Kennedy's seat to turn Republican

[Guynemer]

Republican votes ended the Democratic filibuster of the Act in the Senate at least.

A bit of a special case, given what happened with the Southern Democrats as a result.

[Guynemer]

If what you mean by "progressive" is merely a large lefty government program, then those are hard to come by too because they are so costly that a few of them would bankrupt the country.

That's the problem here. There are plenty of examples of countries running health care systems far more efficiently, with better results, for far less cost than our current cluster****, or the proposed cluster****. It would be a large lefty government program that would save money. But no Democrat has the balls to propose something like that, for several reasons, one of them being getting just as much money from the ****ing insurance companies as the GOP does.

[Darius871]

The GOP does nothing to foreclose the possibility of the Dems making X or Y argument. The Dems simply don't do it. They have no balls. They lack the courage of their convictions. They're scared ****less of losing elections. Their fear allows the GOP to dictate the terms of most debates, and nearly all of the important ones.

Then that has nothing to do with any blockage by GOP "framing" and everything to do with the Dems being too gutless to forcefully make the arguments they could. Just making sure we're on the same page.

[Guynemer]

Semantics. The Dems cede the debate to the GOP. "Framing the debate," same thing. Sorry if I wasn't clear before, it's less to do with any actions by the Republicans, than with lack of actions taken by the Dems.

[Darius871]

Semantics. The Dems cede the debate to the GOP. "Framing the debate," same thing.

Not exactly the same thing, since Lakoff's tripe that Drake mentioned has gained some common currency (originally in social "science" circles but later also in leftist political discourse) and doesn't mean what you meant, but in principle you're right.

[Imran Siddiqui]

When 2012 presidential campaign comes around, Scott Brown could very well become a viable Republican presidential candidate - if the Republicans in Massachusetts can find someone else to take his Senate seat.

I don't think Brown is so presumptuous to think that 2 years as a Senator will qualify him as a potential President. Hell, he'd have to start campaigning for the job NOW!

Maybe a decent Veep candidate... but he wouldn't have to resign his Senate seat to campaign for that.

[DinoDoc]

I don't think Brown is so presumptuous to think that 2 years as a Senator will qualify him as a potential President. Hell, he'd have to start campaigning for the job NOW!

I like my response better.

[Darius871]

When 2012 presidential campaign comes around, Scott Brown could very well become a viable Republican presidential candidate - if the Republicans in Massachusetts can find someone else to take his Senate seat.

Did that get this song stuck in anybody else's head?

[MrFun]

I don't think Brown is so presumptuous to think that 2 years as a Senator will qualify him as a potential President. Hell, he'd have to start campaigning for the job NOW!

Maybe a decent Veep candidate... but he wouldn't have to resign his Senate seat to campaign for that.

Okay. Had Brown already have more years of substantial political experience, on top of this game-changing victory of his in Massachusetts then there would be no question about his viability as a Republican candidate.

And besides, he is so damn good looking.

[DaShi]

I like my response better.

You were the only one though.

[DanS]

I was looking at WaPo's set of campaign pictures. Pictures tell a thousand words and even if you didn't know anything about the race, it would be obvious why Coakley got her ass handed to her by looking at a few pictures.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/01/19/GA2010011901864.html?hpid=topnews

[MrFun]

I looked at the pictures. I'm missing the supposed stark, obvious contrasts between Brown and Coakley pictures.

[rah]

I still can't believe the dems found a way to lose this one.
I have to thank them for a day full (if not more) of great amusement.

[Darius871]

I was looking at WaPo's set of campaign pictures. Pictures tell a thousand words and even if you didn't know anything about the race, it would be obvious why Coakley got her ass handed to her by looking at a few pictures.

Screw pictures, did you hear any of her speeches like the concession speech? Her enunciations make Gore sound animated by comparison. They might as well have put HAL 9000 up there...

[Drake Tungsten]

Shake hands outside Fenway Park? In the cold? I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave...