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Alpha Stage
Massachusetts' 41st  
January 20, 2010
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Newspapers and news programs around the United States are
reporting on Scott Brown's victory over Martha Coakley in the
election to replace deceased Senator Ted Kennedy. The New York
Times is running an article entitled, "G.O.P. Senate Victory Stuns
Democrats." The article states, "...his election was a sharp swing of
the pendulum. The Senate seat held for nearly half a century by Mr.
Kennedy, the liberal lion of the Senate, will now be held for the next
two years by a Republican who has said he supports waterboarding
as an interrogation technique for terrorism suspects, opposes a
federal cap-and-trade program to reduce carbon emissions and
opposes a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants unless they leave
the country."

Read the Article!!

Questions for Discussion:

1. Senator-Elect Brown has referred to his senate seat at "the
people's seat". What does this mean? Do you think that Mr. Brown
really believes that his new seat is the people's seat? Why or why
not?

2. Mr. Brown's pick up truck has attracted national attention, since
he drove around the state during the campaign in it. Why do you
think that he chose to drive around the state in his pick up truck?
(He probably could have afforded a driver with a more prestigious
car.)

3. Imagine that you were an advisor to President Obama. How
would you recommend that he respond to Mr. Brown's victory?
Remember that President Obama campaigned for Mrs. Coakley this
past Sunday.

4. Perhaps Senator Kennedy knows what happened last night. If
Senator Kennedy could say one thing to the American people today
what do you think he would say? Why?

Questions for Younger Children and Everybody Else

1. Describe a time when you worked really hard to achieve a goal
and were able to achieve it. What was the goal? What did you have
to do to achieve it?

2. Do you think that every time people work hard to achieve a goal
they will achieve it? Why or why not?

3. What one question would you ask President Obama if you had
the opportunity to chat with him one on one?
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