Kennedy's Senate Seat

[SuzySunshine]

I'm putting this in debates because I know this group

HOLY CRAP! How did a Republican win in Massachusetts?

I saw a story on the news tonight and Obama's approval ratings are dropping like a lead balloon. The consensus is that he's spending so much time on health care no one thinks he's doing anything else.

What is going to happen to the health care bill now?

[Pollyanna]

What is going to happen to the health care bill now?

Please dear Lord, let it die..

[bokelley]

WOW this will put the reigns on the health care bill!! When was the last time Mass had a GOP in the seat?

[ladymoreta]

Please dear Lord, let it die..

Ditto! Way to go Massachusetts!

[SoonerTexan]

Yikes--I imagine this didn't help. No matter what your views are on the issue, she didn't handle it very well. And I'm sure it PO'ed some Catholics...not a good group to go against in Mass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ-ZeLSZPc8

[Momo]

A Republican isn't totally unbelievable...after all Mitt Romney was their Governor.

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

To quote Scott Brown:

"It's not the Kennedy seat. It's not the Democratic seat. It's the people of Massachusetts seat." DAMN STRAIGHT.

If you need a bigger referendum on healthcare reform, I don't know what it would be. When communist Massachusetts hates the bills this bad, you're in trouble.

[GrayMatterWife]

Please dear Lord, let it die..

Yeah, even liberals don't like being taxed to death. Funny, when it's THEIR money...

From your lips to God's ear.

Leading Dems swear that they are going to continue their efforts to jam this unpopular mess down our throats. In the Senate, unless they pick off enough Reps to get 60 votes (and also does not lose any of the now-freaked-out moderate Dems) for the compromise version they've been working on, they could always try to break up the bill into a jillion pieces and try to pass it piecemeal, through the reconciliation process (the "nuclear option," as they keep calling it), which requires only a simple majority. Uh, good luck with that. If the Senators would be called to account for their votes on each part, standing alone, of this wreck, I can't see how that would work.

[MarissaNicole]

I'm still in shock!

Did the AMA approve of the most recent House Bill? I don't understand that?

"It's not the Kennedy seat. It's not the Democratic seat. It's the people of Massachusetts seat."

I wholeheartedly agree with this, and shame on Coakley for thinking otherwise.

[PrincessFiona]

To quote Scott Brown:

"It's not the Kennedy seat. It's not the Democratic seat. It's the people of Massachusetts seat." DAMN STRAIGHT.

If you need a bigger referendum on healthcare reform, I don't know what it would be. When communist Massachusetts hates the bills this bad, you're in trouble.

Agree on all fronts. Some of the liberal dems are already out pushing for a Kennedy to run next time around. It baffles the mind, it really does!

My aunt lives in worcester and in her eyes this was a referendum on the health care issue. Most people who voted for Obama, I believe where hoping for there to be a public health option for people below a certain income (or not) that could be an alternative to the for-profit insurance industry.

I can't imagine a medicare-for-all policy that was also discussed (particularly considering that medicare just told pretty much all docs to get bent) and something has to be done to help those who are uninsured/underinsured who are american citizens are who work....but...I think Obama's plan got off course.

My opinion though.

Kris

To quote Scott Brown:

"It's not the Kennedy seat. It's not the Democratic seat. It's the people of Massachusetts seat." DAMN STRAIGHT.

If you need a bigger referendum on healthcare reform, I don't know what it would be. When communist Massachusetts hates the bills this bad, you're in trouble.

No kidding! I have heard today that she was not a great candidate (people arguing that was the issue) but I still think the vote outcome makes a broader statement. Hopefully any votes will happen after he is seated, that only seems fair.

[Sheherezade]

My husband just mentioned to me that he's heard a lot of interviews with people in MA that said they don't want the Fed healthcare bill because they already HAVE a program in MA. Since they pay for it there, why should they also pay for a federal program? I'd forgotten that bit of the puzzle. I'd probably be put off paying more taxes at the federal level for health care when I already paid in to a mandatory state program even if I was in favor of health care.

At least it's an interesting news cycle. Somehow I missed that the Rep candidate posed nude in Cosmo. Of course, today, the radio news finally informed me. I guess nude photos don't do as well in radio news.

[SuzySunshine]

Angie - that is what I'm hearing a lot today. MA residents have a great health plan and don't want to lost it if the fed one goes through. Maybe that should tell the politicians something, maybe we should be using the MA one as a model.

[DCJenn]

I was talking to our TX state Representative tonight (OK, he's really known in the 'hood as "Bella and Marcos' Dad") and he said that YES, it does mean that National incumbents of all parties need to be watching what is going on, but also that truly in this case it's more about the local politics.

The scenario that Angie mentioned is exactly why my friend in Mass. voted for Brown. They have had health insurance overhaul- under Romney- and it worked.

On a national basis, I HOPE for the love of all that Pelosi and Reid get their walking papers because without a doubt, they are the two WORST leaders we Dems could have had. They play politics when they should have worked with the GOP and they cave when they should have stood their ground. They suck.

Jenn