I'm so sick of this "It's the people's seat" crap.

[Common Sense Party]

I've had two repukes say that to me today. One sent me some stupid youtube link of Brown saying that in a debate, "The seat doesn't belong to Teddy Kennedy. It belongs to the people."

First of all, I don't live in Massachusetts, and neither do the repukes who regurgitated this dumb one-liner to me. So the seat doesn't belong to them at all.

Secondly, it IS Teddy Kennedy's seat. He was there for almost half a century, fighting for the little guy and gal. Shouldn't the person who sits there next fight for what he fought for?

[rucky]

1. That was Brown's line in the debate. n/t

[Tailormyst]

It is the peoples seat

The person sitting there is up to the people of Mass and has nothing to do with what Teddy wants. That is the cold hard truth. No party "owns" a seat. That goes against the very essence of how our government works.

[Bluebear]

15. Everybody. EVERYBODY knows that. It's a juvenile Republican rallying cry

[Common Sense Party]

18. Juvenile. Exactly. Saying it's "Teddy's seat" is a shorthand way of

saying, "he sat there for so long and did so much that an abrupt change would tarnish him memory."

[DatManFromNawlins]

83. No.

It's like saying "we've had a Democrat sit in that seat for over 50 years, so the seat should, by default, be a Democrat's."

The people of MA simply happened to disagree, and they showed the party who had the power to decide on the matter.

[hfojvt]

71. I don't think so.

I think all voters should remind incumbents that they do not own the seat and the media needs to change the way they talk.

[xsquid]

33. The seat will belong to whoever is elected BY THE PEOPLE

to sit in it and it has nothing whatsoever to do with any prior electorate or party, it quit being Ted kennedy's seat when he vacated it for whatever reason. Whoever the people vote for whether it be who I like or not is who it belongs to, if I didn't believe that I couldn't call myself a democrat. If democrats quit believing in this they cease being democrats and have left me behind, it also has nothing to do with what any other party does as bad behavior is no excuse for bad behavior. Flame me if you wish, I am old and old fashioned.

[Common Sense Party]

44. elected by the people or by the STUPID people? n/t

[Freddie Stubbs]

65. Whoever bother showing up to vote

[Name removed]

48. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[blondeatlast]

2. Kennedy hadn't finished out his term, so it IS his seat. nt

[cali]

4. no, it's not. it ceased being his seat when he died.

[Obamanaut]

6. Was it passed to his heirs in the will? If not, well, there you go. nt

[salguine]

76. It stopped being his seat when he stopped being alive. Get used to it.

[cali]

3. sorry, but it is not Teddy's seat. I find that way of thinking repugnant

And the person who sits there next should be the person who got the most votes. I'll hate it if its brown, but that's the way it works.

[Common Sense Party]

7. You don't think the person to succeed him should have the same ideals?

You don't think the people of Massachusetts should pick someone who will honor his memory?

[cali]

9. that's what I'd like but it's up to the voters, not me.

[Common Sense Party]

14. True, but it's an annoying sound bite.

Plus, EVERYONE calls it Teddy's seat in the media. It's shorthand.

[Rebubula]

11. The People

The People should pick someone that they feel will do the best job....honoring memories be damned.

I just hope that they do pick the right one....

[Tailormyst]

13. Do you not believe in the right of the people to vote for their senator?

This is why we are a democracy and why we have elections. You can hope and wish, you can even think they should, but in the end, the will of the people is the will of the people.

[Brickbat]

21. I think that's a terrible way to do politics.

It'd be nice in this case, but a bad attitude to have in general.

[Common Sense Party]

26. Is it different from wanting the Senate to vote for HCR to honor Sen.

Kennedy?

[Brickbat]

29. Wait, what?

I don't want the Senate to vote for HCR to honor anyone. (Actually, I'm not a big fan of the Senate bill in the first place.) If the senators vote for it, I want them to do so because it's the right thing to do and will help people.

[Common Sense Party]

31. Wasn't that what they were encouraged to do?

I didtinctly remember them being urged to honor Teddy by passing health care reform, which Teddy had fought for all his life. (This was back before it passed the Senate the first time.)

Yeah:
http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/08/seiu_honor_kennedy_by_passing_health_care.php

http://wcbstv.com/local/ted.kennedy.health.2.1146389.html

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/08/byrd_rename_health-care_reform.html

[Brickbat]

34. I don't see what this has to do with the Senate seat.

Supporters do lots of things to rally their counterparts, and calling for that honor certainly applies. It doesn't apply to a senate seat, IMO.

[Common Sense Party]

38. I see a connection.

Pass this bill to honor Senator Kennedy.

Elect this person to honor Senator Kennedy.

I'm surprised you don't see the connection.

[Brickbat]

49. I can see it as a rallying cry from people who like Ted Kennedy.

I think, generally, it's crap to think that replacements for dead senators should be similar to the people they're replacing. Especially if they're being replaced through an election. And I say that as a Minnesotan who busted her ass through the 2002 election.

[Common Sense Party]

52. I remember that. And Rick Kahn was right.

Minnesotans should have kept Wellstone's legacy alive and won the election for Paul.

[Brickbat]

57. Oh, we tried, don't you know it.

But then Rick Kahn kept talking, and the right started spinning.

[Common Sense Party]

59. Well, he was right, no matter how they spun it. n/t

[cherokeeprogressive]

50. Not necessarily, and not necessarily. n/t

[salguine]

77. Fuck, no! Are you insane? Do you even know how a democracy works? Why hold

an election at all? Why not just install someone YOU choose?

[krabigirl]

5. oh yes, and we know how much Republicans like to do for the people! lmao

[invictus]

8. Only a pure-blood descendent of Brian Boru has the right to hold that Senate seat!

Erin Go Bragh!

[Common Sense Party]

10. I don't know who that is, but I'll do whatever he wants.

Just please don't let him hurt me.

[Tailormyst]

17. Ahhh The Lion of Ireland- a fitting choice !

[wisteria]

12. Yes it should. The person who gets this seat should represent the people of Mass the way he did.

Health care was his lifes ambition and he fought hard for it. The thought that some Tea Party promoted candidate could win this seat is just terrible in my eyes. It is an insult to everything Ted Kennedy did for Massachusetts,and his bothers did for our country.

[lynne]

16. I'm not from Massachusetts but -

- I firmly believe our two Virginia Senate seats belong to the people - not to Warner or Webb. Warner and Webb are employees that the voters of Virginia have hired. If they cannot do the work or cannot continue in the job for whatever reason, we then hire someone else. It's just that simple.

I would hope the same for the people of Massachusetts, as well. The seat belongs to them.

[cali]

19. That's how I feel about Leahy. He's been in that Seat for

36 years, but he doesn't own it.

[emilyg]

22. +1

[invictus]

30. +1

[Kablooie]

20. It's not the peoples seat. I WAS Kennedy's, now it's the Republican's.

[Common Sense Party]

24. What do you know that the rest of the world doesn't?

As far as I know, it's still up for grabs. Polls are open for 4 more hours.

[Kablooie]

81. I know that Brown wins. That's what.

[cali]

25. no, it's not the republican's. there's an election going on. When and if

he wins it, it will be his until he's voted out.

[TomClash]

23. Well, tonight the "People's Seat"

might just turn into a toilet seat.

[Broke In Jersey]

64. "Turn into a toilet seat!" HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[seaglass]

27. Vicki Kennedy says it's the people's seat. n/t

[burning rain]

28. The phrase "the people's seat" implies a person who, um, serves the people.

And that sure as hell isn't teashagger Scott Brown!

[Salmonslayer]

37. Like it or not, if Brown is elected, he is elected

by the people. He serves the people as did Kennedy. Denying reality won't make the sting go away.

Sometimes it just does not go your way. The voters will decide again in 2012. If Brown is elected today, I predict he will be out in 2 years by the people.

[burning rain]

39. No question but that he's entitled to take office if elected.

And he would by definition serve the people in terms of holding public office, but there's no way he'd serve them as Ted Kennedy did. Most probably he'd be done in 2012 in any case, as he'd have to win despite Obama's coattails--a tall order.

[Salmonslayer]

53. Fair enough, but if Brown is elected

the people are saying they want Brown to represent them, not TK. If the people wanted TK they would have voted for the candidate closest to TK's philosophy.

[burning rain]

72. Well, a majority of those who voted are evidently saying that.

.

[Common Sense Party]

46. Oh, is he up again in 2 years?

Maybe the current craziness will have subsided and calmer minds prevail.

[FarCenter]

32. Wasn't Massachusetts a leader in eliminating royalty and hereditary titles?

[Johonny]

35. A slogan right out of 1950's Soviet Union

What's with "The people's seat" crap? These are the same morans worried Obama is the next Stalin. LOL.

[notesdev]

36. It most certainly IS the people's seat

And if you can't figure out why that was such a winning line, you're just as clueless as the bumblers who have delivered a Senate seat from one of the most liberal states in the nation into the GOP's hands.

Saying it's Kennedy's seat is promotion of aristocracy. Which, I should remind you, is the exact opposite of democracy.

Aristocrats and aristocratic thinking have no place in the Democratic Party, and that you even think it's acceptable to advance that line of thinking here of all places (and amazingly enough, have found people who agree!!) is exactly why this seat is lost and the party's popularity is dropping like a stone.

This is government for the people, by the people, of the people. That's what this country is about. If you want a King you have plenty of options elsewhere on this planet.

[Common Sense Party]

42. That's what the repuke said. He said Brown won the election with that line.

I'm not talking aristocracy. I'm talking meritocracy. He earned that seat with all his hard work over 47 years. And the Mass. voters should honor him for all he did for them.

[Clear Blue Sky]

40. It is the people's seat.

That line in the debate was a big plus for Brown.

[Common Sense Party]

43. Do you think that line WON the election for him?

That's what a teabagger-type told me.

[Clear Blue Sky]

54. Didn't win it for him but sure helped.

Nobody likes arrogant politicians. Assuming this was Teddy's seat in a state like Mass was not a good idea, in my opinion. Mass has roots far older than the Kennedy family, like to the Revolution.

[Common Sense Party]

56. But did Coakley or her Mass. supporters ever assume it was their seat?

[Clear Blue Sky]

58. The media portrayed it that way.

So did Gergan in the debates.

[Broke In Jersey]

62. In the other 49 states the only mainstream info we heard was

1) "Its the peoples seat" (as good a populist line as you're going to hear)
2) She said that Red Sox hero was a yankee fan.

[Broke In Jersey]

41. It was a GREAT line/soundbite in the debate

It gave him an outsider feel...

We would have Loved it if it came from someone we liked.

[Blasphemer]

61. We would have indeed.. nt

[shawcomm]

45. The seat does not belong to any one person or ideology.

While you may not like the saying, it is true. It belongs to the people of Mass. Whoever wins will represent the state as they see fit, even if that happens to go against all the Sen. Kennedy worked for. Hopefully not, but that's the breaks. Coakley shouldn't have felt that it was hers just because of the (D) after her name. She should have worked harder.

[Stand and Fight]

47. It is the people's seat.

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with you on this one. As much as I agreed with the late senator on many things, the people of Massachusetts saw fit to continue sending him to the Senate every year. If that happens this time around, that would be great. If it doesn't I'll be disapppointed in the the people of Massachusetts, but it is THEIR SEAT to give.

[ddeclue]

51. I think even Teddy Kennedy would say "it's the people's seat".

[Common Sense Party]

55. Well, sure, I can SAY it.

I just don't have to MEAN it.

Yes, yes, everyone, I KNOW that the people get to decide. It's up to the voters--even the really stupid ones. Officially, technically, legally, etc. I get it.

But I also know, in my heart, that Kennedy did so much and his family gave so much that it will be a slap in the face and a spit upon their name if that seat goes to a teabagger.

[Salmonslayer]

63. How do you know what the Kennedy's think?

I make the assumption that they would have the greatest respect for the democratic process even though it did not go to a Democrat. Isn't supporting the will of the people why the Kennedy's sacrificed so much?

[Common Sense Party]

66. I never once guessed at what the Kennedy's might think.

You're the one assuming what they'd think.

[Salmonslayer]

67. maybe I read too much into your post, but,...

"But I also know, in my heart, that Kennedy did so much and his family gave so much that it will be a slap in the face and a spit upon their name if that seat goes to a teabagger."

If the Kennedy's do not consider electing Brown a slap in the face and a spit upon their name, why would you? This leads me to believe that you seem to think you know this would be an insult to the Kennedy's.

[Common Sense Party]

68. You read too much into my post.

I'm describing MY feelings, MY reactions.

[Blasphemer]

60. It is the people's seat and Ted Kennedy served the people well while he occupied it

Where Scott Brown fails is in not having either the inclination or ability to follow in Ted Kennedy's footsteps and engage in true, real public service.

[anonymous171]

69. It is not Ted Kennedy's seat. WTF is wrong with you?

[Common Sense Party]

70. WTF is wrong with YOU?

[salguine]

80. No, I gotta go with "WTF is wrong with YOU?"

[kiva]

73. No, it is not Teddy Kennedy's seat.

It belongs to the people of Massachusetts and they decide who occupies it, whether you like it or not. Strom Thurmond held a senate seat in South Carolina for almost fifty years - would you say that was "Thurmond's seat" and so no one who doesn't agree with Thurmond should every hold that seat?

[salguine]

74. What crap. It ISN'T "Teddy Kennedy's seat". It was Teddy Kennedy's seat while

he was alive and occupying it. It was someone else's before him, and it will be someone else's now. Enough with the personality cult. Regardless of how much Teddy Kennedy was loved, he's gone now, and life rolls on.

It's not the new occupant's responsibility to carry on Teddy Kennedy's work any more than it's Barack Obama's responsibility to carry on George W Bu—oops, bad analogy.

[Orsino]

75. Looks like it's going to be the corporations' seat.

And it's our ass.

[AngryOldDem]

78. Last I looked, the Senate was not the House of Lords.

But the thing is, people do seem to forget that the institution itself is bigger than any one person.

The seat was NOT Kennedy's. I really don't understand your outrage here, and I think it is exactly this sense of entitlement that cost the seat for the Dems in the first place.

[dorkulon]

79. If anyone said this BS about a long-serving GOP Sen's seat I'm sure you'd jump down their throat

and rightfully so. I don't want the Rep to win, but seriously, try to get a littel perspctive on your own imperious words.

[Freddie Stubbs]

82. That would be like saying "it's Bush's White House" back in 2008