Comments for Longtime GOP Sen. Arlen Specter becomes Democrat - CNN.com »
Posted By epiphannyy 7 months, 3 weeks ago in NewsWASHINGTON (CNN) -- Veteran Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pennsylvania, switched from the Republican to the Democratic Party on Tuesday, Sen. Harry Reid said.
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epiphannyy7 months, 3 weeks ago
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All I can say is welcome home Mr. Specter. I've always had respect for the man, even as I have disagreed with him, because his positions are thoughtful. He has his reasons for the votes he casts and I respect that. I'm not sure how great of a fit he'll find the democratic party to be for himself, but I can see where he fits better over here than he did over there. A man who doesn't suffer fools well isn't a man to align himself with the likes of Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh.
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As he said.......he isn't leaving the republican party as much as the republican party has already left him.-
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JustTrollKingComment removed: Hard Banned
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sonofreasonComment removed: Hard Banned
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BBcamaro7 months, 3 weeks ago
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What you really mean is, he is doing that Democrat flip flop again. He was a democrat before he switched to the Republican party when it was the way to go and now back to a Democrat, so he can stand a better chance to stay in congress.
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He as been in congress way to long and switching back and forth just to stay in office tells me he doesn't really care about the people he is elected by, and is part of the problem. He should be kicked out of congress and forced to live under the rules and laws he has been apart of making.-
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BBcamaro7 months, 3 weeks ago
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He said himself it was the only way he seen a chance of staying, that tells it is about him and not about a moral, ethical standard or belief. I hope the people in his state see it for what it is and votes him out this time around. Even if he had shifted to republican he should be voted out, plain and simple he is one of our problems in Washington, him and everyone that has been there so long are only there for themselves and that goes for both parties. We need new blood in Washington, on both sides....
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nuiloa7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Mainly it has to do with the fact that the GOP has shrunken to the point where only the most hardcore conservatives are left -- there's no longer any room for moderates.
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In that environment, Specter wouldn't be able to win the GOP primary in 2010. Now he's almost guaranteed re-election.-
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chevydog7 months, 3 weeks ago
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I'm not much into politics. But I'm willing to bet that there is general agreement among the Dems to stand back. He brings a lot of oomph for PA that a freshman Sen would be hard-pushed to have.
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I do wonder some about his age/health. He'll be 80 at the time of the election, and has had problems in the past. While 80 isn't as old as it used to be, there's nothing foolproof at that age. This could all be the prelude to a dignified retirement--though I must admit there may have been more (faux) hosannas had he done so as a Repub.
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Tangent0017 months, 3 weeks ago
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I think much of it has to do with how far the GOP has swung to the right. Perhaps a better analysis would be how far the GOP has re-defined the right to stand for things decidedly un-conservative. They abandoned fiscal conservatism and foreign policy non-interventionism under Bush 43. They are entrenched in the trickle-down economics camp. Welfare for people is inherently bad, yet unaccountable welfare for large corporations is inherently good. There is nothing 'conservative' about their energy policies. Ultimately, they have no ideas to offer except cutting taxes for the wealthy and corporations.
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When they hollered about the re-authorization and expansion of the GIVE Act being tantamount to Obama setting up socialist indoctrination camps, they officially jumped the shark in my book. Since when is national service NOT a conservative value?
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jaspersneed7 months, 3 weeks ago
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They can whine all they want. They did it to themselves. Not that it much matters... give it a while and the democrats will once again do it to THEMselves, because the carte blanche to be the Liars And Thieves Of The Majority (LATOTM) at taxpayer expense is only extended so long... and then the collective hubris thus generated hits critical mass, political tone-deafness takes an upswing, and..... lo and behold, the OTHER gang of Cretins With Sinecures (CWS) bamboozles enough clueless voters into letting them retake the Majority once more.... And it's Deja Vu All Over Again (DVAOA), .... but With A Vengeance (DVAOAWAV)
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And all the while, the Fuse Is Burning (FIB)...........................................
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slate7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Hmmmmmm isn't it interesting that Specter ran as a Republican back in the day when he knew he couldn't win as a Democrat then, now he's switching once again to ensure his power? This is a fine example of the narcissistic nature of politicians as a whole and a good reason that they ALLLLLLLLL need to have term limits on them? Your ***** Becomes our ***** until they become YOUR ***** later down the line.
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ADAGUY7 months, 3 weeks ago
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You may be right. This may be no more than a move to ensure victory. But for the last three months the republickins' on this site have been telling us how this bunch will regain a majority in 2010. This being the case, what makes you think that being a democrat is more likely to be to his advantage?
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Did it ever occur to you that there comes a time when cutting ties is simply the right thing to do?
No, I would say a party line individual like yourself never has that thought! -
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slate7 months, 3 weeks ago
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No, I would say a party line individual like yourself never has that thought!
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It's pretty petty and 'assumptive' of you to think you have a clue how I 'think' on this or any other issue ADA. But let's turn this around, seeing how you are a HARD Democrat Party individual, it seems to me that you are a hypocrite even suggesting such a thing.-
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ADAGUY7 months, 3 weeks ago
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My support for people like Pat Buchanan, and Ronald Reagan (back in 1976 before he got in line with the Watergate cronies) says yer full of $hit.
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I was all for McCain when he ran against Bush in 2000. Then he started kissing the GOP's ASS!
I voted against the last democrat governor here in Missouri, and I will go on record to say that the worst governor this state ever had was Democrat Mel Carnahan.
You are a party line voter. It's obvious by your posts. If you are bothered by this, then ask yourself what makes one party better than the other? Why is Specter suddenly less than appealing now that he has left the GOP? His opinions are the same as they were last week. But last week you weren't complaining about him.
Party politics is what has got us where we are.
You would be wise to learn this. -
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slate7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Ratskii7 months, 3 weeks ago
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slate7 months, 3 weeks ago
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I too was a youth then, but we talked politics in my family, and my dad was a Democrat until LBJ took the party in a direction he thought was the wrong direction, being that they thought rugged individualism was not as good as people taking more of their fates into their own hands, instead of the government doing everything for them.
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JFK knew that cutting tax rates actually is good. Plus the attitude of the party used to be 'Ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do fotr your country, The modern day Dems are for Government fist and country and citizens second.-
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slate7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Which tax cuts? The 400 dollars spread over two years that will then disappear? Is that really tax cuts? Additionally, do you reallu think there isn't a tax increase that will be many times more than this 400 dollars over the horizon?
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slate7 months, 3 weeks ago
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ADA I blocked you a few weeks back, because of your immature name calling, that's more appropriate for the school yard than in an an adult discussion? I have to sign out to even read your posts now. I WILL not discuss issues without till you learn not to be so freaking childish. When you learn to grow up I will beging to debate you, until then, you'll be wasting your time trying to discuss any issue. Grow up.
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Ratskii7 months, 3 weeks ago
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With respect, slate, are you blind to the amount of name-calling that comes from many of your allies? It's a problem overall with propeller. It isn't something that's limited to once side or the other.
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The only ones we can control are ourselves.-
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slate7 months, 3 weeks ago
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If you have ever kept up with my comments, you'd know that I have gotten on to many on the right that does this,,,,, you are right we can control ourselves, that's why I blocked ADA and will not debate him as long as he continues with the name calling.
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ADAGUY7 months, 3 weeks ago
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So you're humming that old tune that says if Obama cuts taxes, it will help the economy???
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My question to you is how long after the tax cut should we expect to see positive change? We waited throughout the Bush administration, and the economy continued to worsen, while the republickins' stood by telling us that recovery was right around the corner.
Now, as a result of this bull$hit you are crowing, we are 10.5 trillion in debt. But wait!!!!! Recovery is right around the corner!!!!
Not one person has ever named a time when cutting taxes led to economic upswing. There are too many other things that affect the economy at the same time besides a tax cut.
Look back through your posts, and see when you were as critical of Bush as you are of Obama. Then tell us that you are not a party line voter.
Look through my posts, and see how many times you can find me bragging on any democrat or republickin'. I simply don't see much reason to brag about any of em'
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epiphannyy7 months, 3 weeks ago
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This is in response to Slate's comment, but really an overall comment to the republicans reading.
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I understand that the right is trying very hard to marginalize this defection as nothing more than a preservation tactic, but I honestly believe you all realize it is more than that. Yes, part of his reasoning is that he'd likely lose running as a republican in the current climate, but that also supports the overall picture of him representing the constituency who elected him. He's never been a hard-line right winger...NEVER. He's always been a moderate and his constituency agreed with him. That's why he kept getting reelected. Now, however, his constituency is switching sides because what is happening to the republican base in eastern Pennsylvania and elsewhere. The bulk of republicans in his district are moderates like him. They are leaving your party in droves as well. So really, for you all to now say he's only switching sides to preserve his senatorial seat are being a bit disingenuous and I really believe you know this. And I think the nastiness coming from the far right only prove that you know this. If he were someone you didn't really want on your side anyway, then you wouldn't be throwing such tantrums over his exit. You realize that he really IS following the lead of his constituency, which is what our elected officials are SUPPOSED to do by the way, and going where his constituency is going.
I'm not surprised at the nastiness coming from the far right, but I think the outrage over this decision is fooling no one. You see your party falling apart and you are showing your uncertainty over it. And when I say "you" I don't mean YOU specifically, just to be clear, but the party as a whole is realizing that the steps taken over the past eight years are proving disastrous. The alliances formed with special interest groups while ignoring the bulk of your party have finally begun to push a great many of them away. Just as LBJ's decision to go so far to the left in his administration cost the democrats a great many voters, so has the decisions and choices made by the Bush administration done to the republicans.
That's how I see it anyway. These attacks on Arlen Specter are more fear-based than anything else. How you all choose to deal with it from this point forward, however, will define and dictate the future of the republican party. Are you going to act like children, calling names and telling others to take their toys and leave with him (as Rush Limbaugh has done suggesting John and Megan McCain do) or will you use this as a wake-up call that changes need to be made if your party is to survive into the next decade? The choice is entirely yours. -
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rally-monkeyComment removed: Abusive9 Replies
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JackofallChems7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Gee, looks like the RINO is finally ready to retire and wants to have the 'democrat' label so that his adoring fans will finally know for sure which side he's on. It's a shame that ol' single bullet Specter couldn't have been run out of town instead of just strolling away on his own schedule, but I'm sure that we're all familiar with how incorruptable the voting system in Philly is, so it's understandable that the incumbent always won. I've always wondered, though, whether it was actual voter fraud or if it was just that the fine folks in Philly actually considered corruption to be that big of a selling point.
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(of course, when a sitting mayor finds an FBI bug in his office as part of a sting operation for city gov't corruption, it wins the election in spite of his record rather than being a detriment - so maybe Arlen didn't need to have those voting districts handing over more than 100% of the possible votes as per the Census population figures, but I guess it never hurts to be on the safe side when the votes are being counted...)-
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JackofallChems7 months, 2 weeks ago
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You're reality challenged, cushi. I happen to be someone born and raised next to Philly who's voted against Specter more than once, simply because he represented the worst in politics and emulated the urban sesspool in Philly to a T. If a politician wants to sell stupidity and sleaze with a dash of overt porn (and an economic policy that is guaranteed to starve one and all out of existence), I'm all for them running for office as a Democrat. If a politician wants to sell stupidity and sleaze with a dash of overt religious hypocrisy (and an economic policy that is almost - but not quite - guaranteed to starve all but a handfull of lame imitators of 18th century French aristocracy), I'm all for them running for office as a Republican. What really irritates me is when the packaging is reversed because a politician is twice as sleazy as the normal D.C. politician - like with ol' single bullet Specter. But enough of that, since you're a day late for even commenting on my post in the first place. Next time try to have a turnaround time that's either fast enough for someone else to notice, or slow enough that I can get around to it (I'm on dinner duty these days, so free time is in short supply - it really cramps my ability to enlighten you dumb bunnies!)
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Tcaros7 months, 3 weeks ago
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Senator Specter is from my state. I went to his office in Washington DC to speak against Bush's illegal domestic wiretapping. His staff listened well to our group of twenty people. He is a former prosecutor and respects the judicial system.
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He is a man of conviction and principle and will always try to be on the correct side of an issue. He should be commended by his colleagues. All the lies and treachery of the Bush administration would be hard for someone of principle to stand behind. He, like others in his party, have a problem with breaking the laws and hurting America. He chose the right party for now. One that holds views of the Constitituition and individuals that respect our American principles.
He has my vote and support.-
JustTrollKingComment removed: Hard Banned1 Reply
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scott42617 months, 3 weeks ago
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Personally, I'd rather Arlen Specter had become an independent to caucus with the Democrats. Labels aside, that's what he's gonna be. He was one of only three liberal Republicans in the Senate (the other two are Olympia Snow and Susan Collins, both of Maine). Other than them, there are no Republicans left in the northeast....at all!
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And I do admire Specter for standing up to the nutballs in his own party on the issue of abortion and the nomination of Robert Bork.
Still, I'll never forgive him for his questioning of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings and saying that she was guilty of perjury (and for the record, I believed her then and I still believe her now....).-
rally-monkeyComment removed: Abusive3 Replies
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illdrinktothat697 months, 3 weeks ago
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I think people are so blinded with partisanship right now and what some see as a wished for embarrassment to the GOP to see the cynicism in Specter's move. Just a few weeks ago, Specter was quoted as saying he would not leave the Republican party. Now Specter is switching back (after switching from the Democrats in the past) because of polls indicating that he is almost assured of losing the GOP primary.
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His reasoning about feeling out of touch with the GOP is betrayed by his further reasoning that he would not subject himself to losing a GOP primary after 29 years of "my service". My as in it is all about me, right Arlen? This man is a poster child for term limits.
If people are content because they see that it is desirable that we get closer to becoming a one party system, then they should reflect on the harm of that kind of development for our country. -
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rawleighf7 months, 3 weeks ago
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The appointment of Clarence Thomas was one of the best things that happened in this federal Democratic Republic.! I'm interested, without prejudice, but what is Specters background, the Social statistics? He certainly is a character!
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