Cue The Weeping, Wailing, Rending Of Garments, and Gnashing Of Teeth (Wizbang)

The first results -- tangible ones -- of the 2010 Census are in, and it's a biggie. The federal government has used the decennial head count to reapportion the House of Representatives, and it's not pretty for the Democrats. Quite a few seats have shifted states, a reflection of how more people are moving to "red" states" and away from "blue" ones. For some reason, voters are driven away from high-regulation, high-tax states and drawn to low-regulation, low-tax states. Go fig.

One of the shifts hits especially close to home to me, both geographically and sentimentally. One of Massachusetts' 10 House seats has been taken away, and given to Texas. (Not literally of course, but I find myself liking the symbolism.) That means that instead of sending a solid slate of 10 Democrats to screw things up in DC in 2012, the Bay State will be limited to a maximum of 9.

And this has both Boston papers talking. The Globe -- the house organ of the Massachusetts Democratic Party and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the New York Times -- is predictably somber and sober over the whole thing. (Obviously the passing of Senator Kennedy has had some positive effects -- I don't think I'd ever use the term "sober" in relation to "Massachusetts Democrats" during his lifetime.) On the other hand, the Boston Herald -- scrappy little tabloid that it is -- goes for a more fun approach, likening the upcoming struggle to the TV show "Survivor."

It's a delightful dilemma -- for those of us not as far left as the Massachusetts delegation to the House. Who will lose their seat? It's one of those cases where the only thing would be better would be if more than one was at stake. The list of potential retirees (perhaps not entirely willingly) is quite savory.

Barney Frank leads the list, of course. He's been wrecking the nation for decades; he deserves a gold watch for all his hard efforts at destroying the banking and real estate markets.

But while he's the most egregious, the other nine won't exactly be missed. John Tierney's wife was just recently convicted of tax fraud for aiding and abetting a wanted criminal (her con-man brother). Niki Tsongas is a lightweight, John Olver is pushing 75, and the rest -- Neal, McGovern, Markey, Capuano, Lynch, and Keating -- are all pretty much typical Massachusetts Democrats.

I find myself sharing the glee exhibited by Howie Carr -- newspaper columnist, talk radio host, and general gadfly. It's going to be beautiful, watching this blue-on-blue war, and the only regret is that there has to be only one casualty.

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Section Editor: Maggie Whitton

Editors: Jay Tea, Lorie Byrd, Kim Priestap, DJ Drummond, Michael Laprarie, Baron Von Ottomatic, Shawn Mallow, Rick, Dan Karipides, Michael Avitablile, Charlie Quidnunc, Steve Schippert

Emeritus: Paul, Mary Katherine Ham, Jim Addison, Alexander K. McClure, Cassy Fiano, Bill Jempty, John Stansbury, Rob Port

In Memorium: HughS

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Comments (13)

No matter who loses, we all... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by Hank | December 22, 2010 8:49 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

Hank:

No matter who loses, we all win.

But please let it be Barney Frank.

Posted on December 22, 2010 08:49

Meh.They'll just f... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by jim m | December 22, 2010 9:18 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

jim m:

Meh.

They'll just find someone's price and give them an appointment to some lucrative commission where they can continue to rake in millions for doing nothing.

I'd love it to turn into some factricidal conflict but they're all too greedy for that.

Posted on December 22, 2010 09:18

ugh. Fratricidal.... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by jim m | December 22, 2010 9:19 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

ugh. Fratricidal.

stupid fingers.

Posted on December 22, 2010 09:19

I was listening to the dem'... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by WildWillie | December 22, 2010 9:20 AM | Score: 2 (4 votes cast)

WildWillie:

I was listening to the dem's this morning trying to spin this. The thing that bit the dem's is having the census count illegals which cannot vote. So, the conservatives benefited from the left's political correctness. Anyway, 2010 is going down as one of my favorite years. ww

Posted on December 22, 2010 09:20

You are going to hear a wel... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Justrand | December 22, 2010 9:20 AM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)

Justrand:

You are going to hear a well orchestrated national OUTCRY!! against gerrymandering. Each and every re-districting that favors a Republican, whether it really is gerrymandering or not, will be SCREECHED about by the media as UNFAIR!!

And then there will be the lawyers...

The Democrats will cling to their power, and the media will help them.

jim m:Frued had it... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by epador | December 22, 2010 9:22 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)

epador:

Frued had it right the first time, no need to correct. I'd LOVE to see some fratricidal FACTS flung back and forth as they decides who gets thrown out of the life boat (or eaten).

Posted on December 22, 2010 09:22

Texas is not taking Barney ... (Below threshold)

7. Posted by tomg51 | December 22, 2010 10:08 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)

tomg51:

Texas is not taking Barney Frank off your hands.

Posted on December 22, 2010 10:08

"factricidal conflict" I am... (Below threshold)

8. Posted by Gmac | December 22, 2010 11:01 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)

Gmac:

"factricidal conflict" I am so stealing that, I will of course use quotes to attribute.

Yes, been eating a LOT of popcorn of late. Ain't it grand watching the Democrat party suicide right before the country's eyes?

Posted on December 22, 2010 11:01

If all ten of the current r... (Below threshold)

9. Posted by Parker | December 22, 2010 11:43 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Parker:

If all ten of the current reps get together, you don't try to pick a 'worst' - you just start hoping for an asteroid...

Posted on December 22, 2010 11:43

Now don't start counting yo... (Below threshold)

10. Posted by cheezheadchick | December 22, 2010 12:31 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

cheezheadchick:

Now don't start counting your chickens there regarding Texas. Looking at the last election map showed a disconcerting blue color around places like Houston.

Posted on December 22, 2010 12:31

Oh why, oh why, must Christ... (Below threshold)

11. Posted by sarahconnor2 | December 22, 2010 3:33 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

sarahconnor2:

Oh why, oh why, must Christmas come but once a year?

I hope Santa brings lots of popcorn!

Posted on December 22, 2010 15:33

I really don't consider 11 ... (Below threshold)

12. Posted by Rance | December 22, 2010 4:13 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Rance:

I really don't consider 11 out of 435 (2.5%) of the seats to really be "Quite a few seats", but then I guess that is a matter of opinion.

However, one of the reasons for the shift imbalance in the growth of states population, is that there is a migration from the northern states to the sun belt. One might look at that as a movement of northern liberals into conservative areas. They may be moving, but they will likely take their voting preferences with them.

Posted on December 22, 2010 16:13

One might look at ... (Below threshold)

13. Posted by OregonMuse | December 22, 2010 6:32 PM | Score: 0 (2 votes cast)

OregonMuse:

One might look at that as a movement of northern liberals into conservative areas. They may be moving, but they will likely take their voting preferences with them.

This is a good point. After thoroughly befouling their own nests, liberals then move to other areas, and immediately start voting for liberal candidates and their destructive policies that caused the damage in the first place. This, for example, is why New Hampshire is slowly turning blue, as the influx of "Massholes" from that high-tax, high-cost state continues year after year. It will continue until NH becomes another high-tax, high-cost state. And the clueless liberals will have no idea why.

Posted on December 22, 2010 18:32

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