Arlen Spector Switching Parties

ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
edited April 2009 in A Moving Train
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/ ... index.html

I can almost taste that supermajority when Franken gets seated. Coleman will be under a lot of fire now to take that as long as he possibly can.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments

  • jmurrayjmurray Stratham, NH Posts: 3,538
    Sen. Spector must have been extremely worried about losing in the republican primary. This seems very surprising to me.
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    I think you are right. However, the trend in PA is really leaning blue. Obama won there easily, Bob Casey topped Santorum in 2006, and the Gov. is a Democrat.
  • blackredyellowblackredyellow Posts: 5,889
    jmurray wrote:
    Sen. Spector must have been extremely worried about losing in the republican primary. This seems very surprising to me.

    Yeah... a self-preservation move if there ever was one.

    I was a PA resident for the first 30 years of my life, and I was always "ok" with Spector... Whatever his motivations were, he seemed to act on his own a lot of times. But this move re-enforces the rule that the number one job of a politician is getting re-elected.
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • WaveCameCrashinWaveCameCrashin Posts: 2,929
    edited April 2009
    jmurray wrote:
    Sen. Spector must have been extremely worried about losing in the republican primary. This seems very surprising to me.

    Im sure he wont be missed by some , Hell he should of done this years ago pro choice for embryonic stem cell research, not even close to a republican or conservative and yes he would have lost in 2010
    Post edited by WaveCameCrashin on
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    prfctlefts wrote:
    jmurray wrote:
    Sen. Spector must have been extremely worried about losing in the republican primary. This seems very surprising to me.

    Im sure he wont be missed by some , Hell he should of done this years ago and yes he would have lost in 2010

    He probably would have lost? Why? Because the GOP in PA isn't in line with his beliefs. Why not switch?
  • Obama quote" we are thrilled to have you" Well there goes the Neighborhood for republicans. b/c if stewert smalley wins which he will that will give the Dem's the 60 seats they need to pass legislation
  • jlew24asujlew24asu Posts: 10,118
    http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/index.html

    I can almost taste that supermajority when Franken gets seated. Coleman will be under a lot of fire now to take that as long as he possibly can.

    the term supermajority gives me the creeps. I think its a very dangerous course to be on. and I dont care what party has the majority, I just hate the idea of any one party having ALL the say.
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    jlew24asu wrote:
    http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/index.html

    I can almost taste that supermajority when Franken gets seated. Coleman will be under a lot of fire now to take that as long as he possibly can.

    the term supermajority gives me the creeps. I think its a very dangerous course to be on. and I dont care what party has the majority, I just hate the idea of any one party having ALL the say.

    Oh come on Jeff. It's working so well here in Illinois where the Dems control every constitutional office, the Supreme Court, and both chambers of the General Assembly...
  • jlew24asujlew24asu Posts: 10,118
    jlew24asu wrote:
    http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/index.html

    I can almost taste that supermajority when Franken gets seated. Coleman will be under a lot of fire now to take that as long as he possibly can.

    the term supermajority gives me the creeps. I think its a very dangerous course to be on. and I dont care what party has the majority, I just hate the idea of any one party having ALL the say.

    Oh come on Jeff. It's working so well here in Illinois where the Dems control every constitutional office, the Supreme Court, and both chambers of the General Assembly...

    I'm just waiting for the mandatory I Love Obama Tee Shirt Friday laws to be passed. 10 public lashings for non compliance!
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    It's stuck in committee right now, but don't worry---it will get passed.
  • jlew24asu wrote:
    http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/index.html

    I can almost taste that supermajority when Franken gets seated. Coleman will be under a lot of fire now to take that as long as he possibly can.

    the term supermajority gives me the creeps. I think its a very dangerous course to be on. and I dont care what party has the majority, I just hate the idea of any one party having ALL the say.

    +1 not to mention a left wing media that will support the dems no matter what the case may be.
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    prfctlefts wrote:
    jlew24asu wrote:
    http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/index.html

    I can almost taste that supermajority when Franken gets seated. Coleman will be under a lot of fire now to take that as long as he possibly can.

    the term supermajority gives me the creeps. I think its a very dangerous course to be on. and I dont care what party has the majority, I just hate the idea of any one party having ALL the say.

    +1 not to mention a left wing media that will support the dems no matter what the case may be.

    Again with the media? I've been on a lot of campaigns in my day, and the true sign that a ship is sinking is when the "blame the media" card is being played.
  • Im not blaming the media for anything but All the major players except Fox are left or way left of center. Msnbc was and still is Obama Hdqrtrs. Immelt and Zucker Ruined NBC just look at their ratings and Immelt has Ruined GE just look at It's stock how it's now below $ 10 a share. GE which owns NBC
  • HermanBloomHermanBloom Posts: 1,764
    prfctlefts wrote:
    Im not blaming the media for anything but All the major players except Fox are left or way left of center. Msnbc was and still is Obama Hdqrtrs. Immelt and Zucker Ruined NBC just look at their ratings and Immelt has Ruined GE just look at It's stock how it's now below $ 10 a share. GE which owns NBC
    Bingo

    Specter is a true fraud; only switch because there was no way he could make it out of the GOP primary.

    This country is getting scarier by the day; a true totalatarian regime is coming, and don't give me that crap that the Repubs had it for 6 years. They never did anything as scary and sweeping as the Obama take over of our lives.
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  • blackredyellowblackredyellow Posts: 5,889
    This country is getting scarier by the day; a true totalatarian regime is coming, and don't give me that crap that the Repubs had it for 6 years. They never did anything as scary and sweeping as the Obama take over of our lives.

    Dramatic much? The repubs started an unnecessary war, and increased the size and scope of the government exponentially... Obama is giving them a shot on the spending side, but to say that the republicans didn't do things as scary and sweeping is a tad misleading don't ya think?

    I just wonder if in 4-8 years, the "destroying our country" crowd on the right will admit that they were wrong, or be silent like the "destroying our country" crowd on the left was after Bush left office. Being the boy who cried wolf is a pretty popular gig in the political hackery business.
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    prfctlefts wrote:
    Im not blaming the media for anything but All the major players except Fox are left or way left of center. Msnbc was and still is Obama Hdqrtrs. Immelt and Zucker Ruined NBC just look at their ratings and Immelt has Ruined GE just look at It's stock how it's now below $ 10 a share. GE which owns NBC
    Bingo

    Specter is a true fraud; only switch because there was no way he could make it out of the GOP primary.

    This country is getting scarier by the day; a true totalatarian regime is coming, and don't give me that crap that the Repubs had it for 6 years. They never did anything as scary and sweeping as the Obama take over of our lives.

    Why weren't you crying "totalatarian regime" when Bush was wiping his ass with the constitution? What in these 100 days makes you even think that such a drastic change is sweeping since Obama took over.
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    prfctlefts wrote:
    jmurray wrote:
    Sen. Spector must have been extremely worried about losing in the republican primary. This seems very surprising to me.

    Im sure he wont be missed by some , Hell he should of done this years ago pro choice for embryonic stem cell research, not even close to a republican or conservative and yes he would have lost in 2010

    This is why the Republican party is slipping further into irrelevance every day. When it's a bunch of bullshit values judgment calls that defines your party, you're fucked. Kudos to PA for realizing these snake-oil politicians have been exploiting them with paranoia about guns and religion for years so that they can fuck them in the ass economically.
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    prfctlefts wrote:
    Im not blaming the media for anything but All the major players except Fox are left or way left of center. Msnbc was and still is Obama Hdqrtrs. Immelt and Zucker Ruined NBC just look at their ratings and Immelt has Ruined GE just look at It's stock how it's now below $ 10 a share. GE which owns NBC
    Bingo

    Specter is a true fraud; only switch because there was no way he could make it out of the GOP primary.

    This country is getting scarier by the day; a true totalatarian regime is coming, and don't give me that crap that the Repubs had it for 6 years. They never did anything as scary and sweeping as the Obama take over of our lives.

    What take over is that? Cos I was pretty spooked by the "with us (aka hard line Christian fundamentalists) or with terrorists", the Patriot Act, wire-tapping, torture, pre-emptive war, etc... I can't think of anything Obama has done to take over my life.
  • jlew24asujlew24asu Posts: 10,118
    how many other times in history has this supermajority taken place?

    does anyone see the danger in this?

    this is not a left or right issue with me at all.
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    jlew24asu wrote:
    http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/index.html

    I can almost taste that supermajority when Franken gets seated. Coleman will be under a lot of fire now to take that as long as he possibly can.

    the term supermajority gives me the creeps. I think its a very dangerous course to be on. and I dont care what party has the majority, I just hate the idea of any one party having ALL the say.
    I tend to agree. Thats why I like it when we have minority governments in Canada, then one party NEEDS to work with other parties to even pass something.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    edited April 2009
    jlew24asu wrote:
    how many other times in history has this supermajority taken place?

    does anyone see the danger in this?

    this is not a left or right issue with me at all.

    I'm not sure how many times it has happened in the past jlew, but I think the last time it happened was when LBJ was in office.

    uh oh
    Post edited by ledvedderman on
  • blackredyellowblackredyellow Posts: 5,889
    jlew24asu wrote:
    how many other times in history has this supermajority taken place?

    does anyone see the danger in this?

    this is not a left or right issue with me at all.

    I see where you are coming from... The problem for me, is not with it in place currently (because I sort of agree with shifting policy back from where the last administration pushed it), but the fact that there doesn't seem like there is an end in site. You would think that the dems gobbling up all this power will be the perfect fuel for a republican rebound, but they just don't seem to have any idea how the right their ship or which direction to head.
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    The same thing will happen to the Dems that happened to the GOP. They'll get all of this power, and then they will step too far to the left and it will backfire like it did to the GOP in 2006. In Illinois we have every constitutional office and both chambers of the General Assembly held by Democrats. Then it became a big dick measuring contest between the former governor, the former President of the Senate, and by the Speaker of the House. In the end...they were all right. They were each big dicks and the power went to their heads.
  • jlew24asu wrote:
    how many other times in history has this supermajority taken place?

    does anyone see the danger in this?

    this is not a left or right issue with me at all.

    That's why were gonna see massive turn outs in 2010. I wont be voting for any Incumbent Republican or Democrat
  • jlew24asujlew24asu Posts: 10,118
    The same thing will happen to the Dems that happened to the GOP. They'll get all of this power, and then they will step too far to the left and it will backfire like it did to the GOP in 2006. In Illinois we have every constitutional office and both chambers of the General Assembly held by Democrats. Then it became a big dick measuring contest between the former governor, the former President of the Senate, and by the Speaker of the House. In the end...they were all right. They were each big dicks and the power went to their heads.

    I hope you are right. and I think there is a good chance you are. pendulum always swings.


    on a side note...you really like to talk about big dicks :mrgreen:
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    prfctlefts wrote:
    jlew24asu wrote:
    how many other times in history has this supermajority taken place?

    does anyone see the danger in this?

    this is not a left or right issue with me at all.

    That's why were gonna see massive turn outs in 2010. I wont be voting for any Incumbent Republican or Democrat

    I don't think the turnout will be drastically larger than any other mid-term election. It will be the first nationwide vote to give an idea of what people are thinking of the Obama administration. In all possibilities, it's very possible to see further Dem gains in both the House and the Senate. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Senate get above 63 for the Dems.
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    The same thing will happen to the Dems that happened to the GOP. They'll get all of this power, and then they will step too far to the left and it will backfire like it did to the GOP in 2006. In Illinois we have every constitutional office and both chambers of the General Assembly held by Democrats. Then it became a big dick measuring contest between the former governor, the former President of the Senate, and by the Speaker of the House. In the end...they were all right. They were each big dicks and the power went to their heads.

    I don't know if that's true. I don't think the dems are as far left as people think... they swept the republicans because they were kinda centrist and the republicans had been hijacked by the Christian evangelicals. There's not any single bloc within the democratic party that can wield that kind of influence over party policy, and many of their core voters are pretty centrist blue collar workers.
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    jlew24asu wrote:
    The same thing will happen to the Dems that happened to the GOP. They'll get all of this power, and then they will step too far to the left and it will backfire like it did to the GOP in 2006. In Illinois we have every constitutional office and both chambers of the General Assembly held by Democrats. Then it became a big dick measuring contest between the former governor, the former President of the Senate, and by the Speaker of the House. In the end...they were all right. They were each big dicks and the power went to their heads.

    I hope you are right. and I think there is a good chance you are. pendulum always swings.


    on a side note...you really like to talk about big dicks :mrgreen:

    big veiny bastards...
  • ledveddermanledvedderman Posts: 7,761
    The same thing will happen to the Dems that happened to the GOP. They'll get all of this power, and then they will step too far to the left and it will backfire like it did to the GOP in 2006. In Illinois we have every constitutional office and both chambers of the General Assembly held by Democrats. Then it became a big dick measuring contest between the former governor, the former President of the Senate, and by the Speaker of the House. In the end...they were all right. They were each big dicks and the power went to their heads.

    I don't know if that's true. I don't think the dems are as far left as people think... they swept the republicans because they were kinda centrist and the republicans had been hijacked by the Christian evangelicals. There's not any single bloc within the democratic party that can wield that kind of influence over party policy, and many of their core voters are pretty centrist blue collar workers.

    You're right soul, the Dems aren't there yet. However, I could see the GOP going after some of the members that won in both 2006 and 2008 by running as moderate Democrats, and making them seem super liberal by playing the "why would a moderate cast a vote for liberal Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House". Sadly, shit like that works in some of those districts that switched the last couple election cycles.
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    jlew24asu wrote:
    the term supermajority gives me the creeps. I think its a very dangerous course to be on. and I dont care what party has the majority, I just hate the idea of any one party having ALL the say.
    I tend to agree. Thats why I like it when we have minority governments in Canada, then one party NEEDS to work with other parties to even pass something.

    The difference between the US and other governments is most others have multiple parties and the US has only a 2-party system. On the one hand, that does mean there's more inter-party cooperation in other countries. On the other, it means that kind of happens within the party in the US. In Ireland, based on my understanding, you vote with your party, period. You can fight it out within the party to push a certain party decision, but when the vote is cast, you either vote with the party or get kicked out. That doesn't happen here. And even with 60 dems in the Senate I don't see it being very easy to get them to all vote yes all the time. So it is potentially uncomfortable, but I think it's a bit early to be really worried about this too much. When have the dems ever been able to get their shit together and get anything done before? Odds are they'll do enough infighting that you won't even need the republicans to oppose them, and then in 2 years people will be pissed that with 2 years of a supermajority they couldn't get shit done and vote them out.
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