that candidates be allowed to argue conservative ideas on their own and not be bogged down by a national Republican party that has so often abrogated those same ideas in order to maintain their political power. Ya…that worked really well!

The model is simple – Repubs win when they say what they stand for – smaller, less intrusive government, lower tax burdens, in short greater individual liberty.

Running against Teddy Kennedy’s memory would never have worked for Brown. Running as a Republican wouldn’t have worked either – not when the group Brown needed to reach were the independents.

To borrow from John Mellencamp, “Ya gotta stand for sumthin’ or you’re gonna fall for anything”.

Mew