Proof That Empty Slogans Rule The Modern GOP

While last night's "victory" for Scott Brown was ultimately expected these last few weeks, one begins to realize that conservatives are more than willing to elect a gimmick, a slogan, or a "pretty face" in favor of someone with actual leadership qualities. I'll forgo rehashing the well established examples of Scott Brown's "priorities" that he holds close to his heart and focus more on what the GOP has to do now.

After all the drool and hype has dried off in a few days, conservatives have to come to grips that they really aren't leaps and bounds ahead of the Democrats like they have convinced themselves they are since just around 930EST last night. What really have they gained aside from the ability to filibuster in the Senate? And that aside, Democrats hadn't been fairing well at all with 60 votes. But such is the nature of the Senate, a boondoggle no matter who holds the high ground in terms of numbers.

Brown's got a lot of work ahead of him if he wants to hold true to his "people's seat" meme. After all, the "people" of Massachusetts have a very different perspective on politics than just about any other state. Last night was proof that a fickle cross-section of voters can sway an election one way, even if it means slitting their own metaphorical throats.

Once question I do have regarding Brown's time in his new "people's seat" - does he start an all new 6 year term or was he elected simply as a placeholder to ride-out Kennedy's remaining time? If the former is true, then he runs to risk of falling into the trappings of government ( that same government that he and other teabaggers claim to not trust ) and becoming more of a poison pill to his state than people realize at this point. If the later is true, then it's likely that Brown will play the part of pure obstructionist to it's hilt in order to prove some school-yard bully type point that he can do what he wants, consequences be damned. The again, the same is more than likely true for the first, unless of course a Republican wins the Presidency in 2012, then we will likely see Republicans overly eager to repeal any and everything that Democrats have accomplished. But that's another story for another time.

So what is Brown's bringing to the Senate that already isn't there. Again, aside from being "Mr. 41", he really hasn't enumerated anything that other Republicans have before him. In other words, Republicans have gained no new ideas, no fresh perspectives, and no solid ground so to speak. Coverage of what Brown does now will most assuredly be quite ironic for conservative media outlets. After all their accusations that "the mainstream media" had some slobbering love affair with Barack Obama, Fox"News" will be nothing but wall-to-wall Brown. It has to be in order for them to burnish his image enough that the average conservative voter will completely ignore his faults and his short-comings. As of last night, he has the ultimate PR agent - Roger Ailes.

At this point, Democrats have to not just show their supporters that Brown's is nothing to be afraid of, they have to ask Brown what he has to offer. Is he really a "man of the people"? Is he willing to "work together" for a "common goal"? Or is he as he readily appears to be, nothing more than another obstructionist who ascended to his new "people's seat" on gimmicks and slogans?