Principles versus power. Power chosen

Post #307,934 by beepster 4/28/09 12:27:01 PM Reply	Principles versus power. Power chosen Arlen Specter switching sides...because he's afraid of competition in the primary. http://www.foxnews.c...olitical-parties/ I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #307,935 by drook 4/28/09 12:30:16 PM Reply	Yup, no principle at all What a shame, such naked political calculation from someone in the party of Reagan. -- Drew
Post #307,937 by boxley 4/28/09 1:06:26 PM Reply	no different than lieberman reagan, lott, every republican in the south and every democrat in the midwest
Post #307,940 by jay 4/28/09 1:23:06 PM Reply	Hate to see it Spector is probably telling the truth when he says his politics align with the Democrats more then the Republicans now. But I hate to see a politician change sides while in office. And it's all the worse because it is an obvious political decision, with both PA and the country tending Democrat, his chances of reelection are better on that side of the fence and he will get a powerful seat chairmanship again. http://www.suntimes....ch-042809.article Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said in a statement: ÂSome in the Republican Party are happy about this. I am not. LetÂs be honest: Senator Specter didnÂt leave the GOP based on principles of any kind. He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record. Republicans look forward to beating Sen. Specter in 2010, assuming the Democrats donÂt do it first.Â Wow, talk about burning bridges. Jay
Post #307,946 by drook 4/28/09 1:48:07 PM Reply	Nit "due to his left-wing voting record" So you agree that his personal beliefs line up better with the Democrats? Just wanted to clear that up. ("You" refers to Michael Steele, not you Jay.) -- Drew
Post #307,947 by boxley 4/28/09 1:50:18 PM Reply	of course he is, he doesnt pander to the whackjobs that makes him leftists doesnt it?
Post #308,062 by mhuber 4/30/09 11:31:00 AM Reply	How it's supposed to work The guy's switched to a party more in line with his own positions, and the move is likely to benefit him politically. I'd say that's not so much "OK, which is it?" as "hey, the system sometimes works". That's how a robust human system works - playing it straight is usually advantageous. OK, there are side details that amplify the effect in this case. But for the most part, belonging to the party you agree with most should be good political move.
Post #308,064 by beepster 4/30/09 11:41:29 AM Reply	Thats the real question, isn't it? Did he switch for his beliefs, or not. My position is ... not http://www.latimes.c...9,0,1532737.story There's alot of skeptics out there besides me. I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #308,071 by jay 4/30/09 12:43:20 PM Reply	Re: How it's supposed to work The guy's switched to a party more in line with his own positions, and the move is likely to benefit him politically. Except there is essentially nobody that believes that. He made a move that was politically expedient, and it is just an amusing coincidence that it happens to put him a party he agrees with more. And ideally, a sitting official shouldn't switch party anyways. Part of what the people voted for is the party they favor, not just the specific candidate. If the party line gets too far from your beliefs, then wait it out and don't run again. After you are out of office, you can switch parties and run for the other side. If they will have you. There is a good chance the Democrats would turn Spector down if he wasn't already holding office. But the political advantages of getting another seat make the Democrats willing to hold their noses. Jay
Post #308,099 by mhuber 4/30/09 11:31:22 PM Reply	When the system works, motivation doesn't matter In a system that works, noble sentiments and crass self-interest lead to the same actions.
Post #307,962 by a6l6e6x 4/28/09 9:06:41 PM Reply	He's just acknowledging "the base" has no room for.. moderate Republicans. Everyone should be happy now! The base will put up "righty" to oppose him as a Democrat. The Democrats will have an incumbent's advantage in the race. Specter will vote like he wants to. Alex
Post #307,965 by beepster 4/28/09 9:18:27 PM Reply	No...he's giving up before the primary he almost got beat last time...it was very close. He's moving to the side that gave up on the seat a long time ago and offers no primary competition. I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #307,984 by Ashton 4/29/09 6:17:59 AM Reply	So then - he should have stayed on as YAN pretend-wacko? Would that be 'principled'? Suppose he JUST IS fucking fed up with pretending it's 1215, and maybe John shouldn't sign that Carta thing. Ever think of that? Win-Win could be as simple as: no longer pretending that the troglodytes in your long-ago designated club ... aren't. The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary. -- H.L. Mencken
Post #307,988 by beepster 4/29/09 9:01:59 AM Reply	After living in the district area for 18 yrs it is fun to listen to everyone bicker about whether he was more Rep or Dem...and he's switching to better match his "liberal" voting record et al. Since elected, up until this last term, he had no competition in primaries. Last go round he barely survived. The Dems long ago gave away winning that seat...so there are no real candidates in that party to compete. Has nothing to do with the state switching..its all about him staying in by minimizing the competition. It may very well backfire, should Philly turnout for the off-term election not run at 85-95+%..which is what is needed for a D to win. I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #308,023 by rcareaga 4/29/09 4:24:13 PM Reply	Re: After living in the district area for 18 yrs Quoth the horn: "It may very well backfire, should Philly turnout for the off-term election not run at 85-95+%..which is what is needed for a D to win." I defer to your 18+ years in Pennsylvania (I may have racked up eighteen days in the state since first visiting it in 1960), but does this not assume that the stench of the GOP-CJ will not have grown so rank by then that between outright defectors voting for the other side and demoralized loyalists staying home, a more modest Democratic turnout might suffice? cordially,
Post #308,024 by beepster 4/29/09 4:31:22 PM Reply	Outside of philly and burbs there aren't alot of defectors. They are pure kool-aid drinkers. I will choose a path that's clear. I will choose freewill.
Post #307,986 by Another Scott 4/29/09 7:31:30 AM Reply	As Cole said, Specter did it right. He announced the change before the election, not after. http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=20528 IÂm still waiting on my Soros check and forty virgins, so donÂt get too excited, Arlen. Oh, and by the way, wingnuts- how is that Republican purity treating you? Is the GOP small enough to drown in a bathtub yet? Going to love hearing how a loyal foot soldier for three decades in the GOP wasnÂt Âconservative enough.Â Yup. Cheers, Scott. (Who doesn't like Specter much, but doesn't fault him for changing parties.)
Post #308,094 by a6l6e6x 4/30/09 7:28:20 PM Reply	Re: Who doesn't like Specter much... Well, I'd probably be in agreement there. I don't understand why he doesn't hang up the jock strap and retire. Surely at his age and after a bout with cancer there's something else he should be doing with his life. Alex
Post #308,101 by Another Scott 5/1/09 2:29:27 AM Reply	Yup. It's hard to imagine him lasting another term.
Post #308,107 by jake123 5/1/09 9:27:33 AM Reply	I'm kind of suspecting that it's a big Fuck You to the folks who're taking over the Republican party... they've been making his life hard for years. Besides, he might actually think they're dangerous.

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