February 23, 2010Jon Brooks
When Republican Scott Brown won the special election for Ted Kennedy’s old Senate seat last month, it through a giant monkeywrench into the Democrats’ plan to pass a comprehensive health care reform bill. We covered the responses of both the online Massachussetts Republican community Red Mass Group (elation) and the online Massachussetts Democratic community Blue Mass Group (despair).
Yesterday, Brown — and a handful of other Republicans — voted with Democrats to block a Republican filibuster on the Democratic jobs bill. From the Los Angeles Times:
Along with a Social Security tax break to encourage businesses to hire workers, the $15-billion package would replenish the depleted Highway Trust Fund, which uses gasoline taxes to repair interstate roads; expand the Build America Bonds program, which helps state and local governments fund infrastructure projects; and allow small businesses to write off large equipment purchases immediately rather than depreciating them over several years…
Monday’s vote was widely viewed as a test of whether the Senate could pass any significant legislation after Democrats lost their filibuster-proof 60-vote majority with Brown’s election. The chamber has been gridlocked by party-line squabbling for the better part of a year, with virtually every bill requiring a 60-vote supermajority.
So, with Brown contributing to half a political victory for the Democrats (the bill still has to pass the House), what do Massachussetts Republicans think of Brown now? Some comments on Red Mass Group
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January 29, 2010Jon Brooks
“Those who knew Brown’s position [on reform] were as likely to say it made them less likely (39%) to support him as to say it made them more likely to support him (41%).” A post on the Angry Bear economic blog argues that the vote for Republican Scott Brown in Massachussetts, which deprived Senate Democrats [...]
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January 20, 2010Jon Brooks
Duellling blogs covering state politics in Massachussetts, Red Mass Group and Blue Mass Group, tell the story of yesterday’s election: First, from Red Mass Group, a site “founded to revitalize the right-wing community in Massachusetts.” The People’s Victory A month ago they mocked you. Three weeks ago you were a mild inconvenience. Two weeks ago [...]
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January 20, 2010Jon Brooks
Among Democrats, the weeping, gnashing of teeth, and finger-pointing is in full bloom today. For Republicans, it’s all gloating, triumphalism, and “Told you so’s.” Comments from readers of the New York Times Room for Debate blog, Ezra Klein’s blog on Washington Post, and the political polliing and analysis blog FiveThirtyEight: If Democrats cannot pass health [...]
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