Mass. upset more dire than it seems

For the Democratic Party, Scott Brown's stunning Senate win in Massachusetts was more than a setback; it was a debacle. For a long time, I believed that the Democrats were still strong politically, and the November elections last year were aberrations more due to the state of the nation rather than the party's malaise. Now, I stand corrected. First, Massachusetts is one of the most liberal states in the nation. It has been solidly - I emphasize solidly - Democratic for decades. For so many districts to vote Republican was a telling shift in the political climate. Second, the state of Massachusetts is less dire than many other places. The economy, for which many blame Obama, is rather healthy; health care reform remains popular among the residents. For so many to vote Republican underscores other tensions that have motivated the people. Third, Brown's late and unexpected surge was atypical. Coakley, a reliable and respected attorney general, lost to a dark horse, and Massachusetts hasn't been known to vote for dark horses, especially conservative ones. Indeed, his late surge characterized how quickly and decisively the mood turned against the Democrats. Fourth, Obama's late show of support for Coakley hardly mattered. That just underlined how little appeal and support Obama enjoys in Massachusetts, indeed the nation.

Is this the end for health care reform? It may well be so, especially in the Senate. While Brown may be new and lacks experience, he can throw his weight behind united Republican opposition, and thus kill any bill. I believe that health care reform is a part of the Democrats' defeat. Massachusetts' voters aren't against health care reform - they disapprove of how it is handled. For many liberals, they see Obama and the Democrats too willing to compromise. Anybody who fails to stand by hard principles will lose respect, from both supporters and opponents. On the other hand, many conservatives think Obama and health care reform is too partisan. They did not work with Republicans on the important issues, and more so, the bill threatened states' innovations, including Massachusetts's. Thus, what led to defeat was dual disillusionment from both sides: conservatives who found Obama and the Democrats too unwilling to compromise on important issues, and liberals who found them too willing. While trying to satisfy both, Obama and the Democrats achieved neither.