore in CAS, said he was particularly interested in the meet and greet because as a political science major, he thinks it is important for young people to know more about the government and politics.
“We are leaders of the future, trying to get an education at BU,” he said. “Our goal should be to use the education and our life experiences to go into the future to do whatever we can to help the people.”
Priest Gooding, a freshman in CAS, said it is a great idea to bring members of Congress to campus.
“It’s very important to have actual politics and representatives to come to explain why people should be active and what a difference you can make,” he said. “Actually hearing it from people who have been there is important and to hear why to vote and why they need to be involved to affect change on the country.”
Morella said getting young people involved in politics is important because they are the future of this country.
“I feel very strongly about young people getting involved in public service,” she said. “They are going to make the difference. I am inspired by them.”
