After the Massachusetts Massacre --Frank Rich

[underpants]

It was not a referendum on Barack Obama, who in every poll remains one of the most popular politicians in America. It was not a rejection of universal health care, which Massachusetts mandated (with Scott Brown’s State Senate vote) in 2006. It was not a harbinger of a resurgent G.O.P., whose numbers remain in the toilet. Brown had the good sense not to identify himself as a Republican in either his campaign advertising or his victory speech.

Politically, no other issue counts. In last weekend’s Washington Post/ABC News poll, 42 percent of Americans chose the economy as the country’s most pressing concern. Only 5 percent picked terrorism, and 2 percent Afghanistan. Obama’s highest approval ratings are now on foreign policy and national security issues — despite the relentless hammering from the Cheney right — but voters don’t care.

Does health care matter? Not as much as you’d think after this yearlong crusade. In the Post/ABC poll, the issue was second-tier — at 24 percent. Obama has blundered, not by positioning himself too far to the left but by landing nowhere — frittering away his political capital by being too vague, too slow and too deferential to Congress. The smartest thing said as the Massachusetts returns came in Tuesday night was by Howard Fineman on MSNBC: “Obama took all his winnings and turned them over to Max Baucus.”

It’s become so easy to pin financial elitism on Democrats that the morning after Brown’s victory the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee had the gall to accuse them of being the “one party who bailed out the automakers and insurance companies.” Never mind that the Bush White House gave us the bank (and A.I.G.) bailouts, or that the G.O.P. is even more in hock than Democrats to corporate patrons. The Obama administration is so overstocked with Goldman Sachs-Robert Rubin alumni and so tainted by its back-room health care deals with pharmaceutical and insurance companies that conservative politicians, Brown included, can masquerade shamelessly as the populist alternative.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/opinion/24Rich.html?ref=opinion

[TomClash]

1. Excellent article nt

[MindandSoul]

2. Unfortunately very true! And now, what is Obama going to do about it?

[bertman]

3. Kick. and Rec. nt

[Hugin]

4. I can't wait to see how the "Anti-corporate" 'pubelicans justify running Carly Fiorina...

against Sen. Boxer in CA.

"Uh, no... Fiorina has always spied on looked out for the little guy."

[boomerbust]

5. I think he should

Keep Bernanke, shitcan Timmy and Sommers and get Voelker front and center.

[zenprole]

6. Delusional Rubbish

If Rich wants to give Obama a pass, he should do it the right way and claim that O ran as a mediocre centrist and never intended to change a thing...which is exactly what's happened.

Here's the deal: single-payer healthcare now; don't curb, break a few dozen FIRE corporations and their arrogant CEO's as an example to the rest; pull out of Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and a few hundred of our other overseas bases; begin immediate conversion of our economy and society to post-carbon energy and practices; and start impeachment proceedings against the five-vote bloc on SCOTUS who pose a clear and present danger to democracy in the US.

Any questions, you goddamned pantywaists?

[Hugin]

7. Mind if I use this in my signature line?

"Any questions, you goddamned pantywaists?" :thumbsup:

Pretty much sums up the sitch, Dude. :rofl:

[Skittles]

8. PREACH IT, ZENPROLE

now that WOULD be real change and our chances are getting it are fucking ZERO

[zenprole]

10. @ Hugin & Skittles

Holy Shnikes! A compliment on DU! Usually it's "How dare you interrupt our comfy liberal daydream with your callout of the 19th century! Don't you know Ralph Nader's the antichrist and you're his spawn?"

I'm from MA and was there for the election. The Dems there have had it coming for 30 years. It's neither appropriate or possible for Frank Rich to polish that turd. It's good that Brown has only half a term; there's a biscuit of a chance of a backlash against the backlash.

Hugin: Sure, you can use that line but I'm not sure it belongs to me. Fire away. I'm also partial to "Are you sure, Private Pyle???"

Skittles: We're only limited by our imagination and determination.

(Oh, and Hello to the mods, snoops, and spooks. Good on ye'. Can never tell when people might start taking democracy seriously.)

[Skittles]

11. I CAN'T TAKE IT I TELL YOU ZENPROLE

For a long time it sems to me that everyone has fucked us over but at least Democrats tossed us a bone once in a while - well, now even the bones are gone and people are just plain FED UP

[democracy1st]

9. "Yes We Can" turned into "We Can't Because" BS