Posted on 11/07/2004 7:42:21 AM PST by VaBthang4
The mandate discussion constantly misses the point.
A mandate has NOTHING to do with margin of victory (is 3 points a mandate?... 5 points?) but rather with whether the candidtate asked for a mandate during the campaign.
Reagan campaigned on a platform of lower taxes, less regulations and strong defense. He did not ask us to vote for him because "I'm not Jimmy Carter".
George H.W. Bush ran on a platform to continue the Reagan Revolution (Reagan was the only President since Roosevelt to win a third term). He governed contrary to his mandate and was defeated four years later.
George W. Bush ran against Albert Gore on a platform of (you guessed it) lower taxes and regulations and a strong defense. And he won by a sliver. It was still a mandate.
Now, on the virtually the same platform, G.W wins by nearly 4 million popular votes, a growing electoral majority and increased margins in the Senate and the House.
Is it a mandate? I'm not dumb enough to even consider the question.
I meant the misjudgment made when the party stumped for Specter over Pat Toomey.
Time to "Bork" him.
It's not quite that simple. Mandates require a candidate to put his ideological cards on the table, so that his votes aren't votes for personalities and vague slogans. President Bush did that in this campaign and therefore has a mandate to pursue those ideological points.
On the other hand, when Presidents Reagan and Clinton were reelected, they went with warm and fuzzy slogans, so that while they had more decisive Electoral College victories, they didn't have mandates for anything more than being warm and fuzzy in their second terms.
Bush risked more ideologically, so when he won, he received a mandate.
I'm not so sure. this has got to be the least propitious time in the 25-40 years to become a Democrat.
What does it gain Specter but irrelevancy?
Apparently Specter doesn't get it!
Rove didn't seem to have a problem with Specter this AM on Fox... I do. I think Bush is afraid that Specter will mobilize all the moderates against him if they block him... but some measure of control has to be excercised over Specter.
Rove said Specter promised that every appellate nominee who gets out of committee will get a vote on the floor... no filibusters. But there's plenty of room to block them before they get to the floor... and to filibuster Supreme Court appointments.
The " single bullet theory".
He's 74 and confused. I'm sick of him. No way will this guy become gate keeper at Judiciary! No way! Let him be a back bencher along with John Kerry. I don't want this guy messing around with George Bush's judicial appointments and Supreme Court appointments.
MacSpectre would gain the praises of the media and his dear friends in the death and lavender industries.
This may be more important to him than anything.
Dan
I'm not comfortable with blanket castigation of RINOs.
1. They hold seats from liberal states that would otherwise be held by outright liberal communists.
2. They are the proverbial half a loaf because we do get their votes on many issues of some significance to us.
3. They are easier to negotiate with than the opposition would be.
4. They are often loyal Republicans. I know people hate to admit it, but Colin Powell crawled out of the hospital after cancer surgery to get to a microphone and face slap Ted Kennedy when Kennedy was dominating the coverage of very very bad days in Iraq back in May and June. Right behind Powell that day was John McCain, defending the President and telling Kennedy to shut up.
I remember this, and so do you. Our conservatives were hiding under a table that week, when the terrorists in Iraq exploded onto the TV screens. Only our RINOs defended the President.
I just tried to call the members of the Senate Judiciary Committe (listed on a previous post here). I got to leave one message, for Senator Craig. All the other mailboxes were full except for Senators Graham and Cornyn, who do not give callers the opportunity to leave a message.
Now it's on to the emails!
Hey, it didn't hurt W when we spoke out,,,let's refocus our energies on this Spector character!
bar the obstructionist!
Almost a non-statement there. Specter can therefore block nominees in comittee and still adhere to the terms specified above.
Specter cannot be trusted.
If Specter will trade real power for the praise and adoration of other losers let him.
I believe as much heat as possible must be brought to bare on Specter.
He MUST understand that his grandstanding and unprincipled life is now open to the Red States and if he continues to make Liberal decisions the outcry from us will only grow.
Their is not a single seat within the Senate more important to the Conservative agenda being enforced over the next few decades than the Chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
It is the judiciary that enforces the US Constitution. It is through this committee that individuals are moved to judicial positions...positions that oversee all of this countries legal bodies.
No amount of blowback in making sure he does not get the seat can compare to the damage this Liberal can do from that position.
He CANNOT be allowed to chair this committee.
And if he lashes out and cannot humbly submit himself to the will of the Senate leadership then he is not the kind of Man we want to support in the first place.
If anything else...this should humble him. when all is said and done, I would rather he not get the chair.
"WE" [Not the Libs] we removed Lott for being an idiot and we can make sure this other putz does not interfere with what we want to accomplish.
Honestly, I'd rather dump him outright, pull his credentials and send him over to the Democratic side of the aisle...but I'm not a rational person when it comes to dealing with leftover hippie generation rejects/traitors.
We will see what ends up happening but the heat must remain on him.
Posted on 11/06/2004 8:11:17 AM EST by Always Right
Update:
Under the current rules, the way to go about preventing Specter from becoming the Chairman of the Judiciary is to have someone CHALLENGE Specter for the Chair. Hatch is term-limited and can't continue. Grassley is very unlikely to give up his Chair of Finance Committee. Senator Jon Kyl is next in line and seems to be the best candidate. This is where we need to concentrate on, getting someone to CHALLENGE Specter for the Chairman's role. We need to contact Senator Kyl to see his willingness and also contact other Senators to support Kyl in making a CHALLENGE.
Focus: Drafting Jon Kyl as Chairman - E-mail, fax, phone all GOP Senators!
I believe all this is decided when the GOP caucuses. But we still lack information on this. I have conflicting reports, they caucus next week, they caucus in the next two weeks. I believe the Senate is in recess until November 16th, but it is possible the GOP caucus in before then. We need understand the process more if we want to impact it.
Keep up the Good Work: We are being heard!
Watch out for Specter: Specter knows he is in trouble. Specter is going on the talk show circuit to make his case. Don't buy into his BS. Specter will point out that he has supported Bush's nominees. He voted for Thomas. He voted for Scalia. Of course, so did Senator Kerry and 96 other Senators. Like Senator Kerry, Specter wants to maintain the liberal balance on the court. They will only support a conservative judge if it does not threaten Roe v. Wade. Senator Specter says he doesn't have a litmus test. But just ask Specter what he would do if the court were divided 5-4 on abortion. I am 100% convinced Specter would pull out any and all stops to make sure a pro-abortion judge is appointed. The more I learn about Specter, the more I see that protecting Roe v. Wade is his number one priority. This is why Specter will do and say ANYTHING to get the Judiciary Chairman assignment. Specter is a snake, when he goes to pat you on the back watch out for the knife in his hand. Specter flat out hates social conservatives and 'strict constructionist' judges. Specter is a 'living document' guy.
Our Resolve:
Whereas, liberal Senator Arlen Specter is in line to be Chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Whereas, liberal Arlen Specter has a stated litmus test against pro-abortion judges.
Whereas, liberal Arlen Specter has stated he will fight against conservative judges
Whereas, in the past liberal Arlen Specter has helped defeat great judges like Robert Bork,
Whereas, the Democrats have loaded the Judiciary Committee with extreme liberals such as Kennedy, Feinstein, Leahy, and Schumer.
Whereas, liberal Arlen Specter is in a position to turn our huge and historic election victory into a defeat by killing the nomination of all decent judges,
Be it resolved, that we will do whatever it takes to get liberal Arlen Specter off the Judiciary Committee
Allies:
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National Right to Life Committee
NRO - The Corner
Confused Conservatives:
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Contact Information:
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PHONE: (202) 224-3344
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Oh come on. Reagan's landslide victory was surely a mandate.
Specter has to be removed from Judiciary. He is a closet Leftist.
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