Posted on 08/06/2004 8:03:31 AM PDT by churchillbuff
During impeachment---if it had worked the way it was supposed to---the senators would have been voting for the interests of the states as a whole, i.e., the U.S. and not their own little elected playpen. But they didn't. There is a reason the Founders made this a federal system and separated the Senate from the House.
For the record, I've never invoked the term against her or anyone else. I consider it an obsolete concept.
If they'd wanted peoplee to be able to run for office in any old place then why did they even have a residence requirement. No it's obvious they wanted a states representatives to be valid representatives of THAT state, which is why they put a residency requirement in. People moving in on election day cannot possibly be valid representatives of that state. That's why we call them carpetbaggers.
Actually no, originally the Founders left the Senators entirely up to the state legislature, it wasn't up to the voters at all. There's something to be said for that.
He didn't move to Texas to get a government job, he moved to Texas to help them fight. Big difference between being a civil servant and risking your life in a war.
At this point anybody the Ill GOP runs is a sacrificial lamb, Keyes will lose badly.
That is the reality. Carpetbaggers went to the south to seek power and suckle on the government teet. Had they been benign they would have settled in and helped BEFORE running for elected office. They were scum, and all of their modern immitators are scum, and if Keyes doesn't pull out he will turn himself into scum.
Right now that's your choice: a socialist and scum. Both are bad options, and it's all because the Ill. GOP is a bunch of morons.
However, no matter how you slice it, Keyes is still carpetbagging, which, though there exists far worse in politics, is not generally my cup of tea.
Most folks will not give the situation the thought required to make the distinction. The comments Keyes made upon Hillary's candidacy, which the press will exploit, will brand Keyes as a total hypocrite. He may be answering a call to duty (though I don't think he'll mind the exposure), but if he truly believes his own words, he is behaving hypocritically. Especially when we examine HIS STATEMENTS and rationale regarding Hillary's candidacy, not yours.
Thank you for the ping.
No the short bench is the problem, if they had somebody instate then they wouldn't have gonoe out of state. So apparently there are so few useful conservatives in Illinois that the feel the need to import carpetbaggers. Shame on them, shame on Keyes for saying yes. And once again this is NOT about Obama and all your ramblings about him are pure red herring garbage.
As I've said multiple times in this thread, and can be found by simply checking my FR profile: I'm not in Illinois. I spent my childhood outside Chicago, but I'm not there now. So all your "what did you do" is just stupid crap, I'm not there and not giving them suggestions, although according to you and the Ill. GOP I could be their Senator.
This isn't a matter of doing better than an imperfect leader, this is a matter of understanding what Senators are hired to do. A non-resident CANNOT effectively represent ANY state, and begging a non-resident to run is the stupidest most pathetic admission of defeat and uselessness a state party organization can do. And accepting the invitation is an act of carpetbagging scum-sucking powergrubbing.
He answered a call for assistance that never should have been offered and he should have refused. By accepting he turned himself into carpetbagging scum and should feel ashamed of himself. He is interfering, if wanted to help he should have helped them find a resident candidate and campaigned for them, violating the clear intentions of the Founders is beneath him. All this has done is completely vindicated Hillary Clinton, not the actions of a true conservative by any stretch.
Here's my take. Keyes does have a certain gift for words. And the President as well as other conservative or conservative leaning incumbents running in districts, states or a nation that is not safe can let Keyes carry the water for them while being able to ride on his oratorical coattails when he strikes gold and able to have deniability when necessary. Other than California, New York or Mass, Chicago and Illinois is the next big media outlet. Keys, while probably not being able to win his office will draw out conservative and Christian right leainging folks for that may impact or effect the more narrow campaigns. What that strategy lacks is there may be turn out for Keyes, but they will only vote on his campaign and ignore the other portions of their ballot. Remember, Keysters are for the most part single issue voters.
P. S. That said there are actions politicians take I find far more disturbing than something like this.
"Keyes on a rescue mission" to rescue the Illinois GOP?
I admit, I'm not from Illinois and I didn't know that much about Illinois politics, but I started researching a bit -- and I found that Illinois GOP would need rescuing if they hadn't abandoned a perfectly viable, honest, decent candidate, Jim Oberweis, who was ready, able and willing to take over after Ryan's candidacy bombed.
Oberweis finished second in the primary, behind Ryan, but the GOP party structure went over his head to approach the third place finisher,Steven Rauschenberger, who turned them down, and then, to compound the insult, the drug Czarina, Dr. Barthwell.
OK, so Oberweis probably wouldn't beat Obama, but Keyes probably won't either, so why the slap in the face to Oberweis?
Apparently it's because Oberweis is a man of principle who actually WANTS TO ENFORCE THE US IMMIGRATION LAWS. Shocking, shocking.
Sounds to me like, if the Illinois GOP needs "rescuing" it has only itself to blame.
I'm glad I don't have to vote in the state, because if I did, I'd have to vote for Keyes, and I'm glad I'm not being presented with the option.
Good luck -- hope you get some better choices in the future.
I am sick and tired of the Republican party abandoning good conservative candidates. Joe Oberweiss, an illinois resident, certainly deserves the Illinois Republican Party backing over Keyes. This stinks.
Let me be more specific: I've stayed up til 3 in the morning the last three nights reading everything I can on the subject. I've yet to see a direct quote from keyes in which he uses the specific word "carpetbagger"...if there is one I would appreciate you linking me to a source for said quote.
He could accomplish all that campaigning for a legitimate candidate. I like Keyes a lot, I think we'd be a better country if he was elected to office, but it needs to be legit, not carpetbagging.
Sounds about right, looks like you've got a scorecard and everything. Oh well, shouldn't be suprised, the GOP has always been really good at pooch screwing.
"I deeply resent the destruction of federalism represented by Hillary Clinton's willingness to go into a state she doesn't even live in and pretend to represent people there, so I certainly wouldn't imitate it."
Alan Keyes, Fox News, March 17, 2000
Yesyesyes.
I've seen THAT quote 100,000 times. It does NOT contain the WORD "carpetbagger".
How is this question too complicated?
I'm trying to be clear and i'm certainly trying to be respectful but come on, you got to help me out a bit here.
You all look silly trying to contort that quote.
It is what it is, unless Keyes can't be taken at his word.
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