Specter to Switch Parties; Democrats Get Filibuster-Proof Majority
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/specter-to-switch-parties.html?hpid=topnews
The PA Conservatives were targeting him, so to survive, Specter will switch parties. This means that the Democrats can now pass anything they like, with no check, for the next two years.
This has happened before. Every time the very conservative wing of the party helps defeat or drive out a RINO, they don't strengthen the GOP, they strengthen the Democrats.
It happened when the GOP right ganged up on liberal Senator Ed Brooke in Massachusetts. The result was Paul Tsongas, followed by John Kerry. This was an improvement over Brooke?
The Republicans lost control of the senate when the conservatives drove out Jim Jeffords of Vermont.
We will eventually make the party so pure that we win no elections. For those Republicans saying "good riddance," it's going to be an interesting two years.
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Well, I was wondering when this would happen. For years, I've thought that he might as well be a Democrat; he always seems to lean that way.
ReplyDelete"Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth."
ReplyDeleteI agree. If the Republicans can firmly and articulately position themselves as the party of fiscal responsibility, accountability, and national security, they will win elections. A more moderate view on social issues will enable those who would otherwise shun the party to embrace that core messsage. But I'm not holding my breath.
ReplyDeleteI joined the Republican party in 1977 after being a Democrat all of my life. I did it because the far left of the party had become the "tail that was wagging the dog." In the past few years, the same thing has happened to the Republican party, but this time it is the far right. The republican party is now being driven by the far right , "no way but my way" group that believe that idology is more important than anything else. The GOP is eventually make itself so idologically pure that it can not get elected. The Jessie Helms wing is alive and well, complete with his foul spirit and unwillingness to compromise for the greater good. I witnessed this first hand as I am from North Carolina.
ReplyDeleteSenator Spector did, at least from what I can tell, vot his convictions over the years. I may not agree with all of them, but at least he would stand up and do what he thought was right.
With the hatered that has been shown to Senator Spector for what I believe is following his beliefs, the Republican party has lost another vote ... mine.
Robert, I do not agree with your assessment. I think the Republican Party needs to hold onto its principles. We cannot waiver and dicker, we must be steadfast and strong and like Mad Mom said articulate our positions of fiscal responsibility, National security and accountability. It is when we try to be Democrat lite that we get into trouble and lose elections. Sempre Fi from the father of a Marine.
ReplyDeleteI disagree. Specter has never voted solidly Republican, and now he seems to not be solidly Democrat (at least yet). I think that most things that will now pass along party lines would've passed anyway, with the help of RINOs like Snowe, Collins and Specter.
ReplyDelete