If It's Brown, Flush It Down

Vote for Martha Coakley. Seriously. This is important.

Tomorrow, my fellow Massachusetts denizens and I will head to the polls to elect a new senator in the special election to fill the late Ted Kennedy’s seat. The race is essentially between Attorney General Martha Coakley (Democrat) and State Senator Scott Brown (Republican). Let me be crystal clear about this: it is absolutely imperative that Scott Brown be denied this seat in the United States Senate.

If Brown is elected the 41^st Republican senator, this is what will happen: the Republicans will use their 41 seats to kill every major piece of even moderately progressive legislation that the Democrats will want to pass, including efforts aimed at reforming Wall Street. Nothing will get accomplished, save for a few bipartisan machinations that result in a general detriment to the American public. Democrats, who just like their Republican counterparts are too frequently in league with big business, will use this as an excuse to ignore the pleas of their progressive constituencies. “Well, we only have 59 seats, so we can’t break a filibuster. I guess we’ll just put our thumbs up our asses until the Republicans unseat us again.”

The GOP’s plan has been clear since last January: sabotage this administration and the efforts of the Democratic Congress. Stall all attempts at improving the standard of living of Americans. Take advantage of the discontent they helped cause and retake the Congress either in 2010 or 2012, and the White House too. Then, once back in power they can go back to warmongering, fearmongering, giving tax cuts to the richest 1% that already own 25% of the wealth in the U.S., and continue deregulating the American economy so that unaccountable private tyrannies known as corporations can go on plundering what’s left of the American middle class.

Do I really need to recount any of this? This is what happened for several years under Bush and the Republican Congress. In 2009, after eight long, long, long, long goddamn years one of the worst presidents in American history, Barack Obama rode in to town, inherited two wars, and an economy in shambles. One year has passed, and surprise, surprise, the country isn’t all better. No one serious expected the economy to improve by January 2010. No one. But that hasn’t stopped the Republicans from seizing upon the lack of magic wand waving from Obama to improve everything. And what’s their answer? Return them to power. That’s right. Who cares that the Democrats have had both the Congress and White House for only a year? Who cares that the Republicans controlled Congress and the White House from 2003-2007 and messed up everything they got their hands on? Why should that prevent from pickup up right where they left off?

Martha Coakley is an infinitely better choice than Scott Brown, who I envision voting in lockstep with the Senate’s GOP leadership. I don’t believe for a second that he’s going to be an “independent voice” as he claims. If he wins, I picture Mitch McConnell putting his arm around Brown upon his arrival in DC and saying, “Now Scott, this is how we do things around here…” as McConnell explains to him that part of the initiation will be to give the Senate minority leader a sensuous backrub.

If you live in Massachusetts like me, make sure you get to the polls tomorrow and vote for Martha Coakley. This election isn’t just about losing a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. If Brown wins tomorrow, the Republicans will be able to thwart any legislation they want and grind Congress to halt until it is so ineffective that people will look to the Republican Party for a “solution” in this year’s midterm elections. That is the GOP’s plan. As Rush Limbaugh said, “I hope [Obama] fails.” As much as some Republicans appear to distance themselves from him, this is their hope. Looking at the Republican Party of today—a party that is bereft of constructive ideas—one gets the distinct impression that they would rather America suffer than succeed while they are out of power so they can swoop in and “save” the country. The problem is, the Republican Party has nothing left to offer. Scott Brown included.

Vote for Martha Coakley. A vote for Martha now is a vote against disaster down the road.

- Max