Arlen Specter switches parties; Democrats are now filibuster proof

I think it is pretty funny though how "glad" all the Republicans are that he is gone.

"Weee! Nothing better than moving farther to the right!!"

...Isn't that part of why they lost the election and so many seats in the senate? By continuing to move right they are likely shooting themselves in the foot.

They want people representing them and their values. Nothing wrong with that. Unless of course conservatism is simply wrong... :roll:

Some of it is, mostly the social issues: gay marriage, abortion, etc.

Doesn't really matter though, seeing as how the republicans are democrats too, at least fiscally. SPEND SPEND SPEND MUST SPEND

OM NOM NOM NOM

I'll disagree with the first point and agree with the second. I myself am socially moderate, so the topics of gay marriage and abortion, etc, are of no interest to me. But I don't think the socially conservative folks are wrong for believing what they believe. Trying to force them on others is wrong obviously, but both sides are guilty of that.

Could that little gerbil possibly be any cuter! Makes fiscal irresponsibility look all cute and cuddly, don't it?

MSP, if I talked to you the way you talk to me, you would throw one of your fits about my "condescending attitude."

And there is nothing wrong with representing their views, all I'm saying is if they want to get elected, they are going to have to attract a wider audience.

Note how only 21% of people are identifying as Republicans. Is that going to win a lot of elections?

Other than the stimulus package what else has specter supported that would make him be a good dem?

As far as I can tell, he could care less what party he is affiliated with so long as he gets re elected. He was trouble for the republican party for not toeing the party line and I doubt he will fall in line with the dems as well.

To me this is a non story and means nothing.

What I said was in fact in response to a condescending attitude. You have made it pretty clear what you think about people with conservative viewpoints, and your posts bare that out. A conservative is stupid, or at best ignorant. Do you deny it?

I'll post it once again.......

Arlen Specter on the Issues

Maybe not every issue but, he seems quite liberal on most.

The "Non-Story" that I can't believe hasn't been talked about except for MSP pointing it out and Fiddy thinking it was a bonehead move is the ridiculous and expensive Air Force One fly over the other day. That for some reason appears to be a "Non-Story."

Yeah, I don't even blame Obama for that fuck up. He's obviously smarter than that, someone in his administration is a dufus.

IMO, I would disagree with you, they have moved of course, but away from a base that they actually need to get elected. Notice how "the moderate" McCain was the last candidate put up because he was "moderate," and was supposed to be able to capture the middle. Yet against the invisible man until the primaries, Obama, he failed to capture the middle and I'm guessing couldn't even capture his own base aside from the die hard Republican lock-steppers, which does not mean "conservatives." My opinion is that the Republican party has been destroyed largely by Republicans who are at best Democrat lite, like Bush, who did have some social views in line with the conservative voting base, put up conservative leaning judges in the Supreme Court, was in favor of tax cuts which is palatable to most of the base, but was a total disaster as far as government growth and spending, and agreed with McCain on granting illegal amnesty.

The Republicans had roughly 6 years with decent government control and if you look at what they did in the areas of spending and government growth amongst other things it would be hard to tell them apart from the Washington Democrats. At best the conservative voting base is probably less than enthusiastic when it comes to voting for lite Democrats with an R next to their name, and more enthusiastic about kicking them out of office, whether that means they vote for their opponent, someone else, or just don't vote at all. Like McCain in the last election (it appeared to me even before election day that those not in lock-step with the Republican party weren't excited about McCain, and the race was already over), the Republican party has failed at capturing their own voting base, so to me if they can't even hold their own base what chance do they have of getting anyone else? Even now as Republicans oppose Obama's ridiculous money grab and plans for government growth, people shrug it off due to the fact that many Republicans including Bush were largely fiscally irresponsible and didn't seem so concerned about growing government when they had the power. I would say at best we have a 1 and a half party system at this point in terms of difference. I would say choosing between the current political parties is almost like choosing between Pepsi and Diet Pepsi.

My reaction to Specter switching and this filibuster proof majority is "Let the raping and pillaging.............................continue."

I agree with with you ATI. The right has bent a little left if you ask me. The left would never allow their equivalent of McCain to represent them. Someone that claims to be liberal but in all reality isn't.......or isn't enough for them. I'm at a loss.

MSP, I don't blame Obama specifically but, he is in charge so he does need to be held accountable. It's only fair.

I'd say the page you referenced disagrees with you. He's more akin to MSP than he is to me (MSP being a moderate right and me being a moderate left).

I definitely like the middle of that square. The corners make me nervous.

Specter voted against the budget, so far so good:

Congress approves $3.44 trillion budget resolution - CNN.com

Yes.

Some conservatives are stupid, some are ignorant. Others are not. Some liberals stupid, some are ignorant. Others are not. There are idiots and intelligent people on both sides.

My problem is when people believe something the facts don't support. I know you think I'm nothing but a blind liberal, but that is your own misunderstanding of me. I'm interested in the facts. And guess what? The facts show drug decriminalization works. The facts show abstinence only education does not work. The facts show gays don't make horrible parents. The facts show 'trickle down economics' don't really work. And The law says torture is illegal. The facts show a lot of things, and if knowing the facts and supporting policies based on those facts makes me a liberal, I"m a liberal. I certainly don't deny it.

And after all that, I don't know of any "liberals" who have elected someone as stupid as this woman:

Michele Bachmann Links Swine Flu To Democrats, Gets History Wrong (VIDEO)

Anyone who can imply democrats are to blame for deadly flu outbreaks in the 70s and today, especially when they are totally wrong about who was actually president then is just a moron, and anyone who supports her I just can't bring myself to hold in high regard. (and she makes stupid comments like this all the time)

Then I owe you an apology. Sorry for being such a jackass lately.

I've got to be honest, I'm having a very hard time believing you mean that.

Look, I'm not perfect, nor have I ever claimed to be. All I'm trying to say is that I make every effort to back up my beliefs with the facts. From what I have seen, I think there are a large number of conservatives who do not do the same thing. Are they all like that? No, but in my experience I see that more on the right than the left.

It was sincere.

I'm didn't mean to say they're (they being the people who prescribe to social conservatism) wrong, their opinion is obviously just as valid as mine. What I meant was that shit just doesn't fly anymore.

Man, fuck that.

Facts are for pussies.

Let me put it into a Goofism: "Facts, without context, are like leaves blowing in the wind."

In heated debates like this, on rapid-response media like this, a little "color" is bound to leak through. Even if we say things like "you are a feebo quonker" in the heat of argument, we don't mean "I honestly feel you are a feebo quonker all the time, rather than just in the heat of disagreeing violently with you." In all honesty, it's happening on both sides of the fence, so I don't doubt for a second the apology is sincere.

electronic media suffer from the lack of ability to write something down, read it, rewrite it, LEAVE IT FOR A DAY OR TWO, tear it up to write something else, repeat process, till you have something measured and drained of "speak before you think"-isms.

I prefer this Ryanism - "Opinions are like assholes. Everybody's got one..." :mrgreen: