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
Yet another strawman argument. Anyone who holds positions and is willing to debate them and think about them logically is welcome to do so. We think our positions are the strongest and should win over those disposed to consider all arguments. What we call RINOs are politicians who say one thing at home to the constituents and the media to secure their reelection, and then discard those "positions" (it's hard to call them positions when they're written on tissue paper...) as soon as they can after returning to their true home, Washington. I've said many times, I'd much rather have an honest person who disagrees with me than a liar who is "amening" me all the time.
Thanks, Jim. I know that conservative votes for Hoeffel will do more to defeat Specter than ones for Clymer (or just refraining from voting for Senator in this election). I just can't bring myself to pull that lever, sorry. At least it's one less vote for Arlen.
As I go through this thread the only rabid foam I see being spit is from the "for the party" people.
Tamsey, did you read my analogy above ? After 358 posts have you people not realized that we are not PUSHING Hoeffel's agenda ? Can't you people look past the PARTY ??? Is party majority your first and only objective ?
I think it is time to end this whole thread because any discussion is returned with condescending and immature remarks.
It's just too cute to see you defining people as "RINO's" at the same time you advocate voting against the Republican Party for the Senate seat.
Silly me. You won't vote for Specter because you don't support his centrist agenda but you WILL vote for Hoeffel even though you don't support his leftist agenda.... got it.
Hmmm. I defined RINO mainly because you accused us of calling anyone we disagreed with by that term, which was untrue. So I'm glad you find that "cute," obviously your way of belittling a position you don't feel able to refute. And for the record, I'm not voting against the Republican Party for the seat, I'm voting against Arlen Specter. Or do you think the party hierarchy owns the party lock, stock, and barrel?
Any body can switch at any time, just like Jeffords did...and when he did, the Dems took control. Any one of them can resign at any time for any reason (health, scandal, etc). Any of them can die at any time (Is this stuff way over your Ideologically Correct head?) If you have a blind spot about one or more of them switching, or resigning, or dying, then come up with your own scenario. Be creative instead of just being disgruntled.
"vicious fringers"... so mean and nasty.
face the facts. its about nothing else but protecting the Chairmanship of the judiciary from a pro-choice liberal.
none of that chicken little, "we'll lose the senate"! cuz it ain't gonna happen.
but , we could lose the chance to change the direction of the eversliding leftward judical body.
If we do not fill the next vacancies in the SCOTUS with conservative judges, I believe our beautiful country, as we know it, will cease to exsist.
evil triumphs when good men do nothing.
oh silly me, did I hurt someones feelings? sooo sorry ;0)
Stop voting for what you despise.... good advice
we are not going to vote for Arlen!
Are there specific policies at Free Republic against writing vanities campaigning for Democrats?
Thanks.
If Specter's 'Rat opponent were a pro-life moderate, like Bob Casey or Tim Holden, I would support you wholeheartedly. Problem is, Specter at his very worse is far, far better than Joe Hoeffel at his best. The 'Rats foolishly nominated someone from the far left of the political spectrem. So you should change your mind. Conservatives should hold their noses and vote for Specter.
I see that when you can't answer, you cry to mama ? Tamsey, maybe Free Republic doesn't believe in campaign finance reform, but you do. And you have sure been campaigning yourself here.
As in seeing a RINO under every bed?
whose switchin'???
Party switches are very common at all levels of government...or didn't you know that?
whose dyin'???
Politicians die...or didn't you know that, as well (Sonny Bono, JFK, Lincoln, Ashcroft lost to a dead man, several died in plane crashes like Paul Wellstone in '02, Hale Bogs, George Leland, etc, etc).
instead of make-believe, how about lets play REALITY?
I just beat you over the head with reality. Do you know when to quit?
barring your wacky scenarios of all the RINOs jumpin' ship how do you suggest we protect the judiciary?
Jim Jeffords jumped ship...or didn't you know that? Again, party switches are very common....get with the program.
don't be creative, be realistic.
Get your head out of the sand.
I can answer just fine, thanks, but you DemocRats were already tedious a month ago with this drivel.
And you also can't resort from calling anyone that doesn't agree with you a DemocRat ? Gee, what happened to your "BIG TENT" you promote? If anyone is a DemocRat, it's Arlen and we want him gone.
I don't call anyone who disagrees with me DemocRats... I call people who vote for DemocRats DemocRats.
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