I’ll start by saying that my target audience for this diary is fellow Democrats of varying degrees of progressiveness/liberalism. Republicans will disagree with the premise and that’s fine.
I’ve heard all the arguments about sending a message, tepid campaigning etc. I too have been frustrated by certain aspects of this campaign and how things in DC are not moving as far or as quickly as some of us would like.
However, at the end of the day a Senator essentially casts votes for a living, be it in committee or on the floor, be it on a procedural or substantive motion. The only question you really need to ask yourself is this: Which candidate for Senate is most likely over the next couple of years to vote the way you would prefer most of the time? For Democrats Coakley is the obvious answer, and even more important considering the current 60/40 split. If Brown were to win the Congress might as well adjourn for the remaining year since given the GOP modus operandi nothing of any significance will get accomlished. Not voting is also not an option as that allows others to make a decision that you are entitled to have a say in.
I do think we really need to consider reform of the primary process either by closing the primary to registered Dems and/or adopting IRV within the primary. Martha Coakley showed quite well in a 4-way race, but I do wonder about whether just one other candidate rather than three would have prevailed over her. I bring this up because many are asking why we couldn’t have had a better candidate, but we had the opportunity to choose and Coakley was our collective choice. Therefore it is absolutely essential that we all get behind her regardless of any drawbacks.
you guys could put them on your nose when you go vote…
Maybe the Governor, a Democrat, will realize that slamming a charter school down the throats of the good people in Gloucester is bad policy. I know, the BOE makes the decisions, but Paul Reville is a villain in this story and he does work for Deval. Fire the jerk. Be a leader. Have some balls.
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p>Maybe the Democratic members of the House will realize that voting for Sal last year, in spite of the obvious legal issues he was facing, was a pretty stupid thing to do. Isn’t Sal the third indicted Speaker in a row? You starting to see a pattern here?
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p>Maybe all Democrats will realize that raising sales/use taxes and taxes on booze was a pretty stupid idea. Imagine owning a liquor store in Methuen? How about a retail shop in Dracut?
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p>By the way, didn’t Deval endorse Wilkerson in spite of her numerous prior transgressions? And this guy brags about ethics reform?
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p>How about that Ed Reform bill? You know the one that had nothing to do with reform.
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p>Did I mention Marian Walsh? A great idea from the Governor that brought us Ethics Reform.
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p>Here’s one you may not remember. How about appointing Doug Petersen (D-Marblehead) to the cabinet position of Secretary of Agriculture? Have you ever been to Marblehead? Not a cow or a farm in the whole town.
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p>How about that pension reform and transportation reform?
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p>Get the message? Scott Brown will make a damn good US Senator and I plan on standing in the rain or snow on Tuesday with his sign in my hands. I hope he wins, but know that even if he doesn’t he’s pissed off all you good decent Democrats. Problem is you should not be mad at Scott. Take a look at what you have gotten out of the “gang that can’t shoot straight” and maybe you will find that the people that you should be real pissed at are Deval and the Democrats that have lied, cheated, stolen, and broken or bent every rule imaginable.
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p>BTW, I am aware that there are many good people in your party. Too bad, they don’t speak up.
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p>Go Scott Brown…..
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but compared with those who engineered tax cuts for the rich while running a deficit, a war based on lies, torture, and near-economic collapse, they’re saints.
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p>Problems with the Gloucester charter school decision? Yes. I don’t see how a more conservative government, that favors more charter schools, would improve that situation.
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p>The sales taxes were hard choices to make up for collapsing state revenues, due to the Great Recession. It always seems that those who rail against taxes neglect to state which services should be cut.
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p>Yes, it’s good to see that progress was made in these areas.
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p>And ethics reform got passed. According to Common Cause, it didn’t mean the end of the conversation but was still “a victory for the people of the Commonwealth.”
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p>My support for the Democratic party does not mean being blind to mistakes and lapses of its members. I am glad to know that several of the problems mentioned, namely the ethically challenged speaker and one questionable appointment, have been resolved. Rep. Wilkerson’s lapses have long since been brought to light and she no longer holds office.
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p>Those problems pale in comparison with the immediate pain of high unemployment and our long-term challenges of climate change, depleted resources, and inadequate access to health care. Government has a constructive role to play in all these areas. For that reason, I continue to support capable candidates, including Deval Patrick and Martha Coakley, from the party that shares this opinion.
You captured the impetus of Scott’s campaign in just a few short sentences. People in MA would probably be voting for Martha and giving her a 30 point victory had the Democrats not screwed up so many things. And maybe it wasn’t even the screwing things us as much as it’s the ignoring the complaints when they do it. I have been complaining on BMG ofr a year now about Charlie Rangel. A blind man could see the guilt of all his transgressions and breaking the law. SOme of what he did could be explained but the totality of hat he has done demands he resign his chairmanship and probably his Congressional seat. But Democrats continue to ignore the almost 18 months Ethics investigation. How long does it take to confirm he didn’t report income?
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p>Maybe it is a good thing the Dems have done this type o thing as they will now be paying with their seats in Washington and in state governments seats around the country.
…and what would you like us to do about it? I for one am not familiar enough with the issue to comment on the merits. I get that you’re voting for Brown, but lets stay on THIS race for one more day.
He is guilty but being protected. I brought it up because he is part of the many reason why a guy like Scott Brown, a relative unknown state Senator will be kicking a sitting AG like Martha Coakley. People here keep attacking Brown with unbelievable charges butt hey are missing the point that people like me are supporting Brown because we are protesting against the Democratic establishment.
If he’s as guilty as you say he is someone like me who pays attention should at least know what he’s being accused of, but I only hear about him from you. Besides, different chamber, so it’s not like the new Senator is going to have any say over an investigation into him. You’re conflating things that have no business being conflated.
Here are a few but there are many more…
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p>from Sep/2008
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p>and from Oct/2009
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p>Again, it should not take this long to come up with a decision…
…have the least bit to do with who our Senator is? I assume you realize that you’re complaining about state issues and this is a race for federal office.
I certainly have no expectation that I would change the mind of someone that posts on BMG. I only wish to point out why we have a contested race in a state that barely has Republicans, nevermind elects them to the US Senate. Tomorrow should be fun.
Maybe for a separate discussion…
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p>What parts of transportation reform and pension reform do you disagree with?
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p>Same goes for the ethics reform.