My AP iPhone app is telling me Scott Brown is already being declared the winner after less than 90 minutes. CNN concurs, giving Brown a 52-47 lead with 75% of the vote counted and several areas partial to Brown still left to count.
Elections have consequences, as I've said many a time before. This particular one will have far-reaching ones for both parties.
[UPDATE 10:02 PM] Coakley has conceded. Brown has won. So...is there a silver lining at all?
The Republicans now have 41 votes in the Senate. They can no longer claim the Democrats have uncontested rule. They now have the power to block every piece of legislation before the Senate if all 41 Republicans vote no.
If Democrats give up on health care now, it's over for them. They are done. If they stick to their guns and make the Republicans oppose everything, including any measures to fix the economy, then they can rightfully claim "We can't fix the economy when the Party of No blocks everything."
Right now that's the only hope America has between now and 2012. If the Dems fold here, then this country is done. If the Dems stay strong, there's a chance.
The GOP got what it wished for, the ability to block the Democrats from passing any legislation whatsoever. Now they are bound by their own extremist wing to do so.
It was an ugly loss. But it now puts the blame on the GOP. If all they do is block Obama's agenda and offer nothing in return, the Dems have a slim hope.
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