The Globe has a good article about the tax cut fiasco mentioning that Kerry pushed for a vote

Said Dodd when asked why his party could not agree on a plan. Frankly, I'm tired of that line. As Democrats, this should have been a no-brainer. Tax breaks continue for the middle class, and discontinue for the upper income bracket. $250,000 is not rich, but any TAXABLE income (think after deductions) above that amount getting taxed by 3% more is not going to break anybody's bank, for pete's sake.

Any and all excuses used here by Dems and repubs alike are bogus! And leave it to Harry Reid to once again leave his removable spine in a box at home and cave. This vote would have been a brilliant political move right now, even if it hadn't passed - maybe ESPECIALLY then. With a failure to extend the middle class tax cuts only before the deadline, they could have been left to expire and then an entirely new bill introduced that would only contain tax cuts for the middle class.

But no, the repubs (and conservadems) threateningly raise their fists, and our leadership cowers in a corner. I have had enough of this crap! And progressives laying all the blame at Obama's feet is missing the forest for the trees here. How often has Obama gone and emphatically stated that the tax cuts for the middle class must be extended, but there just is NO MONEY for the rest? Do the Democrats in charge listen and corral their troops? Of course not. Obama probably realized pretty early into his term that with the congress he had, there was no getting a truly progressive agenda passed.

I have little hope for the future of good policy-making in the current political climate and congressional make-up. The Senate with its ridiculous rules is dysfunctional, even WITH good leadership. State representation is out of whack and significantly favors conservative states. Basically, it's arcane and obsolete and should be disbanded. Barring that, change the frigging rules. Starting with the filibuster. Since when is a majority not enough to pass a bill?

Ideally, the entire system needs to be overhauled, but that won't happen in our lifetime. I'm afraid the Citizens United ruling has changed the political landscape for decades, and not for the better. If we think we're not being represented well now, just wait until the impact of endless cash flow into elections will hit congress. A tax cut for the middle class will be a dream that will never come again.

And, some vulnerable Dem's were going to go along with what Republicans wanted for fear a vote against the business wealthy would be used against them, and they would be accused of boxing in businesses and stifling job creation. Our economy would actually benefit without these additional costs piled on to the already high deficit. I think this issue is too important to politicize-on both sides. Dem's were pushing the middle class only message with the idea in mind that it would play well during the election season.
Frankly, allowing the tax breaks to expire for all would decrease the federal deficit by somewhere between 25% and 30%, according to some economists.IMO, I think they should all be allowed to expire.

Of course as usually, the Dem's find themselves unable to re-frame this issue in their favor-sigh. Why not state the obvious, and still call out the Republicans for their hypocrisy and willingness to disregard the deficit when it comes to helping some of their biggest donors? In this case, I disagree with Senator Kerry. I applaud the leadership that decided to wait to tackle this issue after the political season is over.

Brown isn't doing much so there's nothing to report.

Kerry reiterates his point perfectly:

...earlier this week? (Monday, I think). He was pathetic...covered by complaining of not feeling well...eventually another Rep, senator came and took over. It was pretty awful.

This better be common knowledge here in Mass. come 2012. If he manages to get reelected I'm going to give up on politics. No point in fighting a three-pronged beast: corporations, the media, AND stupid voters. Yes, I said what JK actually didn't say. The electorate is wilfully ignorant and proud of it.

Who wrote this for him? At parts, he is near incoherent. It is replete with errors - even on basic things - ie we're in the middle of a two year recession. Given that the economists have said the recession started in December 2007 and ended in July 2010. So, we aren't in the middle of a recession. "I did my homework, In this position, I have to" "Sometimes, I'm the 41st Senator, I am" "I am the most honored person to be here" "He then lists all the countries he went to - and all the leaders he spoke to spoke only about jobs." (Then he votes against the the things that do just that.)

He spoke of the financial bill - and he said that he slept in his office and worked hard to understand it. Then he spoke of how no votes are really making it - spoke of the defense bill. He again said that he was in the military! (Why is anyone upset about Blumenthal - and not Brown, who NEVER was active in the military.) He again said the majority party voted with him Zero times - in spite of him voting with them some of the time.

He was absolutely losing it - http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/clip.php?appid=598858824

He is all over the place. I can see why Kerry has found that he likes to ride bikes with Brown, rather than have lunches or dinner.

he should have stayed home, or at the very least kept quiet.

Your last comment is priceless :-)

it was essential he be there - especially at the end where he asked a fellow Senator to take the rest of his time.

To me, what this really shows is that he is over his head and he is working hard and is troubled by the way the senate is working. He places the blame on the wrong people though. He ignores that Coburn is blocking aid (single handedly) to Haiti and that Jim DeMint wants to stop everything. We have seen the Democrats spend inordinate time working to get compromises that Snowe and Collins would sign on to. He apparently missed how hard Kerry worked to get republicans to agree to a climate change bill - and even those who SPONSORED such bills in the past followed the leader in saying "NO".

The clip is a weird mix of ego and self awareness that he is still a rookie; of real frustration and of a sense that he is still surprised to be where he is. There is also a sense that the justifiable attacks that he is for Wall Street have hit a nerve. He doesn't get that it is NOT important that he might never have walked on Wall Street - It is significant that he bought banks the ability to speculate with part of their money with his vote. (What may be clear is the people supporting him are in fact controlling him.) He clearly is extremely upset by the dysfunctional nature of the Senate - just as Kerry is.

Here he is 5 days later - http://www.necn.com/10/02/10/Scott-Brown-campaigns-for-Jeff-Perry-in-/landing_politics.html?blockID=323328&feedID=4212 Completely healthy.

just incoherence.

Here is a Huffington Post article that compares it to Michael Jordan's "flu game" - and speaks of questions on whether he was really sick. It mentions that Brown returned to the floor on Wednesday.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/30/michael-jordan-scott-brow_n_745250.html

Here's the Wednesday speech, where he still is somewhat incoherent when not reading his speech (on legislation with McCaskill on Arlington Ceremony). Speaking of info being on index cards, he speaks of electronic devices that his kids and grand kids(!) use. Though he didn't look or sound ill, he mentions his pneumonia at the end.

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/videoLibrary/clip.php?appid=598868598

My favorite sentence went something like "And I've learned in this business that you have to be prepared" . :rofl: Also, "I don't care if I get reelected or not". :rofl:
And the shallowness, and the narcissism. ... what an embarrassment. And his asking for water. .good grief.
Is anyone in the chamber besides the president? is anyone really listening to this?
This guy is seriously over his head. At times, he reminded me of W in his rambling incoherence
Not to mention the contrast with the distinguished senior senator.
Haven't watched the Wednesday speech yet, but the Monday speech was a lulu.
The Huffington Post article was great, too.

article in the Globe. If he does not care, why does he spend his time fundraising.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/10/04/scott_brown_boosting_ties_to_gop_elite/

Even in his best days, he is not exactly articulate.

(oh, and he cant count. He is saying the Dems have had the majority in the Senate for 5 years. God!). As for the middle of a two year recession, You cant know you are in the middle of a recession unless you are clairvoyant. How can you know a middle of something before you know when it ends?).

I am also happy to know that we paid so that he can travel.

And, at the end, he may have not understood it, but he was blaming the GOP for refusing to work on the issues.

...too funny. :7

Pathetic is right. Nothing of substance (even bad substance), kept turning everything back to himself (what his election means, etc.), and annoying "guy you want to have a beer with" mannerisms.

on their new found love, Charlie Baker.

and I am glad to see that Kerry was on what I consider to be the "right side" on this.