What message was being sent by Mass?

[ProSense]

They elected a teabagger, not with low turnout, but with a significant portion of "so-called" Dems voting for Brown.

What's the message?

Clue: It's not move left.

[Forkboy]

1. You tell us.

[xultar]

33. No shit, cuz all they'll say is Bullshit and that you're making up arguments.

[alberg]

71. In a 2 party system voters have limited options to express their outrage.

If you listen to the buzz around the country, what you hear repeated is the message: "Vote whoever is in power out, and maybe they'll get the message that we aren't happy and want things to change in a fundamental way." It was this sentiment, "Change", that got Democrats elected in 2008. It's this sentiment that will remove them, unless they show the voters that they are sincere in working for real change between now and the next election. People are really pissed off this time. It's not going to go away. Unless a strong Progressive voice emerges on a national level that aligns with the outrage people feel about HealthCare, Jobs and Wall Street we are destined to suffer major electoral defeats. Obama will have one more shot at turning this around. Unless he uses the State of the Union address to acknowledge past mistakes and make a new start, we are in real trouble. He could start by firing Summers and Geitner, proposing a federal jobs program and opening up Medicare to everybody. Sound drastic? Yet that is precisely the kind of message that will regain the support of 70% of the electorate. It's a fool’s game to try and win over the other 30% - they are the same folks who supported Bush no matter what and believe Global Warming is a myth.


Most Americans want the same things:

Among these are:

The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;

The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;

The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;

The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;

The right of every family to a decent home;

The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;

The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;

The right to a good education.

They see the good life slipping away, and it doesn't seem to matter what party is in power. They thought that Barack Obama was the Change they hoped for, but so far they have been seriously disappointed. This is part of the reason for the rise of the so called "tea baggers" - many of who are simply concerned retirement age people who don't want their Medicare benefits tampered with. Most Americans are smart enough to know that the wealth of this country is increasingly concentrated in a small elite, and they want that to change. If a strong progressive leader steps forward, the majority of the country, 70%, will support them. Barack Obama proved that during his campaign. Unfortunately, the Change did not happen once the Democrats took power. In fact, Democrats appear to be unwilling to even fight for real change. And it is this lack of fight that has many of their supporters so disillusioned.

[Bluebear]

2. Well, at least you finally reveal the "ProSense Agenda": Move right.

[ProSense]

8. No, it means

the election had nothing to do with national politics and it's idiotic to draw a correlation.

[treestar]

52. It's not ProSense's, it is Mass. voters

If they want us to move left, why vote in a Senator who will block all progressive change?

Progressives think this Brown guy is going to help them? More delusional than I thought.

[jgraz]

62. Maybe they don't see Obama's agenda as "progressive change"

Ever thought of that?

[rucky]

3. er...move right?

no.

Move?

Yes. Don't stand still.

[Cleita]

4. So we should just have a one party state like Ann Coulter suggested?

Because that's what you are suggesting.

[Naturyl]

57. We already have one.

The right-wing party.

[keep_it_real]

5. Straighten up and fly right?

[BunkerHill24]

6. I thought the message was "hear us out"

No-public-option-No-Healthcare"...but that's just my personal opinion.

[TankerKC]

7. The lesson....

..never run a candidate in MA how doesn't know who Curt Schilling is.

[BeFree]

11. That's sad

That an election could turn on a sports hero. Are the people that shallow?

[TankerKC]

23. OK...forget sports.

How about a candidate that can spell "Massachusetts"?

This was a comedy of errors.

[theboss]

67. People won't vote for candidates that they feel are not connected to them in some way

For all his privilege, Kennedy could not have had a stronger connection to Massachusetts. His grandpa was following the Boston Braves around the country 100 years ago and getting into brawls in the stand.

Do you think someone could run in Western PA and talk about "Coach Timlin?" The voters will immediately think he or she is a phony.

[ProSense]

12. Americans still treat life like reality TV

A stupid gaffe can result in someone losing a 30-point lead in two weeks.

Unbelievable.

[amborin]

21. it wasn't about a sports gaffe, and you know it

[ProSense]

24. 30 points in two weeks,

it wasn't about national politics.

[Forkboy]

65. And it wasn't about Curt fucking Schilling either.

:eyes:

[nomorewhopper]

9. the message is, "we don't want to pay for a healthcare bill during the great recession". nt

[Hansel]

38. The message is "we already have health care - screw the rest of you"

MA already has a universal health care policy.

[treestar]

43. Especially since they already got theirs

[treestar]

44. And they already have theirs

So the rest of us don't matter.

[Edweird]

10. That given the choice between fake republicans and real republicans, people choose the real ones.

66% support single payer. That's two thirds of the population. The corporate giveaway RW bullshit senate bill will be the end of Democratic majority.

[amborin]

22. +1000

[treestar]

50. So they think Sen. Brown will vote for single payer?

[Edweird]

63. Nope. But 51 is the new magic number. They still have a chance to avert disaster.

Otherwise this November they are gonna find themselves all alone on the slippery rocks with the alligators snapping at their ankles.

[timeforpeace]

13. Enlighten us.

[Bluebear]

70. .

[City of Mills]

14. We're sick of having it so good

We need a Republican because prosperity sucks and pain feels good, damnit!

I think that's the message?

[WeDidIt]

15. See that intersection up ahead?

We're about to take a hard right turn.

[inna]

61. Here ya go.

Typical.

Hmm, what happened to your avatar and your sig, btw? I almost didn't 'recognize' you at first.

[gravity]

16. The Dems better get serious in 2010

[RedCloud]

17. I'll bet they turned out their own voters in droves to win!

[scarletwoman]

18. Clue: people still want CHANGE. They haven't seen any, so they'll try the other guys.

People see their jobs still disappearing. People see their homes still getting foreclosed. People see the Banksters and Wall Street still living high on the hog.

So what do you do when you see so much stuff that pisses you off still happening? You go out and vote for CHANGE. Change from the party in power that hasn't done shit to help you out.

THAT'S the "message" that was sent by the Massachusetts voters. CHANGE.

sw

[Forkboy]

27. Pretty damned simple, isn't it?

[scarletwoman]

31. You would think so.

It seems to me that all the folks wanting to make this an argument about "left" vs. "centrist" vs. "right", or whatever the hell, are just totally missing the point.

The vast majority of the electorate doesn't frame things in that way. It's nothing more than a question of "Am I being fucked over?" The answer is always "yes", of course -- because when, in the last many decades has the average citizen NOT been fucked over?

So, when one party is in power and the voter is asking him/herself, "Am I being fucked over?". And the answer is "Yes", as it must inevitably be -- then the only recourse the average citizen knows is to punish the party in power by voting for the other party.

NOT because the party in power isn't "left" enough, or "centrist" enough, or "right" enough. All the average voter knows is that the party in power isn't doing enough to stop the fucking.

People just want an end to being fucked over. If a political party were to actually accomplish that, it would be wildly popular.

sw

[Johonny]

30. what other guy?

they voted for the party they just removed. Everyone is saying they didn't want the change they were just given. They want the nothing they got before. In no way do I read what your saying from tonight.

[scarletwoman]

35. They voted for the guy who said he heard their discontent & said he would do something about it.

It doesn't matter that's it all a lie, they already figure they've been lied to. So they'll give a different liar a try -- just on the off chance that he might make things better, or at least less worse.

What else can a voter do in a rigged game like our corrupt two-party system?

[treestar]

40. So they sent a Senator who will help Wall street as best he can?

and will effect prevent anything to the left of Snowe?

They won't get any change now.

[scarletwoman]

54. You're missing the point. The Brown voters don't make those sorts of connections & analyses.

They just want things to be different. They have no idea of what's CAUSING their problems, all they know is that they have problems and the party in power doesn't seem to be making any of their problems get better.

It's like this: "My life sucks. I thought voting for Democrats instead of Republicans was going to make my life suck less, but it hasn't. I must have been mistaken. So, I'll vote Republican again this time."

[WorseBeforeBetter]

69. Obama helps "Wall street as best he can."

What's the fucking difference?

[sendero]

48. +1

+1000

It's so simple I don't understand why so many people don't get it.

[scarletwoman]

60. I think that the reason people "don't get it" is because it challenges too many

of their most cherished opinions.

Of course, this is also nothing more than my own opinion. ;)

[roamer65]

19. It is a message to move left.

FDR did well in the 1934 midterms, because he got meaningful, leftist legislation passed which helped the people.

People are hurting and this was a protest vote.

[treestar]

46. so they hurt themselves more to make this protest

[theboss]

68. So, voters chose a Republican in order to get progressive legislation passed

I don't think voters are stupid or suicidal.

I think they normally vote for what they want.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

20. All politics is local.

Coakley ran a shitty campaign by all accounts. Pin-up boy Brown spent more time on the campaign trail meeting people. Independants like that sort of thing.

[Johonny]

32. Sounds like it.

The message from tonight appears to be campaign hard and well in 2010. Not that deep a message. I mean Brown really didn't run on any coherent message to fear or rally behind. I imagine once many of the nice people actually find out what he believes in their going to be unhappy in their vote. Oh well...

[frylock]

25. unrec

clue: get one.

[Blaukraut]

26. Better ask: what message was sent TO Mass, not BY Mass

This had less to do with national politics than what is going on in-state.

[ProSense]

28. Yes, that's more appropriate n/t

[Umbral]

29. It's not move left?

Maybe you're thinking it's this.

[demmiblue]

34. How anybody can not see your agenda is beyond me!

:shrug:

[TCJ70]

36. That Democrats better start...

...paying attention to the people responsible for them keeping their jobs? That it's time to pass legislation that's in the best interest of the people and they won't fall for whatever watered down crap is put forward as reform?

[weezie1317]

37. I'm from Mass -- The message is for Democrats...

1. to get themselves organized -- With vast majorities in Congress, we should be able to get things accomplished with better discipline, focus and solidarity.

2. to get better candidates. I held my nose and voted for Martha but many voting Dems just didn't like her -- bad candidate, bad campaign.

[treestar]

39. Those Dems had to be saying we are too far left

That 22% of Dems voted for him means there is a significant large conservative wing.

Obviously they want nothing else of substance to pass for the time being.

The independents must have been saying we are too far left, too.

[Forkboy]

42. lol....wrist:check....razor blade: check.

See you at the next election. :crazy:

[Tailormyst]

45. No- they were saying they despised the giveaway to the banks and insurance companies.

[treestar]

49. So they sent someone who will work harder for the banks and insurance

companies' benefit.

[Tailormyst]

51. They voted against Washington and Beacon Hill, not FOR Brown.

[treestar]

53. By sending Brown, they voted for Wall street

A republican won't want anything to regulate them or bother them further.

[Tailormyst]

56. Look- if the party does not look at this race and learn from it

then we are screwed come November.

[Bluebear]

72. +1

[Tailormyst]

41. Showing your true colors.

[ProSense]

47. Oh please. A teabagger just won the Mass election

I don't live in Mass, and if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't have voted for that asshole.

[misanthrope]

55. Here's the message: Stop blowing smoke up my ass!**nm

**

[bik0]

58. Mass voters like their existing health care - do NOT want change

From a Sept 2009 article in the Boston Globe...

State’s health system popular

“Three years in operation, and with 97 percent of people covered, you have a majority of support, and that is a lesson for Washington,’’ said Robert J. Blendon, a health policy professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and the poll’s co-director.

The poll found that 79 percent of those surveyed wanted the law to continue, though a majority said there should be some changes, with cost reductions cited as the single most important change that needs to be made.

Only 11 percent of state residents favored repealing the law, similar to last year’s finding.

http://www.boston.com/news/health/articles/2009/09/28/s... /

[bridgit]

59. By the replies in this & other threads - it will be a couple days before DU is able to absorb it

[last1standing]

64. Hahahaha! This thread is a joke, right?

Right?

If not, its the worst attempt to push an agenda over reality I've seen in the last nine years on this board. Why didn't you just copy and paste Lanny Davis' screed saying exactly the same thing?

[theboss]

66. That healthcare reform is massively massively unpopular right now

That's about it.

In retropsect, I don't know if healthcare reform is massively unpopular. I think trying to pass it following TARP is massively unpopular. Some combination of those two triggered this.

[PufPuf23]

73. Do you think that POTUS Obama helped or harmed

Coakley?