Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

ARLEN SPECTER (D-Penn.)


Wow! Senator Arlen Specter has switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party. When Al Franken is certified in Minnesota, that will give the Dems 60 senators!


That doesn't necessarily mean Specter will vote with the Dems on all the issues, but it DOES give the Democrats a wonderful filibuster-proof majority that will help President Obama facilitate his policies.

Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, one of the few remaining moderate Republicans in the Senate, said Tuesday that Arlen Specter's abandonment of the GOP is "devastating," both "personally and I think for the party."
"I've always been deeply concerned about the views of the Republican Party nationally in terms of their exclusionary policies and views towards moderate Republicans," said Snowe, who has been approached, she said, by Democrats in the past about switching parties.
Specter's switch to the Democratic Party "underscores the blunt reality" that the GOP is not a welcome place for moderates, she said.
So far, she said, she's staying put. "I believe in the traditional tenets of the Republican Party: strong national defense, fiscal responsibility, individual opportunity. I haven't abandoned those principles that have been the essence of the Republican Party. I think the Republican Party has abandoned those principles.
She added that being a Republican is simply part of who she is. "It's my ethnic heritage, Spartan side, that continues to fight," she said.
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The radical right wingers, like Boss Limbaugh, suggested that John McCain and his daughter join with Senator Specter and leave the Republican Party.
Great. All that will be left for the Republicans to be proud of are the Baggers: a gasbag (Limbaugh); a douchebag, (Hannity); and a scumbag (Beck).
The GOP will become the GOB: Grand Old Baggers.
What a tragedy! The GOB has only themselves to blame for putting their hope for the future in the Baggers and their followers.

24 comments:

dmarks said...

I'm surprised it has taken this long, and that Snowe has not gone over to the Dems. As for the GOP being a welcome place for moderates, that has not changed: Specter is left of center, not moderate.

Nothing has changed here: the ideological alingments of the two parties, or Specter's politics. He has just finally moved over to the party he leaned toward for a very long time.

Well, something has changed, actually. The Senate Dems as a group have more power.

(I had not read up on Snowe in a while, and find out now that she uses her position of power to try to fuel ethnic hatred/ignorance in the Balkans. I'd not be proud to have her in my party, if I belonged to one).

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Shaw said: "The GOP will become the GOB: Grand Old Baggers"

The legend of the Baggers. Isn't that a Will Smith movie?

Handsome B. Wonderful said...

He'll be very helpful on health care especially. The hard-right Conservatives are now going to be alone in the desert for awhile. They will become a minor party--well, screw become--they are!!

I think the new Republican party will form around a more libertarian view on gay marriage, abortion and pot legalization. Way to go Specter!!! The Republicans are IDIOTS for shrinking around their base and rejecting the moderates.

You can't win an election as a hard-right, radical party centered in the south with a sprinkling of upper mountain and midwest states.

dmarks said...

"I think the new Republican party will form around a more libertarian view on gay marriage, abortion and pot legalization"

Most of the libertarians I know oppose abortion, while many famous ones favor it. I'm not sure that there is one libertarian view on that one. But the libertarians do seem more united on favoring gay marriage and drug abuse.

IMHO said...

Spector Schmckestor hes another dumb ass...This administration is putting on a grand display of incompetence.

Joe "Truth 101" Kelly said...

My joy is tempered when I think of how much Democrats had to promise Senator Spectre to get him to do this. I much rather would have had a real Democrat we can trust run against the right winger the Penn State Republicans will run.

Christopher said...

The GOP only has itself to blame.

When they decided to turn the brain trust over to Rush Limbaugh after the 2008 election and become a regional party of religious nutcases, the American people by and large said, "thanks, but no thanks."

Maybe one day, if they decide they want to survive, they will stop fellating that 400lbs. junkie and pedophile and begin reflecting the views and values of the American people.

Until then, the GOP is roadkill.

dmarks said...

"... pedophile ..."

There's plenty of valid criticism and satire of Rush Limbaugh without just making stuff up out of thin air for fun.

If there were any truth to that one, Shaw (and many others) would run with it. And rightfully so.

Christopher said...

As usual, dmarks, you know nothing of what you speak. Especially, as it pertains to the 400lbs. junkie and pedophile named Rush Limbaugh.

If memory serves, we had this exchange a while back and for reasons known only to you, defending this 400lbs. junkie and pedophile has merit. Personally, I prefer not to know why -- the very thought creeps me out.

So, I will say it again despite the fact it won't sink into your thick head. Limbaugh is a regular visitor to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Puerto Plata has long been called Canada's Phucket, Thailand, and a favored destination of American and Canadian pedophiles. These wealthy freaks exploit the dirt-poor teenage and even younger males, who line the airports waiting to hook-up for a few days and a few hundred dollars.

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic is high on the list of pedophile and child rights activists around the globe who are trying to stop this exploitation.

BTW, it was on a return sex holiday from Puerto Plata that the 400lbs. bloviator you continue to defend was busted by U.S. authorities for having a year's worth of prescription Viagra in his luggage.

Unknown said...

As I wrote in my post "Extremist":

You cannot run a society, a country, or a party on extreme ideology.

Extremism is not compatible with the Constitution, or the American people.

The Republicans have killed their own party. It was only a matter of time given their narrow minded, idiotic, illegal decisions.

Soon they will be no more popular than the Communist party, the Socialist party, or the Green Party. YES !

Whatever they morph into, if they keep the same ideology they have been screaming for years, they deserve to die as a party.

dmarks said...

Christopher: I remember that even Shaw thought it was bonkers. Is that true, Shaw?

Not sure how much he weighs, 400 lbs or not. I tried to look it up in Yahoo Answers, and everyone was trying to measure it against Michael Moore's weight, of all things.

At least Shaw criticizes Rush Limbaugh for actual statements, not urban legends, and something as irrelevant as weight.

Christopher said...

OK, dmarks, I get it now.

You don't object to me calling Limbaugh:

a bloviator, or
a pedophile, or
a junkie,

it's the reference to his 400lbs. girth.

Alright, if it makes you feel better, Limbaugh is a trim and fit 160lbs. pedophile and junkie.

Feel better now????

dmarks said...

Actually, I just object to hoaxes/etc being dropped into political arguments for fun. You don't "get it". I objected to the pedophile one, which was entirely made up. Just as I have objected here to the fake "Obama is not a US citizen" charge.

I did point out the weight one, once. because I was amused that soneone could actually think that it passed for serious political discourse. And many think it does for Michael Moore as well.

("Junkie" is probably fair if anyone who has ever illegally abused drugs is a "junkie". "Bloviator" is hardly objectionable, as it is merely a way of someone using the word to say that they don't like what someone says.)

There's plenty to discuss without hoaxes and irrelevant physical attributes.

Anonymous said...

It would be much more succinct to just call him what he is: Pig.

Thayer Nutz said...

We owe Limbaugh a debt of gratitude for keeping the extremists in the GOP ignorant and angry.

That's how the GOP is perceived. they've driven the moderates out of the party and now Limbaugh represents it: An overfed, undereducated, junkie bigot.

Good luck with that, GOP.

Christopher said...

You can "object" to whatever you want, dmarks, it matters not one iota to me.

Defending a pedophile and a junkie says more about you than I want to know.

Rush Limbaugh is pedophile and a junkie and I will not be silenced and I will not stop saying it.

I am curious about one thing: are you a member of NAMBLA?

James' Muse said...

Chris, while I am no Limbaugh fan, what you are saying about him being a pedophile is nothing more than baseless accusation. Without any evidence, you are engaging in libel & slander. We are country of innocent until proven guilty, even for racists and jerks like Limbaugh, and accusing him of pedophilia just for travelling to a country that has that is ridiculous. Is everyone travelling to Colombia a drug dealer?

dmarks said...

Christopher: Calling me a member of NAMBLA because I objected to what Mr. Muse accurately describes as a "baseless accusation" is like calling someone an illegal alien because they object to the lie about Pres. Obama not being born in the US.

No doubt Shaw has taken notice as the NAMBLA thing likely triggers her "Any comment that fails to rise above ranting, taunting, profanity, and name-calling will be deleted without further comment at my discretion."

Perhaps it is time for you to drop this, and move on to accusations that have more evidence, such as Dan Quayle's role in shooting JFK.

(As for defending a junkie, are there any public figures whom you defend that ever had any illegal activity with controlled substances? Do tell us....)

Christopher said...

Wrong again, dmarks.

Reread what I wrote. I asked you if you're are a NAMBLA member -- I didn't say you were a NAMBLA member. It's a perfectly reasonable inquiry since you keep wanting to defend your boy Rush over his dalliances with the pedophiles at Puerto Plata.

James' Muse said...

Chris, again, prove it. Just because someone goes to another country doesn't make them guilty of something.

Without proof of any sort, you are engaging in libel.

dmarks said...

Christopher: Your question was just calling me that. It's the same thing and you know it.

James: Watch, he will say you are (ahem) ask if you are in NAMBLA because you too stick to the facts. And your point is exactly the same as mine.

Christopher said...

dmarks,

Your (il)logic is as pathetic as your pathological need to defend the 400lbs. junkie and pedophile, Rush Limbaugh.

Using your (il)logic, if I ask, "Is tomorrow going to be as hot as today," according to you, the question has a hidden agenda because the answer is already known.

As usual, you make no sense.

The problem for you is simple: by defending Limbaugh over and over and over, you've associated yourself with a known douchebag.

And now, the sleaze has rubbed off.

dmarks said...

"...need to defend the 400lbs. junkie and pedophile, Rush Limbaugh..."

Exactly as I defend the illegal alien (born outside of the US) Barack Obama.

That is, both the claims of Limbaugh being a pedophile and of Barack Obama not being a US citizen are fake, and everyone knows it.

It's best to stick to what is true about political figures, and not get into the "I hate him, so let's just make up stuff for fun" trap.

Arthurstone said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Arthurstone said...

dmarks typed:

'That is, both the claims of Limbaugh being a pedophile and of Barack Obama not being a US citizen are fake, and everyone knows it.'

Indeed. Oxycontin and Viagra are drugs of choice for guys on vacation. Not pedophiles.

http://www.wired.com/techbiz/media/news/2001/07/44888