Here’s a clip from yesterday’s Democratic pimary debate between the candidates vying to take on Scott Brown, including Elizabeth Warren: Post- Coakley , Mass. Democrats should be prepared for this kind of thing. But apparently they can’t be bothered.
[Posted by Karl] Why? Jim Geraghty (and Jazz Shaw ) note: Following the 2010 census, Massachusetts is in line to lose one congressional seat, taking them from 10 to 9. Frank is more than seventy years old and could very likely have been looking at retirement in the not too distant future anyway, and this gives the state party an easy out in terms of carving up their redistricting map without the need for a nasty, internecine food fight. Close, but probably not quite right, as WPRI’s Ted Nesi reports: Part of Frank’s calculus may be the new boundaries of his 4th Congressional District drawn by Massachusetts’ redistricting panel. The biggest change for Frank’s 4th District is the loss of New Bedford, a key Democratic stronghold, and the addition of a bunch of conservative-leaning communities in my old stomping grounds along the Rhode Island border, including Attleboro, North Attleboro, Plainville, and U.S. Sen. Scott Brown’s hometown of Wrentham. That was going to be tough territory for Frank. Indeed, Brown won Frank’s district before the lines were redrawn. Frank won in 2010 with 55% of the vote — but that was his worst showing since 1980, when he was first elected. Of the many bad things I could say about Frank, he’s not dumb when it comes to politics, which is why he now shuffles off to some quasi-private sector gig, likely a lucrative one. Update : Frank basically confirms the theory presented here. –Karl
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Barney Frank Retires
The Polling Company did a survey of Iowa Republican voters for Independent Women’s Voice* to determine what those voters are looking for. Click the link for the actual numbers (although I will note that possibly the most eyebrow-raising one is that “[n]o GOP hopeful has locked up more than 9% of Iowa caucus-goers”), but here’s the executive summary: At this point it’s impossible to predict who will top the field in Iowa come January. It’s clear, however, that Iowa Republican voters want a candidate to emerge who is committed to repealing ObamaCare, reforming financially unstable entitlement programs, and devolving Washington’s power. And they want that candidate to use Iowa’s presidential springboard to reach the White House and enact real change. I will refrain from commentary on this, except to note that none of this is fundamentally beyond the reach of any of the current GOP candidates for President. They just have to want to reach for it. Moe Lane ( crosspost ) * Independent Women’s Voice is a 501(c)(4) affiliate of the 501(c)(3) Independent Women’s Forum . Generally small-government conservative, although their support of Scott Brown and Charles Djou in the last election cycle – and the lack of discussion of life issues on either site – should probably be taken as an indication of at least neutrality on abortion. Not formally endorsing any Presidential candidate this cycle, as far as I can tell. Loathes Obamacare , and everything associated with it. I mention all of this because it’s important to know where groups are coming from.
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QotD, Presidential Candidates Take Note edition.
A battle between Republican Sen. Scott Brown and likely Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren in next year’s election is already drawing millions in out-of-state money because it could decide the Senate’s balance of power. View original post here: Mass. on Front Line of Senate Battlegrounds
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Mass. on Front Line of Senate Battlegrounds
Oops. It’s midnight as I type this out. I just remembered I’d better do Tech tonight, so here goes. Fortunately I already did my reading! Urgent in the Senate this week is the upcoming vote on Net Neutrality repeal , which was already passed by the House. We need 51 votes, not 60. Less Government has a list of Senators to contact with this urgent message: repeal Net Neutrality! Democrats are listed there, but Scott Brown needs to hear from us, too! The bad Net Neutrality rules are a symptom of greater problems at the FCC and demonstrate a need for greater reform, but we have to start somewhere. Let’s start with repeal. With one Republican and one Democrat quitting at the FCC, Barack Obama has two nominees going to the Senate . I can’t imagine a Democrat more against liberty and small government than Michael Copps, who was entirely in the pocket of the fringe Soros-funded “Media Reform” groups, so the Democrat can’t be a downgrade. But interestingly, Chuck Grassley is using this as an opportunity to look for any favors given to LightSquared by this administration. I can’t say I mind. I’d love for the LightSquared question to be resolved, one way or the other. I want spectrum in use for high-speed Internet! PATENT WARS: Motorola’s win against Apple in Germany may be short lived . I wonder, though: Will the peace-loving Soviet Google promise to drop all suits against Apple if they acquire Motorola Mobility? Google claims its patents are defensive. I’m with Robert McDowell: Unlicensed spectrum is handy but We don’t need more of it . We’re currently running at a shortage of wiress Internet-friendly spectrum. Unlicensed commonses aren’t what we’re short of. We need incentive auctions to convert television spectrum into high-speed Internet, not unlicensed mush. AT&T is doing limited 4G LTE roll outs, as are Cricket and other providers. That’s competition, folks, and that’s why Verizon is starting to budge on its pricing . We need government out of the way. This is a functioning market. The forces of big government are worried though, which is why they’re trying to censor AT&T’s speech against the Eric Holder/Sprint Nextel/George Soros alliance suing the firm.
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Tech at Night: Tell Scott Brown and the Senate to repeal Net Neutrality
