MA is not becoming a "right wing" haven state at all. I assure everyone here

[inthebrain]

As a matter of fact, just the opposite has happened. The state has become radicalized. The people here are becoming much more of the radical left than what is offered by Coakly and the Democratic party right now. Few Reasons for this;

1) The Health Care Reform instituted by Romney is pretty much the same that is being offered by Obama. So yeah, no worry about that being an issue that it hasn't passed. It's ALREADY PASSED here.

2) For state, city and government workers the same layoffs that started under Romney have continued under Deval Patrick.

3) Because of the proposed Health Care Bill, the attempt to privatize SS by Bush and the bank bailouts everyone here has grown suspiscious of EVERY SINGLE POLITICIAN that strolls down the pike. Part of this is because when they elected Obama and Patrick they were hoping for something more along the lines of FDR and didn't get it. They are also very annoyed at how the politicians are at the service of Wall Street and the market.


Keep in mind that this state has it's history of radicalism. It's spawned Malcom X, Howard Zinn etc. As a matter of fact, Howard Zinn's books, essays and speeched have received a new curiosity from a lot of folks.

A Brown win on Tuesday does not signal that this state has moved rightward. As a matter of fact, if Brown wins and attempst to enact his social agenda he will get his by the people of this state. Although socially he's a little more in line with Rudy Giulliani than Pat Robertson.

Folks of this state want something different on Economic issues and Foreign Policy. Both parties rarely differ on these issues and those differences are rather slight. It's complicated as a lot of folks are confused as well.

[FrenchieCat]

1. Please......

If Brown wins, the state becomes more conservative in everyway. Period.

As for everything you are saying,
it will just mean that MA has become a stupid full of too many stupid ass people,
period.

But then, it is the state that elected Romney to begin with.

[inthebrain]

4. FrenchieCat

Your post is absurd.

Oh, and speaking of "conservative" calling the people "stupid" is blaming the people AND THAT IS A VERY CONSERVATIVE TACT. Jesus (I think it was him) was famous for saying something about removing that plank from thine own eye. Something to that effect.

As far as the education level of this state, it has some of the best educational institutions not only in the country, BUT THE WORLD. Obama went to college here.

Don't insult my state.

[Jennicut]

7. If Brown wins, it will hurt the interests of the state overall. Look at how well Lieberman has done

for us, your neighbors in CT? Granted, he is not an official Repub but he might as well be one. I would hold my nose and vote Coakley unless there was something psychically stopping me. Is she the greatest candidate in the world? No. But Brown is horrible for Mass. But of course, we do flirt with Repubs in these areas, don't we? And we somehow have to learn our lesson over and over again what a mess they make our states when they are through with them.

[inthebrain]

13. Understand this;

If you are a progressive or anywhere to the left of that in this state (which most of it is) and Coakly calls Obama's proposal a "Real Solution", what are you gonna do?

This state ALREADY HAS THIS "REFORM" and NOOOOOBODY likes it. We are FORCED here to purchase health insurance. Talk to people here in the street about it and that hate it with a passion. Many of these folks are lifelong Dems and voted for Obama hoping it would turn over a really lousy bill (That even state Democracts voted for) and are not getting that.

Couple that with the fact that folks in this state Opposed the Iraq war and PROTESTED IT LIKE CRAZY long before everyone else got on board. Obama has expanded the Afghan War and there is no end in sight to the Iraq War.

And people here are absolutely disgusted with the bail outs.


You're gonna sell Coakley's campaign to them?

Everyone here knows Brown is a dick. She's even selling that on television. It's no secret to anyone here as far as that goes. Looking at the issues I mention above it's no secret that people are not crazy about this election.

[Jennicut]

14. Right. So "punish" Obama and the Dems by allowing Brown to get in office.

Yeah, that really never works and really never gets progressives anywhere but totally off the map. When Dems lose elections, they have a tendency to move to the right. Evidence is Clinton in 1994. Most of the time in politics it is bad vs really bad. It is just the way it is. Every once in awhile a good, liberal candidate comes along. But politics is a money game and rarely attracts people with overly progressive ideals.

[inthebrain]

18. Obama is not a progressive and neither is Coakly

When Dems fail to run these people ya know what happens?

Progressives get run off the map.

Not only that, when you run as a progressive and compleletly bail on those stances folks tend not to trust you. If you feel that "that's the way it is and it's not going to change" don't get all upset when your cynical chickens come home to roost.

[Jennicut]

21. Fine by me. I don't plan on shooting myself in the foot. I am not a cynic, just a realist.

[treestar]

71. Brown isn't a progressive either

If they let him win, they get less of what they want.

[inthebrain]

90. Neither is Coakely or the guy in your avatar

[Ildem09]

20. the democratic party

is dysfunctional Teddy was the last great member of the Old New Deal Democrats.. the TRUE democrats. sure we have a few here and there. Feingold, Greyson,Dean, Quigley, etc..etc. however, the true prolific Big Government democrats are dead. we need to bring them back.

We are going to loose seats in 2010 its Political Science Certainty. we are over extended in regions we shouldn't be wasting time in and we have neglected our core base of elected officals.. no no this should not be happening in MA, however, if we weren't pissing in the wind it wouldn't have

[Jennicut]

24. We are definately in places we will not hold, they are far too conservative

But even voters in Mass can make wrong decisions at times. They may be upset about the economy, the Dems are in power and populist anger leads to voting in the very party that caused the problems in the first place. An endless cycle, because we have a two party system. I do think Obama has made plenty of mistakes but when faced in an election between a semi-moderate Dem and a conservative Repub I know what decision I would make. I posted many times during the GE in 2008 that I would vote for Hillary over McCain even though I preferred someone else for the Dem candidate because a Rethug is ALWAYS worse. Always.

[Ildem09]

26. aye

it's kinda the double edge sword of Dean's 50 state strategy. we waste time in the south and interior west and it allows for quirky insurgencies in New England.

[suzie]

86. So, you'd rather not have won Florida?

You'd rather not have won North Carolina and Virginia in 2008?

What states did you have in mind to pick up to offset those "wastes of time"?

Or do you just want to give up on the presidency forever?

[Ildem09]

98. Ok

Spending time in Florida is warranted because it is a unique state. it is not quite a southern state culturally. and has a lot of EV's and has been a Toss-up State for years. SO spending money there is warranted. However, I Guarantee that in 2012 North Carolina, and Indiana will go back Red. Virginia might.

[inthebrain]

30. Mostly, I think you're failing to look at this election through the eyes of the poeple

in this state.

As I mentioned above about the HealthCare Bill which was passed here by Romney. It's the same thing Obama is looking to pass and folks here are not happy about it. That lousy piece of HealthCare legislation is part of the reason why folks wanted Mitt out of here. Not not to mention that he bashed the state in the 04 campaign.

Coakley has voiced support for the same damn bill. What do you think the voters are gonna do in response?

[Ildem09]

32. don't you guys

have a powerful leader that makes votes appear? i.e Chicago returns for Daley being 103% of total votes. Damn you flinty New Englanders and your clean and ethical campaigns.

[Jennicut]

38. We are not always ethical, though. Our gov in CT went to jail and so did tons of our mayors

Actually, New England politics can be kind of nasty and dirty, at times.

[Ildem09]

42. this pleases me

too bad you guys aren't as open about it as we are. it makes things sooo much easier when you give up all persistences of corruption. The state GOP here is like fuck it, we can't do jack outside good theater lol

[inthebrain]

44. The politiicans are not the fault of the people

It's the fault of the politicians, the assholes who lie and the people in the parties who promote them (I'm not talking about the voters either I'm talkling about the leadership).

Primarily it's the wealthy elite.

I don't fault the voters.

[Ildem09]

45. coruption in illinois

trickles down to us common folk. so it's good. hey the mayor needs to do get x amount of people to vote this way. you can get a raise down at the sewage treatment place too. bam. but then again corruption and Illinois go hand in hand

[inthebrain]

47. Hey, fuck it!!

That's how life is in a capitalist society.

Here? The Dems just lay everyone off as of late.

[Ildem09]

49. we're running into that too

our economic basket case is causing serious issues. we are talking about furloughs and some draconian plans to cut services. I have faith the Emperor and the Speaker of the house will do something

[cali]

54. So how come every poll shows that MA residents approve of the

MA healthcare legislation? I think it's moronic to suggest that people are voting for Brown because Coakley isn't progressive enough. You're full of it.

[TheKentuckian]

94. I think people like to conflate not wanting to return to free for all with approve

I always got the impression that Massachusetts voters felt they have the 2nd worse system in the free world, just that #1 is the other option.

[cali]

53. bullshit. Tom Harkin, Pat Leahy, Barbara Boxer, Sherrod Brown

Bernie Sanders- yeah, I count Bernie. I'm so tiered of people making these pronouncements that simply aren't true. Yes we need more of them, but stop pretending they aren't there.

[Ildem09]

80. i'm NOT!!

I was sleepy when i wrote the post. I love me some sherrod, and Tom. and AL. etc.

[liquid diamond]

33. Your state sickens me.

You are giving a republican a shot at winning a senate seat that we've had for 60 years. Can you imagine Obama being competitive in the deep south during the general election?

[Ildem09]

34. what shit hole

state do you come from? I'm form Illinois the state that gave us Obama.... also gave us Ronald the forgetful. Louisiana gave us Huey Long annnnd bobby Jindal.. Massachusetts gave us the privilege of Ted Kennedy and Mitt Romney.. so how many states sicken you

[liquid diamond]

36. I'm from California.

At least we aren't stupid enough to allow a republican to compete for a senate seat here.

[Ildem09]

37. you just had a governor

called Ronald that became president in the 1980's He was only born in my state. he fucked up the country from yours

[liquid diamond]

39. I'm talking about the senate.

[Ildem09]

40. also not to mention

Orange County... one of the most conservative counties in the country. Duncan Hunter and other right wing whack jobs. And you had a republican Senator as late as 1991.. Massachusetts was in 1972. So California sickens me more than Massachusetts does

[inthebrain]

41. Meanwhile you've had Arnold and Reagan for governors

and you're getting on MA?

California just re elected Arnold to a SECOND TERM and he's bankrupted the state.

And you're proclaiming that MA sickens you? I hate to see what you think about your state. At least when Romney tryed to overturn the legalization of gay marriage the people of this state gave him hell for it. You guys had it on the ballot and voted it down.

I'm not even originall from here. I moved here from NY 16 years ago. The people here are fucking kick ass though!!!! Even if we get a real asshole politician here from time to time the people make his life a living hell. We may get Brown but I can guarentee that if he pulls a hard right agenda folks here are still gonna kick his ass.

[cali]

55. Actually, recent polls show repubs polling close to Boxer.

Don't be so sure.

[TheKentuckian]

95. You elect DiFi all the time. You can call her a Democrat if you insist

but in California you could elect an actual Democrat instead of a moneychanger.

[inthebrain]

48. MA also gave us Howard Zinn and Malcom X

Not to mention the first state to outlaw slavery and Shea's Rebellion which freaked out the founders giving us the Bill of Rights.

Not that Zinn or X were politicians though...

[Ildem09]

50. also first state to recognize my equal rights

[cali]

56. bzzzt. My state of Vermont was the first state to outlaw

slavery

by 1777 Vermont had drawn up its own constitution as a free and independent state. Further asserting the independent thinking of the state, Vermont became the first state to outlaw slavery. The Georgia state legislature proclaimed that Vermont was so independent that "the whole state should be made into an island and towed out to sea." And even before the United States declared war on Germany, the Vermont legislature did so itself.
http://www.netstate.com/states/intro/vt_intro.htm

[Ildem09]

79. i'm talking

marriage equality

[freddie mertz]

64. My state of Massachusetts gave us the American Revolution too.

Boston Massacre, the ORIGINAL (real()Tea Party, Lexington and Concord, Paul Revere, John Adams. Sam Adams. John Quincy Adams.

Etc.

Just saying.

[cali]

65. it did. but it was not the first state to outlaw slavery.

the poster is wrong.

[freddie mertz]

66. True enough. We can't claim everything. Boston's "race" history is mixed at best.

As I know all too well, growing up there in the 60s and 70s.

[TayTay]

85. Prince Hall and the end of Slavery in MA

American heroes we know nothing about, http://www.masshist.org/endofslavery/?queryID=53">Prince Hall edition:

Prince Hall was one of the most prominent free black citizens of Boston during and after the Revolution. Born around 1735, of uncertain origins, he was the slave of William Hall of Boston, who manumitted him in 1770 shortly after the Boston Massacre. Prince Hall worked as a leather-dresser and caterer, and was the Grand Master of the African Lodge in Boston. Another institution to promote social, political, and economic improvement for African Americans was the African Society formed in Boston in 1796. Although Prince Hall apparently was not a founding member of the African Society, the group did share a number of members with the African Lodge.

Prince Hall worked tirelessly for the abolition of slavery, for a legal end to the slave trade in Massachusetts, and for free public education for the children of African American taxpayers in Boston. A group of black Masons led by Prince Hall http://www.masshist.org/database/onview_full.cfm?queryID=710">petitioned the General Court in February of 1788 to put an end to the slave trade, a petition prompted by the abduction of three free black men in Boston Harbor, who were lured aboard a vessel and subsequently taken to the West Indies to be sold as slaves. As a result of this petition, along with one put forth by the Quakers and one by the Boston clergy, the General Court passed an act on 26 March 1788 "to prevent the Slave Trade, and for granting Relief to the Families of such unhappy Persons as may be Kidnapped or decoyed away from this Commonwealth" (Kaplan p. 210). Prince Hall died in Boston in 1807.

Prince Hall's petition to the Court was based on http://www.mass.gov/legis/const.htm">Article I of the MA constitution, written by John Adams and adopted in 1780. To wit: "Article I. All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness. "

Prince Hall was an amazing person and a fascinating historical figure in MA. He was an instrumental figure in abolishing slavery in MA.

There is a long history in MA of people making noble pronouncements about "cities on a hill" and so forth and then being called on these noble sentiments by others who want to see action on this stuff. Prince Hall is in line with a long list of MA citizens who called BS on the noble sentiments of others and made them act on them.

[ChiciB1]

74. Do You Understand That MOST People In MA Are Independents Today??

Next in line with about 30.7% are Democrats, and then so few Repukes! What you are seeing is that THOSE Independents who HELPED Obama get elected seem to be falling in behind Brown because Obama promised CHANGE that they aren't seeing!

Maybe Coakley squeaks by, and that SHOULD be something that THIS WH et al SHOULD take VERY SERIOUSLY! Will They? Who the hell knows, I NEVER thought I would be seeing what I'm seeing right now with the Dems holding ALL THE CARDS!!

Guess it's a crap shoot, but I've never been one who liked stepping into CRAP!! It's stinky and hard to remove!

[karynnj]

88. Not only did those independents vote for Obama, Kerry won the Senate seat by a higher percent

- as did Kennedy running in 2006. Kerry got 62.7% of the MA vote in 2004, so attributing Obama's similar win in 2008 to "change" is simplistic.

I would listen to the MA people here, most of whom are saying that this is anger towards the MA state Democrats. There is real pain and the anger is directed against those in power.

I would guess that the expectation that a Democrat would win was ignoring that both Kennedy and Kerry are exceptional and I think both campaigned more when their seats were up.

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[wisteria]

19. He has run a campaign of lies and has misrepresented himself.

True the Dem's dropped the ball for a while here, but not enought for the state and the nation to be punished by electing a slug like Brown.

[Ildem09]

22. As a political scientist

I see the fact that a lot of us tend to view all politics as having national importance, however, all politics is local. the vast majority of people voting in a senatorial campaign don't care about the nation writ large, they wanna vote for whom will give the most to them and theirs. or to punish someone for running a bad campaign

[inthebrain]

27. It's even simpler than that

Look at the issues at stake.

Obama's Health Care Reform is the same that Mitt Romney passed. No one here likes it.

Coakley thinks she's gonna win promoting a bill that everyone hates cause they already have it? Not gonna happen.

[Ildem09]

28. I have

little knowledge of how campaigns are run in your state. i'm familiar with the rough and tumble of Illinois machine politics, where the Emperor Daley the Great decides most policy along with Speaker Madigan. however, I do love your state for being the first I can get married in. and it pains me to see a Goper doing that well. I loved Teddy he was my Senator too. :(

[cali]

57. bullshit.

A joint poll conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and The Boston Globe finds residents of Massachusetts relatively pleased with the results of former Governor Mitt Romney's health care plan.

Public support for Massachusetts’ closely watched health insurance overhaul has slipped over the past year, a new poll indicates, but residents still support the path-breaking 2006 law by a 2-to-1 ratio.... 59 percent of those surveyed said they favored the state’s multimillion-dollar insurance initiative.


A full 79% wanted the law to continue, although there are concerns about the plan's rising costs.

[JTFrog]

58. +1

Facts are annoying things.

[inthebrain]

93. YOu mean those same facts pointed out in that poll

where the residents of MA also feel the legislation has DONE NOTHING!!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

[seaglass]

82. You missed something in that poll, a rather critical something.

"In another question, residents were nearly evenly split over whether Massachusetts could afford to continue with the law as it stands: 43 percent said the state could not, and 40 percent said it could."

So it would seem that in September, the majority supported MA health insurance plan but were concerned about affordability...what makes you think those concerns haven't escalated over the last 4 months as they economy has continued to suck?

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

[ChiciB1]

76. And I Know At Least Two People Who Have Had To Come Up There

from down here in Florida... JUST TO GET HELP for their mother/father who have dementia and alzheimer's! Both went up there BEFORE August and ONE just recently got some real help in placing their mother in a home! It was a LONG haul and she wasn't happy! Don't know WHAT all the problems were, but it was one glitch after another!

That's about all I know, just that they are frustrated!

[Tailormyst]

68. As usual you have absolutely NO FUCKING CLUE- yet you insist on piping up

[rvablue]

73. Really, Frenchie? Is that what happened in California, when the people tossed a Dem from office

and voted in a Republican.

Did the state become more conservative in every way. Period.

If your theory holds true, then CA became "full of stupid ass people" long before MA did.

Your post, BTW, is offensive and childish.

[CoffinEd]

77. Please exclude me from the pool of stupid folks in MA

I'm not voting for Brown and I sure as hell didn't vote for Romney. And don't forget that Massachusetts also elected Edward Brooke (Republican) to the US Senate back in the 60's.

Have a little faith Ms. Frenchie. There's still a few of us up here who have a functioning brain, and values, and morals, and principles. B-)

[Ken Burch]

83. The OP wasn't actually arguing that it would be GOOD if Brown won

The argument was that centrism and surrender(what your wing of the party calls "compromise")would be to blame.

You can't trade everything away and then STILL demand turnout from the base.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Good for you

[jonnyblitz]

3. you'd think it was right wing if you listened to WRKO talk radio

all day long. :scared:

seriously though, I will be surprised if Brown wins on tuesday. I hope the hell he doesn't.

[inthebrain]

6. I think that's WTKK or something like that...

Those guys seem to get suspended all the time. Most of the people listening call to complain and get the radio hosts suspended. Michael Graham recently got suspended as did Severine (again). I don't really listen to that crap unless I'm in a room where someone else has it on.

[jonnyblitz]

12. well, I know Rush and Howie Carr are on WRKO unless

things have changed. I haven't listened to radio in a long time.

[inthebrain]

92. LOL Goes to show how much I pay attention to what those guys have to say.

I didn't even know fatso broadcast in this state.

[pnwmom]

5. If being suspicious of everyone means they vote for slime like Scott Brown,

then all I'm assured of is that the state has gone crazy.

[inthebrain]

9. What I've noticed on this board

And it's not everyone but a good portion of it is that MANY of you have completely failed to recognize the outrage a lot of folks have towards the economic situation. Lots of folks seem to be in denial regarding it's impact. Recently I was discussing with someone the bailouts and the bonises coupled with the weak "Bank Tax" issued by Obama. It appears not just this one individual but many folks are convinced that it LOOKS good.

Not that people are really paying attention.

And yes, I'm sure there are also plenty of folks voting for the guy just to piss off the Democrats. A lot of the folks have lost EVERYTHING in this last year and also VOTED for Obama in hoping that the corporate welfare would end. This stuff has consequneces and denying it while blaming people who are suffering BECAUSE OF IT doesn't help.

As I see it, and I look at things from a Marxist perspective, this is capitalism. It doesn't exist to give people jobs or a living wage. It exists for PROFIT. The way things are going now is the system working as it should. It's SUPPOSED to throw people out of work. To a corporation a worker is not a human being he is an expense.

[pnwmom]

15. I recognize the outrage. But voting for Brown out of outrage would be insane.

His policies won't help anyone get a job or a higher wage.

[inthebrain]

23. The Dems here have failed to differentiate themselves

On the state level and the people of this state regarding the health care Bill and the wars (not to mention the bailouts) feel that way on the federal level.

Romney and Patrick are both lay off state workers.

Romney's and Obama's stances on HealthCare reform as well as Coakley's amounts to the same thing.

Being a capitalist is not going to help ANYONE get a job. Capitalists don't create jobs, they creat profits and jobs cut into that. So do higher wages.

Recall in the OP I mentioned that the people in this state have become much more radicalized?

Here's the thing. When you see a homeless person or someone lose their home you might go; "The system isn't working." The way it stands in this state? The people will tell you, "The system IS working" when they see something like that. They are not blinded to what the bonuses by the banks means or the fact that the DOW has gone up while they lose everything.

[pnwmom]

43. Abortion. Gay rights. Torture. Don't the "radicalized" care about these issues?

And how do they think they will be better off on the economic issues if Brown wins?

The only message a Brown win will send is that all politicians should move more to the right.

[inthebrain]

46. They do but they just refuse to be held hostage by them

Besides, the Democratic Party these last few years have done a shitty job on abortion and lately AN EVEN WORSE JOB ON GAY RIGHTS. As a matter of fact, if you hadn't noticed, it's gotten so bad that GLB&Ts have abandoned the party. Not sure if you followed the recent March on Washington but the chant was "Fuck You Barney Frank" after Frank told em the only impression they were gonna make was "on the grass".

Torture? We are still doing that.

The Dems are not going to string these people along. They've lost them.

[pnwmom]

51. If these results show how "radicalized" the voters have become, then why

do so few self-identify as liberals (23%) -- as opposed to moderates and conservatives (64%)?

From the poll's questions:

D1. If you consider yourself to be a liberal, press 1; a moderate, press 2; or
a conservative, press 3. If you don’t know, press 9.

Liberal Moderate Conservative Don’t know


Total 23% 36% 28% 12%
Brown 8% 62% 79% 45%
Coakley 87% 32% 17% 34%
Kennedy 2% 0% 1% 7%
Undecided 3% 6% 3% 14%

[inthebrain]

52. Look at all the options that give you LOL

First off, Liberals are not "Redicalized" and neither are moderates or conservatives. "I don't know" is not a radical position either. Liberals are slightly to the left of conservatives. They are pro capitalist and not likely to introduce radical changes. Liberals are just interested in putting a kind face on everything.

People do lie to pollsters and not everyone in the state are polled. You know who are polled? The same people who always answer polls.

But you are obviously convinced that MA is a conservative state. You stroll through here or Texas you can barely tell the difference.

Do you have a link for that poll?

[pnwmom]

69. Sorry. I'm talking about the poll that put Coakley almost 10 points ahead. I just went

deeper into it and looked at the actual questions.

I'm not saying Massachusetts is a conservative state. I'm saying that this poll leaned toward conservatives, which is an entirely different thing -- and that this poll, which I had assumed you were referring to (sorry if you weren't) -- doesn't fit with your idea that the state is full of radicals.

It certainly doesn't comport with how radical you say the population is, does it? I agree that with you that liberals are not radicalized. So maybe we're both right and the problem is that the poll -- which was an automated dial poll -- just wasn't that accurate, and that it oversampled on the right.

And therefore, we should toss it out and say we really don't have any idea who's going to win on Tuesday -- and that this poll doesn't give us any useful information.

[wisteria]

25. I am involved in the economic down turn having lost my job nearly a year ago, but

I don't blame the Dems and feel President Obama is doing all he can to straighten out the economy and provide jobs. He never said it was going to be easy and he asked for our patience. I remember him saying jobs would be the last thing to come back after the recession-it would take until mid 2010 and into 2011. Frankly, I don't understand why people are directing their anger at our president when it is the Repubs who got us in this mess to begin with. So what are these discontented people going to do? Reward the Republicans by voting for Brown. This just doesn't make sense to me.

[treestar]

72. So Sen. Brown is going to help them how?

[EmeraldCityGrl]

87. There was a local story in Boston

about a mother on assistance suing a local hospital because they performed a tubal ligation without her permission.
The comments were off the wall, the anger seemed disproportionate to the story. Hundreds of posts condemning the
woman's lifestyle and anger over the economic implications of supporting folks on assistance.

They were the most mean spirited posts I'd ever read. Many people brought up the current economic environment and
how it was impacting their lives.

[democrattotheend]

8. Please tell me you are planning to vote for Coakley

Regardless of what you think a Brown win would signify, that's not the way it will be interpreted by the press or the administration, and it will not move policy to the left at all. All it will do is force the House to pass the inferior Senate version of the health care bill and force us to compromise more with Republicans on everything else we want to pass. So please, do not cut off everyone's nose to spite your face. If your goal is to send a message, you have already done so by making it close. But I really hope that on Tuesday you will do the right thing and vote for Coakley, because she is a much better choice than Brown in every way and that's what matters.

[inthebrain]

10. I'm not going to be here

I'm heading to Haiti tomorrow.

I'm an RN and arranged to go help out down there.

Personally? The way I feel about it?

I was hoping Obama's healthcare bill was going to nullify the shit deal we got from Romney here. He's offering the same thing so now we are stuck with it. As a matter of fact I was reading something recently that shows HealthCare costs ARE GOING UP. I'm not that crazy about Coakly or Brown. I would have had a hard time holding my nose to vote for her so I would have stayed home.

Instead I decided to go volunteer my services for folks who really need it. I beleive that real change comes from people and not elected officials. So I'm gonna go do my part.

[Grand Taurean]

11. And Repugs vote for anyone and anything.

So there was no difference between Gore and Bush then?

[pnwmom]

16. self-delete

[wisteria]

31. I don't accept your beliefs about politicians, but I applaud you going to help out in Haiti. n/t

[BeyondGeography]

61. That's what the OP should be then: My beautiful mind was offended by HCR so I'm not voting

[Spazito]

67. Another proxy vote for the repubs, well done!

"I would have stayed at home" says it all. A proxy vote for the repubs while abrogating your civic responsibility to participate in the democratic process, very "progressive" of you.

[inthebrain]

91. Yeah, I should vote in an election for a candidate that supports

a Wall Street favored health care reform. One that has no fucking clue whatsoever in regards to what the people of this state are going through right now. People here are suffering and struggeling.

Also, I am not a Progressive and I am a Socialist. The Progressive Reformists in the Democratic Party are long gone. Ted Kennedy was the last of them and he ditched that position well over twenty years ago. If progressives actually stood up and acted on principle in regards to what they want then the Democratic Party would more than likely have no choice but to follow through on their promises.

Thus far you've gotten no "single payer", expanded wars and recently the Democrats have thrown the Employee Free Choice Act under the bus. The Democrats today are no where near FDR, LBJ or even Ted Kennedy. They have moved even closer to a right wing capitalist party that's more in love with Wall Street than the workers. Coakley's support for the mandated health insurance for all just signifies to everyone that she is the same.

Until you decide to break from your fake left positions and stop voting in people cause they have a D on their chest this trend is going to continue. Right now, this fight on Health Care Reform is just Wall Street jerking your chain. The smart money is on it happening cause the insurance companies are licking their fingers thinking of all the money coming their way. Wall Street wants it.

[wisteria]

29. Well said. Those whose goal was to send a message have done so by making it close."n/t

[liquid diamond]

35. I'm very concerned about their way of thinking.

If we lose Tuesday, we could lose the presidency in 2012 due to angry "progressives" that stay home. They may not like everything about Obama, but things could be worse. I wish they would get that through their heads.

[DCBob]

60. Very short memories.. seems they have forgotten how bad it was under GOP rule.

Lets hope they come to their senses by November.

[CTLawGuy]

63. they have short memories

a few years ago, they were screaming for filibuster of everyone and everything put forth by Bush and now they are screaming that the filibuster should be abolished.

[Clio the Leo]

59. Brown is so moderate, no one knows what he stands for....

... and so these "radicals" are going to elect THAT? .... seems to be a disconnect in the logic there.

[karynnj]

62. This makes no sense - how will "Brown get his" when he votes exactly

as everyone knows he will? The ONLY thing the state can do to him is vote him out in 2012. Meanwhile his win may destroy the chances of Obama making any big changes.

[Flying Dream Blues]

70. I can understand your frustration, but how does electing a Republican

help you or anyone else?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

75. Then why is the M$M declaring Coakley dead on arrival? They hate Teddy Kennedy so much! n/t

[karynnj]

89. Most of the media I have seen has wanted to declare health care dead

all year. The coverage has been far more negative than positive. I don't think it has anything to do with Ted Kennedy. The media clearly has their finger on the scale - and if they can succeed in MA, they can succeed anywhere.

[frazzled]

78. Bull

I remain in email contact with my local Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts group, of which I was a founding member. They are madly organizing phone banks and requesting participation for Coakley (even though the group solidly endorsed Capuano in the primary).

The Brown surge in Massachusetts is indeed born of frustration. But it's nothing new in Massachusetts, where the Democratic-led legislature is so pervasive that people have always reacted by balancing it with a Republican governor. Remember, Deval Patrick was the first Democratic governor elected there since 1986. Republicans are the norm in an effort to balance out Democratic hegemony (which doesn't mean progressive hegemony) in the state--and this is the first time they have had to apply that principle to a Senate seat. Kennedy held it for 47 years (and was never going to lose it, but for personal, not ideological reasons). Kerry near lost it to Weld not long ago.

This is totally within the norms of the not-as-progressive-as-you-thought Massachusetts voters.

Read this article in today's Times for more explication:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/us/politics/18massachusetts.html?ref=politics

[DuaneBidoux]

81. All I think is that if Dems lose this seat ANY healthcare legislation is toast.

And we'll have another 15 years before we get any kind of attempt.

By the same token, if we lose this seat I have no doubt it will be because a lot of progressives are trying to send a shot across the bow at Obama and moderates generally that we expect what we voted for.

[TheKentuckian]

96. Never mind that the independents are the ones voting for him, huh?

Whats this urge to bash liberals?

[DuaneBidoux]

97. I think you misunderstood me. In any case the numbers say differently

I consider myself a progressive. And I bet that as the analysis rolls in the numbers will say quite simply that many fewer dems voted for Coakley but that Brown received about the same number of votes that McCaIN did.

[inthebrain]

99. And that's exactly what happened.

[Aramchek]

84. we know you want Brown to win, we just can't fathom why.