Arlen Specter to bat for the other team
- Thread starter SGaynor
- Start date
pwp said:
I agree. It is sad but it seems 99% of the politicians think their #1 job is to get re-elected.
toadermcgee said:
BEST comment made in the last few months! :applause:
As soon as EVRYONE from both "sides" realize that BOTH the Democrats AND Republicans have been screwing us for some time now, we'll vote ALL these assholes out of a job! Until then we just continue to blame the other "team".
atriot:Nothing less than a TRAITOR . . . a TRAITOR to his PARTY, which is full of Traitors, a TRAITOR to the PEOPLE who last voted him in, and a TRAITOR to this COUNTRY, who should face a FIRING SQUAD !!!
So now he is "moving" to the "other party", also FULL of TRAITORS !!! It is time to stop voting for Dems/Repubs, as there is obviously NO DIFFERENCE . . . anyone who thinks there is needs to WAKE UP !!!
So now he is "moving" to the "other party", also FULL of TRAITORS !!! It is time to stop voting for Dems/Repubs, as there is obviously NO DIFFERENCE . . . anyone who thinks there is needs to WAKE UP !!!
People on both sides of the issue are making more out of this than there really is. Specter has long used triangulation to keep himself in office. This is nothing more than him sticking his finger in the air in an attempt to stay in office. It is unlikely that his voting pattern will change as he will have to maintain that middle ground to win an election.
It is a calculated risk that I think will fail. In previous elections when he was running, he was the slightly conservative candidate running against a much more left winger. Now he will be the left winger that will have to run against a more conservative candidate. His vote on the Obama spending bill likely sealed his fate.
It is a calculated risk that I think will fail. In previous elections when he was running, he was the slightly conservative candidate running against a much more left winger. Now he will be the left winger that will have to run against a more conservative candidate. His vote on the Obama spending bill likely sealed his fate.
LRWheelman said:
Really? And when Joe Lieberman switched from one side of the aisle to the other, becoming a 'republican', did you say the same thing?
I think not.
Bottom line with me is regardless of party affiliation or lack thereof, they're all a bunch of crooks who have the #1 job of getting re-elected so they can stay on the gravy train and #2 job of stuffing their pockets. There is no #3 job for them.
apg said:
OK, I'll bite. I'm wondering, like others I'm sure, why/how you equivocate switching political party to Independent, is the same as crossing the aisle from Repub to Dem, or vice versa?
Well, Lieberman claimed to be 'independent', but frequently showed up at McCain's side for campaign functions. Even endorsed him. I'm not sure that "independent" is a good adjective for such. Similarly, I don't think Specter is going to vote the democratic party line all the time - or even most of the time.
And I agree with jh - the majority of congresspersons are only looking out for themselves rather than their country - or their constituents. One of the few who actually seems to be worth something is Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia: a highly-decorated Marine 'Nam vet, and Secretary of the Navy under Reagan.
And I agree with jh - the majority of congresspersons are only looking out for themselves rather than their country - or their constituents. One of the few who actually seems to be worth something is Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia: a highly-decorated Marine 'Nam vet, and Secretary of the Navy under Reagan.
Actually I did speak out against aisle-jumping when Lieberman swapped sides . . . and at a time like this when the balance of power is on edge, an aisle-jump such as this one is nothng short of TREASON against AMERICA, the PEOPLE, and the CONSTITUTION !!! The Bastards should all be shot !!!
The problem with this discussion is that it assumes that a Democrat votes Democrat all the time and that Republicans vote Republican all the time. That Democrats can't be conservatives (Blue-Dogs) and Republicans can't be liberals (Neo-Conservatives).
Case in point:
Rep. Barney Frank: Calls for Conservative Democrats to be Kicked Out of the Party (w/video)
Politicus USA ^ | May 4, 2009 | Jason Easley
Specter voted with the liberal Democrats so him moving over to the Democrat Party has no impact when 12 Democrats vote with Republicans. I do think it is amusing that Frank doesn't consider himself aligned with the money interest.
Case in point:
Rep. Barney Frank: Calls for Conservative Democrats to be Kicked Out of the Party (w/video)
Politicus USA ^ | May 4, 2009 | Jason Easley
After 12 Senate Democrats voted to block an amendment that would have rewritten the bankruptcy laws to allow judges to renegotiate mortgages with banks, Rep. Barney Frank went off, and called for those who side with the moneyed interests to be kicked out of the party. ....
....By the way, all of the Democrats who voted against the amendment came from red states, with the exception of Democrat come lately Arlen Specter. Frank’s comments illustrate one of the biggest problems that the Democrats have in their majority. The more conservative Democrats often aren’t in agreement with the rest of the party. I disagree with Frank’s idea that the party should be made smaller, by kicking out those who disagree....
....By the way, all of the Democrats who voted against the amendment came from red states, with the exception of Democrat come lately Arlen Specter. Frank’s comments illustrate one of the biggest problems that the Democrats have in their majority. The more conservative Democrats often aren’t in agreement with the rest of the party. I disagree with Frank’s idea that the party should be made smaller, by kicking out those who disagree....
Specter voted with the liberal Democrats so him moving over to the Democrat Party has no impact when 12 Democrats vote with Republicans. I do think it is amusing that Frank doesn't consider himself aligned with the money interest.
apg said:
Considering Lieberman still sits with the Democratic caucus and votes with them many (most) times. Lieberman and McCain have been friends for decades, why wouldn't he support him (and he lost his seat at the Dem leadership table doing it). Just because he doesn't vote in lock-step with party leaders doesn't mean he's a Repub (far from it other than on Iraq).
That sounds like a pretty "independent" person to me.