Posted on 05/30/2004 8:54:37 PM PDT by Badray
Party over Principle?
That is the $64,000.00 question.
This past Friday morning, Arlen Specter was at a town hall meeting in Ross Township (suburb north of Pittsburgh PA). According to Specter staffer Justin Lokay, this was at the suggestion of Lou Nudi, the Ross Committee Chairman.
There were about 35 people in attendance including the Senator and 5 or 6 staffers and interns. Also there was Congresswoman Melissa Hart, State Senator John Pippy, former Hart staffer and 16th state house district candidate Pat Geho, former row office candidate Becky Toomey (oh, the irony, but she is still the prettiest, and my favorite Specter supporter), Lou Nudi, as well as some various other local committee people. Arriving late as usual was State Representative Jeff Habay. More on him later.
I arrived shortly before the meeting started and checked to see if I was on the PNG (persona non grata) list, but was welcomed in, much to my surprise because I have been barred from previous events. I sat and listened to how conservative values were important to Arlen, how much he enjoys being around G.W.Bush, and how we must defeat the Democrats.
This is a pretty stock speech when he tries to court Republicans. Sadly too many pubbies have short memories and actually believe Arlen when he speaks. He invoked the name of his recent challenger, Pat Toomey and says that he enjoys his support because the Dem candidate is so bad. Yada, yada, yada . . .
He then tried to ingratiate himself by mentioning the names of several people in the crowd. There names were conveniently written on the cue card in his hand. The whole thing was a sad charade, but that didn't stop many from sucking it up. I don't know if they were all die hard supporters or simply supporting the "R" against the horrible "D" that looms ahead if we don't support Arlen.
He then 'yielded' to Melissa Hart. She yucked it up with him for a moment (Think Sonny and Cher, except that Sonny was the conservative, not Cher.) before he stepped aside. About now, there should have been a commercial break, but they continued anyway. Melissa then spoke in glowing terms of Arlen and how important it was to put Arlen into office so that he could chair the Judiciary Committee and help get Bush's judicial nominees approved. She cited the brave defense of former PA Attorney General Mike Fisher when some Democrats posed some minor opposition to Mike's approval. Thank God, Arlen was there to save the day and he convinced the Dems not to block him. BTW, Fisher was supported in his quest for the bench by his recent opponent for the Governor's office - Democrat Governor Ed Rendell. Gee, that must have been a tough fight, Arlen.
What no Borking of Fisher? Don't worry, if Mike starts to make some sound judgements, you can bet that Arlen will apologize like he did after fighting for Clarence Thomas.
Melissa was about 3 minutes into her praise when I just couldn't take it any longer. There she was defending the man that has been pissing on us for years and she was calling it rain. I walked out. On the way out, I said to her brother that I just couldn't stand the BS.
I stayed outside for the remainder of the meeting. I missed the Q and A session, but was told that there was only one tough question asked and that Arlen spent about ten minutes addressing it. The question may have hit a nerve, but I doubt that he will do anything more than pay lip service to it.
Some good news. There was some who expressed continued opposition to him despite coming to be convinced that they should now be supporting him.
I did tell Melissa's aide that I was not alone in my displeasure with her support of Arlen. She may or may not care, but I am sure that I am quite right in my assessment. She is putting the party before any principle she ever espoused and this will cost her later.
Another person that I engaged was Rep. Habay. He arrived only after I had left the meeting and was outside for about 15 minutes. He approached me as he entered the building and I greeted him with a snide remark that he resembled a man that I used to know and told him that I was disappointed in his support for Arlen. He told me that Arlen helped him early in his 'career' (God, I hate that word when applied to politicians.) and that he was repaying the favor. (Doesn't the mob do favors now for favors in the future too?) I told him that that is what happens when you get into bed with the wrong people. He started getting testy at that point (I have to keep the BAD in badray, ya know) and retorted that he wasn't in bed with anyone, but that he would be glad to sit down and discuss the issue with me. I said OK, but he needed to dig himself out of a big hole. Walking away, he said that he was very comfortable in his position. I thanked him for telling me what I needed to know as he turned the corner (more than metaphorically?).
Just before Arlen came out, I spoke to County GOP Chairman Rich Stampahar and he tried to convince me that Specter was the man to support. His pleas fell on deaf ears, but they were overheard by an intern of Specter's who wimpily came over to tell me that this was a private event and asked me not to create a disturbance. I replied only that I was talking to people that knew me and approached me and wasn't talking to any one else. Can you imagine anyone thinking that I would cause a disturbance? LOL Not me, I'm too shy.
On the way out, Arlen either didn't recognize me or thought that I went over to the dark side and was now a supporter. He approached me to shake my hand, but I politely declined. I reserve my handshake for those that I respect.
Maybe I'm just not a 'good republican'. Maybe I'm an 'unappeasable'. Maybe I am a purist. I've been called all of these things and more. And worse.
What I do know is that I cannot support this man. Not for party loyalty, not even for the Senate majority (we do not effectively have it now because of people like Specter). I also know that it is not out of bitterness or hatred. It's just principle. He doesn't believe the things that I believe. He doesn't value the things that I value. His vision of America is not my vision.
This November, a vote for Democrat Joe Hoeffel is a vote to put a true conservative, a true Republican in charge of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I'm voting for Joe.
Ray Horvath
The better strategy is to vote for Hoeffel. A vote for Hoeffel takes a vote away from Specter and gives one to Hoeffel which makes a difference of two votes and that' s like two votes less for Specter. A vote for a third party candidate takes a vote away from Specter, leaving a difference of one vote between Hoeffel and Specter.
I think that you do and they are contained within the questions that you ask. You and I both know that we are better off with a principled minority than a supposed majority if all are not on board with the same agenda. We fight harder for principle when we are in the minority.
I don't know about Badray, but I was not happy about his endorsement. He is playing the same games-looking for the winning side. He may have PUBLICLY stated it, but does he really belive it ? Bush and Santorum PUBLICLY supported Specter, but did they believe it ? At least with Hoeffel you know what he is so you don't have to guess what he will to do. What is worse, the enemy you keep in front of you or the one that pats you on the back, says they are with you then stabs you in the back ?
Go right ahead and vote for Specter. I, on the other hand, WILL NOT VOTE FOR SPECTER. It happens to be a free country.
Is this similar to the situation in NJ where the Republican leadership, particularly Sen. Don Di Fiasco (then acting Governor when Whitless went to Washington), abandoned Bret Schundler, the winner of the Republican Primary, and privately supported James Mc Greedy?
Some threads are news articles and the poster is not called upon as frequently to respond to what was written because the words are not those of the poster. Thus, a lower rate of participation by the poster.
This thread is a VANITY. I wrote it. It is my thoughts about my experience. Almost every response to it calls for my reply. Thus, a HIGHER rate of participation by me.
I suppose if I didn't respond, you'd accuse me of hiding from the posters and/or being a disruptor or troll.
But, if this is what your rebuttals (LOL) are reduced to, then it appears that you have nothing of relevance to say.
I'm aware of Toomey's remarks and while I respect him, that doesn't require that I accept them as marching orders. I make my own decisions. I believe that I laid out very sound arguments for Specter's removal that have not been convincingly challenged by anyone, least of all you.
Or are you just trying to build up my reply count to support your argument?
At 13? You could have been scarred for life by such a traumatic experience. LOL
You really have to improve your reading comprehension skills. I said that the Toomey ORGANIZATION didn't mobilize anything. People responded to his message.
As a matter of fact, I was looking for a 'Toomey' 3 years ago before I knew that Pat Toomey existed. Yes, I promoted him here and everywhere I went for 3 years and I will likely support him if he chooses to run again. But none of that means that I march to any one's orders, even Pat's.
Me either. (BTW, Watch "Ike" tonight on A&E at 8:00.)
You might be happier in a more conservative part of the country and by the way do more good as an activist. Both with federal and state and local politics. You're courage is becomeing rare, maybe always was. Glad I was not in that meeting. Whats in my mind ?.. You don't want to know.
Specter is a traitor, outright and obvious.. The problem is not with Specter its with Pennsylvanians. You have your finger in the dike, true. When the whole dike is the problem not some measly hole.
Well, duh! Of course that's the theme of this thread. Why would what I write change the theme? It's my post. It's my fervent belief. I've stated my case plainly.
It is my desire to see Specter gone for one very good reason -- the Judiciary Committee and the damage that he can do that will last for generations.
You act as though I tried to keep it a secret.
Your sentiment should include..."I want the dems in charge of the Senate!"
You brought up the questions, why can't you see the answer?
Ooh, that's a tough call. Kelly's Heroes is also on at 8PM on TCM.
I can't vote for Specter, I do not live in PA. Where have I stated that you Scarpetta should vote for Specter.
I just expressed my opinion of what I would do around if faced with a Specter/Hoeffel race in or around reply #45 of this thread.
The majority of people on this thread do not seem to be paying the slightest bit of attention to your (very good) reasons for voting for the DemonRat. I'm disappointed in these Freepers.
Try to read the original post and the thread before you make idiotic and unfounded remarks like that. You simply don't know what you are talking about.
Huh, I guess the same words by Ronald Reagan in 76 after he lost the nomination to Ford, would have been heard by the same deaf(Badray's) ears and you would be campaigning for Jimmy Carter back in 76, if FR, was in existance back then.
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