Wake up call for the Democratic Party.

Scott Brown may be the best thing that could have happened to the Democratic Party.

The sudden surge by Scott Brown in polls for the upcoming special election has served as a wake up call for Democrats.Had this special election to fill Ted Kennedys Senate seat, not been taking place at this time, the Democrats might have rested on their laurels untill November. To be caught by surprise in November 2010 would have been devestating to the Democrats, but this wake up call puts them on alert.

The recent Republican gubinatorial victories were just the beginning but not really enough of a shock to the Democrats into action. But to face the loss of a critical seat, a seat that was assumed to be unwinnable by Republicans, is a real kick in the pants to the Democrats.

For the Democrats, it's better that they're getting this message now and not in November. We can expect that every one of the Senate seats up for election in 2010 will be hottly defended by the Democrats.

Scott Brown may be the 41st vote that will undermine the Democrats efforts at healthcare reform, banking reform, and the many other changes that the Democrats had hoped to accomplish. Brown's success is just the thing the Republicans need to continue their obstructionist  policies but his assault on the Democratic Supermajority might be a bit premature.

While Republicans may be dancing in the streets over the possiblity of Kennedy's seat falling into their hands, their jubilation is angering Democrats.

Whether he wins or not, Brown's surge has given the Democrats advance notice so they can better prepare themselves for November.

Brown might get his chance to be the 41st vote to undermine the Democratic agenda, but in the long run, he might have undermined the Republicans chances in November.

No matter what the outcome on January 18th, the Republicans are still the minority party, will continue to be for some time to come.

If they are successful at filibustering the Senate to death and blocking legisation, all they will have accomplished is to make the Congress ineffective at solving the problems that America faces now, problems that need to be addressed now , not latter if and when the Republicans gain control. And should that ever happen, then they would face the same kind of obstructionism from the Democrats and the effectiveness of government in America will be forever compromised.

They claim that if they get the 41st vote, then Democrats will be forced to compromise in order to get legislation passed. But to Republicans, the only compromise they will accept is complete capitulation to the Republican agenda. As the minority party, it is up to them to be willing to compromise, compromise that is workable for the majority party. To not accept that reality would not only undermine the Democratic agenda, it would undermine the basic principle of Democracy: majority rule.

So Scott Brown might deliver them their 41st vote, but ultimately Scott Brown could also rile up the liberals to a degree we've never seen before. The election isn't even over and that has already begun to happen.

A Brown victory could ultimately do the Republican party more harm than good.