The key vote: Why, if health care is so right, is the threat of rejection so real?

There has been more than a little concern in the Democratic camp over the last couple of weeks as the battle over the seat held by the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy heads to the polling place Tuesday.

The reason for the unrest?

Republican Scott Brown, a state legislator from Massachusetts, has recently experienced a surge and is threatening to capture the seat that has been the property of Democrats for the last 30 years.

So why would so many care?

The answer is simple -- health care.

If that Senate seat should turn, Democrats fear they will not have the votes necessary to keep the health care reform bill on the table.

And they might actually be right.

But here is something to think about -- especially if you are one of those people who takes an interest in the people's voice as it relates to elections.

If the health care reform bill is such a good idea, with so many people behind its passage, why would there be a reason to be concerned? The people should, by that measure, be interested in keeping status quo, not looking for a new leader.

There is some question as to what is motivating the sudden conservative switch in Massachusetts.

Some say it is that the state is not so decidedly blue after all. But others think that the concern over the health care reform bill and what it will cost taxpayers is threatening the candidate who had been seemingly hand-picked to walk into the Senate seat.

And if that is true, it is a message that needs to get across to those who think they are going to continue to represent the people in the U.S. Congress.

If you do not listen to those who hired you to serve their interests, you had better start thinking about securing another job with a ridiculous pension and great benefits.

The Massachusetts election shows that Americans are conflicted about the health care bill -- and that they are not willing to anoint anyone who is merely a figurehead who will simply parrot the views of any party.

How sad to assume that the Martha Coakley candidacy might indeed come with strings -- and not the freedom to represent the people of the state of Massachusetts.

There must have been more than a few people who thought going against the majority will of the people would be dangerous.

On Tuesday, we might very well find out just exactly how momentous a decision it was.

Published in Editorials on January 16, 2010 10:39 PM