Tonight, in what will probably go down as the most shocking upset so far in 21st century politics, supposed shoo in, Martha Coakley, lost to right wing Republican and nude model, Scott Brown, tonight. Fingers were pointing way before the polls closed, with Coakley's campaign (worst since Walter Mondale) blaming the DNC, and everyone else blaming Coakley. While she vacationed in the Carribean in December sitting on a 15 point lead, Brown wore out shoe leather knocking on doors and asking for people's votes. In an anti-incumbent year, Coakley fucked up a gift that had been handed to her and Brown simply outperformed her.
Maybe she should have posed nude. On second thought, I'll retract that. So...
Tonight, you can kiss good-bye all the things Obama was elected to fix:
Health care - dead
Financial services reform - dead
Reform of policies of torture and illegal detentions - bye
Ethics reform - watered down or ignored
Immigration reform - DOA
War in Afghanistan and Iraq - neverending
Terrorism - alive and well
Lobbying reform - diluted to non-existent
Insiders dealmaking - business as usual
It looks as though the Obama administration has played directly into the GOP's hands, with Rahm Emanuel dealing away any moral high ground that Obama had earned during the election. I've never seen a lame duck in the first year. I guess critics are right; Obama is a great campaigner, but struggling as a leader. Dems, of course, are professionals at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Maybe she should have posed nude. On second thought, I'll retract that. So...
Tonight, you can kiss good-bye all the things Obama was elected to fix:
Health care - dead
Financial services reform - dead
Reform of policies of torture and illegal detentions - bye
Ethics reform - watered down or ignored
Immigration reform - DOA
War in Afghanistan and Iraq - neverending
Terrorism - alive and well
Lobbying reform - diluted to non-existent
Insiders dealmaking - business as usual
It looks as though the Obama administration has played directly into the GOP's hands, with Rahm Emanuel dealing away any moral high ground that Obama had earned during the election. I've never seen a lame duck in the first year. I guess critics are right; Obama is a great campaigner, but struggling as a leader. Dems, of course, are professionals at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Actually, I can quote Frank Barone from "Everybody Loves Raymond"..."Holy CRAP!".
I can only quote that great American sportscaster, Dick Enberg.."Oh my!".
Health care seemed to be THE issue in Mass. and Coakley didn't address that or really any issue with consistency. She seemed to think that, as a dem, she was entitled to the seat. She ran her campaign as if it was pre-ordained that she had won the seat and the result of the election became predictable in the final days.
People wanted the change promised during the campaign of 2008 and they haven't seen it. I would suggest that the poor performance of the administration in providing that change was more of a factor in Mass than any single issue on the agenda. Obama has let the political lifers control the agenda and they don't like change. They like the system as it has been for years.
"The Republicans still don't have a plan"
Actually, they do:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/11/03/politics/main5510731.shtml
If Dems can't get their collective shit together then what's the point? Dems are their own worst enemy.
That being said, I hope Harry Reid tacks on pro-choice amendments to every one of Ben Nelson's bills.
Bob, while I am completely disgusted at the turn of events in Washington, and around the country, I have to hope that this is the wake up call that Obama needs to become the leader that we expected.
You know that I want health care reform more than most for personal reasons, but I think that rushing to pass a bill - any bill - was a mistake. This bill is flawed and people saw that and fought against it.
I am not giving up, but somebody in Washington (starting at the top) needs to get their head out of their ass and start leading the country in the right direction. The arrogance of 2009 must stop or it's going to be a long, long time before the Dems get a "mandate" again.
Bob, apparently the POMMMMMMM (Party of Me. Me, Me, Me, Mine, Mine, Mine) virus has spread to all parties (including Democrats) in the state of Massachusetts.
Apparently Massachusetts Democrats are no better than the "all about me and screw everyone else" teabaggers. They already have universal healthcare passed by Republican former Governor Mitt Romney so why do they care about anyone else in the country? Let's now elect a Mexican hating, waterboarding loving Repub for shits and giggles. Yeehaw.
"Although the race has riveted the attention of the nation largely because it was seen as contributing to the success or defeat of the health care bill, the potency of the issue for voters here was difficult to gauge. That is because Massachusetts already has near-universal health coverage, thanks to a law passed when Mitt Romney, a Republican, was governor."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/us/politics/20election.html?hp
And Bart, if you didn't self-restrict your political edification exclusively to Fox Snooze and Rush Limpbrain, you would know he was openly supported by teabaggers and he fully embraced them back in return.
Bob, apparently the POMMMMMMM (Party of Me. Me, Me, Me, Mine, Mine, Mine) virus has spread to all parties (including Democrats) in the state of Massachusetts.
Apparently Massachusetts Democrats are no better than the "all about me and screw everyone else" teabaggers. They already have universal healthcare passed by Republican former Governor Mitt Romney so why do they care about anyone else in the country? Let's now elect a Mexican hating, waterboarding loving Repub for shits and giggles. Yeehaw.
"Although the race has riveted the attention of the nation largely because it was seen as contributing to the success or defeat of the health care bill, the potency of the issue for voters here was difficult to gauge. That is because Massachusetts already has near-universal health coverage, thanks to a law passed when Mitt Romney, a Republican, was governor."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/us/politics/20election.html?hp
And Bart, if you didn't self-restrict your political edification exclusively to Fox Snooze and Rush Limpbrain, you would know he was openly supported by teabaggers and he fully embraced them back in return.
As I have said before, we get the government we elect. Americans prefer divided government, it seems, but yet fail to understand why it is that things don't get done. Seriously, a lot of Massachusetts voters have their heads up their asses.
I need a drink. And a vacation.
I doubt if Bart worries about his health insurance....but maybe he'll sit up and take notice if the TeaBaggers take over and TRS loses more of his retirement as they did when Bush was in office.
Maybe he'd take notice if his income were at the poverty level like so many of the students in his school district.
Bart, Seriouscynic, whoever you are behind those secret IDs: Brown's a Teabagger and birther. Even questioned the marriage of Obama's mother. Dirt bag. Shit head. Liar.
Otherwise, your comment is correct. As I've ALREADY SAID, Coakley ran an abysmal campaign. Bad guys win, more people die while you dance naked around the campfire celebrating the culture of death.
Just pray to God you don't get sick or lose your health care. If you do, then you'll be fucked like tens of millions of other innocent Americans. Only you won't be innocent. You advocated people dying by denying them basic care. Of course, you could have tried to help, but you were more interested in the partisan win. Call me in a couple of years when your company cancels your health insurance because they can't afford to pay it and remain competitive in the markets. I'll tell you to call Scott Brown. I'm sure he'll help you.
POMMMMMMM wins, at least in the near term.
Bob wrote: "Health Care - dead"
I don't think it will be dead. It will be for the foreseeable future but that mess is not going to fix itself. The Republicans still don't have a plan other than "NO" and the current system rewards insurance companies and punishes the hard working middle class. As more and more people drop out and visit the Emergency room less and less people will be paying in and the system will ultimately fail.
Time is on the side of health care reform.
Brown is a "tea bagger"? I also didn't realize the Massachussetts' senate seat was "Ted Kennedy's seat". Why didn't Coakley and all the DC heavyweights who flew in to try to save her stick to issues instead of negative campaign ads and personal attacks (like the 80's photo). If the party truly wants the "moral high ground", shouldn't it at least TRY to TAKE it?