In a stunning upset, Republican Scott Brown has beaten Democrat Martha Coakley for the Senate seat vacated by Ted Kennedy in a special election in Massachusetts. There have been no Republican senators from this state in 38 years. The true-blue state of Massachusetts is turning a shade of purple today, and leaning ever more toward red.
I say this because, against all sentiment and logic, Senator-elect Brown carried even the Cape Cod region of the state, which was a Kennedy stronghold. With Brown in the senate, as the forty-first Republican, the Democrats lack a sixtieth vote needed to thwart Republican filibusters. The timing of this could not be more critical, with one of the largest bills concerning the future of healthcare coming down the pike. I cannot think of a stronger rebuke and denunciation of President Obama and his policies than the outcome of this election. The people of Massachusetts have spoken loudly and clearly. Read just how loudly and clearly here. See just how loudly and clearly here. This election will most certainly have repercussions for upcoming elections around the nation within the next year or so. I do believe this is just the beginning.
Folks, do not think for a moment that your vote does not count. Need proof? Ask anyone from Massachusetts.
3 comments:
Can't disagree that it was a stunning upset.
But what is the republican party going to do about all the internal disagreements? We are seeing it at every level, folks are not happy with Michael Steele, and we saw it most recently here in Victoria. All this in-fighting cannot be a good thing.
And there's no infighting in the Demoncrat party?
In every party, people are still individuals, and struggle to have their voices heard. I, for example, consider myself a Republican, but split with the party on two VERY important points. I have never been able to reconcile that in my head, and come voting time, I vote my conscience as much as possible. I vote for the candidate that most closely holds my values and the values I would like to see in America. That candidate is often, although not always, a Republican.
From what I have seen, most of the infighting in the Victoria Republican party comes down to "Old guard" vs. "New guard". This happens in the Demoncrat party, too. My father was once *GULP* a registered Democrat, as I suspect many of his generation were in the late 1960s. He finally began identifying with the Republican party on most issues, and considers himself a Republican now, even more to the right than I. Sometimes infighting leads to splits and defections. That's just the way of human nature and of America. The Republican and Democrat parties will survive.
Remember the Whigs? The Progressive (Bull Moose party). Great examples of parties that have gone by the wayside. It happens. I don't see it happening with the Republicans, Democrats, or even Libertarians.
Best case scenario, all the infighting in both parties will lead to stronger parties that have their act together more than they do now.
I guess there may be some squabbling in the Democrat party, but it just seems to be an abundance of right now in the republican party.
Yes, we are certainly individuals, and I always appreciate folks who will vote for an issue or a candidate without regard to party. Victoria County, though, is very consistant about voting with one lever. This is how we got stuck with one particular elected official. But being a lifelong Democrat, I have voted for republicans many times.
I can't remember the last time I was aware of the head of the rnc taking the hits that Steele is. And I never remember the local republicans going public with a squabble like they recently have.
Now, that may be more a testiment to my memory rather than any other thing...
By the way, I hear SaraH Palin is going to be stumping for Gov. Goodhair in Houston! Oh, yea...
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