Patrick Kennedy makes 14. Earlier in the week, an announcement by California Representative Diane Watson brought to 13 the number of House Democrats deciding to retire or seek higher office.
On the Republican side of the aisle 18 House lawmakers have so far announced they will retire or seek higher office including the latest, Florida Representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart, one of the first Cuban-Americans elected to Congress. More Congressional Retirements on Road to 2010 Mid-Term Elections They are getting the message!
I keep hearing Scott Brown’s victory called a surprise and a disaster for the Democrats. It was not a surprise to us in Massachusetts it was a given and a message to both party’s. Both party’s are on notice and that was a good thing for Democrat’s and America. Democrats still have the 2nd largest majority in a generation. They now have 59 seats but still have to lead.
They could not lead with a 60 seat filibuster proof majority! However since the people of Massachusetts woke up the country by electing Republican Scott Brown who ran as an independent we may get something done finally. Both party’s seem to have gotten the message.
It still remains to be seen that our politicians are capable of coming together as a viable Government of the people for the people by the people. We stand a chance but first must override the Democracy destroying SCOTUS decision giving our country to Corporations to control! The carrot didn’t work it is time to use the stick!
I have to hope the election of Republican Senator in the bluest of blue States Massachusetts will start making the difference for Obama and average Americans and it will as long as he is true to the independents that elected him and does the right thing for the people not the party!
What he just did should not be misinterpreted by the Republican Party as a denial of Obama, his agenda, or the Democratic Party. It was not! It should be a wake up call to both party's that we the people are sick of the games, sick of the partisanship, sick of the concern being for the Party's not we the people. It is a Revolution however it is not a revolution against 'a party" It better serve as a wake up call to both party's. We the people want to matter!
Remember Brown never once mentioned the Republican Party but instead ran as an independent. He promised he would work for the people not as Republicans do but as Ted Kennedy did and to make him proud. It is not a revolution against a party it is just the people wanting we the people that were removed during the last Administration put back in the equation. It is a move against incumbents "all incumbents"
Brown gets it! As I said when he was elected this was not a defeat for Democrats it was a victory for Americans. I said if he does the right thing for the people and not the Republican party he will be President some day. I have been watching him and he is on the right road. He is the Republican Barack Obama and just what we need to unite this divided country and get us back on the right road. He is the first one willing to break ranks and reunite the country!
He already told Republicans he got there without them and with the help of a close group of friends and very little help from anyone down there, so there will be issues when I'll be with you and there are issues when I won't be with you, Brown said Thursday during the half-hour interview. So, I just need to look at each vote and then make a proper analysis and then decide. I hope he remains true to his word and I believe he will as I see character in the man and a future leader of America.
Supposedly Republicans will not pressure him and it will not matter when they do. The senator-elect did not elaborate on possible breaking points, though the Washington newcomer dismissed any suggestion he will relent once he starts working in the highly partisan capital. However, this is Massachusetts and he will pay with his seat if he does. After 8 terms Patrick Kennedy just stepped down in Rhode Island. Anticipate a move to Massachusetts and a run for Uncle Teddy's seat If Brown falls short!
James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com
7 comments:
Brown may say he's an independent but once the rest of the party gets a hold of him it'll be a different story. Remember they signed a blood oath to march lock step with their "contract against America".
We had a rethug candidate that ran for govoner out here who said the same BS. Fortunately the people saw through him and he didn't get elected. Just remember the Charlie Brown bit where Lucy holds the football and even though she promises to hold the ball she always pulls it away at the last second. Just keep that image in your head Jim.
I know, that's funny! Brown has already shown his true colors making fun of Biden saying Biden wants the terrorists to have a lawyer.
The idiot! He knows even with a military tribunal you get a lawyer. The ass was one himself!
Voting incumbents out is no punishment. Once outed, they go work for K street and make more money.
Then an election or two later, they'll run for office again.
The lesson they are getting is, that if they can trick us into voting them into office, then they'll get huge piles of gold and treasure. And that's the stick.
Until the nature of the risk and reward changes, they'll just keep laughing at us all the way to the bank.
Wease they are being advised that if they have to compete they better get out. What sucks is they will get their retirement and they should at the very least get a kick out the door.
That's quite a positive take you've got on Scott Brown.
Good to read something from a "local" (one from MA), rather like getting info straight from an insider.
Different perspective -- non-partisan. Which is actually refreshing.
As you rightly say, the movement is anti-incumbent.
Sarkozy experienced that too during his dalliance with Carla Bruni -- media's influence was really having nefarious effects on the presidency. But Sarkozy's party just went on the offensive -- his ministers were always drum beating in media and rousing grassroot movements to support Sarkozy's reforms. (OK, it was less simplistic than that but bottom line is that they went on the offensive.)
Sarkozy's initial tactic, which was to chose people from across the wide political spectrum to staff his cabinet helped a great deal too. He staffed his cabinet from left-wing, centrist, right-wing parties. In fact, he 'decapitated the Socialists by nominating Strauss-Khan (most influential of Socialist Party big whigs at the time) to the IMF, away from France (so the fellow couldn't cause trouble back home- heh!); he appointed Kouchner, another Socilist biggy to the foreign affairs dept. He got some of the brightest young things from the Socialist Party to join his cabinet.
I suppose, it's easier for a French prsident to do that sort of political offensive because France is really so small compared to the US.
But as ever, I believe that in politics, particularly for the incumbent, oftentimes, the best line of defence is attack.
Darn! Darn! The title of your blog post got to me, confused me there. I was caught in the momentum of writing about Obama which I was doing under a different thread.
So need to perhaps transfer this in the other thread?
:-)
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