Local Reports: Turnout High In MA-Sen

January 19, 2010 10:11 AM

I just returned from voting for Coakley (I couldn't stop myself).

FWIW: Very few voters and no lines but it was after 9 A.M. and many people vote before or after work. No Coakley signs or supporters; one Brown guy with a sign.

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wbgonne

January 19, 2010 10:13 AM in reply to wbgonne

Oh, I voted in Boston.

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FreeRider

January 19, 2010 11:08 AM in reply to wbgonne

Were there more women than men or about even?

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wbgonne

January 19, 2010 11:12 AM in reply to FreeRider

I only saw about 6 voters. My wife and I were 33% of them.

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brewmn61

January 19, 2010 1:57 PM in reply to wbgonne

Thanks for holding your nose and voting. Seriously.

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lousgirl84

January 19, 2010 4:39 PM in reply to wbgonne

Who did you vote for? Do you mind saying?

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wbgonne

January 19, 2010 4:54 PM in reply to lousgirl84

Guess.

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lousgirl84

January 19, 2010 5:20 PM in reply to wbgonne

So do you mind saying...........

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wbgonne

January 19, 2010 5:27 PM in reply to lousgirl84

Try again. And here's clue: look at the first line of my post that were allegedly replying to.

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edl

January 19, 2010 8:07 PM in reply to wbgonne

Good for you. Sincerely. (But if you're going to be snarky, make sure you're not misusing words such as "allegedly" first.)

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lousgirl84

January 19, 2010 8:11 PM in reply to wbgonne

Oops. I totally did not see your very first post. I am embarrassed. Then, I meant to reply to you and replied to myself.

I'm going home and have a glass of wine

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lousgirl84

January 19, 2010 8:10 PM in reply to lousgirl84

OOPS. I totally missed your first post. I am embarrassed. I'm getting old - what can I say.

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glblank

January 19, 2010 11:49 AM in reply to wbgonne

Had that been in my district and I showed a Dem support, I would have been asked to leave. One person was asked to leave in 08 when her child was singing an Obama song, I shit you not. How do i modify my avatar?

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Schmed

January 19, 2010 12:01 PM in reply to glblank

Go to Edit Profile; scroll down to UserPic; browse to your new avatar (must be really small -- 60x80 pixels seems to work); click "OK"; wait for up to 24 hours for TPM's servers to refresh your profile.

Good luck!

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Schmed

January 19, 2010 12:05 PM in reply to wbgonne

No Coakley signs or supporters; one Brown guy with a sign.

Framingham: on the street in front of the school at the mouth of the 100 yard driveway were three Brown supporters waving placards. Right at the turnaround in front of the school was a hugh Coakley sign (approx. 5ft x 10ft). I'm guessing this violated the 100 ft polling prohibition, but no one seemed to care.

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pollbuster

January 19, 2010 1:29 PM in reply to wbgonne

Several friends of mine from Northern suburb areas, who are Brown supporters, reported to me that turnout appeared sparse, with depressingly short lines. Not a good sign for Brown.

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again

January 19, 2010 8:29 PM in reply to wbgonne

Hey, I want to say thanks for voting for Coakley, even though I can't stand her.

You're a good guy. I wouldn't have thought you'd vote that way, given how frustrated and disappointed you've been.

This cheers me up. Even though I think they should have run Capuano.

Now, Capuano, he cheers me up.

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Sailormarlowe

January 19, 2010 10:13 AM

Lamestream media frets that many of Scott Brown's supporters are openly straight.

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Nutter

January 19, 2010 10:59 AM in reply to Sailormarlowe

Do you always post random shit on threads?

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de TOQUEville

January 19, 2010 11:53 AM in reply to Nutter

Yes. Yes, he does.

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Steaming Pile

January 19, 2010 12:29 PM in reply to Nutter

Report it. I did.

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WaitWut?

January 19, 2010 11:59 AM in reply to Sailormarlowe

What the hell does that even mean? This is why no one takes you seriously.

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chimpale

January 19, 2010 12:55 PM in reply to Sailormarlowe

Lamestream media frets that many of Scott Brown's supporters are openly straight.

Really? I thought they were mostly guys who thought he looked hot in that nude photo spread.

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brewmn61

January 19, 2010 1:59 PM in reply to chimpale

Well, you know what they say about men who are ostentatiously "straight."

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SFCWallace

January 19, 2010 2:38 PM in reply to chimpale

Semi-nude, thank you very much!

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Schmed

January 19, 2010 3:11 PM in reply to SFCWallace

What part was the "semi"?

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lousgirl84

January 19, 2010 4:38 PM in reply to chimpale

Before I ever knew he posed nude, I said (to myself) he looks gay. I honestly don't care if he is or not, more power to him, but I still think he is.

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CityGuy

January 19, 2010 10:13 AM

Come on Mass Dems, you can do it!!

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Overreach THIS!

January 19, 2010 10:18 AM

You can make calls for Martha Coakley right now.

WWW.Marthacoakley.com

Lower right on your screen has a window that gets you going fast. I did last night from overseas, so can you too. It's easy and you'll be doing the right thing. This is what Obama wants -- you knocking on doors and making phone calls like he said at the Coakley rally.

Thanks, O.T.

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Dorn76

January 19, 2010 10:51 AM in reply to Overreach THIS!

Just emailed everyone I know in Mass.

Come on folks. Get to the polls.

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Overreach THIS!

January 20, 2010 5:11 AM in reply to Dorn76

Good for you! Some of us here tried.

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cscott

January 19, 2010 10:35 AM

I visited 3 polling places on my morning loop through Boston's Roslindale neighborhood. The weather isn't much of a factor for workaday New Englanders, although it is still snowing/raining. Our neighborhood is noted for its exceptionally high turnout rate but you wouldn't know it today, no lines and no stand-outs.

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SP

January 19, 2010 10:41 AM

You have to remember that line sizes can't be compared to other elections that have many races. There is literally one bubble to fill in (although by accident they gave me two ballots, I was good and returned the extra.) I got there right when polls opened at 7 and there was a line of 20 which cleared out in just a couple minutes because people took literally 5 seconds to vote. There was a steady stream of people as I was leaving but no wait.

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wbgonne

January 19, 2010 10:53 AM in reply to SP

True enough.

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Schmed

January 19, 2010 12:06 PM in reply to SP

Yup.

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ABrod

January 19, 2010 10:41 AM

Strong turnout sucks for Brown. Period.

He is not a progressive Republican who could attract Democratic voters or Independent voters. He is a lame ass/stale as s**t/ run of the mill Republican who is not going to energize voters.

I am not saying Coakley will win, I am just saying if turnout is strong it ain't because voters think Brown in the greatest thing in the Republican party since Lincoln.

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AnswerFrog

January 19, 2010 11:14 AM in reply to ABrod

My impression is that people voting for him think this is American Idol. Who should we vote off the island? Oh, I don't like her, look at her clothes.

I'm continually impressed with the maturity and wisdom of Americans. No wonder we are succeeding on every front -- we make such wise choices and for the best reasons!

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txvoodoo

January 19, 2010 7:27 PM in reply to AnswerFrog

Maybe the Idol voters will think it's ok for them to phone in their vote!

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truth > spin

January 19, 2010 11:19 AM in reply to ABrod

High turnout means that that the cohort of voters is expanded beyond the normally reliable voters, such as hard partisans, union members, public service workers, etc.

Independent (unenrolled) and younger voters are who make up most of the new voters when turnout is high. From what I have seen of the polls, both these groups are going for Brow. So added turnout means that these Brown favoring groups are swamping the votes of those who normally show up and vote D.

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ABrod

January 19, 2010 1:01 PM in reply to truth > spin

Truth Spin:

You could be right, although your "normally reliable voter" turnout analysis might be more applicable for a general election. In other words, what is called a strong turnout for a special election may be a different animal that strong turnout for a general election, the latter involving more of the out of the ordinary voters you reference.

Well, we shall see soon enough!

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DownriverDem

January 19, 2010 11:35 AM in reply to ABrod

If Brown wins, MA is dancing on Sen. Kennedy's grave. They will have voted for total grid lock for the next 2 1/2 years.

With each Brown lock step vote with the Repubs, MA will yell and scream. It will too late.

Thanks MA.

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Delores

January 19, 2010 1:59 PM in reply to DownriverDem

If Brown wins, it will suck, but, I don't think it means gridlock for 2 1/2 years necessarily. We have 2010 election and if the Dems in areas w/ open seats start now, by choosing appealing candidates w/ experience, we can potentially make up for losing this.

I think it is dangerous when we start to give one politician this much power.....think Brown, think Olympia Snowe, Ben Nelson, etc....... Sure, Democrats would prefer Coakley....as Brown's appeal seems wrapped up in being obstructionist.

Unfortunately, we are in American Idol era, where people vote for ridiculous reasons.... in the case of Palin, because she reminds voters of themselves.....maybe we have always had the cult of personality. Think Kennedy/Nixon. Think of how Reagan has been deified. How Obama has by some. Palin. It seems to have reached new lows, though. When one is facing brain surgery, they don't choose a surgeon who is the best looking or because he/she reminds them of a movie star , nor to they eliminate someone because they aren't charismatic, their skin is brown, or they cheat on their wife. They choose the person who is the best brain surgeon (well, if they have decent healthcare they do). We are so shallow in how we choose how we vote. We deserve what we get. Until we demand substance.

How many great leaders have we not elected because they weren't glamourous or weren't charismatic enough? The skills it takes to be a good campaigner do not always translate into being a good and effective leader. George W was a better campaigner than either Gore or Kerry. But both Gore and Kerry would have been better presidents. Would they have inspired people? Maybe not. But how many of our soldiers would still be alive?

I hope that Coakley wins. A waitress at a diner this morning was loudly and nastily expressing her hopes that Brown would win. Her voice was tinged with hate. It was really unpleasant to hear. These people don't know what they are for. Only what they are against. (in this case, it was Obama and his brown skin)

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ctal

January 19, 2010 7:43 PM in reply to DownriverDem

All real progressives are praying for a Brown victory.

Yeah, thats right. Obama needs a wake up call. He needs to fire those wall street wh*res in his cabinet, and start delivering. Or else.

I WILL vote for a nutcase-looney like Palin in 2012 if things keep going like this. This "reform bill" is a P.O.S. giveaway to the very bloodmerchants making whopping tons of cash on people's lives. Obama promised change, and so far, it looks like he is a lying sack of sh* t.

Woot! Go Brown! If you p*ss on your base, you will lose. Better a looney in the the WH than a liar.

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Nutter

January 19, 2010 8:06 PM in reply to ctal

SO you would vote for someone you KNOW will destroy the country compare to a slow poke that gives you scraps? Wow...no wonder the right wing are better at governing even though they hate the insitution.

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dimitry

January 19, 2010 10:56 AM

Steady voting in Waltham, MA at around 10 am. No banners in front of the polling place, in contrast to previous election.

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FreeRider

January 19, 2010 11:10 AM in reply to dimitry

Is Waltham a Brown stronghold?

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wbgonne

January 19, 2010 11:15 AM in reply to FreeRider

I'd guess Waltham is mixed. Coakely will win the cities easily, I imagine (f not, she's history). HOWEVER: there is a large contingent of "Reagan Dems" in vote-rich South Boston and that is where Brown has focused his effort. Brown will do best in the more rural areas.

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truth > spin

January 19, 2010 11:30 AM in reply to FreeRider

Waltham is a Boston exurb made up of blue and white collar workers. There are two colleges there, but it doesn't have the college town feel. It's heavily Catholic and Italian, and it has a good sized immigrant community, including many Haitians who have much more on their minds.

It normally goes D by a wide margin, but Coakley's frostiness and her failure to take child abuse cases seriously and carefully as the DA and AG resonate here.

If Brown does not win Waltham outright, he'll make it very close.

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dimitry

January 19, 2010 12:08 PM in reply to truth > spin

I don't see a lot of Brown signs around town, just a few Coakley signs.

I am hoping for a Coakley win, though she is obviously a deeply flawed candidate.

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FreeRider

January 19, 2010 12:20 PM in reply to truth > spin

What you said doesn't track with the primary votes. Coakley got nearly double the votes Capuano got in Waltham and Democrats got 5 times as many as Republicans.

If they were upset with Coakley as DA and/or AG, that would not be the case. Special election primary voters are the most well-informed of all. So it's hard to imagine that there is any great upset with Coakley given how she ran away with the votes there.

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Kevdog

January 19, 2010 12:23 PM in reply to truth > spin

Get your geographic demo correct. Waltham is a SUBURB of Boston not an EXURB. Duxbury/Newburyport are exurbs not Waltham. Dude come on.

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AnswerFrog

January 19, 2010 10:57 AM

Get to the polls. Pester your Mass. friends and family to do the same.

Both complacency (she'll probably win) or defeatism (she's toast) will hurt us.

Bottomline: GOTV.

Leave discussion of implications til after 8 pm tonight.

This could be very close and may result in a Minn. style recount. So every vote matters.

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Weitberg

January 19, 2010 11:00 AM

Democrats outnumber Republicans in the state roughly 3-1, but crazies outnumber them both everywhere #%@!-2.

TheWeekinRebuke.com

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notthatstupid

January 19, 2010 11:03 AM

If you think you aren't motivated, turn on any of the cable channels. Doesn't even have to be right wing...all of the media has rolled out the carpet for Brown. Anything we need to get done on climate change legislation or anything else you care about is toast if he wins. Not because of his one lousy vote, but because our weak knee Dems will run scared because it's an election year. If you want the president to have zero back-up...sit on your hands. Come on Mass! Do it for the rest of the country!!!

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fiddystorms

January 19, 2010 11:34 AM in reply to notthatstupid

The message is crystal clear, the rest of the Country is begging you to sit on your hands.

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 11:39 AM in reply to fiddystorms

I see this election has brought out the trolls.

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btbradley86

January 19, 2010 12:12 PM in reply to fiddystorms

Just because tea baggers yell the loudest doesnt mean they are yelling for the majority of Americans.

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jim43

January 19, 2010 11:10 AM

Surely Fox will have reporters on the ground covering the widespread fraud from pro-Brown activists filling in ballots with his name. Right? Right?

http://www.sunstateactivist.org/ssablog/

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Silence

January 19, 2010 11:13 AM

10:54 The lonely housewife of a cheating, liberal, half-man arrives at the polling station. She thinks to herself. Do I really want see Martha Coakley splattered across my paper each morning or would I rather feast my lonely eyes on the perfect body of a triathlete?

I've marched lock-step with the liberals my whole life. I've done my part. Just this once, can't I do something just for me? Ooooh, I'm feeling so naughty this morning. No one will ever know.

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wbgonne

January 19, 2010 11:17 AM in reply to Silence

Shouldn't you be teaching your 6 year old how to shoot critters?

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lousgirl84

January 19, 2010 4:47 PM in reply to wbgonne

Don't encourage the trolls.

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 11:30 AM in reply to Silence

Am I the only one who finds Silence's thinly veiled homoerotic fantasy hilarious?

Teabagger, indeed!

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WaitWut?

January 19, 2010 12:07 PM in reply to Stroszek

Yes. Yes, I do. Showing his true colors. Maybe this is why he hangs out here. He feels much safer here than at those Teabagger sites with all their intolerance and meanocity.

Democratic women don't vote for men that look like uptight Ken dolls with no substance. We prefer men (and women) that have half a friggin brain and can form complete sentences without invoking some ancient mythological script or wrapping ourselves in the American flag to prove our "patriotism."

Anyway...good to see you're coming out, Silence. Next step is to admit that you like it here.

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lousgirl84

January 19, 2010 5:19 PM in reply to WaitWut?

Good girl!!! Go get em!!

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jsdc007

January 19, 2010 1:19 PM in reply to Silence

Oh my, we have a not-so-closeted teabagger for Brown here.

Bet you'd love to walk into a tearoom with those teabags.

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Dorn76

January 19, 2010 2:18 PM in reply to Silence

You and Sailor need to get a room.

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3star2nr

January 19, 2010 11:22 AM

What would be ironic is if registered dems vote for Brown because OBAMA and the other dems botched the health care bill so bad and got rid of the public option.

The negative to this will be that the dems will take it as a sign to move further to the right

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calchala

January 19, 2010 11:25 AM in reply to 3star2nr

That wouldn't be ironic. That would be STUPID. Yes, let's send Obama a message, that we'll make things harder on him to get the rest of his agenda through. That's perfect logic. Grow up.

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a Mary Queen of Scott

January 19, 2010 4:42 PM in reply to calchala

I don't think that 3star2nr is saying to vote for Brown as a protest. I think he is pointing out that Brown could win BECAUSE of the weak conserva-dems and Obama's lack of clarity in pushing for better results from the start and the irony/stupidity of these same conserva-dems taking those results and going even further to the right. I was/am a strong Obama supporter, but he needs to start taking strong/clear stands and actually campaign for the things we all voted for.

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 11:31 AM in reply to 3star2nr

Yes, register your disapproval with the health care bill by ensuring passage of an unmodified Senate bill.

Brilliant!

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roxsteady

January 19, 2010 11:24 AM

Until Brown raises taxes on the middle class, or ups their property taxes. Then they'll wonder what the hell happened. The idiots here in my state of New Jersey voted for Fatty Arbuckle for govenor. I can't wait until he tells them he can't do a damn thing about lowering their property taxes. I'm glad I don't own a house.

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acf_ma

January 19, 2010 1:01 PM in reply to roxsteady

That's why those no tax pledges are so foolish. Mitt Romney, Brown's role model, did the same thing, and he stuck by it. Unfortunately, he raised fees on MA residents to the max. I don't care whether you call it a tax or a fee, if I have to pay it to get a government service or product, it's the same to me.

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lousgirl84

January 19, 2010 5:25 PM in reply to roxsteady

My sister and her friends fall right into that category.

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Zentrails

January 19, 2010 6:33 PM in reply to roxsteady

Unfortunately, I DO own a house here in NJ. Depressing, taxes are already the highest in the nation, IIRC.

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roxsteady

January 19, 2010 11:30 AM

Yes, and voting for a Republican will do so much to reverse the problems created by......Republicans? This is the part I don't get. The alternative is to turn back to the people who have proven their incompetency? I read an article a few weeks ago on the dailykos that referenced a Bureau of Labor Statistics study which found that since 1959, private sector job growth under Republicans is 5.4% while under Dems it's 11.7%. When I read that I thought, why would anyone with a functioning brain ever vote Republican again? And why aren't Democrates shouting this from roof tops, tv commercials, billboards and daily press conferences? Am I the only one stunned by those numbers?

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truth > spin

January 19, 2010 11:33 AM in reply to roxsteady

Roxy, I think most people have caught on that Congress does far more lawmaking that might have some effect on job growth and economic conditions than the president. The executive branch mostly cheerleads and sets what Congress passes when it comes to domestic issues.

Redo your numbers based on control of Congress and come back with your findings.

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 11:37 AM in reply to truth > spin

You're really trying to claim the executive branch has no significant impact on policies pursued by Congress? Ever heard of this thing called the "veto?"

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 11:46 AM in reply to Stroszek

Nevermind, I just noticed your troll username.

Seriously, it's not the late 1990s and this isn't AOL. We have sophisticated contrarians here at TPM who don't feel the need to compensate for lackluster bullshitting abilities with usernames that use any of the following terms: "Truth," "reason," or "fact." Get a real username and we might have an opening for you here.

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fiddystorms

January 19, 2010 12:07 PM in reply to roxsteady

Yes, you are the only one because everyone knows the source you got it from is as yellow as a box of Cheerios. Those numbers might have come from the BLS but we don't know what they conveniently left out... just like the global warming scam, sure they had numbers that correlated to past temperatures but they had to play with them till it fit their agenda. Sad, but that's what ideologues do and their followers believe anything, even that adding 30 million people to the healthcare roles will reduce costs!!! People fall for that stuff!!!

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 12:12 PM in reply to fiddystorms

You must really like exclamation points!!!

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ejg3

January 19, 2010 11:32 AM

One thing that has changed in this election is that it's no longer a battle of Yankee Protestant (Brown) against Irish Catholic (Coakley and husband O'Connor) The party mix has changed both ways and Brown is not the Brahmin Republican who has two last names. Caokley was never the professional Irish poltician (a thinly disguised Jimmy Curley) in the Last Hurrah and Brown is not a Henry Cabot Lodge.

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DownriverDem

January 19, 2010 11:38 AM

MA is dancing on Sen. Kennedy's grave.

How disgusting!

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bentd

January 19, 2010 11:42 AM

Does anyone think its ironic that a few weeks ago, everyone was complaining that the health care stocks were rising because it appeared HCR would pass and that the bill was too friendly to the health care industry. Now today, the AP says that health care stocks are rising because it seems that HCR might not pass if Brown wins.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Health-stocks-pull-market-apf-2391737630.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=

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WaitWut?

January 19, 2010 12:13 PM in reply to bentd

The stock market is only a good indicator of fear and paranoia. Sad how much we depend on it. Look at how Apple stock drops every time Steve Jobs gets a friggin cold.

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nowoutside

January 19, 2010 11:42 AM

I voted today in Allston (neighborhood in Boston). There was a steady stream of twenty-something voters, mostly white males and some females. The neighborhood is about 50% college age/young professionals and about 50% immigrants/foreign born families. I fear that the fact that I didn't see any identifiable minorities voting there is indicative of what a lousy campaign Coakley ran- yeah my more plugged in college educated friends were fired up, but I have no clue what sort of outreach there was for the rest of the population.

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Schmed

January 19, 2010 11:56 AM

I voted at my neighborhood elementary school in Framingham. There was a steady line of cars coming in, but no line at the polls. The really short ballot makes the total time to vote less than 1 minute. If the cars are any indicator, turnout is high.

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Schmed

January 19, 2010 12:11 PM

High turnout could be good news for Democrats, who vastly outnumber Republicans in the state. But increased turnout in the right areas could also be good news for Republicans....

This seems a rather naive statement when you consider that Dems only make up 32% of registered voters and Repugs only 19%. So, yeah, 32 > 19. But that still leaves a whole lot of marbles on the table. The majority of those marbles traditionally lean Dem, but....

....assuming the past holds true was Coakley's big mistake. You'd think that TPM would know better.

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FreeRider

January 19, 2010 12:27 PM in reply to Schmed

If you want to lecture someone as naive, you could start by getting your numbers correct.

Democrats make up 37% of the voters in MA compared to 12% for Republicans. That's a 25 point spread, not the 13 points you indicated.

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Schmed

January 19, 2010 1:18 PM in reply to FreeRider

You're right. I got mine percentages screwed up when I tried to quote them from memory. So much for my failing memory. That notwithstanding, my point about superior Dem numbers still stands. If you look here, it says:

The Boston Globe/UNH poll routinely asks respondents about both their party registration and their party identification. Early in their interview they ask: "Are you registered to vote as a Democrat, Independent, Republican or something else?" On their September survey, according to data Smith provided, 36% of all registrants said they were registered as Democrats, 14% said they were Republicans and the rest (50%) reported they were unenrolled.
Then at the end of their survey they ask: "GENERALLY SPEAKING, do you usually think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent or what?" To those who initially identify as independent, identify with another party or offer no preference they ask a follow-up: "Do you think of yourself as closer to the Republican or to the Democratic party?"

When Smith combined the initial identifiers with leaners in September, he found 50% were Democrats, 32% were Republicans and only 19% remained independent or without a preference. And a cross-tabulation of the UNH party registration and party identification questions shows that more than two thirds of the unenrolled voters identify or lean to either the Democratic (36%) or Republican (34%) parties.

So unaffiliated/independent was 50% on the party registration question, but only 19% on party identification (with leaners allocated). So again, it is a mistake to expect the party identification results produced by a poll to match the party registration statistics produced by the Secretary of State

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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve

January 19, 2010 1:32 PM in reply to Schmed

"You're right."

Certainly a contender for the least frequently used phrase here in the TPM comments.

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Schmed

January 19, 2010 1:48 PM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve

I've got no problem with admitting my mistakes (even if they're inconsequential to my argument).

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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve

January 19, 2010 3:04 PM in reply to Schmed

Commendably gracious, nonetheless.

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LarryMo

January 19, 2010 5:31 PM in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve

However, I believe it violates some Law of the InnerToobz.

It must.

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 12:33 PM

I see all this negative talk about Brown but nothing positive about Coakley. Obviously, there isn't much positive to say about someone who refuses to prosecute a child rapist, insults Catholics as well as Boston's sports fans. The times of the democrats being able to throw any piece of garbage out there and still win the election are over. Free thinking independents will decide this one and they're voting for Brown...

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 12:35 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

Oh boy, another right-wing troll posing as a "free-thinking independent."

Was there a surplus of this stale gimmick? Really nothing better you guys could come up with?

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 12:43 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

Also, love how you complain about people being negative, then throw out some rote smear job talking points and refer to someone as "garbage."

Are you right-wing nuts cognizant of this inconsistency or are you genuinely that stupid?

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 12:57 PM in reply to Stroszek

I wasn't complaining about being negative there jackass. Simply making the point of no positive Coakley talk. Therefore, there is complete consistency between the two (negative for Brown and negative for Coakley). Here's something you far left liberals need to understand.: Not everybody who disagrees with you is right wing. Do you get the centrist mentality? It is where the majority of America resides. The sooner you undestand this, the less often disasters such as today will occur for your party.

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 1:04 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

Nobody's buying it, teabagger. Get a better gimmick.

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 1:06 PM in reply to Stroszek

And you have now proven my point slap dick...

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Buckeye Terrorist Fist Jab Nation

January 19, 2010 1:07 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

More bullshit from a tin-foil hat Kook.
Begone Satan!

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 5:18 PM in reply to Buckeye Terrorist Fist Jab Nation

Overreaching government is the true Satan and shall soon be castigated as such!

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LarryMo

January 19, 2010 5:35 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

And you have now proven my point...

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dnegri

January 19, 2010 1:13 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

And just what do these "free thinking independents" think electing Brown will bring to the people of Massachusetts? Or the country as a whole?

Exactly what policies do these "free thinking independents" think the GOP represents that will be any good for the average American or resident of MA?

How about some specifics instead of just the typical shallow pontifications we've gotten from the Tea Party?

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 1:09 PM

You don't have a point. Just personal attacks and vitriol.

Actual centrists are smart enough to make policy arguments. You're not. That's the tell. Just another raging mouth breather...

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 1:11 PM in reply to Stroszek

John Avlon, author of "Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics," says "Independents like the checks and balances of divided government. They dislike the ideological arrogance and legislative overreach that comes when one party controls both the White House and Congress. That's what you're seeing,". There's my policy point, care to respond?

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dnegri

January 19, 2010 1:19 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

Here's the problem. When the Ship Of State is healthy and sailing in calm waters, then doing little is often the best course, one could argue. Hence the appeal of terminal "gridlock" - which is what our current Congress would be if Republicans have their way.

But if the Ship Of State is leaking, then the Captain/crew needs to act. And the longer they wait to act, or are frustrated, the more water the Ship is taking on, the harder it will be to ever right it.

Anyone who thinks the former is the case in this country is delusional. And to say that the status quo is acceptable today, that avoiding any difficult issues is the way to go today, well then they probably buy into Mr. Avlon's thesis. And watch the Ship Of State sink as it cruises around in circles.

I understand the fear of one party rule...certainly we didn't like it when Republicans were doing it. But the deciding factor has to be policies. Which party is actually willing and courageous enough to tackle the difficult problems, and which party just wants to kick the can down the road some more,.

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 1:29 PM in reply to dnegri

The reality is that Obama's "big issues" bills (energy, health care) are both based around moderate Republican ides (cap and trade, Romney-style exchange). You can argue that the specific bills have shortcomings (they do), but they mostly concern specifics apart from the basic, ideological foundations of the central ideas. The notion that Romneycare is "far left" is simply ludicrous and clearly indicates that Black2112 is of the uninformed teabagger stripe. It was just three years ago when a far more liberal proposal (Wyden-Bennett) had ten Republican sponsors. Whatever problems you may have with the current bill, the assertion that it's far left overreaching is just transparent Republican posturing that simply does not reflect where serious policy people are on these issues.

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 1:33 PM in reply to Stroszek

Would you care to advise me where I said Romneycare was "far left". Let's check the record - is it posted anywhere? Nope, was again you come through with your dishonest arrogance. Go post on the ACORN website, that's where you belong.

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 1:37 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

ACORN? Hoooo boy, we've got ourselves a nutter.

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 1:39 PM in reply to Stroszek

Thoughtful response. Avoidance of the issue (your dishonesty), something you were just grandstanding about! Your hipocrosy knows no bounds.

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 1:41 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

Yeah, I'm a real "hipocrote." I won't deny it.

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 1:49 PM in reply to Stroszek

Yes, let's get into attacking one on the basis of typos on a message board, very helpful for the discussion.

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 3:15 PM in reply to Stroszek

Yes, let's get into attacking one on the basis of typos on a message board, very helpful for the discussion.

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Bruce Webb

January 19, 2010 2:30 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

Shorter wingnut: "When I call liberals cocksucking, commie bastards out to destroy American by transforming it into a Caliphate I am just being descriptive. When liberals call me delusional they are obviously just thoughtless name callers"

For people like Black 2112 'ACORN' is a substantive and self-evident argument. And only DFHs like us don't get it.

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 3:49 PM in reply to Bruce Webb

Ok, Mr. Webb, allow me to get a little bit more specific for you. Why have I not seen the health care debate on C-Span as Mr. Obama promised eight times on the campaign trail?

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LarryMo

January 19, 2010 5:38 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

By my count, you have only two - perhaps three - official talking points left before you have to start repeating them.

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 7:56 PM in reply to LarryMo

That's because you are only capable of counting up to three...

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 1:20 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

That's not a policy point. That's some guy attacking people as "arrogant" for disagreeing with him. Again, personal attacks.

There's a difference between genuine centrists and intellectually bankrupt ideologues who disingenuously cling to the label in order to shriek at others and dismiss them as extremists without making a real argument about the merits of policy.

You are the latter. In your particular case, you're an angry right-winger who embraces the label under the mistaken assumption that calling yourself a "centrist" and deploying popular appeal fallacies excuse you from being reasonable and informed. It doesn't. You're going to need to do a lot better than shriek "FAR LEFT" if you want to be taken seriously here, tea bagger.

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 1:29 PM in reply to Stroszek

Once again you are incorrect. dnegri did take me seriously and had a thoughtful response. This in contrast to your constant angry and misguided nonsense. You are in no position to tell me what my political beliefs are. That smacks of a combination of ignorance and arrogance, which seems to be a constant theme in all of your posts...

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Stroszek

January 19, 2010 1:40 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

I'm in no position but you can shriek "FAR LEFT" like a skipping Ann Coulter record?

You're not ready to play with the big boys. You might be happier somewhere like HuffingtonPost.

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This is Hilarious!

January 19, 2010 1:44 PM in reply to Stroszek

Ahh yes, here comes your arrogance again. You have been exposed as an ignorant, dishonest, hypocrite. Don't tell me where I should post, you clearly are not qualified. Frankly, my referring to you as "far left" was consistent with your posts. If you disagree with that assessment, I would happily respect where you stand and refer to you as such. Just as you should respect where I tell you that I stand and not label me something I am not.

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Dorn76

January 19, 2010 3:04 PM in reply to This is Hilarious!

The long series of tubes that comprise the Internet are no place to seek respect for your opinion, bub.

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dnegri

January 19, 2010 1:11 PM

It will be interesting to compare the turnout results from today with 2008. Yes, it will be lower, but how much?

And especially to do the "internals", i.e., party affiliation, age, race, etc.....

I for one do hope that on this day after MLK Weekend, that Black voters will turn out. Even though it's true they have little to celebrate.

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jwwolfe

January 19, 2010 1:58 PM

I live in Amherst and when I voted at 11:30 this morning I was told that turn-out was already quite heavy. Amherst is very progressive. It voted for Capuano over Coakley by a large margin in the primary.

A colleague who lives in Hadley (next to Amherst) told me that 500 of the 1,500 registered folks in Hadley had voted by about 10:00 AM.

The GOTV stuff has been intense and the turn-out seems strong.

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griffin

January 19, 2010 2:02 PM

fwiw: Decent line at my polling station in Somerville - far more people there then for the primary, and the most i've seen for a non-Presidential election for awhile (I don't think 2008 is a valid comparison at all)

The only sign-holders I saw weren't at the polling station but at the T (subway) station - and they were reminding people to vote. Which makes more sense when you think of it.

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agio

January 19, 2010 2:37 PM

Voted in Watertown. Polling place was mostly empty.

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Silence

January 19, 2010 4:40 PM

4:06 A frustrated job seeker walks into the polling station. It's been another fruitless day of applications and interviews. At least he still has baseball.

As he steps into the booth, he recalls his nagging wife standing at the door with a food stamp card, telling him to vote for a frumpy, middle-aged, elitist named Coakley.

Food stamps? Curt Shilling a Yankee fan? Has the world gone mad? Suddenly, nightmarish thoughts of driving a Prius to Yankee stadium and buying a hotdog with food stamps fill his mind.

He begins shaking his head. No. This is wrong, all wrong.

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