MA-SEN Megathread: Senator Markey wins

[Heebie Jeebie]

The so-called Green New Deal is nothing more than a counterproductive excuse for smug posturing.

Found the Republican!

I'm not a Republican. Unlike Markey, I just take the threat of climate change seriously. His "Green New Deal" has a timeline of ten years for everything, which is not even in the ballpark of realistic.  There's no set of goals for specific kinds of power generation like wind and solar.  There's no mention of funding for science efforts to develop new methods of clean power.  There's nothing about carbon taxes or cap-and-trade.  It's a meaningless document that everyone can cosponsor in order to feel good about themselves, but without really making any real commitment to doing anything.

[QAnonKelly]

The so-called Green New Deal is nothing more than a counterproductive excuse for smug posturing.

Found the Republican!

I'm not a Republican. Unlike Markey, I just take the threat of climate change seriously. His "Green New Deal" has a timeline of ten years for everything, which is not even in the ballpark of realistic.  There's no set of goals for specific kinds of power generation like wind and solar.  There's no mention of funding for science efforts to develop new methods of clean power.  There's nothing about carbon taxes or cap-and-trade.  It's a meaningless document that everyone can cosponsor in order to feel good about themselves, but without really making any real commitment to doing anything.

Plus it wants us to get off nuclear when we should be doing the exact opposite lol

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Everybody in Massachusetts (or, at least, my corner of Massachusetts) knows that Kennedy is only running because he thinks being named Kennedy entitles him to it. The problem is that a significant sector of the Massachusetts electorate agrees with him that being named Kennedy entitles him to it.

[Skye]

https://twitter.com/joekennedy/status/1175389273270489093?s=19

He's in.

[Heebie Jeebie]

Everybody in Massachusetts (or, at least, my corner of Massachusetts) knows that Kennedy is only running because he thinks being named Kennedy entitles him to it. The problem is that a significant sector of the Massachusetts electorate agrees with him that being named Kennedy entitles him to it.

Come on, you have to admit that the Kennedy name would be a genuine asset for Massachusetts in the Senate. Being a Kennedy means that he'll command the national spotlight in a way Markey never could. Is it fair?  Not really.  But if I were a Massachusetts voter I'd want to be represented by a Senator with maximum influence. I'd want to be represented by a Kennedy.

[MillennialModerate]

Everybody in Massachusetts (or, at least, my corner of Massachusetts) knows that Kennedy is only running because he thinks being named Kennedy entitles him to it. The problem is that a significant sector of the Massachusetts electorate agrees with him that being named Kennedy entitles him to it.

Come on, you have to admit that the Kennedy name would be a genuine asset for Massachusetts in the Senate. Being a Kennedy means that he'll command the national spotlight in a way Markey never could. Is it fair?  Not really.  But if I were a Massachusetts voter I'd want to be represented by a Senator with maximum influence. I'd want to be represented by a Kennedy.

Bingo

[brucejoel99]

Everybody in Massachusetts (or, at least, my corner of Massachusetts) knows that Kennedy is only running because he thinks being named Kennedy entitles him to it. The problem is that a significant sector of the Massachusetts electorate agrees with him that being named Kennedy entitles him to it.

Come on, you have to admit that the Kennedy name would be a genuine asset for Massachusetts in the Senate. Being a Kennedy means that he'll command the national spotlight in a way Markey never could. Is it fair?  Not really.  But if I were a Massachusetts voter I'd want to be represented by a Senator with maximum influence. I'd want to be represented by a Kennedy.

Bingo

The Senate doesn't operate according to the national spotlight, though. It operates on seniority. That's the reason why, prior to his resignation, Thad Cochran was one of the most influential Senators in the Senate, yet nobody outside Mississippi knew who he was unless they were a political junkie: seniority, seniority, seniority. If Markey gets re-elected, he stars off his next term with 8 years of seniority under his belt; if Kennedy wins, he starts off with nothing (or, near nothing, depending on how many non-Representatives become freshmen Senator next year). So if I'm a Massachusetts voter & I want my Senator to carry maximum influence in the Senate, where their influence matters most, then I go for the guy who's already accumulated nearly a decade of seniority over the guy without it.

[Heebie Jeebie]

Everybody in Massachusetts (or, at least, my corner of Massachusetts) knows that Kennedy is only running because he thinks being named Kennedy entitles him to it. The problem is that a significant sector of the Massachusetts electorate agrees with him that being named Kennedy entitles him to it.

Come on, you have to admit that the Kennedy name would be a genuine asset for Massachusetts in the Senate. Being a Kennedy means that he'll command the national spotlight in a way Markey never could. Is it fair?  Not really.  But if I were a Massachusetts voter I'd want to be represented by a Senator with maximum influence. I'd want to be represented by a Kennedy.

Bingo

The Senate doesn't operate according to the national spotlight, though. It operates on seniority. That's the reason why, prior to his resignation, Thad Cochran was one of the most influential Senators in the Senate, yet nobody outside Mississippi knew who he was unless they were a political junkie: seniority, seniority, seniority. If Markey gets re-elected, he stars off his next term with 8 years of seniority under his belt; if Kennedy wins, he starts off with nothing (or, near nothing, depending on how many non-Representatives become freshmen Senator next year). So if I'm a Massachusetts voter & I want my Senator to carry maximum influence in the Senate, where their influence matters most, then I go for the guy who's already accumulated nearly a decade of seniority over the guy without it.

Let's be serious. Markey, despite his "decade of seniority," isn't the ranking member on a single Senate committee. He came to the Senate too late, and whether he's out next year or in 2026 he won't have the time to accrue real influence. Kennedy, however, in becoming a Senator at such a young age, will in time be one of the most powerful men in Washington. If you're focused solely on the very short term, I guess you could make a case for Markey (though, honestly, Kennedy is likely to have more sway even in the short term).  But if you're at all conscious of the future, Kennedy is obviously the man you want to back. 

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

If Kennedy was sure that the person he endorsed for President would win, he could run for his great-uncle's(both of them) old seat in 2021. So one of the following is true

1. He doesn't think Warren will win
2. He wants Markey gone
3. He wants that seat in January 2021 and not a few months later.

[Blair]

By this logic with the number of Kennedy’s floating around why didn’t they find one in 2009 or 2013? If the state is blessed by the name alone why not run William Kennedy Smith, Chris Kennedy or one of the other esteemed members of the clan?

This type of logic will see Don Jr, George P Bush, Tagg Romney, Chelsea Clinton in the senate just because the Sunday shows want to stick a microphone under them- heck we’ve seen it with Liz Cheney already and god knows what she’s actually done for Wyoming other than promote Forever War No.4.

As people above say it’s seniority, a good staff, local connections and a work horse attitude that make a good home state Senator- just admit you want Kennedy because it’s a nice fantasy.

Every time I come onto this thread I get more and more anti-Kennedy....

[kyc0705]

If Kennedy was sure that the person he endorsed for President would win, he could run for his great-uncle's(both of them) old seat in 2021. So one of the following is true

1. He doesn't think Warren will win
2. He wants Markey gone
3. He wants that seat in January 2021 and not a few months later.

If I had to guess the main reason why Kennedy is running for this seat at this moment, I'd say it's probably not an overwhelming dislike of Markey being a senator, or a specific impatience over the matter of a few months. He likely sees this as the most attainable path to the Senate (and the national platform that comes with it) with the least amount of waiting involved. He doesn't want to wait another term and see if Markey retires in 2026. But he also doesn't want to operate on the assumption that Warren's seat will be vacant soon, because she might not even be the nominee for president, and even if she is, she might not win.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

We all know the sole reason for this run is a launchpad for President.

[Heebie Jeebie]

We all know the sole reason for this run is a launchpad for President.

Sure, every politician dreams of being president one day. But, assuming a Democrat wins next year and doesn't choose a running mate in his seventies, there won't be a real opening for Kennedy for another 16 years at least. I seriously doubt a potential presidential bid is factoring into his decision at this point.

[brucejoel99]

Everybody in Massachusetts (or, at least, my corner of Massachusetts) knows that Kennedy is only running because he thinks being named Kennedy entitles him to it. The problem is that a significant sector of the Massachusetts electorate agrees with him that being named Kennedy entitles him to it.

Come on, you have to admit that the Kennedy name would be a genuine asset for Massachusetts in the Senate. Being a Kennedy means that he'll command the national spotlight in a way Markey never could. Is it fair?  Not really.  But if I were a Massachusetts voter I'd want to be represented by a Senator with maximum influence. I'd want to be represented by a Kennedy.

Bingo

The Senate doesn't operate according to the national spotlight, though. It operates on seniority. That's the reason why, prior to his resignation, Thad Cochran was one of the most influential Senators in the Senate, yet nobody outside Mississippi knew who he was unless they were a political junkie: seniority, seniority, seniority. If Markey gets re-elected, he stars off his next term with 8 years of seniority under his belt; if Kennedy wins, he starts off with nothing (or, near nothing, depending on how many non-Representatives become freshmen Senator next year). So if I'm a Massachusetts voter & I want my Senator to carry maximum influence in the Senate, where their influence matters most, then I go for the guy who's already accumulated nearly a decade of seniority over the guy without it.

Let's be serious. Markey, despite his "decade of seniority," isn't the ranking member on a single Senate committee. He came to the Senate too late, and whether he's out next year or in 2026 he won't have the time to accrue real influence. Kennedy, however, in becoming a Senator at such a young age, will in time be one of the most powerful men in Washington. If you're focused solely on the very short term, I guess you could make a case for Markey (though, honestly, Kennedy is likely to have more sway even in the short term).  But if you're at all conscious of the future, Kennedy is obviously the man you want to back. 

I was being perfectly serious, & you're not correct. Markey is the ranking member on both East Asian & Pacific Affairs as well as Environment & Public Works Oversight, & it's that latter committee that's particularly key in regards to his influence, considering Markey has been Capitol Hill's premier environmental activist since 1982.

As for Kennedy accruing real influence, I can't square him being able to do that with his obvious ambitions. We now see that his House seat was nothing more than a springboard to him, & his haste here now suggests that he feels like he needs a Senate seat sooner rather than later, so who's to say the intent here isn't to just attempt to use the Senate seat as another springboard, too, meaning he won't even wanna be in the Senate long enough to gain any real influence in the first place.

And again, no, Kennedy is not "likely to have more sway even in the short term" because, again, that's not how the Senate operates.

[Heebie Jeebie]

Everybody in Massachusetts (or, at least, my corner of Massachusetts) knows that Kennedy is only running because he thinks being named Kennedy entitles him to it. The problem is that a significant sector of the Massachusetts electorate agrees with him that being named Kennedy entitles him to it.

Come on, you have to admit that the Kennedy name would be a genuine asset for Massachusetts in the Senate. Being a Kennedy means that he'll command the national spotlight in a way Markey never could. Is it fair?  Not really.  But if I were a Massachusetts voter I'd want to be represented by a Senator with maximum influence. I'd want to be represented by a Kennedy.

Bingo

The Senate doesn't operate according to the national spotlight, though. It operates on seniority. That's the reason why, prior to his resignation, Thad Cochran was one of the most influential Senators in the Senate, yet nobody outside Mississippi knew who he was unless they were a political junkie: seniority, seniority, seniority. If Markey gets re-elected, he stars off his next term with 8 years of seniority under his belt; if Kennedy wins, he starts off with nothing (or, near nothing, depending on how many non-Representatives become freshmen Senator next year). So if I'm a Massachusetts voter & I want my Senator to carry maximum influence in the Senate, where their influence matters most, then I go for the guy who's already accumulated nearly a decade of seniority over the guy without it.

Let's be serious. Markey, despite his "decade of seniority," isn't the ranking member on a single Senate committee. He came to the Senate too late, and whether he's out next year or in 2026 he won't have the time to accrue real influence. Kennedy, however, in becoming a Senator at such a young age, will in time be one of the most powerful men in Washington. If you're focused solely on the very short term, I guess you could make a case for Markey (though, honestly, Kennedy is likely to have more sway even in the short term).  But if you're at all conscious of the future, Kennedy is obviously the man you want to back. 

I was being perfectly serious, & you're not correct. Markey is the ranking member on both East Asian & Pacific Affairs as well as Environment & Public Works Oversight, & it's that latter committee that's particularly key in regards to his influence, considering Markey has been Capitol Hill's premier environmental activist since 1982.

As for Kennedy accruing real influence, I can't square him being able to do that with his obvious ambitions. We now see that his House seat was nothing more than a springboard to him, & his haste here now suggests that he feels like he needs a Senate seat sooner rather than later, so who's to say the intent here isn't to just attempt to use the Senate seat as another springboard, too, meaning he won't even wanna be in the Senate long enough to gain any real influence in the first place.

And again, no, Kennedy is not "likely to have more sway even in the short term" because, again, that's not how the Senate operates.

Well, if we're going to focus on how the Senate operates, I think we should be clear that being the ranking member on a couple of subcommittees (which Markey is) doesn't carry nearly the same influence as being the ranking member on a committee (which he isn't).  Oversight subcommittee < Environment & Public Works committee.

Anyway, I think it's silly to have such a strictly proceduralist understanding of how the Senate works. Obviously seniority matters, but so does the ability to work the media and shape the narrative.

[Brittain33]

He likely sees this as the most attainable path to the Senate (and the national platform that comes with it) with the least amount of waiting involved.

Exactly. He sees an opportunity, his polls back it up, politicians who wait in office grow stale, and there's no guarantee in life that a future opportunity will materialize. So this is the time to strike, even though Markey is inoffensive and doing good.

[Rookie Yinzer]

I was being perfectly serious, & you're not correct. Markey is the ranking member on both East Asian & Pacific Affairs as well as Environment & Public Works Oversight, & it's that latter committee that's particularly key in regards to his influence, considering Markey has been Capitol Hill's premier environmental activist since 1982.

As for Kennedy accruing real influence, I can't square him being able to do that with his obvious ambitions. We now see that his House seat was nothing more than a springboard to him, & his haste here now suggests that he feels like he needs a Senate seat sooner rather than later, so who's to say the intent here isn't to just attempt to use the Senate seat as another springboard, too, meaning he won't even wanna be in the Senate long enough to gain any real influence in the first place.

And again, no, Kennedy is not "likely to have more sway even in the short term" because, again, that's not how the Senate operates.

Regular voters don't know or care about any of this. They are going to hear the name Kennedy, swoon, and cast their ballot for him. Voters are mindless bots for the most part that sway one way or the other based on how someone makes them feel not on what they will actually do or can do. I want Markey to win but he is probably toast.

[Skye]

We all know the sole reason for this run is a launchpad for President.

Sure, every politician dreams of being president one day. But, assuming a Democrat wins next year and doesn't choose a running mate in his seventies, there won't be a real opening for Kennedy for another 16 years at least. I seriously doubt a potential presidential bid is factoring into his decision at this point.

Even if a Democrat wins in 2020 and then in 2024, there's no guarantee the VP is sure to become the next Democratic nominee. You're being overly pessimistic.

[John Dule]

We all know the sole reason for this run is a launchpad for President.

I've noticed a precipitous decline in your Harris shilling as of late. Any particular reason for that?

[Blair]

We all know the sole reason for this run is a launchpad for President.

Sure, every politician dreams of being president one day. But, assuming a Democrat wins next year and doesn't choose a running mate in his seventies, there won't be a real opening for Kennedy for another 16 years at least. I seriously doubt a potential presidential bid is factoring into his decision at this point.

Even if a Democrat wins in 2020 and then in 2024, there's no guarantee the VP is sure to become the next Democratic nominee. You're being overly pessimistic.

Yeah and it’s always been the case that a senate seat is a much better place to wait then the house; has a sitting house member even ran a serious presidential campaign in the last 40 years?

[MarkD]

We all know the sole reason for this run is a launchpad for President.

Sure, every politician dreams of being president one day. But, assuming a Democrat wins next year and doesn't choose a running mate in his seventies, there won't be a real opening for Kennedy for another 16 years at least. I seriously doubt a potential presidential bid is factoring into his decision at this point.

Even if a Democrat wins in 2020 and then in 2024, there's no guarantee the VP is sure to become the next Democratic nominee. You're being overly pessimistic.

Yeah and it’s always been the case that a senate seat is a much better place to wait then the house; has a sitting house member even ran a serious presidential campaign in the last 40 years?

Yes, Richard Gephardt ran a pretty serious campaign for President twice, first in 1988 -- where he won the Iowa caucuses, the South Dakota primary, and of course the Missouri primary -- and again in 2004. Gephardt, of course, was the Democratic Leader in the House for over a decade.

[Sir Mohamed]

Sorry, but Mr. Kennedy is a jerk. Why is he doing this? Is there any reason beyond his personal ambitions? This challenge is really not necessary. I'm all for a younger senate, but come on, run against someone for that reason alone is a little desperate.

[Tartarus Sauce]

RIP Markey. It was nice knowing ya.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Sorry, but Mr. Kennedy is a jerk. Why is he doing this? Is there any reason beyond his personal ambitions? This challenge is really not necessary. I'm all for a younger senate, but come on, run against someone for that reason alone is a little desperate.

Beto is his friend, and he wants to be out there, not in the House but in Senate.

[RogueBeaver]

https://twitter.com/CATargetBot/status/1176244945771827200