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
Are you going to lower yourself again to the Dane debating school tactics ? Can't you just debate like adults ?
Yes, I've quoted Hoeffel's ACU rating many times because it is FACT. Now please respond by posting proof that Specter
1, will guaranteed be made head of the committee despite the GOP having ways of preventing this and
2, if he is head that he will personally want to block all pro-life judges and
3, if he wants to block all pro-life judges that nobody will be able to stop him from doing so.
Specter had a nice long run in the Senate for 24 years functioning like a democrat and he has been tolerated and rewarded for his betrayals and bad behavior. At 74 it's time for Specter to retire. Instead he runs for another 6 year term at the end of which he will be 80.
Why? He can't wait to get his filthy, dirty hands on that chairmanship, to push liberal judicial appointees and block conservatives, thereby establishing a leftist Specter legacy for generations to come. Thus, our anger is more appropriately directed at him, the evil snake that he is.
Actually, Badray's idea is a chance for WE THE PEOPLE to stop Specter and establish a conservative legacy for generations to come. It is an OPPORTUNITY about which I am most enthusiastic.
I was the first one to call Hoeffel a socialist scumbag.
I'm not claiming that he is any damn good for anything other than to stop a 24 year incumbent liberal from chairing the SJC.
Please, try to focus.
I'll give you another 10 minutes to ask the moderator to remove your remark at #456 then I will hit the abuse button on you. You can make all of the false assertions that you want, but I will not tolerate your gutter mouth.
In short, no they cannot.
When someone states Leonard Boswell has a more conservative voting record than Thomas Latham ... I'm NOT debating with an adult.
That's getting better. But that is an old line we used when we were kids. Maybe I should counter "sticks and stones will break my bones.....
Nope... the question is can't you Hoeffel supporters debate without lying? Barlowmaker caught you guys telling a whopper.
That's getting better. But that is an old line we used when we were kids. Maybe I should counter "sticks and stones will break my bones.....
You got me. I was silent. But mainly because I don't know what you are referring to and I'm not sure that I have ever heard the song. But I was silent and you are a foul mouthed ignoramus.
Please, try to focus
I am focusing. You wish to put a Hillary flyboy(Hoeffel) as an incumbant.
Sorry that you get mad when faced with the truth.
I'll give you another 10 minutes to ask the moderator to remove your remark at #456 then I will hit the abuse button on you. You can make all of the false assertions that you want, but I will not tolerate your gutter mouth.
Push it as many times you want, that still won't change the fact that you are promoting Hillary flyboy Hoeffel.
All I will answer is that you need to re-read this whole thread and research the comments.
Wow... yes, I'm just giddy at the thought of socialist Hoeffel in the Senate for 6 years. And that is putting full faith in Badray's arrogant assumption that we'll easily be able to remove Hoeffel whenever we wish.
I don't like Specter but I despise leftists like Hoeffel... it's insane to install him in the Senate deliberately as a future incumbent in a state liberal enough to have voted in a Democrat Gov. Rendell.
Come on, Tamsey. You know that they are not Hoeffel supporters but rather SPECTER OPPOSERS. To phrase it the way you just did is a GROSS MISCHARACTERIZATION and you know it.
You got your wish, potty mouth.
Yes you are. You just can't seem to counter like an adult.
All I have to say is, don't get carpal tunnel syndrome with the infinite times you push the abuse button because someone disagrees with you of promoting Hillary flying monkey joe hoeffel.
Do you want Specter to ruin conservative judicial appointments and replace them with his Liberal appointments?
It's not your disagreement, Dane. It is your tactics.
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