Coakley-Brown Senate Race in Mass on Jan. 19 - Dems could 60 seat Majority !

[Lemon law]

I will be glad when the Brown Coakley election is over, so at least there will be one less childish issue to squabble over on P&N. Today, the voters will speak and their word will be final.

There is a lot of time left until the election of 11/2010, and much can happen between now and then to totally change national perspectives.

But even as I type this, the political primary season is starting and all 435 house members and 1/3 of the Senate are going to behind the eight ball explaining to voters why they did so little to effectively govern.

 

[MotF Bane]

I will be glad when the Brown Coakley election is over, so at least there will be one less childish issue to squabble over on P&N. Today, the voters will speak and their word will be final.

There is a lot of time left until the election of 11/2010, and much can happen between now and then to totally change national perspectives.

But even as I type this, the political primary season is starting and all 435 house members and 1/3 of the Senate are going to behind the eight ball explaining to voters why they did so little to effectively govern.

I know, I know! They'll all blame the other party for it!

 

[nobodyknows]

you're un American and a disgrace to the rest of the nation.

LOL, big deal, you think anybody who disagrees with you is unamerican.

 

[spidey07]

I know, I know! They'll all blame the other party for it!

A better strategy would be to place the blame where it belongs - Obama. If you run on a reject the obama agenda you WILL be voted in.

 

[MotF Bane]

A better strategy would be to place the blame where it belongs - Obama. If you run on a reject the obama agenda you WILL be voted in.

 

[lothar]

HOLY SHIT! The guy echoes my views verbatim on most things! It's freaking eerie. He seems like a real rational guy, a lot of conservative views, and also a lot of what might be seen as liberal views (largely decriminalizing and removing federal interference with state marijuana rules). Focusing on domestic security at borders rather than wasting $ overseas, etc.

I stopped reading when I saw "Federal Dept of Education: Abolish"
I never understood why people would be against ED, but be for HUD at the same time.
Of all the other numerous departments that can be eliminated, this is the first and only one they always choose on the list? Why is that?

 

[lothar]

Add me to the list of disgruntled democrats who leans democrat most of the time that hopes Scott Brown wins.
I'm a healthcare professional and I've been displeased in the way Democrats have bungled the healthcare legislation with bribes, backroom deals, and other useless provisions including the idea of passing a "junk" bill just for the sake of passing one claiming that it can be fixed later and bypassing Senate/House joint conference committee. The latest rumor I've heard now is that if Scott Brown wins, the House would pickup the Senate version and vote on it without any changes for Obama to sign it into law since the senate already passed theirs so it wouldn't require a re-vote.

The more I listen to Tom Coburn, the more I'm starting to like him. I listened to his townhall meeting on C-Span Radio in my car this past Saturday while driving and most of the things he said ACTUALLY made sense which was a bit shocking to me.

 

[Carmen813]

I stopped reading when I saw "Federal Dept of Education: Abolish"
I never understood why people would be against ED, but be for HUD at the same time.
Of all the other numerous departments that can be eliminated, this is the first and only one they always choose on the list? Why is that?

Teacher's unions = massive Democratic support. Some also believe what is taught in classrooms should be handled at a local level, which is all well and good until you have to compete in a global economy. In that case the kids who studied evolution are probably going to be a little bit better at science than those who studied intelligent design.

 

[MrMatt]

Add me to the list of disgruntled democrats who leans democrat most of the time that hopes Scott Brown wins.
I'm a healthcare professional and I've been displeased in the way Democrats have bungled the healthcare legislation with bribes, backroom deals, and other useless provisions including the idea of passing a "junk" bill just for the sake of passing one claiming that it can be fixed later and bypassing Senate/House joint conference committee. The latest rumor I've heard now is that if Scott Brown wins, the House would pickup the Senate version and vote on it without any changes for Obama to sign it into law since the senate already passed theirs so it wouldn't require a re-vote.

The more I listen to Tom Coburn, the more I'm starting to like him. I listened to his townhall meeting on C-Span Radio in my car this past Saturday while driving and most of the things he said ACTUALLY made sense which was a bit shocking to me.

Welcome aboard! I have never voted republican...until today.

 

[PokerGuy]

Welcome aboard! I have never voted republican...until today.

Just like with cigarettes, it's never to late to quit voting democrat

 

[FerrelGeek]

Add me to the list of disgruntled democrats who leans democrat most of the time that hopes Scott Brown wins.
I'm a healthcare professional and I've been displeased in the way Democrats have bungled the healthcare legislation with bribes, backroom deals, and other useless provisions including the idea of passing a "junk" bill just for the sake of passing one claiming that it can be fixed later and bypassing Senate/House joint conference committee. The latest rumor I've heard now is that if Scott Brown wins, the House would pickup the Senate version and vote on it without any changes for Obama to sign it into law since the senate already passed theirs so it wouldn't require a re-vote.

The more I listen to Tom Coburn, the more I'm starting to like him. I listened to his townhall meeting on C-Span Radio in my car this past Saturday while driving and most of the things he said ACTUALLY made sense which was a bit shocking to me.

Was the union tax exemption in the senate bill? IIRC, it wasn't. Or the cadilac tax for that matter?

 

[bozack]

LOL, big deal, you think anybody who disagrees with you is unamerican.

Just quoting what a long time lib on these boards once said to me when I made a less harmful comment about an Obama win back in the day, funny how there is this seeming double standard.

 

[woolfe9999]

I got interviewed by the New York Times today after casting my vote. You could tell they wanted to hear about how my vote depended on my opinion of Obama. I told him something like this:

I'm a registered Democrat, but I voted for Brown today. I'm 28 years old and I've never had an election where I'm actually excited about one of the candidates, it's always been worse vs. worst in my eyes. For me the biggest issue was health-care reform, followed by the economy. I agree that health care reform needs to happen, but the plan that they're putting out there isn't a good fix. It's like saying 'there's nothing else to drink in the fridge so I'll drink this sour milk'. I also disagree with the bailouts and how far to the left the party has gone. I haven't moved much, the party's just moved away from me. Obama played into it as well, maybe 15-20% of my decision. I do not like his policies or ideas, but again it's mainly about health care reform. It's too expensive and doesn't actually fix the problem. Brown said he'd vote to kill it, so he has my vote. I also didn't like Coakley's attack ads. She sounded desperate. She was basically saying Brown was anti-rape-victim. It was pathetic. She also ran ads saying that Brown voted with Bush making it sound like he could actually vote on his plans...but he was a state senator not a federal one, and even I think she was trying to sneak half-truths into her ads'

Since you think HC should be reformed, but oppose this particular way of doing it, I am curious how YOU would reform HC. Can you give us a broad outline of an HC reform bill you would support?

- wolf

 

[spidey07]

Was the union tax exemption in the senate bill? IIRC, it wasn't. Or the cadilac tax for that matter?

Cadillac tax was/is in the Senate bill without exceptions or exemptions.

 

[MrMatt]

Since you think HC should be reformed, but oppose this particular way of doing it, I am curious how YOU would reform HC. Can you give us a broad outline of an HC reform bill you would support?

- wolf

I love when people say things like that. "Oh the republicans didn't come up with a better HC reform bill". Big deal. That doesn't mean you HAVE to pass the one the dems came up with. Just because you make a bill and there's no competing bill doesn't mean you HAVE to pass the one you have. Wait until you get a better bill, whether it's from the Dems, Reps, Independents, whomever.

And as for ideas for health care reform how about this: Right now in MA where I live there's basically 4 big insurance companies. Employers choose one and offer it to their employees. If it's too expensive or doesn't work for you, tough. Why not make it so that employers can't sign contracts with health insurance companies. Basically the employer offers to pay 80% (or some other number) of your health care plan. The insurance companies then all vie for your business. You pick the plan from the company that works for you, your employer picks up about the same amount they would've before, and you get something you actually want, through a process of fair market competition.

 

[ProfJohn]

I will be glad when the Brown Coakley election is over, so at least there will be one less childish issue to squabble over on P&N. Today, the voters will speak and their word will be final.

There is a lot of time left until the election of 11/2010, and much can happen between now and then to totally change national perspectives.

But even as I type this, the political primary season is starting and all 435 house members and 1/3 of the Senate are going to behind the eight ball explaining to voters why they did so little to effectively govern.

Actually if Brown wins I expect things to get worse around.

Us Republicans will claim that a Brown victory is a repudiation of everything Obama stands for and demand that congress sit around and do nothing until November.

You Democrats will make excuses and totally ignore the election results and demand that Obama continue on his current path.

The good thing is that we will still have lots of worthless threads filled with insults and meaningless posts

 

[FerrelGeek]

Cadillac tax was/is in the Senate bill without exceptions or exemptions.

Thank you sir. So if Brown somehow manages a win today, I wonder how the dems will give the unions their exemption?

 

[waggy]

ugh. didnt pay any attention to this thread.

coakley should rot in hell for her part in the child abuse witch hunt of the 80's and that alone i would wish for her to lose.

 

[ProfJohn]

Thank you sir. So if Brown somehow manages a win today, I wonder how the dems will give the unions their exemption?

Don't forget the Nebraska give away too which sets up the bill for a legal challenged based on the 14th amendment.

Personally, I think it is dead if Brown wins. There are now multiple Democrats who have said as much and I think a lot of moderate blue dog Democrats will bolt before voting for the Senate bill. There are still something along the lines of 30 Democrats who are sitting in districts that were won by both McCain and Bush and those Democrats have to be very scared about this fall.

Correction... there are 49 Democrats currently sitting in districts that voted for McCain in 2008. (34 Republicans sit in Obama districts)

 

[brencat]

Brown has been bid up ~ 10 pts the past 2 hours or so:

http://www.intrade.com/

 

[woolfe9999]

I love when people say things like that. "Oh the republicans didn't come up with a better HC reform bill". Big deal. That doesn't mean you HAVE to pass the one the dems came up with. Just because you make a bill and there's no competing bill doesn't mean you HAVE to pass the one you have. Wait until you get a better bill, whether it's from the Dems, Reps, Independents, whomever.

And as for ideas for health care reform how about this: Right now in MA where I live there's basically 4 big insurance companies. Employers choose one and offer it to their employees. If it's too expensive or doesn't work for you, tough. Why not make it so that employers can't sign contracts with health insurance companies. Basically the employer offers to pay 80% (or some other number) of your health care plan. The insurance companies then all vie for your business. You pick the plan from the company that works for you, your employer picks up about the same amount they would've before, and you get something you actually want, through a process of fair market competition.

I am afraid your first paragraph misunderstands the point of my post. I am not arguing that Congress should ever pass a bad bill just to pass something. I really do want to know if those who oppose the bill have any idea of what *good* healthcare reform according to their own analysis of the issue.

Your second paragraph is a good start in answering my question. Sounds like an interesting idea that would promote choice. However, doesn't employer based insurance create larger risk pools that lowers the cost of the premiums? Wouldn't the premiums go up if everyone bought insurance as individuals?

Is there anything in the current bill you do like? Should insurance companies be permitted to deny coverage to sick people, or drop current customers on the basis of anything other than fraud in their applications?


- wolf

 

[Patranus]

LOL

Boston.com briefly put up this map of the final results of today's election -- some 8 hours before polls closed!

http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/talking...-globe-calls-election-for-martha-coakley.aspx

Oops.

Throw in this woman this morning....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2fNwttq23s
....should be interesting.

 

[spidey07]

I just really hope Brown wins by a large margin so there are no shenigans/finding votes in backs of cars.

 

[Patranus]

I just really hope Brown wins by a large margin so there are no shenigans/finding votes in backs of cars.

MSNBC isn't covering the election
CNN is in melt down mode
FOX is being middle of the road

Its nice to see the health care stocks rally in response to this election.

 

[Genx87]

I just really hope Brown wins by a large margin so there are no shenigans/finding votes in backs of cars.

If this is close expect as much. I called that shit when Franken and Coleman went to the wire and proved right when votes were found in trunks of cars and some districts had more votes than registered voters.