Scott Brown (R-MA) Endorses Nine Massachusetts Congressional Candidates – What are the Odds?

Scott Brown - at it again - An updated version of this cartoon would read: Congress in place of Senate - image frugal cafe


Senator Scott Brown (R-MA)endoresed all nine of the Republican’s running for Congress this November. From the Boston Globe: Brown noted:

“On November 2nd, the people of Massachusetts are ready to send another message to Washington,” Brown said this morning in a statement. “Right now, we need new independent voices in Washington who will fight for more jobs, lower taxes and stand up to the out-of-control government spending that has driven the national debt to record levels. I am proud to support these candidates.”

The fact that the majority of the districts were won by the Brown in the January 19th special Senate Election by, in some cases, a 57% margin, is of interest. What is happening on the ground, and Brown would be keenly aware, is the attitude of the electorate has in no way changed since last January. Therefore, one can bet the house (literally) that more than one Congressional Seat in the Commonwealth is a “toss-up” (See Real Clear Politics) and those that are even factored are not “safe democrat”.

The fact that there are nine viable Republican contenders for seats held by Democrats in Massachusetts is the big story, a story; however that has gone forward with little to no fanfare – so far.
The nine districts in play are:

The MA 1 district: John Olver, D faces Bill Gunn, business owner
The Hampden 2nd (MA 2): Richard Neal (D) faces Tom Wesley, businessman and veteran
The MA3 – James McGovern (D) faces Marty Lamb, business owner and attorney
The MA4 – Barney Frank (D) faces Sean Bielat, former Democrat, and Marine who has a background in business and government.
The MA5 – Niki Tsongas (D) faces Jon Golnik a business owner
The MA6 – John Tierney (D) faces Bill Hudak, a business owner and attorney
The MA7- Ed Markey (D) faces Gerry Dembrowski, business owner and physician
The MA8 – Capuano (D) uncontested – (Safe Democrat)
The MA9th – Stephen Lynch (D) faces Vern Harrison, businessman
The MA10th – No Incumbent: Republican Rick Perry (one of the Few Republican office holders, at present, in the State) faces Democrat and District Attorney, Bill Keating.

There’s a theme here, in case one missed it: all challengers, with the exception of one (Perry) are: business owners, or people that have worked for a living and many, are either active duty and or veterans in and of our Armed Services.

One has to live either under a rock, or in Washington, to believe that all nine districts that are contested will continue to be held by the current occupant. Although the 4th District is receiving a good deal of national attention, (recently) as is the 10th, it is those districts which are under-reported by the local press and written off by the national press, which one might want to invest in. Perhaps not as generous at the $1,000 reportedly given to each campaign by Senator Brown, but a $1.00 here, and $5.00 there would go a long way towards sending another message from the Commonwealth – where the original revolution began. Is that to say each and every one of the nine races will be won by the Republican, no, but one can take a good look at the way the district voted in the election in January, which received, if one would recall, little attention until the 9th hour, when it was apparent, then Republican State Senator Scott Brown stood a chance.

Polling, of which there has been none, with the exception of internal polling on both sides of the aisle in these races, may or may not occur, given the pollsters “intelligence” which comes from – the Beltway. Using Obama’s popularity in 2008 as a barometer as to which way the wind will blow in the 2010 mid-terms may find many pollsters wishing they had instead based it on the mood of the nation, and the individual candidates within in race, and the districts most reasonable barometer – the way the public voted for the man who endorsed all nine of these candidates. Although one might argue, that Brown’s motivation was to pump up one or more of the candidates that appear to be capable of upending an incumbent, one must also consider that Brown, being no dummy, might be laying the ground work of political capital for the future, in both working with members of Congress of like mind, and of having the endorsement of Republican Representatives from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts backing him in 2012. Smart money is on the later.

Mid-term Elections 2010 – Massachusetts - No Cost of Living for Social Security 2011 - Seniors Lose Medicare Advantage due to Health Care Reform

From the Springfield, Mass. Republican: “the government is expected to announce this week that more than 58 million Social Security recipients will go through another year without an increase in their monthly benefits.” The increases are set on the rate of inflation, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is no need for an adjustment. However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not include either food or fuel in its inflation rate, which will leave many seniors stuck between a rock and a hard place this coming year.

In addition, Massachusetts and Iowa Seniors will be left without a huge safety net: their Medicare Advantage programs. In Massachusetts, Harvard Pilgrim announced it will end its Medicare Advantage program, leaving 22,000 seniors out in the cold. The reason: paying for the National Health Care Program signed into law by the Democrat controlled Congress and President Obama. Someone has to pay, and why not those who paid most into the system? From the Heritage Foundation: an article written in September discusses the loss of this crucial benefit to seniors. In an interview with the VP of Customer Service at Harvard Pilgrim, the following quote is stunning: “We know that cuts in Medicare are being used to fund national health care reform. And we also had concerns about our ability to build a network of health care providers that would meet the needs of our seniors.”

Therefore, cuts to doctors and insurers are forcing them to take the more expensive Medicare Supplement plans off the table, and in addition, they are concerned about finding doctors for patients that subscribe to these plans – they’ll offer them lower cost options, with lesser benefits.

What is a Medicare Advantage Plan? From Medicare.gov:

Medicare Advantage Plans, sometimes called "Part C" or "MA Plans," are health plans offered by private companies approved by Medicare. If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan, the plan provides all your Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans always cover emergency and urgent care. Medicare Advantage Plans must cover all the services that Original Medicare covers, except hospice care. (Original Medicare covers hospice care even if you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan.)
Medicare Advantage Plans may offer extra coverage, such as vision, hearing, dental, and/or health and wellness programs. Most plans also include Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Therefore, those who are left without Medicare Advantage Coverage (Part C) must foot the bill for expenses that had, in the past, been covered, but will not be covered by Medicare Parts A & B.
So much for the President and Congresses promises that U.S. Citizens could keep their coverage. As a direct result of the new program, those most vulnerable have lost the medical coverage they rely on.

Massachusetts is not the only state that has seen a carrier pull out due to “Health Care Reform”. In Iowa, (Chicago Tribune): insurers will drop 21,000 seniors from their programs in 2011, and one can expect carriers in other states soon following suit.

For those Congressional Representatives, up for reelection, who voted for Health Care Reform, and have the nerve to campaign on “saving social security”, seniors and those relatives that are concerned for their parents and grandparents, should sends a solid message letting them know the consequences of their signing that bill.

To find out how your Congressional Representative Voted visit this link Here .

The following Massachusetts Congressional Representatives voted “Yes” for Health Care Reform:
Democrats — Capuano, Y; Delahunt, Y; Frank, Y; Lynch, N; Markey, Y; McGovern, Y; Neal, Y; Olver, Y; Tierney, Y; Tsongas, Y.
All of the Massachusetts Congressional Representatives are up for Reelection:

The following Representatives face Challengers for their Congressional Seats:
John Olver faces Bill Gun
Delahunt (Retired) Republican running: Jeff Perry
Barney Frank faces Sean Bielat
Richard Neal faces Tom Wesley. Note: Neal is campaigning on Social Security!
Nicki Tsongas faces Jon Golnick
McGovern faces Mary Lamb
Tierney faces Bill Hudak
Ed Markey faces Gerry Dembrowski
Capuano – not contested
Lynch (who voted against Health Care Reform, faces Vernon Harrison

Although pundits will note all districts are “Safe Democrat”, those predictions are made in Washington, not the cities, suburbs and hill towns of the Bay State. It has not gone unnoticed that there is little news on theses Congressional Races, nor the fact that all incumbents are actively campaigning, many for the first time in their “careers”. This vote is one which has cost our seniors dearly – there are others, just as egregious, that the above referenced MA congressional reps have taken right in lockstep with Nancy Pelosi and against their Constituents wishes.