Looks that way. But be careful what you wish for.
MA Republicans have announced they won’t delay any longer consideration of the new law allowing Gov. Patrick to appoint an interim senator. That means the law will likely be signed by the end of the week and an appointment made by the weekend.
The frontrunner is Mike Dukakis–he’s got the Boston Globe-Democrat’s vote–who will do his duty and vote for ObamaCare, no questions asked.
But is this good news for Democrats?
Gov. Patrick’s poll numbers are dismal and he’s already being called the new Dukakis. Appointing the former governor won’t help his standing in 2010.
Then there’s the impact of an appointment U.S. senator in Washington voting for ObamaCare. As I wrote in the Boston Herald this morning:
What happens when Obama’s plan is passed using procedural tricks so that it only needs 51 Senate votes? Or if the margin of victory is decided by a couple of appointees, say, Roland Burris of Illinois and the newly-minted Bay State senator?
When Sen. Hypocritical-Last-Second-Partisan-Rule Change (D-Mass.) stands and casts that vote, he (or she) will hand Obama a legislative victory. But I agree with The Atlantic’s Megan McArdle that “ramming through the bill on a party line vote makes it very likely that the Democrats will lose the House in 2010.”
Like I said–be careful what you wish for.