Some fairly amazing things happened in the Senate and House races last night

[Kilmer17]

You could say the same thing about Claire McCaskill, Joe Donnelly, Jon Tester, Bill Nelson, and Tim Kaine. The country elected many moderate Democrats that will provide an avenue for both sides to talk and work together. We're certainly more likely to forge bipartisanship with McCaksill and Donnelly in the Senate rather than Akin and Mourdock.

Losing the most moderate GOPer makes it less likely those mentioned above will have anyone to deal with. That's my point.

[visionary]

You could say the same thing about Claire McCaskill, Joe Donnelly, Jon Tester, Bill Nelson, and Tim Kaine. The country elected many moderate Democrats that will provide an avenue for both sides to talk and work together. We're certainly more likely to forge bipartisanship with McCaksill and Donnelly in the Senate rather than Akin and Mourdock.

Good point and I think Donnelly might be more moderate/conservative than Lugar was in some cases.

[Kilmer17]

You think Ted Cruz is going to take Bill Nelsons call?

[DjTj]

Losing the most moderate GOPer makes it less likely those mentioned above will have anyone to deal with. That's my point.

Having only one moderate Republican Senator to deal with doesn't help to break any filibusters. The seventh most moderate Republican Senator is much more important to deal with than the most moderate.

[Kilmer17]

Having only one moderate Republican Senator to deal with doesn't help to break any filibusters. The seventh most moderate Republican Senator is much more important to deal with than the most moderate.

Im not talking about breaking filibusters so Democrats can push an agenda. Im talking about getting a Govt that works and compromises. Having a Senator like Brown who can have a civil conversation with Democrats and agree with them, provides an avenue for him to go the GOP and say "Look folks, we can work with some of this ". If the message is that moderation leads to defeat, then there is no incentive to try it.

[DjTj]

Im not talking about breaking filibusters so Democrats can push an agenda. Im talking about getting a Govt that works and compromises. Having a Senator like Brown who can have a civil conversation with Democrats and agree with them, provides an avenue for him to go the GOP and say "Look folks, we can work with some of this ". If the message is that moderation leads to defeat, then there is no incentive to try it.

I don't think the message of this election is that moderation leads to defeat. The GOP tried to kick moderates out in the primaries, and they ended up with candidates like Akin and Mourdock. They lost seats that they could have won. And the extremism of candidates like Akin and Mourdock spilled over into the national conversation, hurting Republicans in liberal states like Massachusetts.

Scott Brown was not defeated because he was moderate. He was defeated because the Republican Party as a whole was too extreme. If Republicans should learn anything from this election, it should be that extremism leads to defeat.

[SteveFromYellowstone]

Why is Warren a scumbag? Don't understand why someone would make a statement like that and then not back it up.

Gotta love the feigned outrage over the cherokee grandmother thing

[Kilmer17]

I don't think the message of this election is that moderation leads to defeat. The GOP tried to kick moderates out in the primaries, and they ended up with candidates like Akin and Mourdock. They lost seats that they could have won. And the extremism of candidates like Akin and Mourdock spilled over into the national conversation, hurting Republicans in liberal states like Massachusetts.

Scott Brown was not defeated because he was moderate. He was defeated because the Republican Party as a whole was too extreme. If Republicans should learn anything from this election, it should be that extremism leads to defeat.

And other extremists won. So again, are we more likely to get a functioning govt with Ted Cruz and Elizabeth Warren?

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

It's not up to Massachusetts to elect GOP moderates any more than it is up to Texas to elect Dem moderates. Those states should elect Senators that represent their states.

Pennsylvania and Ohio should be sending the moderates to the Senate, being middle of the road politically.

Scott Brown got elected beause the GOP and the Tea Party wanted to piss on Ted Kennedy's grave and found a male model who they could pull across the finish line.

[DjTj]

And other extremists won. So again, are we more likely to get a functioning govt with Ted Cruz and Elizabeth Warren?

Every election will have its moderate winners and its strong partisan winners. That reflects the political diversity of America.

But the overall message, which is much clearer in this election than in 2010, is that a moderate platform will win more on a national level. If the GOP can take that to heart, then candidates like Scott Brown will have a better chance in the future.

And I don't know whether Elizabeth Warren will give us a better functioning government than Scott Brown. Strong Senators in safe seats can also be conducive to good government because they are allowed to stand on principles rather than constantly polling the electorate. That's part of the reason we have 6-year Senate terms. If Warren is free to take a harder stance against Wall Street than someone who is more worried about reelection, then she may be contributing to a better functioning government.

[visionary]

It's not up to Massachusetts to elect GOP moderates any more than it is up to Texas to elect Dem moderates. Those states should elect Senators that represent their states.

Pennsylvania and Ohio should be sending the moderates to the Senate, being middle of the road politically.

Scott Brown got elected beause the GOP and the Tea Party wanted to piss on Ted Kennedy's grave and found a male model who they could pull across the finish line.

Personally I like to see as many moderates and as much bipartisanship as possible.
You do bring up an interesting point though about representation.
And I suppose it's important to have different points of view.

I don't really get your animosity towards Brown though.
I thought he was fairly universally well-regarded.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

I don't really get your animosity towards Brown though.
I thought he was fairly universally well-regarded.

I'm just generally pissed at the way that whole election transpired. I thought Brown was a nothing who stumbled into a legend's seat, because my party couldn't get out of its own way and Tea Party idiots just wanted to get a final shot in at Ted Kennedy. It felt like a bad political comedy starring Ryan Reynolds or something.

[Larry]

Im not talking about breaking filibusters so Democrats can push an agenda. Im talking about getting a Govt that works and compromises. Having a Senator like Brown who can have a civil conversation with Democrats and agree with them, provides an avenue for him to go the GOP and say "Look folks, we can work with some of this ". If the message is that moderation leads to defeat, then there is no incentive to try it.

Agreed.

One of the things that has to happen, is for compromising with a Dem to not carry a death sentence.

[Kilmer17]

Agreed.

One of the things that has to happen, is for compromising with a Dem to not carry a death sentence.

And for one of the ones that did compromise, it DID carry a death sentence. That's my overall point. As for representation. That's true. Mass is as blue as it gets. It's probably appropriate that it has a super blue representation in DC.

[JMS]

Losing the most moderate GOPer makes it less likely those mentioned above will have anyone to deal with. That's my point.

you know what makes a moderate out of a radical whackadoodle... Intelligence, the will for self preservation, and surviving a tight race.. If obama want's to crack the Tea party whackadoodle vice grip he needs to keep an open mind and concentrate on the republicans who survived a close race.... Help them help themselves.

Christie looks like a strong presidential candidate in 2016 all because he reacted to a crisis in a non partisan way. He set partisanship aside in favor of the needs of his constituency and frankly the country loves him for it.