Posted on 02/06/2011 9:04:32 PM PST by FromLori
Reporting from Atlanta — For Democrats, Ashley Bell was the kind of comer that a party builds a future on: A young African American lawyer, he served as president of the College Democrats of America, advised presidential candidate John Edwards and spoke at the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston.
But after his party's midterm beat-down in November, Bell, a commissioner in northern Georgia's Hall County, jumped ship. He joined the Republicans.
Bell, 30, said he had serious issues with the healthcare law and believed that conservative "blue dog" Democrats in Congress who shared his values had been bullied into voting for it.
Bell's defection is one of dozens by state and local Democratic officials in the Deep South in recent months that underscore Republicans' continued consolidation of power in the region — a process that started with presidential politics but increasingly affects government down to the level of dogcatcher.
"I think the midterms showed you really can't be a conservative and be a member of the Democratic Party," Bell said.
Since the midterm election, 24 state senators and representatives have made the switch in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Texas.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Somehow I think that personal gain is involved...hmmm. Not really good for the GOP party in the long run.
personal gain? Ya think??
These born-agains need to withdraw from politics for six years and do pennance before reentering the fray as conservatives. Lipstick liberals.
“you really can’t be a conservative and be a member of the Democratic Party”
Well, he’s 100% correct about THAT!
No, fair weather friends at best.
My opinion is that there is no such animal as a “conservative Democrat”, not any more, anyway.
I have problems with anyone who would willfully align themselves with a party that holds any of the positions that the Democrat party supports. I have even more problems with someone who then walks away from that position to claim another, without any explanation of why.
Oops! Should have said:
“I have problems with anyone who would willfully align themselves with a party that holds [m]any of the positions that the Democrat party supports.”
Typo makes a big difference. Not all of the positions espoused by the Democrats are wrong. Just too few good ones and too many that are vile and perverse.
I think it a good sign. So many blacks are social conservatives; if enough can be persuaded that Bell is right, then a real revolution might take place. Even now without the 95% suopport of the black community, Obama would be deep in doo d00.
“Over time, traditional Democratic support has eroded at the local level, a decline aided by the Internet and 24-hour cable news, which have allowed Republicans to “more easily connect local politics with what’s happening nationally,””
LOL. This was my favorite part. Translated, it says:
“Over time, traditional Democratic support has eroded at the local level, a decline aided by the Internet and 24-hour cable news, which have prevented the MSM from continuing to trick the conservative voters regarding just who the Democrats are.”
That's been the case for decades now, not just since the '10 midterms.
Probably another reason obama would love an internet kill switch lol.
I have spoken to Mr Bell more than a few times and always teased him about really being a republican.I guess he came to the same conclusion.He has and is serving in a conservative part of north georgia where we are all racist you know and would never ever elect a black man..oh wait.Scratch that.We dont give a damn about color we do however care about you being conservative.He is from the same area that our new governor and lt governor hail from.
I always welcome true converts, even though they nearly always have self interest in their party switching. Since this guy chaired the Young Democrats and worked for John Edwards, he will need a good deal more checking out than the average party switcher.
“Probably another reason obama would love an internet kill switch lol.”
Good point, From. And definitely with the Fairness Doctrine and who knows what else (maybe European-type hate speech laws, to cut off debate on tough issues).
Wolves donning their sheep skins.
Not to be trusted, IMHO.
Southerners used to vote Democratic in statewide and local elections for a century. The Republican Party was associated with the defeat of the South in the Civil War and then with Reconstruction. But the Civil Rights Era changed Southern loyalties to the Democrats first in presidential elections and then at the state and local levels. The last Southern state not to go completely GOP remains Arkansas.
Is he maybe trying to pull the GOP leftward? That would be rather difficult in that geographic vicinity.
Then you would call Ronald Reagan someone you can’t trust.
He used to be a Democrat.
No need to bring your personal bias into the argument. Conservative covers many more that just the religious ya know.
Ronald Reagan was originally a democrat. He said famously, “I did not leave the democrat party, they left me” - (forgive the paraphrasing).
I lot of people are democrats in college because it helps a young fella to get laid. But by the time they are 30 they have a “1040A conversion” after they start paying taxes.
However, many just become independents because the Republican Party isn’t called the “stupid party” for no reason. For example. Richard Burr is my senator and I have met him a few time and supported him in his first campaigns. He lost my support a few years ago but I vote for him because the alternative is worse. I campaign for others against him in the primary, but I would rather have my eyes plucked from my head and stomped flat before I’ll vote democrap in the main election. But that does not make me a card carrying member of the stupid party.
The republicans should not take conservatives for granted, we need another option. I prefer TEA.
Actually that IS true today! The previous version of a Democrat was a bit different (more a liberal - not Progressive as they call themselves today).
Have to agree, there is no such thing as a conservative Democrat today...
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