Arlen Specter is defeated

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I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487
edited May 2010 in A Moving Train
Tonight is a great night, the establishment on both sides is going down in flames. The people are taking back this country.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/05/18/ ... 1&iref=BN1
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  • Posts: 1,902
    Too late to take it back... It's broke forever.
  • Posts: 19,289
    SolarWorld wrote:
    Too late to take it back... It's broke forever.
    You need to take that frown and turn in upside down :D
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • Posts: 4,741
    unsung wrote:
    Tonight is a great night, the establishment on both sides is going down in flames. The people are taking back this country.

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/05/18/ ... 1&iref=BN1

    Glad to hear Specter went down...

    I'm curious though, what does "The people are taking back this country" mean...?

    who took what and where...? and how does this mean we are getting it back...?
  • Posts: 5,889
    Glad to hear... I lived in PA for the first 30 years of my life (most of which with Specter as a Senator). Good to see him go.

    I don't know much about Sestak, but his stances seem pretty close to me. Not sure how his pro-gun control stance will play in PA in a general election though. I'm sure the NRA will spend a ton of money against him, but his military career could help him there a bit.

    edit - I knew he was a retired Naval Admiral, but according to wiki, he:

    "graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in American political systems. Between tours at sea, Sestak earned a Master of Public Administration and a Ph.D. in political economy and government from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1980 and 1984, respectively."

    pretty impressive resume there...
    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
  • Posts: 3,353
    inmytree wrote:
    show previous quotes

    Glad to hear Specter went down...

    I'm curious though, what does "The people are taking back this country" mean...?

    who took what and where...? and how does this mean we are getting it back...?



    Personally I think it has been hijacked by career politicians. No one should be able to make a living for their entire adult life by being a senator or representative in the same position. So incumbents who have been there forever being replaced is a big step in "taking the country back." I don't think it is a partisan issue. Not sure if that is what he meant, but it is certainly how I took it.
    that’s right! Can’t we all just get together and focus on our real enemies: monogamous gays and stem cells… - Ned Flanders
    It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
    - Joe Rogan
  • St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 24,005
    power and money corrupts. i don't see how replacing one man who is in the job for the power and money and votes his own way and does not listen to the constituents with another man who MAY listen for a year or two, but by then they will be owned by the powerful interest groups and lobbyists. if people think that is "taking the country back", then more power to them. to me it is pretty much garbage in, garbage out.
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • Posts: 19,289
    There is a chance that if enough new people are brought into office due to the public discord with Washington that it will bring reform to the system. Hopefully term limits will come into the spotlight soon.
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 24,005
    Jason P wrote:
    There is a chance that if enough new people are brought into office due to the public discord with Washington that it will bring reform to the system. Hopefully term limits will come into the spotlight soon.
    until the lobbyists are gone, nothing will ever change. sorry to have such a dim outlook, but it is the truth.

    it says a lot about specter's character that he would switch parties to avoid a challenge in the republican primary, because his ass was going to be handed to him and he knew it. it had nothing to do with his beliefs or political philosophy. he is self serving, and could not be trusted by democrats. he is akin to joe lieberman. i say good riddance to you mr. specter. and by the way, your "magic bulle theory" is about the biggest lie ever passed off on the american people...
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • Posts: 346
    This was good news last night. My dad and his friends worked very hard campaigning for Sestak. Earlier in the race it looked like Specter would win easily, which was infuriating. Sooo glad it turned around :)
  • Posts: 5,889
    gimmesometruth27 wrote:
    show previous quotes
    until the lobbyists are gone, nothing will ever change. sorry to have such a dim outlook, but it is the truth.

    Yes, but if incumbents keep getting voted out, legislators may start thinking more about constituents instead of corporate interests.

    But the list of incumbents getting voted out has to keep getting bigger for it to have any impact. The problem is, the lifers that have been bringing home the bacon to their districts (and themselves) for years and decades, probably aren't going to get voted out. Entrenched house members are harder to get out than senators.
    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
  • Posts: 3,758
    unless he runs as an independent or something like joe lieberman did when he lost the democrat primary to ned lamont
    don't compete; coexist

    what are you but my reflection? who am i to judge or strike you down?

    "I will promise you this, that if we have not gotten our troops out by the time I am president, it is the first thing I will do. I will get our troops home. We will bring an end to this war. You can take that to the bank." - Barack Obama

    when you told me 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em'
    i was thinkin 'death before dishonor'
  • Posts: 12,225
    Good. There needs to be a purge to send Washington a message.
    Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
    Hail, Hail!!!
  • Posts: 93
    Jason P wrote:
    There is a chance that if enough new people are brought into office due to the public discord with Washington that it will bring reform to the system. Hopefully term limits will come into the spotlight soon.
    A whole bunch have to be brand-new for that to happen. It only takes about two terms before politicians seem to forget all about how they supported term limits.

    *Maybe* it's because they see how you can't get anything done without a few years of making connections, but it's more likely due to the intoxicating effect of having a little power.
    "Money is no object," I said, "but I am on a budget."
  • Posts: 12,225
    Jason P wrote:
    There is a chance that if enough new people are brought into office due to the public discord with Washington that it will bring reform to the system. Hopefully term limits will come into the spotlight soon.
    ...
    We already have Term Limits... they are called Ballot Cards.
    Term limits will only strengthen the position of Lobbyists. If there is a high turn-over rate of Representatives (and Presidents) the only continuity in our political system would be the lobbys.
    As bad as Congress is, it would be fatal for us if run by big business.
    ...
    We have the power... we are just too stupid (as a collective) to use it.
    Allen Fieldhouse, home of the 2008 NCAA men's Basketball Champions! Go Jayhawks!
    Hail, Hail!!!
  • Posts: 3,353
    Cosmo wrote:
    show previous quotes
    ...
    We already have Term Limits... they are called Ballot Cards.
    Term limits will only strengthen the position of Lobbyists. If there is a high turn-over rate of Representatives     (and Presidents) the only continuity in our political system would be the lobbys.
    As bad as Congress is, it would be fatal for us if run by big business.
    ...
    We have the power... we are just too stupid (as a collective) to use it.


    I couldn't disagree more. It would damage the lobby system and at the very least make them work a hell of a lot harder to get their way
    that’s right! Can’t we all just get together and focus on our real enemies: monogamous gays and stem cells… - Ned Flanders
    It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
    - Joe Rogan
  • Posts: 984
    gimmesometruth27 wrote:
    until the lobbyists are gone, nothing will ever change. sorry to have such a dim outlook, but it is the truth.

    I agree - it seems, to me at least, that all too often, politicians on both sides of the aisle are more concerned with who is paying for their campaigns than with the people they're supposed to represent when they're elected.
    And I listen for the voice inside my head... nothing. I'll do this one myself.
  • Posts: 19,289
    I believe that term limits would help reduce the overall impact of the lobbyist in Washington. At the very least, new relationships would have to be forged every 4-8 years. The way it is now, if a lobby group gets in deep with a senator, the relationship could last 30+ years. Plus, that senator will be able to cast his influence on the younger representatives and sub-committees. I believe breaking that cycle will have to yield some positive impacts on the current system.

    I would propose:

    President: 2 terms, 4 years ea.

    Senate: 2 terms, 4 - 6 years ea.

    Congress: I would like to see 2 terms, 3 years each but having an odd number of years would probably create a bunch of confusion, so I guess 2 terms, 4 years each it is. The two year cycle's problem is that 60% of their time is spent fund-raising.
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • Grand Junction CO Posts: 1,356
    I could see his defeat coming the minute he changed parties.
    It's nice to be nice to the nice.

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