But this serves as a perfect example of why it is important to put faith in our values and not politicians.
From New Patriot Journal (via Politico) --
In January, he broke the Democrats’ lock on the Senate.
On Thursday, he gave it back.
Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) effectively became the 60th vote to cut off debate on Wall Street reform Thursday – a far cry from when Republicans were hailing him as the 41st GOPer who was going to stand up to the Democrats’ agenda. Brown also voted "yes" on final passage.
Brown’s vote allowed Democrats to move swiftly toward final passage of one of President Barack Obama’s top legislative priorities, a day after he was accused of breaking his word by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who said Brown had promised to vote yes Wednesday.
By Thursday, though, Brown switched from no to yes, after a talk with Reid and a full-on sales-pitch from Democrats in the Massachusetts delegation, including Sen. John Kerry, who made the pitch that the bill is good for the state. Brown met Kerry at the Democrat's Georgetown home at 6 a.m. Thursday for a bike ride where they discussed the pending bill extensively, Brown said.
“I spoke at length over a 40 mile bike-ride with Senator Kerry about it,” Brown said exiting the floor after casting his vote Thursday. “It was this morning, and he’s a very good athlete.”
Kerry, who had hip replacement surgery in January, rode with Brown all the way to Great Falls, Md., an aide to the Democrat confirmed to POLITICO.
House Financial Service Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) also talked to Brown – telling him that his concerns about the impact on home-state financial firms such as Fidelity and State Street would be addressed.
It wasn’t simply home-state pride. Democrats needed Brown when it became clear that the ‘no’ votes of Democratic senators Maria Cantwell of Washington and Russ Feingold of Wisconsin couldn’t be flipped.
The vote – and perhaps even his long conversation with Kerry – seem sure to give Brown trouble with the government-wary Tea Party movement that backed his candidacy to take Sen. Ted Kennedy’s seat. Grassroots supporters who once heralded Brown responded to the senator's vote immediately on social media such as Facebook and Twitter, accusing him of being a "liar" and "Republican in name only." Read more....
