Prepare to duck - the Democrats don't lose easily

One of the big differences between Democrats and Republicans is the way they lose.

Unsuccessful Republicans become introspective, wonder where they went wrong, and enter a period of navel-gazing that can go on for a decade or more.

Democrats, on the other hand, have no such self-doubts. They persist in believing they were right and will go on campaigning and telling people they were, even though there is no election to fight.

Republicans get out the long knives and trim the unsuccessful from future ballots (yes, there are notable exceptions, but usually not aided by the party machine (such as it might be)).

Democrats carry on attacking. "It was the weather's fault," "We were tricked," "Opposition tactics were grossly unfair," and the most telling, "the public was robbed."

Watch out for flying objects as Democrats prepare to throw their toys from Boston to Honolulu. Things will be particularly dangerous in Washington where Democrats will have to get used to not having complete run of the town and are, at least for a few hours a day, put back in their play-pen.

As Jeff Jacoby wrote in the Boston Globe, "IT REALLY is the people’s seat, and yesterday the people took it back."

Ultimately, that's the message: it's up to us - Republicans and Democrats - to make this country function properly.

Well done, Scott Brown, but remember who put you there.