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Specter To Switch Parties: (fillibuster-proof majority with Franken)
Washington Post ^ | 4/28/09 | Chris Cillizza

Posted on 04/28/2009 9:29:46 AM PDT by Nachum

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter will switch his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat and announced today that he will run in 2010 as a Democrat, according to a statement he released this morning.

Specter's decision would give Democrats a 60 seat filibuster proof majority in the Senate assuming Democrat Al Franken is eventually sworn in as the next Senator from Minnesota. (Former Sen. Norm Coleman is appealing Franken's victory in the state Supreme Court.)

(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: 111th; bho44; parties; specter; supermajority; switch
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To: 11th Commandment

Thanks for the reminder. Grrrrrrrrr.

Any idea of whether Specter took any GOP money in the days leading up to this?


121 posted on 04/28/2009 10:59:39 AM PDT by mountainbunny (Mitt Romney: Collect the whole set!)
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To: AirForceGeorge
He does whatever he wants and America will never be the same

Like I said. Crap.

On the bright side....

um...

ah...

(thinking)

...There is always full employment in communism!

122 posted on 04/28/2009 11:00:11 AM PDT by Nachum (the complete list at www.nachumlist.com)
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To: Nachum

Specter couldn’t very well leave a party of which he was never really a member. Eventually, enough of the moles will abandon ship and the party can proceed with the business of being a Republican party again.

Who’s next? Why wait, and instead just expel McCain - along with his kid - and the rest of his ilk, like Snowe, Collins, Graham, Lugar and the other undercover democrats. Now that the party of self-above-country has hit the magic 60, a bunch more won’t make any difference one way or the other.

Can’t return to good health until all of the cancer is excised.


123 posted on 04/28/2009 11:00:21 AM PDT by DPMD (~)
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To: brewcrew
This is an opportunity. An opportunity to give the 'Rats another length of the rope (i.e., filibuster-proof majority) with which to hang themselves. And they will. They always do.

That's it chief! We've got them riiiiight where we want them...

124 posted on 04/28/2009 11:02:20 AM PDT by Nachum (the complete list at www.nachumlist.com)
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To: Nachum

Disgusting. Almost seems this was part of their plan, just like using Murtha and Cindy Sheehan. Sad day for us, not just here in PA, where he’s been a Rino for so long, but now to switch sides for a filibuster proof majority with franken. Ugh.


125 posted on 04/28/2009 11:13:28 AM PDT by fortunecookie (Please pray for Anna, age 7, who waits for a new kidney.)
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To: AirForceGeorge

I say ignorant voters/citizens like you have cost us everything. John McCain was as moderate as moderate can get and he still lost. He certainly promised to be far more moderate than the Chosen One, yet he was destroyed in the general election thanks to the “moderate vote”. Please go pimp your sorry excuse for analysis elsewhere.


126 posted on 04/28/2009 11:19:31 AM PDT by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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To: Nachum

I wonder what this does to his vote for card check. We’ve needed him for that vote and I’m sure he came under considerable pressure from unions for his announcement to vote against it.


127 posted on 04/28/2009 11:22:28 AM PDT by twigs
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To: twigs
I wonder what this does to his vote for card check

It would not surprise if he would do it just to get even with those he blames. But then, not much surprises me now.

128 posted on 04/28/2009 11:24:30 AM PDT by Nachum (the complete list at www.nachumlist.com)
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To: Tarpon
Most Americans do not live their lives the way the progressives want them to, and don't intend to change.

You are correct. I also believe the majority of Americans are no where near as progressive as the current majority leadership. They've been bamboozled by the MSM spinmasters.

129 posted on 04/28/2009 11:29:10 AM PDT by umgud (I'm really happy I wasn't aborted)
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To: 11th Commandment
National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn released a letter today offering a full-throated endorsement of Sen. Arlen Specter in his coming primary against former congressman Pat Toomey...

I hope they caught that tumor in Cornyn's throat in time...
130 posted on 04/28/2009 11:50:12 AM PDT by BigEdLB (Six months from now there will be 1,000,000 regrets - but it may be too late.)
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To: ontap
They see him for what he is also.

Yup. This is Arlen's...

Magic "Bulls@#t" Theory

PG version probably even better:

Magic "Full-Of-It" Theory

131 posted on 04/28/2009 12:00:38 PM PDT by torchthemummy (If You Still Have A TV Subscription You Are Funding The Socialist Takeover!)
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To: Bishop_Malachi

Well, you’ll have your way. Pat Toomey, a hard-right conservative will run and lose the election. Then the guy we drove out of the party will sign off on Obama’s far left agenda.

Do you really think we are losing seats in the north east because our candidates are too liberal? Are you insane or just stupid?

Our party held majorities when it was a bigger tent that nominated people who fit their state. If you think that nominating the same type of Republican based on some crazy purity test in all 50 tests will result in anything but small minority status then you’re both insane and stupid.

In PA we’re going to have to settle for moderate to liberal dems. McCain didn’t lose because he was moderate he lost because Bush so destroyed the Republican brand it could not be saved.

A party full of fools who think the GOP problem in blue and purple states is a lack of conservative candidates deserves minority status. As a party we’re so stupid we deserve to watch the dems govern and dismantle this country.


132 posted on 04/28/2009 2:50:56 PM PDT by AirForceGeorge
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To: pierrem15

Hell, we have Bush to thank for Specter being re-elected last time. Wonder how Dubya feels about all that campaigning for him now?


133 posted on 04/28/2009 3:23:23 PM PDT by The Ghost of Rudy McRomney (Stuck Between Barack and a Hard Place.)
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To: kate in carolina
Let's hope that doesn't happen. This RINO clearly put himself above principle, above honor, above integrity. He's only switching because he knows he'd lose the GOP primary. Imagine what would happen if every politician did this is they saw they were going to lose.

Oh, did I say that Spector is a coward? I'd say it to his face if I had the chance.

This is just another reason for term limits being established for anyone who serves in the senate the house of representatives.

134 posted on 04/28/2009 3:35:04 PM PDT by pctech
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To: mountainbunny

Exactly why the likes of Steele and others of his ilk need to be booted. This is just another stain upon his leadership.


135 posted on 04/28/2009 3:37:13 PM PDT by pctech
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To: AirForceGeorge

Specter will vote the way Specter votes regardless of party affiliation. If he is truly a “moderate” then he’ll vote no differently now that he is supposedly a Democrat.
</br>
</br>
Furthermore, if George Bush has so damaged the “Republican Brand”, how will Republicans who vote along with Obama agenda destroy the Republican Brand? Do you even really care?
</br>
</br>
The Dems are only “big-tent” to the extent of which they have bought off special interests across various ethnic groups. How do you propose to combat that? Buy them off more slowly? Simply slow the rate at which we pander and redistribute earned wealth?
</br>
</br>
Sorry. The days of me arguing with friends about politics only to hear them bring up a list of “moderate” Republicans who acted just like the Democrats I’m criticizing, are over.
</br>
</br>
You are very correct about one thing. This country is slowly being dismantled. People like Arlen Specter, your expedient “Republican”, are going to contribute. But ya know what? It’s not the Dems fault totally. They would have no power if the American People didn’t bestow it upon them. The American people are enamoured with the idea of socialism and they are going to eventually get their wish.


136 posted on 04/28/2009 3:41:42 PM PDT by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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To: Nachum

He quit before we could fire him. Oh well now he is really in a jam. If he votes with repubs he will piss off dems and if he votes with dems he pisses off the repubs. Nice going Arlen and now for a chorus of thank God and Greyhound he’s gone....

What I find odd is that there was no other front runner for the Democrats and if there was who was it? I had guessed Rendell would go for a senate seat.


137 posted on 04/28/2009 3:41:52 PM PDT by linn37 (a mortgage in every pot)
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To: AirForceGeorge

sorry about the html mistakes.


138 posted on 04/28/2009 3:42:12 PM PDT by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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To: Bishop_Malachi

Apparently a lot of people here don’t understand how the Senate or politics work. How specter votes is not the issue. Do you understand how procedure and committees work in the Senate?

When we lost the majority we lost all the majorities on the committees. Our party decided who served where. So if we had a party of 30 conservatives 15 moderates and 6 liberals we would have a majority on every single committee. Also we would control the debate, what bills come up etc.

Even if we at least had the 39 and 4-5 liberals we could muster up filibusters. Procedural votes are extremely important. We had sway with the liberal/moderate democrats. Anyway, there’s no point explaining this to many of you guys. You want all or nothing. You’re gonna get nothing.


139 posted on 04/28/2009 4:12:06 PM PDT by AirForceGeorge
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To: AirForceGeorge
I understand full well how Congress and their committees work. I also understand that "moderate" Republicans who stand on the street corner screaming that the Republican Party is doomed because it's too conservative is horsefeathers.

Liberal fiscal policy and social liberalism have had net positive gains over the 8 years of Bush's presidency AND Republican Congress. Let's not just blame Bush. These apparently "too conservative" Republicans were anything but...

When I look at Obama's policies (both those being presently enacted and those he promises to enact) I wonder how this man can be so popular. It's not just his good looks and articulate nature. He has tapped into the "handout" mentality of the American public. Please tell me how we will ever reverse it? And don't tell me it's more "moderate" Republicans like Schwarzeneggar. They have already proven that they *add* to the problem instead of helping. I'd love a good pep-talk right now, because as it stands most Americans I know cannot seem to find an end to how responsible *other* people are for their job-security, high salaries, health care, education-financing, retirement benefits, transfer payments, etc., etc.
140 posted on 04/28/2009 5:56:09 PM PDT by Bishop_Malachi (Liberal Socialism - A philosophy which advocates spreading a low standard of living equally.)
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