Posted on 05/03/2009 6:41:05 AM PDT by Salena Zito
Arlen Specter switched parties for one and only one reason: to save his career.
No principle was involved; there was no "the party left me" moment. It was pure, unadulterated political greed; he wanted his seat.
Out of honor, Specter should have resigned, had Gov. Ed Rendell reappoint him, and then run in a special election in the fall as a Democrat. Instead, he abandoned his principles and went from a fiscal conservative and social moderate to a social liberal who voted for President Obama's trillion-dollar stimulus package.
What he has left behind with his switch to the other team is everyone under the sun, as he gleefully dances on the supposed grave of the Republican Party after proclaiming its death by a thousand cuts.
"I think the reports of the death of the Republican Party are greatly exaggerated," says Texas Tech political science professor Tim Nokken. "It's been a rough couple of years for the GOP, but that doesn't equate with death."
So, no going the way of the Whigs -- which is exactly what self-agonizing Democrats said about themselves after yet another defeat in the 2004 presidential and congressional election.
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
These “death of the X party” (X = “Republican” or “Democrat,” depending on the year) have been seen before.
Take it as a signal that we’ve “hit bottom.” You know what happens next.
If this is true, then why was Specter getting creamed in the polls by a hard-line conservative, to the point where he felt he needed to switch parties?
Thankfully I am glad he switched. I read in the Birminham News an article on Jeff Sessions. Because of Specter’s departure, Sessions may be the next in line to be the Republican head on the Judiciary committee!!!! This will be instrumental when justices come before them for confirmation. This definately left me dancing for joy. :)
I guess they didn’t tell the NH voters that “conservative economic and social issues” don’t “play well.”
We had two state special elections in the past two weeks up here in NH (last I checked we weren’t in the “south”).
One for a Senate seat, the other for a House seat. Both Republicans ran on 3 issues - lower taxes, less government and traditional values (as the Dems were in the midst of passing a transgender bathroom bill).
The “won’t play well” platforms won both elections by an average of only 25 points. The Senate race was won 62-38. The House was 65-34.
Hmm.
As a young Justice Department attorney Specter invented the “single-bullet” theory for the Warren Commission. It saved the blue ribbon panel from actually having to look into the nuts and bolts of the JFK assassination. They simply hung their hats on one dancing bullet causing seven wounds in two men...and being found in pristine condition.
Specter is good at stuff like this...because he NEVER allows principle or truth to stand in the way of his personal advancement.
This man is a terrible human being.
He was getting creamed in the *primaries*, which is the difference. Think about Lieberman’s seat, where the left nominated ned lamont for the seat, even though he couldn’t win a state-wide election. If party-identification shrinks in a given state (as it has in pennsylvania), presumably the people still in it are much farther to that side of the political spectrum than those who left. You run a risk of only getting candidates that are unpalatable to the general public (even though they are the *ideal* candidate from the perspective of the primary voters).
That is INCREDIBLE!!! I think the democrats are going to get whipped good this next election. But, the Republican party has to return to conservative values to become a powerhouse again.
Yeah but if the RATs have 60 votes, what difference does it make. Or do you just like watching Guppies talk as opposed to having any real power. Aside from flapping his gums Sessions can do diddly squat if the Rats have 60 votes.
The question the Republican party should really concentrate on is:
How did we go from one of our strongest positions ever in 2004, to one of our weakest ever in 2008?
There are several parts to that answer, but it will never be answered until Bush and Rove are looked at critically, and some get off this “he kept us safe” excuse for every shortcoming, and every stupid policy initiative.
A state that elected conservative Rick Santorum can elect a conservative. In today’s climate either will lose, but the climate in politics is forever changing. If the party regains its liberatian roots, states like PA will change further. I don’t see Toomey as a Lamont. Selecting Lamont in the Rep Party is the equivalent of selecting a Gary Bauer or Alan Keyes on the right. Toomey would have a shot if he is a good campaigner.
It doesn’t surprise me. The majority of Americans are conservative, whether they think they are or not.
"GOP obit premature. Really, it is! I mean it!"
Well Pa. is a strange state. Rendell is thinking of asking another liberal state senator to challenge Arlen. And the GOP is asking both Ridge and a Gop state senator to challenge Pat T. So, who knows who will come out of that state except knowing Pa. , it will be a Dem in spite of all the hype about Arlen or Toomey. And that is absurd. Talk about split personalities!
Why is the GOP setting up a primary fight? You’d think if you have two candidates and one withdraws, you should be happy that you wont have a big primary battle and can advance to the general election in the best possible shape.
Just another example of the Stupid Party, I guess.
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