Ability to filibuster

Senate-elect Scott Brown, R-Mass., was expected to be sworn in today in Washington, D.C., after Massachusets governor Deval Patrick signed the certificate of election at 9:30, ET. Brown was expected to take his office the 11th of February, but was eager to push the date up due to a couple very important votes that are going to take place before next Thursday. These votes include approval of two people nominated by President Obama, one to the National Labor Relations Board and one to the General Services Administration.

The addition of Scott Brown to the Senate was, in the first place, an interesting vote by Massachusets, and secondly, a bad omen for Obama and his fellow Democrats. Massachusets, typically being a blue state, went red for the first time in decades (according to Mr. Coit, and I'll just trust him on this). This should warn the Democrats that public opinion towards the healthcare bill (Brown's campaign was built almost solely on his promise to block the bill) may be leaning towards the negative, enough for extremely liberal Massachusets to vote in a Republican senator. Brown being in the Senate will also give the Republicans the power to filibuster to block the efforts of Obama and the Democrats to pass legislature.