How Lynn Voted in the Special Senate Election

Have we just been served?
Virtual blog debating.
Eugenio, Jenna?
Bring on the “Friday Night Throw Down”.

This is not the norm. The norm is more like Scott Brown’s mom, and look at the return on the investment in his family. Despite what I think of most of his politics, the roi was worth it. If this is the best rebuttal you can provide, I’m moving on. Good luck to you.

I just want to remind everyone that Bill Clinton did more to reform the welfare program in this Nation than George Bush Jr. or Sr. ever did. I also want to point out that George bush did call on the American people to put 4,000 hours of community service over their life times, but never really followed through on any type of organized effort to bring the nation together to commit to it, or put it into law. It was something that gave me a glimmer of hope in him, which quickly faded. He never rallied people into action in those pivotal moments of our history where better leadership could have changed the course of this country in a positive direction. I think President Obama is doing a better job at this, although he could be doing a LOT better.

The largest misconception this country has which is feeding this division is that we assume that hard work equals wealth distribution, and that’s just not true on a large enough scale. You can work your but off and never get ahead without proper education or opportunity to gain experience in a field that yields higher gross profits which are shared with employees through higher salaries, benefits, etc. Of course individual drive is a factor as well, no sense in denying that, but assuming that there are enough jobs in this economy to offer people those experiences, or that there is even enough money to lend to those who want to further their education with the rising costs of colleges is denying the truth. I know many people who wanted to, or started to attend college and could not finish because of the attached financial expenses.

Wealth redistribution is just not going to happen on the mass scale in the speed it would need to happen alleviate the problems. I fully believe we should teach people to fish… if you know what I’m saying, however, when you have people with Master’s degrees hard pressed to find work, and factories closing down, it’s obvious that the opportunities are not available that are necessary. Public aid is necessary. And when I say wealth distribution, I don’t mean that we should cap incomes on those who have achieved financial success through taxes, I mean that there is a finite number of dollars in this country, and right now, they are accounted for. (Except those, you know, that disappeared into the overseas bank accounts, illicit drug markets and such.) For people to get money, someone with money has to give it to them, and yes it should be earned through contribution to society , **or as an investment by society in individuals with the expectation of return**. For mothers with small children, they are working and contributing to society. The work of a day care provider, providing for someone else’s infant, isn’t worth more than the work a mother does to care for her own child, but often those services cost more than a mother can make at a full time job, so do we ask a woman to work at a deficit just to say on paper that she’s employed? (Again, bring the men back into the picture so one parent can do the work of raising the child, and the other can do the work of providing, and lots of these problems go away.) Public assistance for those who need it for those critical infant years, when they are building their immune systems and require more frequent preventive medical attention, not to mention the increased oxytocin levels achieved through bonding with their mothers/fathers that help create healthy social connections later in life, is critical for a healthier society, both physically and financially, hence, the return on our investment.

By helping others with social services, we are investing in human potential.

It can take years to dig out of poverty, especially for those with children, and those who are born into it are no more to blame for their poverty than those who are born into wealth can be given credit. Punishing people for being born poor is ridiculous, as is the alternative. Every child should have health insurance. Period. They cannot change the situations they were born into. That being said, Massachusetts reimbursed Boston Children’s $0 in 2008 for MassHealth. Zilch, nada. Mass General got very little in comparison to how much was spent. We will see this improve as more people get preventative care instead of waiting until their children are so sick that they need emergency care. It takes sacrifice in the beginning. Investing in health care, as I said previously, will create a healthier, more productive nation. The initial investments will pale in comparison to the quality of life increase across the board and the number of healthy people we have moving forward, working and becoming tax payers again. The number of people who end up disabled because of poor health that could of been avoided through primary care medicine will decrease… and on and on.

The Republican party had eight years to try to fix the problem, and did nothing. The years before they blocked every initiative to make it happen. The fact that President Obama has pushed this plan so hard is the only thing that truly brought the Republican leaders to the table to make a serious effort at being part of the solution. So either way, our President still deserves the credit for initiating reform. The Republican leaders may take credit for changes to the current proposal, but they don’t get credit for leading this nation towards insurance reformation, or for the change America needs. Our President put the winds of change in motion, they’re doing now what they are supposed to and should have done years ago.

And can we please stop blaming the current administration for the economy and wars? Which one of us was out of the country and disconnected from media when he was elected?

I don’t think Brown’s going to turn this whole thing around in Washington as a junior senator. His vote may stop health reform as proposed, but he’s not going to be able to bring the change to this country that people hope, anymore than President Obama has been able to since the country elected him in the voice of change. Brown doesn’t have more influence as a deciding voter than the President does, as he shouldn’t as a single representative of one state, and neither does a divided Senate. SO the victory is not a victory at all, it’s a two year stalemate on any kind of change that would require the parties to suck it up and vote for what’s best for the country instead of their fiscal agendas. What we need are more independents in office, not people who claim to vote independently and then vote down party lines 90% of the time. What’s best for a nation is never to have a large portion of it unemployed, unhealthy, or a small portion of it controlling the distribution of the bulk of its wealth. It certainly does trickle down, but the plumbers are doing a damn good job at making sure those pipes get smaller and smaller. I don’t blame the wealthy who actively participate, I blame all those who passively don’t.

Taylor needs to take a smile pill or open the drapes in his basement studio to let some light in!

Go Jenna. I wonder if you as beautiful as Scott’s daughters. Beauty and brains all in one swoop!

Well said. With well versed chicas like you the world is a better place.

I am awaiting your rebuttal to Taylor.

The collective that is Ava think Seth is cool

WOW! The best thing about our country is that we can agree to disagree. Right? Like it or not, the people of Mass. have spoken and voted accordingly. Red? Blue? Doesn’t really matter. It is time for change. Obviously many of us have grown tired of government insisting that they know better than their constituents. When calls and emails go unanswered, it increases our disgust for those that vow to represent us. Newsflash…America is coming back to the center. For all of you who claim that Democrats are the only group that professes to take care of those in need. My family leans more towards the fiscal responsible nature of the Republican Party and guess what? We operate a non-profit funded exclusively by ourselves, donate to our religious institution, volunteer etc. Many tax payers, like me, are tired of having everything thrown on our backs and onto our tax bills. Simply put, we shouldn’t be spending money that we don’t have. There are real problems in this country when over 40% of our citizens don’t pay any taxes at all. This is in regards to “Taylor’s” comment of “I think what many are saying is: ENOUGH with the tax cuts that benefit mostly the wealthy and do NOT create job,” Taylor, you obviously are not a business owner nor hold a Business degree of any kind. You have no knowledge on the subject. This administration has created an environment where businesses (small and large business) are vilified and the word “profit” has become a dirty word. Hmmm. I wonder if profits could have anything to do with growth and job creation. You will have earned the right to talk about the impact of “tax cuts that do not create jobs” when you have mortgaged your life for your business (to create jobs). Your ignorance speaks volumes. When you aspire for nothing, guess what?? You get nothing. I am sick of the attitude of some that insist that “the wealthy” should pay for everything. I am an active member of society, paying taxes and volunteering to help others, but I have reached the point where I don’t want to slap on additional entitlement programs that we can’t pay for. Real reforms come from bi-partisan work. Stimulate the economy with something of substance (not the sorry excuse of a stimulus plan that has done nothing), and help bring people out of poverty. Please stop with the endless handouts that help this segment of our society not aspire for anything more. I sincerely hope that Brown’s election helps the Obama administration to revisit the “hope and change” campaign promise of more transparency and an end to special interest. No more closed door sessions shutting out an entire party. An end to shady deals like the “Louisiana Purchase” and the Ben Nelson deal. Thank you my fellow Americans for ushering in the change that America needs. Best of luck to Scott Brown -#41

There are approximately 304 million people in America. Less than half of these people vote and even less than this, ‘approximately’ 100 million actually pay taxes. What is happening in Washington is an attempt to increase the amount of dependent Americans. This will result in an expansion of the “Progressive” movement and a massive expansion of voters that are dependent on the government for their very existence!

Ava writes: “Your at one end of the spectrum. I’m at the other. It’s pointless to argue points.”

Translation:

1) “I can’t respond to any of the eight (8) specific examples you offered except to call them ‘lies’ or claim they were ‘taken out of context’.”

2) “I can’t identify a specific lie, nor can I pinpoint what was taken out of context.”

3) “I brought up Obama and Coakley, even though you made a point of staying on the original topic, which was Scott Brown.”

4) “I’m going to complain because you didn’t argue against your own points (‘present both sides’).”

5) “Even though you never mentioned the ‘curling iron’ comment, I’ll complain about that too in my response.”

6) I’m going to hope that nobody notices that ‘abortion’ was never mentioned, and I’ll successfully replace the topic of ‘contraception’ with ‘abortion’.”

7) “I’ll showcase my ethnic prejudices by implying that Jews, by default, cannot be expected to be extremists.”

8) “I’ll also display my befuddlement by suggesting that simply belonging to one political party or another necessitates that an individual neatly fits simplistic and (no doubt) unfounded preconceptions. After all, the world is black and white, with “liberals” on one side and “conservatives” on the other.”

9) “I can’t explain how this election will allow me to “take back control”.

My frustration with the Ava’s of the world is that they typically are just as she admits: incapable of discussing specifics.

You’re correct Ava, it is indeed pointless trying to argue “points” with someone who only offers bumper sticker slogans in response to specific arguments.

You sound like a Martha Coakley ad on rewind.
Lies and or issues taken out of context.
Scott Brown should be considered worse than Osma from what I am reading? Do you tell that to all the people you sign up to vote. OR do you present them with both sides? Heck if I had never heard of the two if you told me what you wrote I would vote for Martha?
Come one!
Shall I start talking about the curling iron baby?
Argh enough.

Your at one end of the spectrum. I’m at the other. It’s pointless to argue points.

Abortion. Its an issue people will and have been arguing over for decades and always will.

I will pass on the info to my best friend who is a member of the tea party. She and her husband are Jewish doctors who are proud of their participation with the organization.

I also know there are good people in the Liberal party such as my other closest childhood friend.
Many a times their views annoy the living hell out of me as mine do them but it makes for some fun debates, and interesting points of views.

It nice to agree to disagree. How cool is it that a completely red state is blue again. History and has been made. This is an example of people wanting to take things back into their control. Obama promised change and all he brought was?????

Ava says: “It is not the job of the middle or upper class to foot the bill for the rest of the nation.”

I’m a liberal. I work, pay taxes, support my family and social causes. Tell me, Ava: Where exactly is it written that ANY liberal has asked for the “middle or upper class” to foot the bill? Surely, you’re not referring to the health care proposal, because if you are, then you’re wrong. So tell me. What are you referring to?

I think what many are saying is: ENOUGH with the tax cuts that benefit mostly the wealthy and do NOT create jobs; ENOUGH with the labeling of people in need as “lazy”. Today, too many Americans are in need; that tired cliché doesn’t work anymore.

Enlighten me, Ava. Please name just ONE significant social program to help needy Americans that the GOP wrote, sponsored and supported? Just one.

I think what liberals realize and others refuse to acknowledge is that there is unfairness in this country that clearly benefits the wealthy. We identify people on welfare as “lazy, cheating dependents ripping off the system,” conveniently ignoring the fact that most women are off of AFDC in 24 months. I can live with that, why can’t you?

I say there is something very wrong with a society that wants to reward the wealthy and punish the poor. I don’t get it. If we are, as many conservatives pontificate: “A Judeo/Christian nation”, then why aren’t THEY the first ones to address need and want? Did they attend a different Bible class than I? I guess so.

But, be of good cheer, folks. We now have Scott Brown to lead the charge for more ineffective tax cuts, more rewards for big banks, (because we all know they earned it), and more money for wars that will resolve nothing, but loss.

And speaking of loss….We lost a lot last Tuesday. I don’t blame the GOP or Brown for this. I blame the foolish folks that didn’t recognize the importance of this race for our city, state, and country.

So what do people like me do now? Back to the political drawing board, folks. I’ll continue to work on voter registration and beg, if necessary, that they participate in the process. Without them, we are doomed to the Scott Browns of the world. For me, that’s not a pretty sight, even if he did pose nude in COSMO.

What we don’t NEED is people blankly slinging mud around with disregard for facts and over sanctimonious male chauvinists promoting the idea that women are solely responsible for making babies and therefor to blame for not being able to support their families on their own, and therefor undeserving of community support. You want government aid to go away? Start with rallying up the men who made those babies, not blaming the women who are actually doing the work of raising their children.

Your ignorance would be laughable, if it wasn’t so sad.

SO we shouldn’t be socialist, we should be communist, making people wait in line for rationed food decided on by the government? My goodness. SO the diabetic child, or the child with peanut allergies, or lactose intolerance, they should just have to eat whatever is put in front of them? I can’t imagine you would agree to that. That sounds more like communism now than socialism.

So who would then manage this program? Someone with a degree in social services or management, I would presume. Someone who went to college, and would have to be paid a certain level salary, benefits,etc. And then where would the food be stored? how much would that cost? Electricity, shelving, heat, hmm. I can just see my pay check shrinking even more… What difference does it make what food they are buying if they are staying within their budgets allotted by the government? I can’t say anything about Doritos, because if they are on sale, I splurge that 2.50, I can’t help myself. And you would deny a woman red meat, or a child? I’m assuming you have never had an iron deficiency caused by “women’s health issues.” What would you have them eat instead? Spinach, that’s right. Ok, you win, but wait.. protein… oh you can get that from milk and cheese, but milk and cheese block iron absorption, so vitamins maybe, no, those are too expensive, and you wouldn’t want to pay for those either, hmm…

I have never noticed anyone buying anything specifically with welfare because I don’t look at what currency people use to buy their food. I just generally say hello and smile. Why would you think to look at people’s currency? I’m usually too busy with my own family to bother with anyone else in the grocery line. Read Star magazine next time and take your mind off of it.

You know, you have apparently given a lot of thought to everything you’ve said and are trying to be part of the solution with proactive plans that are executable and would alleviate the middle class while ensuring that lower class mothers could rise up and free themselves of their poverty.

I’ll quote you if you don’t mind:
There used to be some shame and humility when one had to take a hand out. Now it is worn with a badge of honor and many of the so called Liberals encourage it. That is where the the problem starts!

And then add my own two cents:
There used to be some compassion and respect when one had to give a hand. There used to be communities where all members were respected and the giving away of wealth was considered a highest honor. There used to be jobs. There used to be extended families helping to care for the children. There used to be more churches with food to give out. It used to cost less to heat a home. It used to be that there were less people in this world and more resources. It used to be that people had land to grow their own food.

It used to be that people would learn to read and write at home. It was the wealthy who made public education compulsory and then raised the taxes mandating public education for the poor to become better workers in the factories, which then shut down leaving less tax dollars flowing into the school systems in these poorer communities, creating in inequality in education between factory (Lynn, Lowell, Springfield, New Bedford) towns and the towns where the factory owners and wealthy resided, leading to the wonderful legacy of inequality between the rich and poor we have today.

Those who are living in the college towns have probably read about all of this and understand that education is key in helping, not handing out. They also have probably read somewhere that a healthy child who doesn’t have to wonder where their next meal is coming from, or where they are going to sleep that night, will be a better learner and will become a more educated person, who will likely rely less on the government in the future, and heck, even pay taxes to help someone who was once like themselves! And I’m sure that they read somewhere that prevention is less expensive than repair. So, I’m thinking, and this is just, you know, a shot in the dark, that the people who have studied sociology and perhaps live in those college towns, and those of us who returned from our college towns and came home to our poorer home towns with better understanding and respect for its condition and what we can do to help our neighbors, and those of us who are poor and fighting like hell to keep food in our kid’s stomachs by any means necessary, including handouts, will typically vote against people who think more about the contents of their back pockets than the well being of their neighbors, because that’s exactly what happened that brought us to this place to begin with. Because that, my friend, is where the problem started.

Brian says: “I am so excited for the true change….”

What true change? Tax cuts like Bush did twice? And how many jobs did that create? Well according to the government: ZERO. ZERO net jobs were created in the last 10 years.

If you like George Bush, you’re gonna love Scott Brown.

Scott Brown won. What an air of happiness in the air today. Smiles on the faces of so many people fed up with what started a year ago today.
I am so excited for the true change that people can bring by banning together and saying enough is enough.

What I find amusing is that Scott did not win the “college towns”(amherst) or the towns with a “high percentage of those dependent on government welfare”.(Lynn, Lawrence) I wonder if there is a connection?

Wow. I would have given Lynn to Brown, but these numbers tell a different story.