http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/17/brown-takes-lead-campaign_n_426679.html

The legions of the two political parties have descended upon Massachusetts like a murder of crows, all cawing and braying in the name of their select candidate.  I hope the lessons of NY-23 are fresh in their minds.  Granted, the Republicans and Conservatives are not serving up two different candidates to split the vote, but I still worry.  A campaign that has, for months, worked diligently, and slowly clawed its way from fifteen points down to a five point lead should remain wary of any outside influence.

Don’t get me wrong.  I am certain the candidates appreciate the long overdue money and attention.  The influx of support is a relief for tired phone bank operators and station workers who stump for their candidate endlessly.  However, the fear, my fear, is that the big guns will roll in, and those that are the national darlings of the Republican party will take center stage versus the real candidate.  I don’t care for Sarah Palin standing up, and giving a long-winded speech about the national trend of attacks on conservatism, and the impact this election will have on the national forum.  Candidate Brown must be center stage, telling his constituents what he is going to do for them when he gets to DC.  Nationalism will have its fair share of his time when he gets to DC…should he get to DC.

I apologize, my bias is showing.

My concern is national.  I want Massachusetts to pick the representative that they feel reflects the needs and values of their state and IS GOING TO REPRESENT THEM ON A NATIONAL PLATFORM.   Not another glad-handing yes man or woman, that will roll over and offer up the nation on a plate with a harried and rushed vote on a topic that, I feel, has not had so much a serious discussion, but serious plotting.  I look forward to tomorrow, and what it brings.  Regardless of the result, the dance on the national level is frenzied and a bit worrisome.  I have found it quite disconcerting that the future of this tremendous bill lies on the shoulders of one election.  The notion that steps are being taken to hasten the bill and not allow the elected representative of the people to vote on it is bothersome to say the least.  That the strength of the bill is not measured by a simple majority, or even by consensus of the members of congress, but by a matter of procedure.  parliamentary procedure is being used to circumvent discussion, debate, and, something I have never been fond of, filibustering.  The fact that now that parliamentary procedure may fail the majority, they are seeking out other tactics upon which to pass this legislation in a harried attempt to prove some value to their constituents before they are to return home and ask to return to DC to represent us for another two, four, or six years.  One could almost say the fear is palatable, and when their fear is tied to such a monumental piece of legislation, one cannot help but be just a little frightened by proxy.

J.P.