Scott Brown Wins Big in Massachusetts: The Emergence of the Independent Voter
Boston Tea Party. The emergence of the Independent voter in the two Commonwealth States of Virginia and Massachusetts will become the story of the campaigns of 2010 and 2012.
The election in Massachusetts signals a major shift in the sentiment of US voters. It is not a sign of a new partisan movement, but a movement away from many of the big government approaches of the current administration.
Many of the pundits seemed almost flabbergasted at the substantive victory of a Republican candidate in what is always referred to as “liberal” Massachusetts. All throughout the coverage of the last few days, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts was called “the bluest of blue States.” After all, it has not elected a Republican Senator in a very long time.
Senator-Elect Brown pledged to use his place as the 41st Republican in the 100 member US Senate to block the current version of health care reform. He campaigned against big government solutions, excessive taxation and Washington politics. His demeanor and his message drew support from Republicans and Democrats in Massachusetts. But the real story is how he captured the large base of Independent voters.
Democrats were counting on a victory by Martha Coakley to thwart any filibusters by the Republicans over the current Health Care Legislation. Clearly, the results of this election were not only disappointing to the White House but have set the National Democratic leadership into a tailspin. There is a frenzy of analysis and planning underway as to how to respond to this devastating defeat.
As someone born and raised in Massachusetts, I was not surprised. Many observers fail to understand that over 50% of Massachusetts voters are Independents. Growing up my parents prided themselves on being “independent”, though they usually voted for the Democratic candidate. That was back when “liberal” meant something entirely different than what it has now become. Back then the late Senator Ted Kennedy opposed the taking of the lives of children in the womb by abortion. Any compassionate liberal did…back then.
This devastating loss to the Democratic Party is a direct reflection on the serious discontent and disillusionment among many former supporters of the President. It shows a growing rejection of several of the policies of the Obama administration. The President campaigned aggressively for Martha Coakley over the weekend in the Bay State. That now makes him “0 for 2” in his efforts to prevent what appears to be a backlash against his policies.
Just this past weekend I attended the inauguration of Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia. The President personally campaigned for the Governors' opponent, Democrat Creigh Deeds, in the gubernatorial race. Governor McDonnell went on to win that election by one of the largest percentages in Virginia history.
Once again, it was the vote of Independents in Virginia who responded to Governor McDonnell’s message of economic opportunity and bottom up governance. Independents appear to be emerging as the most important group of voters in the electorate as the Nation moves toward the 2010 midterm elections. The election in Massachusetts clearly sends a signal that they have turned against the policies of the Obama Administration.
Catholics and other Christians were furious with Martha Coakley, a professing Catholic. She overtly opposed conscience rights for Pro-Life health care professionals. She espoused the kind of “anti-Catholic” rhetoric that has come to characterize the scandalous posture taken by too many Catholics in public life.
Scott Brown, a Protestant, was not a Pro-Life candidate. However, his positions on some pro-life issues were superior to his allegedly Catholic opponent. Important to many Pro-Life voters in Massachusetts, he pledged to oppose the current version of the so called “Health Care Reform.” The Plan before the Senate will fund abortions with federal dollars if passed and cause a serious expansion of the killing of children in the womb.
On the day before the anniversary of the swearing in of President Barack Obama, the people of blue collar Massachusetts have sent a strong message. They showed that there is a growing angst in the US electorate over the economy, unemployment, bailouts, deficits and the expansion of the power and role of the federal government.
This special election in Massachusetts will be the subject of continuing speculation among the pundits for months. Already, the finger- pointing has begun in efforts to assess blame. Whether it will spark a wave of retirements among Democrats whose seats are up this year and whether it signals a national trend against the Democratic Party are just two of the many topics which will serve as fodder for talking heads in the days ahead.
However, there is no doubt that Senator Elect Brown’s significant victory is a wake up call to the current national leadership of the Democratic Party. Several media personalities who not only disparaged Scott Brown but ruthlessly savaged him will be eating a lot of crow. Their commentary will most certainly be played over and over again as the pundit class smells blood in the waters.
What is also clear is that the election in Massachusetts signals a major shift in the sentiment of US voters. It is not a sign of a new partisan movement, but a movement away from many of the big government approaches of the current administration. The emergence of the Independent voter in the two Commonwealth States of Virginia and Massachusetts will become the story of the campaigns of 2010 and 2012.
- - -
Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.
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Scott Brown's win at the polls gave the Republicans the needed vote to block the senate healthcare bill that the Catholic Bishops disapproved of. Please remember that when Senator Ben Nelson was bought- off last December the senate healthcare bill was approved by the senate that allowed for abortion funding in a major way across the country. The abortions industry would be greatly expanded if this bill became law. Clearly this expansion is not desireable and should be stopped. Scott Brown ran against the healthcare bill in general. Martha Coakley, his democrat opponent, wanted the healthcare bill to fund abortions. She also criticised Brown for wanting to exempt pro-life medical personel from being forced to preform abortions against their conscience. Coakley even said people who did not want to perform abortions should not work in hospital emergency rooms. -- in other words Catholic doctors and nurses need not apply for emergency room jobs. Clearly the immeadiate need is to stop the democrat party's effort for abortions on demand. Brown's vote against this healthcare bill stops the abortion sunding in the senate bill from becoming law.
Deacon Fournier could have added that Senator Scott Brown has publicly stated his opposition to late term abortion, to the public funding of abortion, and to use of aborted fetus's for stem cell research. Just the opposite of the late Senator Kennedy's and Senator Kerry's and President Obama's positions. He admittedly has said that he would not seek to overthrow Roe v Wade. Given time and greater exposure to the Pro-Life argument we believe that he can be persuaded to support the overturning of Roe v Wade.
chris, good point.
Surprise to see so many Catholics on this web site in support of Scott Brown a support of abortion and supporter of Roe V Wade. Hum, whats going on here I sure hope the excuse is not because he's a republican. Curious to see what the response will be for their justification.
Well put, Stephany!
America tried all summer to get the attention of the politicians in Washington through town halls and the "Tea Party movement". The president of this country disdained their message and their very presense. We have example after example of sarcastic comments.
The American people have not been listened to, spoken with (not to)and they have instead watched freedoms being eroded and debt laid upon generations that follow us. This is tyranny, folks.
The American people spoke where their voice could be finally heard, at the ballot box,
Today, the dense politicians are still denying reality, from the prez on down. I cannot find anything smart about a person who simply will not acknowledge that people care and want something to say about that which concerns their lives, their souls and their pockets directly.
He must be dense, or painfully brainwashed by a phoney idealogy.
The people have to stand behind their representatives.
Eddie and Josephine, I agree.
Slight ironic coincidence: Joe Kennedy, the only other candidate in the election (recieved about 1% of the vote) is a member of the Libertarian Party, and his campaign was supported by a break-away group from that party called the Boston Tea Party. Random, I know, but, hey.
Well, all we can do now is pray that by the time Congress has finished exhausting itself in the healthcare war soon to come, maybe both sides will be weak enough so they'll have to make some sort of compromise, hopefully in the form of healthcare reform without abortion. Bart Stupak, friend, I'm afraid the worst is not yet over. Please hang in there.
It was surely refreshing to see Brown win last night. We must keep our eye on the ball, however, for the bigger picture is still out there....not only to defeat the 'Progressives' but destroy their ability to regenerate. They are a death sentence to our constitution, and freedoms as we have embraced so given to us with the cost of some elses blood!!!!!
Let it be known that Scott Brown supports abortion and Roe vs. Wade. Yes, Coakley was a DISASTER of a candidate. But voting for Stalin instead of Hitler is hardly a victory. Brown is a flawed candidate, and I would not have voted for either. Voting for a pro-choice candidate is a MORTAL SIN.