The election of Republican Scott Brown to the Massachusetts Senate seat held for almost 50 years by the late Ted Kennedy was more than just an upset victory.

With Brown’s win, the Democrats lost their 60-seat filibuster-proof majority in the Senate – and their edge in passing the Obama administration’s health care legislation.

We’re looking at what it means for health reform from Fox News, the New York Times, CNN Money, and Politico.
 
Fox Business’ Stuart Varney says he’s pleased by Brown’s win – that’s because it will doom two of Mr. Obama’s big legislative agenda items.

"It is a revolution. It will have a profound impact on politics and policy. I hereby say: health care is dead, and I think cap and trade is dead!"

But New York Times columnist Gail Collins says Brown’s win isn’t the disaster that some health care advocates think it is. It is a reality check for Democrats who were trying to do too much.

“…once the Democrats hit a filibuster-proof majority, they were saddled with unrealistic hopes. Now that they’re down to 59 votes, the theory is that we’ll have such modest expectations that we’ll fall down with admiration if the senators manage to get their shoe laces tied in the morning.”

CNN Money takes a look at the positive effect Brown’s win is having on markets. Editor at large Paul La Monica says Wall Street is already acting like health care reform is finished.

“Many of the health care insurers would benefit from little change to the way that health care is currently run in this country. Big drug companies would in theory probably not be hit with as many calls for lowering drug prices so this should be a boost for them as well.”

Politico’s Glenn Thrush says, sure, Brown’s election may have mixed things up in the Senate – so now it’s up to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to salvage health care reform. But she will have to keep Democrats united and appease Republicans in both houses of Congress to do it.

“If she manages to thread this legislative needle and pass a real health reform bill, the San Francisco Democrat would most likely go down as one the most powerful speakers in history. If she fails, she could be relegated to the crowded ranks of liberals who have aimed high and fallen flat.”

So, what do you think? Does Brown’s election mean health care legislation is doomed? Or, could some kind of reform bill still be passed?

Writer: Paula Hunt

Producer: Nathan Giannini