Posted on 11/08/2004 4:17:50 PM PST by mysonsfuture
Very intelligent assessment. Chew on this.
We here at Free Republic toss around the pros and cons of various issues and really, indulge ourselves with a lot of wishful thinking and hot air.
But the pols in Washington are not living in an atmosphere of academic debate. They are subjected to all kinds of pressure, some unpleasant and some of it extremely seductive. Say that Specter had good intentions to start with, how long do you think he could keep from being influenced by his liberal staff, his liberal colleagues, liberal lobbyists, his liberal son and family members, and according to rumor, his liberal mistress?
As Newt said (paraphrasing), "Tradition is no reason to commit suicide."
Excellent points all - especially the reference to self indulgence. Would that all of our representatives in Congress could debate issues frankly, honestly and openly. But then, I guess that's why "politics" (and politicians) has become something we utter with such distaste.
No Neville Chamberlin here. I want to get constructionist judges appointed. I just think that we'll do better with Specter on the committee. I don't think he's going to "dictate" to anyone.
I think that by "Borking" Specter, we're just "Borking" ourselves.
With all due respect, Specter has indeed demonstrated:
He's NOT a constructionist judge.
He's loose cannon who did in fact blow his own cover and "dictate" with respect to pro-life appointees
He's one more RINO who will stab in the back the consensus opinion of the GOP at crucial times
He's a liberal Democrat at heart -- remember, he gave the despicable Bubba a free pass at the impeachment hearings, while helping to destroy a fine man in Robert Bork.
In short, why should a man of his ideological transvestism be given the slightest bit of doubt with his reptilian record?
The GOP needs to serve notice on rogue RINOs who steal the (R) designation which only serve to usurp and negate the Party's clout.
He did vote for Thomas and Scalia as well as (I believe) Kennedy and Souter - all of whom were supposed to be "constructionist" judges. The last two weren't.
I just don't think he's that bad ... and the alternative is that we could wipe out our chances of invoking cloture.
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