Sen. Specter to switch to Democratic Party.

[JoeChalupa]

CNN is reporting PA Sen. Arlen Specter will switch from the Republican to the Democratic Party.

He knows.

[MannyIsGod]

He knows? Yeah he knows he faced a primary challenge and will probably do better as a Dem. Its obviously a pretty big story, but in reality its not a HUGE change.

[Kermit]

With this news and Stuart Smalley, does this give them the 60 seats needed to break filibuster?

[hope4dopes]

Thank God it's about time, now if we can only get the illegals to deport themselves back to where they belong as well,we may have a chance.

[FaithInOne]

Switch?

Oh...you mean he made the label official?

[Wild Cobra]

Switch?

Oh...you mean he made the label official?

No kidding. All RINO's need to go back to their home party, and let the republicans rebuild clean.

[JoeChalupa]

I always liked Arlen. :tu

[Wild Cobra]

I always liked Arlen. :tu
And you are a liberal... Right?

[George Gervin's Afro]

Good move conservatives. Shrink your party even more.. Keep up the good work! You can officially become the party of the South!

[Wild Cobra]

Good move conservatives. Shrink your party even more.. Keep up the good work! You can officially become the party of the South!
How can it be a party of conservatives when it's tainted with liberals?

Better small end lean instead of polluted.

[ploto]

Veteran Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pennsylvania, switched from the Republican to the Democratic Party on Tuesday, Sen. Harry Reid said.

The Specter party switch would give Democrats a filibuster-proof Senate majority of 60 seats if Al Franken holds his current lead in the disputed Minnesota Senate race.

Specter, a five-term Senate veteran, was expected to face a very tough primary challenge in 2010 from former Rep. Pat Toomey, who nearly defeated Specter in the Pennsylvania GOP Senate primary in 2004.

A Quinnipiac University survey of registered Pennsylvania voters released last month showed Specter trailing the more conservative Toomey in a hypothetical primary matchup, 41 to 27 percent.

A separate Franklin & Marshall survey showed Specter leading Toomey 33 to 18 percent. Another 42 percent, however, were undecided.

More than half of the Republicans polled in the Franklin & Marshall survey said they would prefer to see someone new in the Senate.

Numerous Republicans are angry with Specter over his recent vote in support of President Obama's $787 billion stimulus plan.

Specter, one of only three GOP senators to vote for the measure, has been part of a dwindling group of GOP moderates from the northeastern part of the country.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/index.html

[RandomGuy]

No kidding. All RINO's need to go back to their home party, and let the republicans rebuild clean.

Translation:

"I think marginalizing the Republican party and shunning moderates is a great election strategy".

As a Democrat, I say:

"Please, run for RNC chairman."

:lmao

[JoeChalupa]

And you are a liberal... Right?

If that is what you want to call me. I consider myself a progressive with conservative tendencies.

[balli]

How can it be a party of conservatives when it's tainted with liberals?

Better small end lean instead of polluted.

What a rigidly stupid ideologue you are. Anybody even slightly left of Rush is a kool-aid drinking liberal to you. Fortunately for us, your party's so called leaders are just as dumb when it comes to writing off anybody and everybody who even dares break with the most fervent of batshit insane, right wing positions.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Good move conservatives. Shrink your party even more.. Keep up the good work! You can officially become the party of the South!

Specter has been voting with the Dems for a while now, the only thing that changed today was the letter after his name.

[DarrinS]

This would be like Lieberman joining the Republican party. I don't think this shocks anyone.

[Crookshanks]

This just shows that NONE of these career politicians are the least bit concerned about their constituents or their party - they're only concerned about their own POWER. They will do anything - including selling out the people who elected them, to retain that power.

WE NEED TERM LIMITS! I hope all these schmucks get tossed into the unemployment line! As far as Specter is concerned - GOOD RIDDENCE TO BAD RUBBISH!! And you can take Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe with you!

[angrydude]

lol. The Left calls Republicans hypocrites because they didn't get upset at Bush's big spending and idiotic deficit financing.

Then when some Republicans are happy that one of the biggest Rhino's decides to leave the Left calls Republicans stupid for not having a big enough tent to accommodate big spenders.

[clambake]

This just shows that NONE of these career politicians are the least bit concerned about their constituents or their party - they're only concerned about their own POWER. They will do anything - including selling out the people who elected them, to retain that power.

WE NEED TERM LIMITS! I hope all these schmucks get tossed into the unemployment line! As far as Specter is concerned - GOOD RIDDENCE TO BAD RUBBISH!! And you can take Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe with you!

what about "Big Pork Barton"?

[Marcus Bryant]

So the whore moves from one bed to the other. Meanwhile the big media conglomerates have a lead story for the next 24 hour news cycle.

Specter initially became a Republican out of political expedience. He was facing a likely defeat in the GOP primary in Pennsylvania so this move is not that surprising. I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen with one or both of the senators from Maine at some point.

[Crookshanks]

So the whore moves from one bed to the other. Meanwhile the big media conglomerates have a lead story for the next 24 hour news cycle.

Specter initially became a Republican out of political expedience. He was facing a likely defeat in the GOP primary in Pennsylvania so this move is not that surprising. I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen with one or both of the senators from Maine at some point.
You hit the nail on the head! I don't think a person should be able to switch parties like this - because the only reason they do it is to avoid a defeat during re-election. I especially think it's wrong when it changes the balance in the Senate, such as when Jim Jeffords switched - which gave the Democrats the majority. They're all scum-sucking bottom feeders!

The President can only serve 2 terms - why in the world should we let members of Congress serve FOREVER?! :nope I think there should be a limit of 12 years for both Senators and Representatives.

[Marcus Bryant]

So he moved from one wing of the DC party to the other. BFD.

[1369]

Caught part of his news conference on the radio on the way back from lunch. Got a kick out of his claim that he wasn't going to let the GOP primary voters end his 29 year political career.

His quote: "I won't be judged by that jury."*

*Or something real similar to that

[hope4dopes]

Caught part of his news conference on the radio on the way back from lunch. Got a kick out of his claim that he wasn't going to let the GOP primary voters end his 29 year political career.

His quote: "I won't be judged by that jury."*

*Or something real similar to that

I've slurp!!!! slurp!!!!!eaten at this trough for 29 years slurp!!!!!slurp!!!!!! I aint about to go on no diet now!!!

[Crookshanks]

Caught part of his news conference on the radio on the way back from lunch. Got a kick out of his claim that he wasn't going to let the GOP primary voters end his 29 year political career.

His quote: "I won't be judged by that jury."*

*Or something real similar to that
Excuse me - those GOP voters are the ONLY reason he's had his 29-year political career. And now they're telling him it's time to retire! But god forbid those stupid rednecks who cling to their guns and religion tell him he has to go. What an arrogant SOB!

[George Gervin's Afro]

I've slurp!!!! slurp!!!!!eaten at this trough for 29 years slurp!!!!!slurp!!!!!! I aint about to go on no diet now!!!

Or he's tired of being in the trough..

[Crookshanks]

Or he's tired of being in the trough..

riiiight...but now he's gone from being in the trough to being right in the middle of the slop in the pig pen! :lmao

[ChumpDumper]

The President can only serve 2 terms - why in the world should we let members of Congress serve FOREVER?! :nope I think there should be a limit of 12 years for both Senators and Representatives.So you voted against Barton last election, right?

[101A]

Whew, that's a relief.

Now the Dems have complete control of the state I live in now.

Hopefully Texas can pay attention to how they do it here, and in NY, Cali and Michigan - get rid of ALL the conservatives, and be JUST as successful!

[Crookshanks]

So you voted against Barton last election, right?
Actually, I just moved here and haven't voted except for the Presidential election.

[ChumpDumper]

Actually, I just moved here and haven't voted except for the Presidential election.So you're part of the problem of which you complain. Vote against Barton next election -- then you can talk.

[Galileo]

The man who invented the Magic Bullet theory is now a democrat?

[jack sommerset]

This is not news. This guy is a loser. He craves attention. I could careless what party he is in. The whole New England Patriots cheating made this guy a LOSER!!!

I doubt he will be re-elected what ever party he is in. Plus screwing over the country voting for the trillion dollar package makes him a fucking loser.

[1369]

The man who invented the Magic Bullet theory is now a democrat?

Yea, he's back and to the left.

[ChumpDumper]

The man who invented the Magic Bullet theory is now a democrat?Nothing magic about it if you choose not to lie about the positions of the victims in the car.

[Marcus Bryant]

Well, one party is in complete, unfettered control of the Executive and Legislative Branches. Yippee.

[ChumpDumper]

Eh, it won't last.

[Marcus Bryant]

One would hope. The illusion of divided government we must have.

[Galileo]

Yea, he's back and to the left.

:lmao

:lmao

:lmao

[RandomGuy]

This is not news. This guy is a loser. He craves attention. I could careless what party he is in. The whole New England Patriots cheating made this guy a LOSER!!!

I doubt he will be re-elected what ever party he is in. Plus screwing over the country voting for the trillion dollar package makes him a fucking loser.

Translation:

:baby

[RandomGuy]

Well, one party is in complete, unfettered control of the Executive and Legislative Branches. Yippee.

All your congresses are belong to us.

[RandomGuy]

Well, one party is in complete, unfettered control of the Executive and Legislative Branches. Yippee.

Seriously, what happens if everything works out OK during this time, and none of the doom and gloom scenarios cooked up by the right wing kooks comes to pass?

If things do start to really suck, then the Dems will rightly get the blame.

If not, then what happens to the "conservative" movement in this country?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Seriously, what happens if everything works out OK during this time, and none of the doom and gloom scenarios cooked up by the right wing kooks comes to pass?

If things do start to really suck, then the Dems will rightly get the blame.

If not, then what happens to the "conservative" movement in this country?


So, you and other libs on this board bitched about Bush running up record deficiits during his time in charge, but now that Obama is running up deficits greater than all the prior presidents combined you don't think qualifies for doom and gloom?

Hypocritical much?

[jack sommerset]

So, you and other libs on this board bitched about Bush running up record deficiits during his time in charge, but now that Obama is running up deficits greater than all the prior presidents combined you don't think qualifies for doom and gloom?

Hypocritical much?


He won't get that. He will respond with a baby sucking his thumb.

[Marcus Bryant]

Seriously, what happens if everything works out OK during this time, and none of the doom and gloom scenarios cooked up by the right wing kooks comes to pass?

If things do start to really suck, then the Dems will rightly get the blame.

If not, then what happens to the "conservative" movement in this country?

We are discussing the federal government, no?

[RobinsontoDuncan]

So, you and other libs on this board bitched about Bush running up record deficiits during his time in charge, but now that Obama is running up deficits greater than all the prior presidents combined you don't think qualifies for doom and gloom?

Hypocritical much?

The difference is, it doesn't make sense to run up huge deficits in economic boom times. It's not like there are any democrats jumping and cheering about the deficit, but when you're in the middle of a depression the public sector needs to be robust in order to recover.

But you wont get that, you'll just respond with a pre-cut ideological talking point

[Nbadan]

We are discussing the federal government, no?

NO doubt....the GOP will go after Obama Clinton-whitewater style....its just a matter of time for them to come up with the right ruse...trouble is, like Clinton and Reagan before him, Obama is becoming a Teflon President....

[Nbadan]

The difference is, it doesn't make sense to run up huge deficits in economic boom times. It's not like there are any democrats jumping and cheering about the deficit, but when you're in the middle of a depression the public sector needs to be robust in order to recover.

But you wont get that, you'll just respond with a pre-cut ideological talking point

MacroEconomics 101 .....schooled. :lmao

[Marcus Bryant]

The difference is, it doesn't make sense to run up huge deficits in economic boom times. It's not like there are any democrats jumping and cheering about the deficit, but when you're in the middle of a depression the public sector needs to be robust in order to recover.

But you wont get that, you'll just respond with a pre-cut ideological talking point

How about you don't run deficits at any time and we don't spend $10K for every man, woman, and child in this country while pretending that's not enough to address every possible social ill and take care of that which the government is supposed to take care of?

A $3 trillion budget. $40K of federal government expenditure per family of four and that's not enough?

[Nbadan]

It's actually OK to run spending deficits in a recession, that's exactly what you should do...wasn't last year's budget 2.5 million with no recession? Where were you?

[Winehole23]

A $3 trillion budget. $40K of federal government expenditure per family of four and that's not enough?To heal our massively insolvent banks? For Stimulus 3.0 to allay the serious social pain coming down the pike?

I doubt it.

[Marcus Bryant]

To heal our massively insolvent banks? For Stimulus 3.0 to allay the serious social pain coming down the pike?

I doubt it.

Yes, we're going to pay the piper. But even if the budget was back around the $2.3 tril or so it was before this latest bust, that's $7,667 per person or $30K for a family of four per year.

[Jacob1983]

There's nothing wrong with switching political parties in order to get re-elected. Specter is just trying to hold onto the power he has as a senator.

[Wild Cobra]

It's actually OK to run spending deficits in a recession, that's exactly what you should do...wasn't last year's budget 2.5 million with no recession? Where were you?
You conveniently ignored it is also OK to run a deficit during war time. So tell me, why did president Clinton run deficits after the cold war was won?

[ChumpDumper]

You conveniently ignored it is also OK to run a deficit during war time. So tell me, why did president Clinton run deficits after the cold war was won?So tall me, why are you complaining about deficit spending now?

[RobinsontoDuncan]

You conveniently ignored it is also OK to run a deficit during war time. So tell me, why did president Clinton run deficits after the cold war was won?

Are you truly that uninformed? Clinton's greatest impact was balancing the budget and running a massive surplus toward the end of his term.

[ElNono]

Are you truly that uninformed? Clinton's greatest impact was balancing the budget and running a massive surplus toward the end of his term.

WC doesn't let facts get in the way of his bitching and moaning...

[Extra Stout]

It's actually OK to run spending deficits in a recession, that's exactly what you should do...wasn't last year's budget 2.5 million with no recession? Where were you?

Obama's budget, even making the rosiest possible economic assumptions, projects huge deficits ten years down the road.

One possibility is that he plans huge tax increases if and when the economy turns around in order to make up the difference. It may do well to convince oneself that these will just be on "the rich," but given the breadth of the shortfall, this is just wishful thinking. While the typical Republican application of the Laffer curve is, er, laughable (revenues are maximum at zero tax rates!), the basic concept is sound, and Obama probably doesn't have enough room to raise the necessary revenue before he's chasing vanishing marginal income.

Another possibility is that he's looked at the numbers, realizes there is no hope, the country is doomed, and has decided we just should all just go on a bender and get what we can before our creditors wise up.

I think the latter is probably correct. Really. It's all moot. Whatever hope of fixing our fiscal situation we had was extinguished in the previous administration and all Obama is doing is administering palliative care.

[JoeChalupa]

It is all in the democrats court now.

[Winehole23]

I think the latter is probably correct. Really. It's all moot. Whatever hope of fixing our fiscal situation we had was extinguished in the previous administration and all Obama is doing is administering palliative care.For awhile I've thought this was deliberate. GWB meant to drive New Deal and Great Society over the cliff.

What I wonder is whether he knew he'd be taking the rest of us over the cliff too.

http://www.itsallabouteeyore.awoodman.net/images/eeyore6.jpg

[Extra Stout]

For awhile I've thought this was deliberate. GWB meant to drive New Deal and Great Society over the cliff.

What I wonder is whether he knew he'd be taking the rest of us over the cliff too.

http://www.itsallabouteeyore.awoodman.net/images/eeyore6.jpg
Should I feel bad about wanting to see Grover Norquist impaled?

[Winehole23]

Wanting it done seems reasonable and proportionate to me; wanting to see it, a bit macabre. But there's no accounting for taste.

[Wild Cobra]

So tall me, why are you complaining about deficit spending now?
Because the bailouts are not the answer and the package they made has new social spending programs that will not stop.

Did you not know that?

[Wild Cobra]

Are you truly that uninformed? Clinton's greatest impact was balancing the budget and running a massive surplus toward the end of his term.
He didn't balance the budget, the economy made things good for his administration. The Y2K scare and technological developments in CMP made some big differences like.

Funny how things dropped after the the Y2K scare was over.

[Wild Cobra]

WC doesn't let facts get in the way of his bitching and moaning...
He was lucky, and had a republican congress.

That is fact!

This democrat congress and democrat president may spend us into oblivion.

[Yonivore]

We've been here before folks.

Jimmy Carter had a 61 seat Senate and look what he did with it. Brought on the Reagan Revolution. Obama is a black Jimmy Carter...

Exciting times.

[ChumpDumper]

Because the bailouts are not the answer and the package they made has new social spending programs that will not stop.

Did you not know that?What is the answer?

[Wild Cobra]

We've been here before folks.

Jimmy Carter had a 61 seat Senate and look what he did with it. Brought on the Reagan Revolution. Obama is a black Jimmy Carter...

Exciting times.
The question is, will he be a better or worse president than president carter?

I think worse! He will put us into double digit inflation like president Carter and those democrats did for sure.

[clambake]

We've been here before folks. Obama is a black

another brave admission.

[ElNono]

He was lucky, and had a republican congress.

That is fact!

This democrat congress and democrat president may spend us into oblivion.

So, if it was a democrat President, chalk it up to luck?

Please.

[Marcus Bryant]

For awhile I've thought this was deliberate. GWB meant to drive New Deal and Great Society over the cliff.



The 'starve the beast' strategy. I'd believe it, if I didn't see him give Big Pharma what they wanted with the Medicare prescription drugs program. If I had to guess, Rove decided that the electorate didn't care about fiscal responsibility anymore and the true dividing line in American politics was cultural, with social conservatism as the majority view. Yes, the various congressional scandals and angst over the Iraq invasion did in the GOP in 2006. 2008 was interesting because we did see a 25% drop in the Dow about a month before the election, with reports of a severe recession/depression on its way. How many incumbent parties are going to survive that (even before considering the unpopularity of the incumbent administration), especially a GOP one? Once the economy stabilizes and the equity markets are back on the upswing, we can get back to the things that really matter, such as arguing about gays, guns, and abortion. I have a feeling that this is going to be the argument made by social conservatives in the GOP heading into the 2010 midterm federal election.

[JoeChalupa]

Well the GOP continues to implode. Republicans feud over Specter (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21906.html)

[LnGrrrR]

The 'starve the beast' strategy. I'd believe it, if I didn't see him give Big Pharma what they wanted with the Medicare prescription drugs program. If I had to guess, Rove decided that the electorate didn't care about fiscal responsibility anymore and the true dividing line in American politics was cultural, with social conservatism as the majority view. Yes, the various congressional scandals and angst over the Iraq invasion did in the GOP in 2006. 2008 was interesting because we did see a 25% drop in the Dow about a month before the election, with reports of a severe recession/depression on its way. How many incumbent parties are going to survive that (even before considering the unpopularity of the incumbent administration), especially a GOP one? Once the economy stabilizes and the equity markets are back on the upswing, we can get back to the things that really matter, such as arguing about gays, guns, and abortion. I have a feeling that this is going to be the argument made by social conservatives in the GOP heading into the 2010 midterm federal election.

Doesn't sound any different from Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow's_hierarchy_of_needs At the bottom are the basics to survive, food, shelter, etc etc. As you go up, it leads to social and emotional needs. Our country as a whole is no different I think. Once we've got the big stuff handled relatively well, we move up the ladder to less important issues. When the basic issues come to play, the lesser social issues get pushed aside temporarily.

[FaithInOne]

Are you truly that uninformed? Clinton's greatest impact was balancing the budget and running a massive surplus toward the end of his term.

Do you know who Newt is, Mr. Informed?

[FaithInOne]

I think the latter is probably correct. Really. It's all moot. Whatever hope of fixing our fiscal situation we had was extinguished in the previous administration and all Obama is doing is administering palliative care.

Funny how Congress went along with the spending for the last two years and Obama voted for the EVIL GWB shitulus plan.

They are all the fucking same. Fiscal conservatism is a god damned pipe dream. This country is fucked.

Lawyers and Career politicians have a blank check courtesy of the biggest empire in the history of this planet. How can we not be fucked :lmao

[balli]

This country is fucked.
What does fucked even mean? If the economy completely turns on us, what's the worst that'll happen? We can't all have plasma screen TV's and new laptops every two years? Our athletes won't be making 20 million a year? Retirement doesn't exist? Instead of steak and lobster we have to eat spaghetti more? I mean, if we are fucked and there's an accompanying drop in quality of life, I for one don't care. That shit doesn't matter. We'll still have it better than 99% of humanity that came before us. Families and friends will still exist. There'll still be marijuana. Until global warming comes to complete fruition we'll still have the outdoors. The things that really make life worth living will still be there and frankly, we're due for a drop in material quality of life anyway, IMO. There's 6 billion people in this world, we might as well start acting like it.

So if unless by "fucked" you meant we're all going to be working in some bank's slave labour camp, chill, life will go on... and if anybody out there thinks we are headed for some truly horrendous fascist existence- stop being paranoid and try counting your blessings while you have em.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

Do you know who Newt is, Mr. Informed?

My Friend Newt:
http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Forestry/TBarnes/Web%20pages/SALAMANDERS/images/red%20spotted%20newt%20eft.jpg

[RobinsontoDuncan]

Do you know who Newt is, Mr. Informed?

And since I'm taking it that you mean the man who spent $50 million of tax payer money in order to investigate a blow job while he was carrying on three extra-marital affairs of his own, why yes--yes I do.

I also know that it was Bill Clinton's decision to raise taxes in the early 90s that brought about the surplus, and Clinton's general economic stewardship helped America enjoy one of its most prosperous, and evenly advantageous decades/eras in history.

[Crookshanks]

And since I'm taking it that you mean the man who spent $50 million of tax payer money in order to investigate a blow job while he was carrying on three extra-marital affairs of his own, why yes--yes I do.

I also know that it was Bill Clinton's decision to raise taxes in the early 90s that brought about the surplus, and Clinton's general economic stewardship helped America enjoy one of its most prosperous, and evenly advantageous decades/eras in history.

Liberal revisionist history is so great :lmao

[ChumpDumper]

Liberal revisionist history is so great :lmaoWhat is your version of events?

[Extra Stout]

So if unless by "fucked" you meant we're all going to be working in some bank's slave labour camp, chill, life will go on... and if anybody out there thinks we are headed for some truly horrendous fascist existence- stop being paranoid and try counting your blessings while you have em.
I'm not thinking about the marginal reduction of middle-class luxuries. i would be referring to a future world where the U.S. goes bankrupt and ceases to exist, where the fractured states that exist in its wake suffer a huge drop in economic activity, where shantytowns pop up around all major cities since there are no jobs, where people really go hungry.

I would be referring to a world where people, in response to this suffering, look for somebody to blame. Those who don't fit in, who go against the conventional wisdom in their communities, will be targeted. In some parts of the country, that will be liberals, gays, blacks, Hispanics and people who don't have a twang in their voice. In other parts of the country, that will be people who do have a twang in their voice. In some places that will be people who go to church on Sunday. In some places it will be people who don't, or who go to the wrong kind of church. In some places it will be people who wear suits to work. In some places it will be those who don't have jobs.

And when I say targeted, I mean as in the crosshairs of the weapons their enemies use to kill them.

I would be referring to a wartorn land that takes a century or more to climb back to where it is now, if it ever does, and if it does, it will do so speaking Spanish.

Apocalyptic enough?

[LnGrrrR]

I'm not thinking about the marginal reduction of middle-class luxuries. i would be referring to a future world where the U.S. goes bankrupt and ceases to exist, where the fractured states that exist in its wake suffer a huge drop in economic activity, where shantytowns pop up around all major cities since there are no jobs, where people really go hungry.

I would be referring to a world where people, in response to this suffering, look for somebody to blame. Those who don't fit in, who go against the conventional wisdom in their communities, will be targeted. In some parts of the country, that will be liberals, gays, blacks, Hispanics and people who don't have a twang in their voice. In other parts of the country, that will be people who do have a twang in their voice. In some places that will be people who go to church on Sunday. In some places it will be people who don't, or who go to the wrong kind of church. In some places it will be people who wear suits to work. In some places it will be those who don't have jobs.

And when I say targeted, I mean as in the crosshairs of the weapons their enemies use to kill them.

I would be referring to a wartorn land that takes a century or more to climb back to where it is now, if it ever does, and if it does, it will do so speaking Spanish.

Apocalyptic enough?

I'm slightly more optimistic... if we do have an apocalypse, it will just be another civil war, I feel. There's far too many Americans with guns in every state for people NOT to band together.

[EVAY]

Well, one party is in complete, unfettered control of the Executive and Legislative Branches. Yippee.

Exactly as the republicans were for 6 years under Bush and lets see...oh yes, spend, spend, spend, spend, spend and cut taxes for the wealthiest, who would consume so much that the entire working class would get their "trickled down" allotment (and be happy with it!) while the unregulated free markets would make so much money for everybody that the budgets that didn't include the war expenditures or social security or emergency preparedness would magically disappear ....oops...that's not what happened was it. Well. some of it happened. The tax cuts were there for the wealthiest. The spending was unchecked by the REPUBLICAN -CONTROLLED HOUSE AND THE REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED SENATE. The budget surplus from the prior administration disappeared. There was never a balanced budget proposed, much less passed by the party of fiscal conservatism. The national debt was DOUBLED BY THE PARTY THAT PRETENDS TO CARE ABOUT MY GRANDCHILDREN NOW BUT NEVER GAVE A DAMN ABOUT THEM THEN!!

So, we had one party rule before this that didn't really work out so well for a party that claims to care about things balanced budgets and federal deficits, except NOT WHEN THEY ARE IN CHARGE OF BOTH THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES.

There is some basic arithmetic that is at issue here...cutting taxes plus increased spending (whether it is on a war or a hurricane or conservative social programs) equals higher debt for our children and grandchildren. Similarly, cutting taxes for the middle and lower classes while increasing spending for infrastructure, liberal social programs, and inherited wars still equals higher debt for our children and grandchildren. (but the wars and social security obligations are now reflected in the budgets rather than hidden, so the full amount of money that will be expended is shown...so the budgets are 3 times bigger though the expenditures are only about 30% more). This "transparency", is, to some enough to overcome all of the additionall debt.

Neither party has any moral superiority over the other on this issue. To suggest otherwise is an insult to empiricism.

[AFBlue]

Saw Specter on Meet the Press this morning...the guy is a world-class douche. It's abundantly clear that this move was utterly self-serving. And here I was, thinking that members of this government were meant to serve the people before themselves.

I wouldn't want a person like this serving in my party, so good riddance. And please keep in mind, my opinion has absolutely nothing to do with his moderate political views.

[jack sommerset]

I have said a few times I am neither a Democrat or a Republican. I know some of you don't believe this but who gives a fuck. How does one go from one party to the other just like that. That really is fucked up. Politics is a business. That can be Specters only reason. It makes me laugh how some of you just pick a side like a democrat when the real players in the game don't feel that way at all. Its a business to them.

[clambake]

How does one go from one party to the other just like that. That really is fucked up. Politics is a business. That can be Specters only reason. It makes me laugh how some of you just pick a side like a democrat when the real players in the game don't feel that way at all. Its a business to them.

only a bottom-tier member of a bottom-tier forum could be this slow.

[jman3000]

I thought the reasons for the switch were clear enough. Thousands and thousands of Pennsylvanians switched from Republican to Democrat in order to vote in the Democratic primary.

It basically shrunk the pool of Republican voters who are allowed to vote in the upcoming primary. He'd be putting himself at the altar before a very small pool of the most conservative people in the state. It makes no sense on his part.

He's there to serve the people of PA... not the Republican or Democratic party. If he gets re-elected? So be it... if he doesn't? Oh well... that's democracy for you.

[jack sommerset]

I thought the reasons for the switch were clear enough. Thousands and thousands of Pennsylvanians switched from Republican to Democrat in order to vote in the Democratic primary.

It basically shrunk the pool of Republican voters who are allowed to vote in the upcoming primary. He'd be putting himself at the altar before a very small pool of the most conservative people in the state. It makes no sense on his part.

He's there to serve the people of PA... not the Republican or Democratic party. If he gets re-elected? So be it... if he doesn't? Oh well... that's democracy for you.

Nice spin but FAIL. The guy is a money hungry fucking LOSER just like Clambake except Clambake has no money. He is just a loser.

[exstatic]

Interesing article on CNN related to the overall exodus of Rockefeller Republicans over the last 40 years.

Northeastern GOP exodus (http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/06/liberal.republicans/index.html)

[clambake]

Nice spin but FAIL. The guy is a money hungry fucking LOSER just like Clambake except Clambake has no money. He is just a loser.

poor jack.

calling you a bottom feeder must have stung a bit.

i apologize.

[jack sommerset]

poor jack.

calling you a bottom feeder must have stung a bit.

i apologize.

I accept ur apology.

[jman3000]

Nice spin but FAIL. The guy is a money hungry fucking LOSER just like Clambake except Clambake has no money. He is just a loser.

Umm... that's no spin on my part. It's what happened. Not what I think what happened... what actually happened.

Now whether he did it because he's a "money hungry fucking LOSER" as you so eloquently put, or because he really does think he can serve his people more effectively than Toomey is something we won't really know for sure. If he was running for senate in Texas I wouldn't vote for the old fart... but I'm not a Pennsylvanian (:elephant) so I don't really give a shit.

[jack sommerset]

Umm... that's no spin on my part. It's what happened. Not what I think what happened... what actually happened.

Now whether he did it because he's a "money hungry fucking LOSER" as you so eloquently put, or because he really does think he can serve his people more effectively than Toomey is something we won't really know for sure. If he was running for senate in Texas I wouldn't vote for the old fart... but I'm not a Pennsylvanian (:elephant) so I don't really give a shit.

It's a spin alright. Maybe not from you,perhaps you really believe his explanation but thats ur deal. This guy switched over because he fucked the Republicans over and the American citizens over when he voted for the stimulus. He is a heal. All those people who voted for him because he was a Republican, he just said "fuck you"

I mean what the fuck was he thinking. Does he actually think he has a chance in hell at winning? Before this he was worried if The NFL Patriots cheated more than they admitted. Keeping Spygate alive. What a way to spend the tax payers dime and time. Anyone going against this prick will win. He should have some humility and stay a Republican until his term is up. If he really felt he was a Democrat then switch after he serves the people who voted for him. Fucking guy is a douche. I'm glad you said you would not vote for him if you had the chance.

[Wild Cobra]

I thought the reasons for the switch were clear enough. Thousands and thousands of Pennsylvanians switched from Republican to Democrat in order to vote in the Democratic primary.
Yep, and probably most of them conservative. They will switch back most likely I think.

Remember Operation Chaos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rush_Limbaugh_Show#Operation_Chaos)? One unexpected side effect was there were also republicans that hated Hillary so much, there was a switch there too.

It basically shrunk the pool of Republican voters who are allowed to vote in the upcoming primary. He'd be putting himself at the altar before a very small pool of the most conservative people in the state. It makes no sense on his part.
That depends on if they switch back or not. Again, isn't it more likely the conservative ones participated in Operation Chaos?

He's there to serve the people of PA... not the Republican or Democratic party. If he gets re-elected? So be it... if he doesn't? Oh well... that's democracy for you.

I don't know if my boots are tall enough for this.

He did it for himself. Not for the voters.

Nice spin but FAIL. The guy is a money hungry fucking LOSER just like Clambake except Clambake has no money. He is just a loser.
LOL...

I may have to take that clammy thing off IGNORE for a few days to see how he reacts...

Interesing article on CNN related to the overall exodus of Rockefeller Republicans over the last 40 years.

Northeastern GOP exodus (http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/05/06/liberal.republicans/index.html)
Who needs them? The likes of them are why republicans are not conservative to balance the liberal democrats.

[ChumpDumper]

Yep, and probably most of them conservative. They will switch back most likely I think.

Remember Operation Chaos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rush_Limbaugh_Show#Operation_Chaos)? One unexpected side effect was there were also republicans that hated Hillary so much, there was a switch there too.

That depends on if they switch back or not. Again, isn't it more likely the conservative ones participated in Operation Chaos?No. Party affiliation for the 2008 election was pretty solidly Democratic. Polls that have nothing to do with talk radio showed a 16 point edge in party ID for Democrats in Pennsylvania.

[Winehole23]

.Who needs them? The likes of them are why republicans are not conservative to balance the liberal democrats.The likes of them possibly gave the Dems a cloture proof majority in the Senate.

If you tell all the moderates to get bent they might leave and not come back for awhile. Careful with that ideological jihad. It could make things a lot worse in the short run for conservatives.

Don't Republicans care about electoral politics anymore? They lost moderates and independents. They lost ages 18-34 by what, 35 points? (In the Presidential election)

Consider for a moment WC, the consequences of having so many ripe conservatives, in such a small tent.