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Give Scott Brown a Break, OK?
Townhall.com ^ | February 26, 2010 | Douglas Mackinnon

Posted on 02/26/2010 5:14:48 AM PST by Kaslin

After Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., voted in favor of a jobs bill endorsed by President Obama and the majority of Senate Democrats, I immediately heard from a number of Republican friends in and around Washington, D.C. who knew I am a conservative from Massachusetts.

The questions were rapid fire and the anger was surprising. “How dare he side with Obama?” “Is he just a Kennedy Republican?,” and “Where do I go to get my donation back?”

My response to all was, “You have got to be kidding me. This guy has not been in office a month, he’s only taken three votes, and you’re willing and anxious to label him a traitor to the GOP because he voted in the best interests of his constituents?”

The anger, name-calling, and profanity now being directed at Brown from a minority on the right is a perfect example of why I left the Republican party a few years ago. In columns and on the air, I now refer to myself as an “independent conservative.”

In the increasingly worrisome and dangerous Post-9/11 world we all inhabit, it’s more important than ever that we have adult and independent leadership in Washington.

As one who has worked in and around national politics for the last 20 years, I have become disgusted and horrified at the sight of politicians from both sides of the aisle who purposely put self and party before the welfare of our nation.

Again, in a pre-9/11 environment, while not acceptable, such behavior was not fatal. Today, terrorists literally plan night and day to attack our nation in the most lethal way possible.

In his victory night remarks, Brown made it clear that he recognized the pending and growing threat of terrorism. While most in Washington still choose to bury their heads in the sand on the subject, Brown would be wise to seek out former senators Bob Graham and Jim Talent, who now head up the bipartisan and congressionally mandated Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism.

If he does, they will tell him quite candidly that they cited a recent study from the intelligence community, which projected that a one-to-two kilogram release of anthrax spores from a crop duster plane could kill over 400,000 Americans. They would further tell him that these anthrax spores are by far, the easiest WMD available to terrorists.

From all that I have seen and read about Brown, he is an honest and independent voice in Washington. A voice which needs to be welcomed for reasons of national security, independent thought, and civility. Not vilified immediately because he failed to vote in partisan lockstep with the Republican leadership.

With Brown’s somewhat surprising victory, the entrenched political machines of both the left and the right got a timely wake-up call. Not only were the voters of Massachusetts tired of the destructive politics-as-usual coming out of Washington, but the American people are beyond sick of it. So much so, that the majority of voters in our nation now rightfully label themselves independent.

For the moment, the Democrat party finds itself the target of that independent anger and worry. Soon, those same disappointed independents will turn their weary eyes toward the GOP. And when they do, they won’t like what they see. To paraphrase talk show host Glenn Beck, for the Republican Party to say “we suck less than the other guys” is not only not the answer, it’s an insult.

If independent-thinking Brown keeps voting his conscience, he, the Bay State, and our nation, will be the better for his convictions. He just needs to keep fighting that machine and its special interests.


TOPICS: Editorial
KEYWORDS: 2kendollsnow; bromney; brown; brown4dnc; brown4obama; excuses4romney; fooledus; fooledusgood; lied2us; mackinnon; mackinnon4romney; mittbotskendoll; onlyarino; plasticmitt; protectingmitt; rinos4romney; romney; romneybotalert; romneybothere; trickedus
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To: PSYCHO-FREEP

Don’t know if you’re physic (if you are you need to tune up your ball) or “mentally challenged” but I can’t help you with either. See above.


61 posted on 02/26/2010 9:08:33 AM PST by Peter Horry (Those who aren't responsible always know best.)
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To: Peter Horry

Right, and somehow you have appointed yourself a genius or at the least, the smartest idiot on the forum.


62 posted on 02/26/2010 9:13:05 AM PST by PSYCHO-FREEP ( Give me Liberty, or give me an M-24A2!)
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To: Kaslin

I am giving the guy a break on this one. It was a cloture vote, not the main bill.

Look, the guy is from New England. Republicans are endangered species up in those parts.


63 posted on 02/26/2010 9:17:53 AM PST by texmexis best
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To: mtntop3

Well said.

There are people on this thread that are Scorched Earthers. They would of prefered a Coakley win and the Kennedy seat remain in the hands of a Democrat for another two generations than to add one more moderate Republican. And what a boost that would of given to Obama.

I would ask any of them to give me another Massachusetts Republican that would of been conservative enough for them, and still be able to beat Coakley. They can’t.


64 posted on 02/26/2010 9:19:40 AM PST by NavyCanDo (Palin 2012 Teleprompter Not Required)
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To: PSYCHO-FREEP
I Yam What I Yam


65 posted on 02/26/2010 9:20:47 AM PST by Peter Horry (Those who aren't responsible always know best.)
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner
explaining that people just do not understand "cloture" and attributed angry callers to his office as being given marching orders from "special interests."

Sure. The evil conservatives that put him in office because he claimed to be a fiscal conservative...are a "special interest" group now???? And we are so stupid we do not understand the rules of the Senate?

Thanks Scott...you lying jerk.
66 posted on 02/26/2010 9:22:36 AM PST by roses of sharon (I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13)
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To: Peter Horry; Kaslin; GOPsterinMA
The people who supported Brown wanted him to win against Martha Coakley, he did that. Seems you got what you wanted, yet you’re still not happy.

Well said, Peter. We attended 3 rallies (and visited 1 Brown call center) for Scott on election eve - January 18, 2010. Scott was going around signing any item (including a bald guy's head!) put in front of him with "Scott Brown #41".

The #1 reason Scott got elected was to STOP ObamaCare. The Massachusetts voters we met at those rallies were outraged about Obama and the democRATs ramming ObamaCare down our throats, and particularly outraged at all the 'RAT "backroom deals".

I agree we should give Brown some more time, but continue to hold his feet to the fire. I sure hope he doesn't go the way of John McCain, Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins...

67 posted on 02/26/2010 9:29:05 AM PST by nutmeg (Rush Limbaugh & Sarah Palin agree: NO third parties! Take back the GOP)
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To: Peter Horry

Keep listening to the adults on this forum, you just might learn something.


68 posted on 02/26/2010 9:29:21 AM PST by PSYCHO-FREEP ( Give me Liberty, or give me an M-24A2!)
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To: Catsrus

All I’m saying is its fine to support him, but hold him accountable for each and every vote.


69 posted on 02/26/2010 9:31:17 AM PST by rintense (Only dead fish go with the flow, which explains why Congress stinks.)
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To: Peter Horry

Popeye! Scott Brown : Endorsing & supporting Juan McAmnesty in AZ; I would bet that he will pep up Mitt Romney”s obvious coming-out for his run for the WH, and is probably working on it right now. He needs to be watched like a hawk. I was happy to see him take “Kennedy’s Seat” & defeat horrible witch Martha Coakley, but he is no rogue conservative IMO & needs to be watched & criticized when its due. <><>< That canned spinach is no good, yuk—eat only the fresh!


70 posted on 02/26/2010 10:11:11 AM PST by molybdenum ((A nation without borders is not a nation......Ronald Reagan.))
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To: molybdenum

Post 70

I could make another comment about someone from another state, California no less, trying to “Hold Scott Brown’s Feet To The Fire”, but I’ve already done that.


71 posted on 02/26/2010 10:26:48 AM PST by Peter Horry (Those who aren't responsible always know best.)
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To: Peter Horry
That fact is: Scott Brown has left his disillusioned supporters
far behind him, as he has transformed to a dastardly RINO
like another past scurrilous liar, Willard Mitt Romney-care.


72 posted on 02/26/2010 10:57:49 AM PST by Diogenesis ("Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God." --Thomas Jefferson)
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To: nutmeg

yep!


73 posted on 02/26/2010 11:40:19 AM PST by GOPsterinMA (Camelot sleeps with the fishes!)
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To: Peter Horry
only saying we should watch him, not either think he's another RR nor a flaming lib scoundrel and a liar, with his win he helped accelerate the cause , but if he goes with Mitt the hell with him.

he posed nude long ago, hardly matters, but what I don't like is the way he was showing off hs half-naked daughters and joking about them being available. No class, and stupid to boot. And calling 0bama to rub it in, the silly basketball stuff, why call him at all? Moron

74 posted on 02/26/2010 11:54:40 AM PST by molybdenum ((A nation without borders is not a nation......Ronald Reagan.))
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To: Irenic

haw!


75 posted on 02/26/2010 12:08:56 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck (I am in America but not of America (per bible: am in the world but not of it))
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To: Diogenesis

The question that counts the most is what do the Massachusetts voters at large think of Brown. Do they feel he is a sell out?


76 posted on 02/26/2010 12:12:38 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck (I am in America but not of America (per bible: am in the world but not of it))
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To: PSYCHO-FREEP

If you can coax a redder candidate out of one of those areas, by all means do so. I’d really like to be able to appoint Texans to be the senators and representatives of Massachusetts, however the constitution frowns on that.


77 posted on 02/26/2010 12:14:57 PM PST by HiTech RedNeck (I am in America but not of America (per bible: am in the world but not of it))
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