Reading Into The Massachusetts Results

Even in the late hours (while the voting was still going on) we saw the hacks scrambling to assign blame, for the poor showing of the Democrat nominated to fill the former seat held by Ted Kennedy.

Coakley's camp must have known something wasn't looking good, they had this to say:

National Dems Failed to Aid Coakley Until Too Late

— Coakley campaign provided national Democrats with all poll results since early December

— Coakley campaign noted concerns about "apathy" and failure of national Democrats to contribute early in December. Coakley campaign noted fundraising concerns throughout December and requested national Democratic help.

— DNC and other Dem organizations did not engage until the week before the election, much too late to aid Coakley operation

It is being reported that the national Democratic machine said this in response to that memo:

"This memo is a pack full of lies and fantasies - The DNC and the DSCC did everything they were asked and have been involved in the race for several weeks not just the last one -The campaign failed to recognize this threat, failed to keep Coakley on the campaign trail, failed to create a negative narrative about Brown, failed to stay on the air in December while he was running a brilliant campaign.

As the days follow, it is highly likely that many more will jump in and point a finger or two. Deflections, projections, and generalized excuse-making will likely be the order of the day, as the "powers that be" analyze the outcome of this very important election. But in the reflections and unending analysis that is bound to follow, I don't suppose many would want to admit that it just might be the agenda that is being rammed down Americans' throats.

No, sir. It can't me that, can it?

It's not like there haven't been massive numbers of tea parties to communicate this dislike of the present course, or contentious town hall eruptions protesting it before the elected officials who dared to have them. I guess the elections in New Jersey, Virginia and now Massachusetts will not render a message to the establishment, either.

No sir.

None of this will have any effect on Pelosi, Reid, or Obama. No doubt it will likely be full speed ahead, with absolutely no regard for the will of the people.

In this article, we read of a democratic official who just couldn't resist taking a swipe at Bush.

Democratic responses to Brown’s victory ranged from muted to combative, with Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) pledging House Democrats would be prepared to make a more aggressive case for their party in the 2010 midterm elections.

“After winning five straight competitive Special Elections, the DCCC knows first hand how difficult they are and we are not taking anything for granted this cycle,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “President George W. Bush and House Republicans drove our economy into a ditch and tried to run away from the accident. President Obama and congressional Democrats have been focused [on] repairing the damage to our economy.”

This isn't the least bit surprising when you think about it. The entire year has been focused on Bush and what he left them to work with.

Still, others (like a Democratic Senator from a traditionally blue state that has flirted with the red) offered a more practical answer, without actually coming out and pointing the fingers at the policies being dictated to the people.

From the same article:

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), who chairs the Senate Democrats’ campaign committee, released a more subdued statement saying: “I have no interest in sugar coating what happened in Massachusetts. There is a lot of anxiety in the country right now. Americans are understandably impatient. The truth is Democrats understand the economic anger voters feel, that’s in large part why we did well in 2006 and 2008.”

This is partially true, voter anger did drive the Democratic victories in 2008. This was especially true of independents. They were sold a bill of goods and they believed the reckless promises.

But in 2009, it became apparent that this government misread their mandate. They saw it as a blank check. They saw it as a pass to do whatever they wanted. And when the people tried to make their cases, they were vilified. They were ridiculed and demonized as right wing racist reactionaries. Now, the people are even madder.

Truth is, the politicians in power will probably never get it. It will take a mandatory return to the private sector for them to even consider that they may be the problem here. And even then, what will you bet they will still blame George W. Bush?