The Arlen Specter decade
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The Arlen Specter decade
I believe we're entering what I like to call the Arlen Specter Decade. Oh, for me, Arlen Specter, the 10's will be pretty much the same as the 00's. I'll still be thinking of me, Arlen Specter. But for you, you'll be thinking more about how things affect me, Arlen Specter. When you see a news report, you'll be thinking, "I wonder what Arlen Specter thinks about this thing?", "I wonder how this inflation thing is hurting Arlen Specter?" And you women will be thinking, "What can I wear that will please Arlen Specter?", or "What can I not wear?"
-- (slightly modified from "Saturday Night Live," December 1979).
It seems that Al Franken isn't the only (likely) new member of the Democratic uber-majority in the Senate with a famous riff on what it all means to me, me, me. For eight years, Arlen Specter for the most part just sat there -- sometimes on mute, sometimes enabling -- while his Republican Party drifted to the far, far right and crossed its triple "Ts" of torture, tax-cuts-for-the-rich, and teenage abstinence-only sex-ed. Now he's speaking out -- because a poll said he might lose an election and lose his job.
I don't think this will make the updated version of "Profiles in Courage."
Comments (25)
Don't discount the deal he made. He brings all his seniority to the Democratic Party. Otherwise, he's just the ranking minority member. You also can't ignore that the Republican Party has gone off the deep end. So he's supposed to be obligated to go along with them?— SteveMG- And what about the hundreds of thousands of PA voters who changed their registration? They have to go back?— SteveMG
Comment removed.- Heard some commentators on TV speculating this is just another nail in the coffin of the Republican Party. While I don't necc. agree with that, they do make an interesting point that the far right has turned the GOP into a fringe party everywhere but the deep south (which of course includes the T of Pa.) When you hear Michael Steele decrying Specter as a leftist, you know they have lost touch with reality.
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"Pea brained single shot theory nincompoop" . . . well, you know that the Zapruder film and computer graphics have proven that, because Kennedy and Connolly were both turned a bit in their seats and Connolly was in a lower jump seat, that Spector's single bullet theory is correct. But, hey, don't let facts or science get in your way.- Comment removed.
.."while his Republican Party drifted to the far, far right." I'm sorry to inform you that the Republicans are in the trouble they're in because they drifted left. They blurred the distinctions between them and the Dems. If Dems are big government statists, then the Republicans were statists that favored only slightly less government.— jmc- Comment removed.
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- "YOUR party is a mess" - thank you, chip diller. of course, for most people issues aren't a partisan thing, but thank you for your postcard from irrelevance. "Good riddance...let the purge begin." - Your Hate America Firsters thank you for your support. Let nothing stop you from hating your fellow Americans, no matter how few of them you think there are with each passing day... This isn't a matter of teh teevee, this is a matter of reality. The modern "conservative" is a joke - and not a good one. They have the intellectual credibility of a radish danish. Until they climb down from their ivory towers they will forever be a discredited, fringe element at best tolerated and at worst defended againt.— E.Plebnista
Bye,bye!Sorry I ever voted for him. Really betrayed those that voted for him. The Dems are welcome to him.— georgel- As usual the neococonuts don't "get it." Then again, the thought Palin was a slamdunk. lolz...........— chasing history
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- ---}}} I'm sorry to inform you that the Republicans are in the trouble they're in because they drifted left. {{{--- Pass the popcorn. This will get better and better as long as the deadenders believe that the way for Republicans to win is to even further identify as rightwing extremists. Keep watching Hannity, boys. He'll never steer you wrong. LOL!— Talking point sleuth
- "Liberal Demmys- YOUR party is a mess- NANCY PELOSI- HARRY REID- TOMMY TELEPROMPTER- THE COLON COWBOY FROM NY- the epic debalce goes on and on......." --- 60 seats in the Senate, majority in the house, the White House ... that's another fine mess we've gotten into Ollie! "I'm sorry to inform you that the Republicans are in the trouble they're in because they drifted left. " --- Which of course explains why so many Pennsylvanians have switched their registration. They are so disgusted with the liberal Republicans they decided to become liberal Democrats. (oh wait, I forgot, those switches were all part of El Rushbo's drug induced hallucination about attacking the Dems from within) Just one question: When will you Repugs finally accept facts and reality? Your spin on what Specter's defection means to your cause remind me of your spin on creationism, global warming and WMDs
- The situation has now come full circle, as Specter first switched from the Democratic Party to the GOP in 1965 to make it easier to run for District Attorney, as Philly's Democratic machine wasn't on board with him at the time.— Vandy
- ---}}} They are so disgusted with the liberal Republicans they decided to become liberal Democrats. {{{--- Classic. Post o' the day.— Talking point sleuth
- Mr. BB, if the GOP is a southern party, then why did a vast majority of Pennsylvania counties vote for McCain last fall? Seems like the GOP is more of a rural party, because outside urban/union strongholds like Philly, Pittsburgh and Erie (plus those crazy kids in State College), most of this state voted for McCain. The county-by-county map is on the right-hand side of this site, about halfway down: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/state/#val=PA— Vandy
- Non-urban counties in Ohio and Indiana overwhelmingly voted for McCain, as well, Mr. BB. And non-southern states such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Montana, Missouri, and Nebraska seem pretty red.— Vandy
- ...and lastly, in looking at the South, Obama won the major urban areas--Atlanta, Memphis, Nashville, Columbia (SC), Birmingham, New Orleans, Little Rock, etc. (I'll let others opine on why that occurred.) So it looks more like a rural/urban split to me, versus a statement like the GOP is a southern party.— Vandy
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- I love the "McCain won more counties" argument, as if total land area is relevent. Er, far, far more people voted for Obama, the fact that they live in densley populated areas like Philly or Pittsburgh, compared to say, Slickville os just the fact that MORE PEOPLE LIVE THERE! Oh if only cows could vote, McCain/Palin would be in office!— Ol
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