LOVIN' IT

As I mentioned in one of my first (if not the first) post was how frustrated I've been at how the powers in Washington ignored and dismissed the Tea Party movement. I also am hopeful and excited about the implications of the Brown vs. Coakley election today.

I'm not alone. Those two concepts are completely intertwined. The dismissal of the Tea Party movement invigorated them and those sympathetic with their gripes and concern, and eventually, gave the movement more legitimacy than ever, as others not necessarily completely in sync with the Tea Party type's concerns became distressed by the Democrats shoving BIG stuff down our throats w/o paying attention the the opinions of the majority of the American people.

The tone-deafness and lack of bi-partisanship of their representatives have made the independents and even some democrats mad. No matter what the pundits and politicians say, most Americans know that the freedom of speech, including dissent, is healthy for democracy, and applies equally to all citizens, not just Dems. This Massachusetts race is finally waking some of the reps up.

"This is real," he [Newsom] said. "At our own peril, we dismiss these tea parties as ... some sort of isolated extremism. ... It's not."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/01/19/MNU81BJRM1.DTL#ixzz0d58rsWB7

Others, not so much.

She [Pelosi] insisted that - whatever the outcome - the results today will in no way represent a repudiation of the Obama administration, especially on the matter of health care reform.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/01/19/MNU81BJRM1.DTL#ixzz0d5Aaknp2

Still, others, want to remain confident, but can't help admitting concern.

"What happens in Massachusetts in January doesn't predict what is going to happen in California in November," said Boxer campaign manager Rose Kapolczynski. "We're taking nothing for granted."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2010/01/19/MNU81BJRM1.DTL#ixzz0d5AuKGFH

Democracy at work. I love it.