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
>"But always remember that the Democrats are your true enemy,
>not the Republicans."
No.
Liberals are my true enemy, not conservatives.
Arlen Specter is an enemy, Zell Miller is a friend.
Scottish law, my eye. Good work all of you Pennsylvania Patriots who opposed him in the primary and are working to out him in the election. This falsehood of "party unity" only enables RINO's to attain power while ignoring conservative principles.
How long do you think that situation would last on the other side of the aisle (democrats maintaining a majority while ignoring the ACLU and Planned Parenthood?).
Bravo to you! I, like you, will *never* support a disgusting hack who proudly and consistently promotes evil.
Unlike many sad people who cherish the label of 'republican' over any morality,decency or principle, , I am not 'mesmerized' by corrupt MEN and never will be.
isn't it interesting that George Bush endorsed this abortionist, sodomite loving, stem-cell research, open border frog specter. good thing we have such a 'conservative man of principle' as the commander in chief.
Mesmerized smitten schoolgirls, this is what America has become.
I always tend to attribute this to socialistic, dumbed-down public schools, and also the abandonment of morality in America. That opinion still stands. How any Christian can support a man such as specter who embraces degeneracy and sin is beyond me.
Oh, i know--i'll hear the same defenses I heard from those who were mesmerized by "Arnie". where's the barf bags?
What did Specter do when you refused to shake his hand?
"My spiritual needs are met through my church. My political needs are met through the Republican Party".
I have no idea what religion you are, or if you have one. But since you brought it up, would you be interested in discussing it? i'd be interested to learn what religion embraces and supports things such as homosexuality, abortion, fetal stem cell research, cloning, etc. or maybe those pesky issues are irrelevant,; maybe Godly principles have no place in the way people live their everyday lives.
My religion teaches that we will be held accountable for who and what we support and embrace. religion and moral principles are not things that are 'completely separate and removed' from everyday life.
If you feel 'A-okay' supporting the agendas I mentioned above, ...... yikes! doesn;t that concern you? i guess it's nice that you can have something to 'embrace', though. All Hail the R party! :-D
Also, when a politician promotes an open border, and a huge expansion of govt bloat, how is that justified? One could argue that those issues arent necessarily related to religion; but they sure arent 'conservative'.
When I refused to shake his hand, he was a bit surprised, but only for a moment then he walked away. I have expressed my disdain for him directly to him previously.
That day I was mostly there to see how much the other pols groveled at his feet and they did. Disgusting.
Ogie, I was content to let this thread fade into obscurity, but your post at #800 was so right on point that I just wanted to take note of it.
Please note also that trillium has never responded to me when I questioned her about the name calling that she was engaged in, but accused us of. So while you wait for a response (3 + days already) please don't hold your breath.
Thanks for the kind words Ray.
Like I said, like you I will continue to fight for what I believe in, GOP establishment be damned.
RINOs do not support a republican, let alone conservative, agenda. Their numbers do not add to our strength, they dilute our message and give liberals another way to win and wield power over us. We have to stop them anyway we can. At the ballot box, of course. ;-)
Thanks for your kind words of support.
We've got a battle ahead of us in ridding the party of the RINOs, but it's something that must be done.
Great post and I fullheatedly agree with it.
People's responses to that race are very revealing. There were two very different, very distinct candidates, one on the right, and one on the left. It was a painful reminder to true conservatives regarding the shortcomings of the Republican party and the bad taste the party can leave in the mouths of decent, honest men. It would be so much easier for all if there was one LIBERAL party and one CONSERVATIVE party.
Unfortunately, the Republican party is the best we've got and yes we must relieve the country clubbers and the Rino's from their posts in the party by replacing them with good conservatives.
The topic was apropos and timely and has evidently inspired much thought.
RINO's are an annoyance, but they serve a valid puropose: they occupy politial constituancies that would otherwise be represented by a leftist 'Rat.
at this point Specter's purpose is to be a R warm body.
Now comes crunch time for specter. He WILL piss off voters if he votes against the FMA or makes an idiotic effort to refer to scotish law.
BTW just how many of his interns are democrats?
The 'Rats made a foolish mistake by nominating Joe Hoeffel. A pro-life Democrat could have won a substantial cross-over vote.
Unfortunately, the Republican party is the best we've got and yes we must relieve the country clubbers and the Rino's from their posts in the party by replacing them with good conservatives
Somehow we have to change all that and we have to keep trying.
Clinton also said that if Hoeffel defeated Specter, Democrats would have a strong chance of recapturing the U.S. Senate.
In a telephone interview yesterday, Specter denied that claim.
"The way things are going in the South, the Republicans will be up three or four seats, no matter what happens in Pennsylvania. My election is not going to determine who runs the Senate," he said.
http://www.pennlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/1087636809158821.xml?pennnpol
I agree Arlen. Your election will only determine who runs THE JUDICIAL COMMITTEE !
hey Ray, thought i'd have a look at your thread, Think it might start up again with Hoeffel starting to run ads?
Are you a glutton for punishment. Or is it me that you think is a glutton? LOL
It's probably not a bad idea, though.
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