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Letter from Arlen Specter
my email | 2 20 09 | malkee

Posted on 02/20/2009 12:45:53 PM PST by malkee

Dear Friends,

As you know, today the President signed into law the "Americans Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009."

The vote on the stimulus package was a very tough vote because of the very large deficit we have and the very large national debt faced by future generations. But the economy is in a desperate situation. Just in the month of January we lost 600,000 jobs, added to the loss of 2.8 million last year. There are millions of people who are having their homes foreclosed. The economists tell us that if we do not act that the current severe recession could well develop into a full-fledged depression like 1929.

The agreement we reached was the best one we could under the circumstances. We were able to cut out $100 billion from the package and include 35% in tax relief in the overall bill. My preference would have been John McCain’s proposal, which I voted for, to have the stimulus package of $421 billion in tax cuts alone. I voted for the Reagan tax cuts back in 1981 and that would be the best course, but in a legislative body you don’t have exactly your own choice.

I was impressed with the position of the United States Chamber of Commerce which was for the bill very solidly. The Chamber of Commerce, obviously, is a very conservative, Republican organization which has its hands on the economy and what’s happening to many, many businesses and they were for it. All factors considered, I thought that action had to be taken.

I voted for it with reservations, as I have commented. One was I didn’t like the speed of the operation. When President Obama came to talk to the Republican Caucus and my turn came for a question I said, ‘Why the haste? Why do you have to move ahead on February 13?’ I reminded him of the bailout package of $700 billion where mistakes were made because the legislature didn’t go through what we call ‘regular order.’ The President responded that there was an emergency and that we had to act. Another factor which concerned me was that there is a good bit in this bill which should be in the regular appropriations process - important healthcare and education projects, but they ought to be in the regular budget where we establish overall spending and then make a determination of priorities.

My vote was cast recognizing the very substantial political peril that I face. I know that there are many on the Republican political spectrum who do not like the vote. I remember, obviously, the tough primary fight I had in the year 2004. But I felt in the final analysis, given the very severe consequences which might befall the country, that my duty was to look out for the public interest and not my own personal political interest.


TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: arlenspecter; arlensphincter; pork; porkuli; porkulus; rino; specter; sphincter; stimulus
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To: malkee
Note to Specter"

Go pi$$ up a rope !

41 posted on 02/20/2009 1:58:10 PM PST by VideoDoctor
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To: Bigun

If you had such reservations, then how could you vote for it? Good riddance to you sir, and take the other two traitorous senators with you.


42 posted on 02/20/2009 1:59:53 PM PST by VA_Gentleman (I will not vote for the GOP until they show some spine.)
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To: malkee

Dear Arlen,
Guaranteed, when the next election comes you will be toast. You are nothing more than a traitor and your legacy will be that of a Benedict Arnold, for selling out your country.


43 posted on 02/20/2009 2:00:04 PM PST by kenmcg (cOMMBYAH)
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To: Da Coyote

People in PA have rarely produced major national leaders since Ben Franklin.


44 posted on 02/20/2009 2:03:13 PM PST by Theodore R. (GWB is gone: Now the American sheeple can sleep at night!)
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To: 09Patriot

Yes, but he is clearly the PA choice, because the voters there recognize him and don’t know his potential opponents. Name ID means everything in PA.


45 posted on 02/20/2009 2:04:38 PM PST by Theodore R. (GWB is gone: Now the American sheeple can sleep at night!)
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To: malkee
Specter, Your a dirt bag extraordinaire.... ALL of the House Republicans voted no and you and 2 others not worth mentioning were the only 3 people in the senate that voted yes. to socialism. YOU RINO. NOW! your trying to justify your actions by saying that the rest of your party is wrong and you and the "other" 2 are right!! You commie Rat Basturd! The entire GOP is watching you and your traitorous activities. Image and video hosting by TinyPic THIS IS HOW WE FEEL ABOUT Y O U !!
46 posted on 02/20/2009 2:09:42 PM PST by MtnMan101
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To: malkee

The Chamber of Commerce are (Socialism )


47 posted on 02/20/2009 2:16:54 PM PST by shielagolden
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To: malkee
Hey Specter Photobucket
48 posted on 02/20/2009 2:17:16 PM PST by mojitojoe (None are more hopelessly enslaved, as those who falsely believe they are free.)
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To: malkee
"Mistakes were made."
49 posted on 02/20/2009 2:17:19 PM PST by XR7
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To: malkee
Dear Friends,

As you know, today the President signed into law the "Americans Recovery and Reinvestment Congressional Reparations And Pork Act of 2009."


Dear Puckered Sphincter,

Take your 3 trillion dollar CRAP sandwich and go F--- YOURSELF!!!
50 posted on 02/20/2009 2:19:39 PM PST by Electric Graffiti (In Guns We Trust)
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To: malkee
I've got two letters for Arlen Sphincter

F U


51 posted on 02/20/2009 2:24:00 PM PST by Sig Sauer P220 (There ought to be one day -- just one -- when there is open season on Senators --- Will Rogers)
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To: malkee

Republicans have truly earned the mantle of the Stupid Party.


52 posted on 02/20/2009 2:35:21 PM PST by TheThinker (Shame and guilt mongering is the Left's favorite tool of control.)
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To: kjo
This skunk has lied about the assassination for forty years.

I think so too. My gut says he's incredibly corrupt.

53 posted on 02/20/2009 2:37:14 PM PST by TheThinker (Shame and guilt mongering is the Left's favorite tool of control.)
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To: CitizenM
Wonder what Pork that was that the Dems included in the first go-round

Just seen on Fox, A federal judge has ordered the release of stem. pk. pay outs to Fox Business News under the freedom of info. act. I had not heared Fox had filed for this motion ??

54 posted on 02/20/2009 2:39:08 PM PST by buck61
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To: malkee

Write him back and tell him his vote is responsible for the billions of dollars lost in the stock market the last few days.


55 posted on 02/20/2009 2:47:48 PM PST by DouglasKC
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To: malkee
$%(*@#$%Y@#%@$&*()!@&%(*-_#_$+(@#!!$!@(+#$@!_%*$@)^&$#^#*$&&*(!&$()!@$#@#Y%*)@%*(#@&*$@#^(*

That's about all I have to say to the RINO Specter.

56 posted on 02/20/2009 3:03:25 PM PST by rabscuttle385 ("If this be treason, then make the most of it!" —Patrick Henry)
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To: malkee

Couldn’t the “Americans Recovery and Reinvestment Act” provide ten or twenty billion for apostrophes?


57 posted on 02/20/2009 3:19:04 PM PST by Arthur McGowan
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To: XR7

HAVE we forgot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDulUKcmYvI&feature=related


58 posted on 02/20/2009 3:21:00 PM PST by shielagolden
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To: Voter#537

einhorn? He was a sick hippy murderer who stuffed his girlfriend in a trunk in his house and took off. I think he lived in France for years before being brought back to America. What a creep.


59 posted on 02/20/2009 3:30:11 PM PST by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: Steamburg

Obama is a puppet for the folks who are really pulling the strings, Soros included in that category, IMHO.


60 posted on 02/20/2009 3:31:06 PM PST by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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