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http://www.mcall.com/news/opinion/letters/all-smithmar08,0,1723790.story

LETTER TO THE EDITOR From The Morning Call

"GOP is deserting its long-time supporters"

March 8, 2003

I have been wondering why Rep. Pat Toomey wants to oppose Sen.Arlen Specter in next year's primary race for the U.S. Senate, since Mr. Specter is one of the few voices of moderation in the Republican party.

The March 1 Morning Call gave me the answer. It is precisely because Sen. Specter is a moderate that the hard-liners in the party want him out.

It has been increasingly obvious that the party is being dominated by the Christian right and other ultra-conservatives. Extremism should never be tolerated on either the left or the right; I fear it's destroying our Republican Party.

I have been voting since 1955 and have never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate. Ed Rendell is the first Democratic gubernatorial candidate I ever voted for, and unless things change in the Republican Party, I may vote for the Democratic presidential candidate in 2004.

Before the hard-liners accuse me of deserting my party, let me say I feel it is my party that is deserting me.

Robert H. Smith

Bushkill Township
Copyright © 2003, The Morning Call

The party's are realigning. It's true the Republican Party has been taken over by Conservatives. If you are a Conservative this is a good thing. The Republican party is here to serve Conservatives and advance Conservatism. Outside of that, to me, it has no use. Note, as the letter from the old man indicates, it hasn't always been this way. Nixon was a Republican, but not much of a Conservative. He created the EPA, he put wage and price controls into place, effectively making FedGov the final employer of all citizens. If that's not Socialism I don't know what is. Nixon *might* be able to run as a Dem now, but as a Republican. No, the party has moved beyond him. If you loved the Republican Party when it was represented by the likes of Nixon, Ford, Rockefeller, Bob Dole and others of that ilk then perhaps the Democratic Party is really the right home for you know. Certainly hundreds of thousands of other Americans have heard the call of the Conservative movement and have taken it on them selves to change their party affiliation to "R" to support the Conservative values of right to life, limited government, lower taxes and individual responsibility. That we must lose some memebers is to be expected in such a transformation. No worry.

As to when we jettison established leaders from the last era, that is a tougher call. But it is exactly what primaries are for. Incumbants have huge advantages. If Spector can't win the primary then it is fitting that he leave office.

To see Conservatism accomplish any goals we HAVE to do both: Nominate Conservatives and Get Them Elected. A few RINOs are a tactical compromise, but such compromises always hurt in the end.

Don't forget that Hatch is term-limited as Chairman of the senate Judiciary Committee, and up next to succeed him is, you guessed it....Arlen...IMHO, this would be a disaster. Can you see him trying to control the Dems, especially with the likelihood of one or 2 Supreme Court nominations....or to run the debate on the senate floor....it wouldn't surprise me if WH endorsement came at the price of a promise by Spector NOT to take the chairmanship....

Another question...if Toomey were to win the primary, do you see any possibility that Spector would accept the Dem nomination?