Tonight was a long-awaited debate between the two Massachusetts candidates for Senator. This special election, to be held January 19th, promises to be spectacular as the late Ted Kennedy’s legendary seat is extremely close to flipping to a Republican—and ironically the vote that could kill the healthcare bill if the process lasts long enough.

Some insightful comments from the debate tonight reveal much about the insight of each candidate.

Democrat Coakley demonstrates why popular support is turning against her in astonishing numbers. Republican Brown stated that the healthcare bill was non-functional, and suggested “we need to start over. ” Coakley replied, “I’d be proud to be the 60th vote to make sure we get health care reform that we so badly need….The status quo is simply unsustainable. ”

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Brown is not stating the status quo should be maintained without question. Quite the opposite: he merely stated that the present legislation is unworkable, and suggested starting over from scratch. And Massachusetts voters appear to agree; however, Coakley refuses to listen to the voters, and reveals the “we” is really “the Democrats. ”

Likewise, when Coakley emphasized the now bankrupt accusation that Brown is a double for Bush-Cheney, Brown smartly rejoined with “You can run against Bush-Cheney, but I’m Scott Brown. I live in Wrentham. I drive a truck. And yes—it’s [got] 200,000 miles on it now. You’re not running against them. You’re running against me.”

Expect to see a lot of that reminder this year, as Republican candidates remind Democratic ones that Bush-Cheney was two years ago at best, and our ongoing misery proves the source is the Democrats.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.