Scott Brown won Ted Kennedy’s senate seat, with 52% of the vote in Massachusetts. The majority of the people in the rest of the country feel hopeful and encouraged by this. Brown’s victory was important for two reasons: first because by his winning that seat, the Democrats no longer have the magic number of 60 seats in the senate, which gave them absolute control of the proceedings. Second, the victory is a symbolic victory, and a loud message of opposition to “business as usual” in this government.
Will the die-hard left wingers hear it? Probably not. They are deafened by their own arrogance. However, those who are not so ideological, who would like to be re-elected, are afraid of trying to bulldoze the majority any further. They see the game is up and they are being seen as liars and corrupt. That’s a good thing.
What about Scott Brown and the Republicans? The Republicans are no more pure and care no more about the American people than the Democrats, and Scott Brown is a party man. That’s not a good thing. However, Massachusetts turned away the tidal wave of one party control in the senate, and for that the rest of the country is thankful.
Is Brown an honorable man? Time will tell. But his election is surely better than complete Democratic control of the congress, even if he turned out to be a scoundrel. It will be easy for Brown to distinguish himself. All he has to do is maintain a normal level of ethics (normal American ethics, not normal political ethics) and keep his promises to Massachusetts.
Massachusetts, that bastion of the Democratic party, voted their displeasure with the course that party has taken. The results of the rest of the elections in November will likely bring hope and joy back to the country, at least for a little while.
