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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
 Posted - 04/28/2009 : 10:41:43
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Source
| I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary. |
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by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 11:06:35 [Permalink]
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Wow! I wonder if others will follow Specter's lead? The moderates in the Republican party must be feeling severely marginalized by the leadership. Funny thing is, the moderates represent the short term hope for the GOP if their goal is to win back any creditability. Boy, are they playing the wrong hand. And I'm enjoying the show.
I wonder if they can stop the self destruct sequence that they have engaged and which seems to be gaining momentum... |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 04/28/2009 : 11:11:35 [Permalink]
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I just read about Specter becoming swapping sides. Heh, and the Freepers have freaked out. From Wonkette: The 14 remaining wingnut Republicans are, of course, furious about Muslin-Communist and Pennsylvania shit monster Arlen Specter doing what they always knew he would do, with the becoming a DemonCRAP, because of course his whole plan all along from the day he was hatched, from a turd, was to stick an Arab Dagger in the backs of the Real Americans, right at the moment when there are basically no Real Americans left, which means … ?! … which means PURGE THE GOP OF OTHER NOT-WINGNUTTY-ENOUGH SENATORS, so that they have maybe 30 seats, maybe 25? Hoor — HUH?!
Let's see, where should we go to get the funny wingnut comments? Oh, right, FREE REPUBLIC:
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And there's a few choice, well-thought-out, freeping comments included in the post: “Sen. Arlen Pétain, former Vichy Republican…”
“EVERYTHING IS NOW OFFICIALLY THE DEMOCRATS FAULT! YIPPEE!”
“I'm glad he's gone. The more honest the choice gets, the better off for America. Let's get rid of Snowe, Collins, McCain, etc., too. They are also liberals, not to be relied on when conservative issues are on the line. Better to have your friends on your side and your enemies on the other. Specter has been an enemy of conservatism for decades.”
“The purge of the RINOs has begun!” |
And so forth.
Dontcha just love it when the Freepers freak? It's a sign that something good has happened, although it remains to be seen how good Specter turns out to be.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 11:22:16 [Permalink]
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Ha! |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Simon
SFN Regular
USA
1992 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 11:58:40 [Permalink]
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I am not all that familiar with Specter.
Do the Democrat want him? |
Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Carl Sagan - 1996 |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 12:18:03 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Simon
I am not all that familiar with Specter.
Do the Democrat want him?
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Specter was a moderate Republican. My expectation of him is he will now be a moderate Democrat. He brings the number of Democrats in the Senate up to 59, one away from stopping a filibuster from the other side.
Also, he represents disenfranchised Republicans stuck in a party that has moved so far to the right that they simply can't go there, or at least, don't want to go there anymore. So on a purely symbolic level, his move is important.
And, he is a Sr. Senator with clout. Yes, we want him. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 12:46:35 [Permalink]
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| One away = Franken.... |
by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 12:51:11 [Permalink]
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With Arlen Spector leaving the GOP, it's another sign the Grand Old Party is doomed. Many moderate, or sane-conservative, rank-and-file Republicans are deserting the party (200,000 in Pennsylvania alone). Elected politicians like Spector see the writing on the wall, and are getting out while the getting's good.
More and more, what's left are the most radical of the NeoCons, the fatally flawed coalition of Religious Rightists, plutocrats and military adventurists, well leavened with moronic, slavering religious, sexual and racial bigots.
This clinches my opinion of the GOP's "death spiral." The Right will rise again, but it won't be called the Republican Party. Instead of correcting its error of the last eight years, the GOP is restrained from reform by the pit-bull jaws of the NeoCons planted firmly locked upon its throat. The GOP will become smaller yet, lose even more power, while its diminishing leadership and membership grows both louder and more obviously crazy and evil.
And President Obama has likely been handed a wonderful gift to help him celebrate his 100 days in office: The first filibuster-proof Senate majority since 1937.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 04/28/2009 17:07:50 |
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marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 13:38:50 [Permalink]
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Simon wrote: I am not all that familiar with Specter.
Do the Democrat want him? |
I'm a Democrat in PA and I've always liked Spector because we was a moderate and a Republican. I knew he could be counted on to get elected and then behave rationally. I imagine that as a Democrat he'll still be able to get elected in the primary and I don't think he'll change much as a politician. I'm bummed out that we're losing him as an example of a sane and rational Republican. I'm also bummed out that by his becoming a Democrat he's furthering the Democratic move to the center. But I don't want to say that I don't want him since, as I said originally, I've always liked the guy. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
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| Edited by - marfknox on 04/28/2009 13:39:39 |
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marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 13:41:35 [Permalink]
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| Actually, the more I think about this, the more I see it as an ominous sign. If moderate Republicans jump ship leaving only the wackos behind, the Republican party will be more and more marginalized as a dying, regional party. This means that the Democrats will become too powerful, and as history proves, corrupt and useless. We need at least two strong and sensible parties and a large, stable middle class for this democracy to work. I'm worried. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
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marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 13:43:22 [Permalink]
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Half wrote: The first filibuster-proof Senate majority since 1937.
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This *might* be a good thing. Now let's see if Obama and the Democratic party has the balls to use it, and the brains and heart to use it to actually help the American people. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 15:13:10 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by marfknox
Half wrote: The first filibuster-proof Senate majority since 1937.
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This *might* be a good thing. Now let's see if Obama and the Democratic party has the balls to use it, and the brains and heart to use it to actually help the American people.
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It bodes well for health care an other issues that don't need further watering down. |
Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Kil
Evil Skeptic
USA
13477 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 15:21:20 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by marfknox
Actually, the more I think about this, the more I see it as an ominous sign. If moderate Republicans jump ship leaving only the wackos behind, the Republican party will be more and more marginalized as a dying, regional party. This means that the Democrats will become too powerful, and as history proves, corrupt and useless. We need at least two strong and sensible parties and a large, stable middle class for this democracy to work. I'm worried.
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Ah. It's only temporary. It may take a while but the GOP will figure out how to win again eventually. They need to bottom out first I guess.
We need some time to get things like Health care through in a way that isn't so watered down that it's close to useless. Other things need attending to as well. Like science.
Enjoy it Marf. It isn't going to last.
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Uncertainty may make you uncomfortable. Certainty makes you ridiculous.
Why not question something for a change?
Genetic Literacy Project |
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Simon
SFN Regular
USA
1992 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2009 : 15:31:00 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by marfknox
Actually, the more I think about this, the more I see it as an ominous sign. If moderate Republicans jump ship leaving only the wackos behind, the Republican party will be more and more marginalized as a dying, regional party. This means that the Democrats will become too powerful, and as history proves, corrupt and useless. We need at least two strong and sensible parties and a large, stable middle class for this democracy to work. I'm worried.
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Well; it won't last.
There will be a second party. Either the GOP or another one...
By the way; nice to have you around Marf.
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Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there – on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Carl Sagan - 1996 |
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marfknox
SFN Die Hard
USA
3739 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2009 : 10:09:20 [Permalink]
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Kil wrote: We need some time to get things like Health care through in a way that isn't so watered down that it's close to useless. Other things need attending to as well. Like science.
Enjoy it Marf. It isn't going to last. |
Enjoy what? So far the Obama administration has bailed out the rich. I'm not saying he shouldn't have bailed out Wall Street - if he hadn't it probably would have screwed everybody over even worse than we are already screwed.
I am concerned about science, but that is a tiny concern in the face of my concerns about health care. Scientific research in the USA when compared to other developed nations is fairing far better than health care compared to other developed nations. The USA spends far more per capita on health care than any other nation in the world, but our quality per capita is quite low. People with money get very good health care while working class and poor people are either underinsured or uninsured. Lots of people don't even realize how fucked up things are until something sudden happens to their health or the health of someone they love and then see how much it can financially ruin them.
This is hitting home with me more and more with each passing month, and I feel a deep rage building up.
-One of my closet friends has a stack of medical bills amounting to $12K from just 2008 because she has no health insurance and had several emergency room visits last year (she has allergies and some other health problems.) She's currently trying to work within the system to get some or all of that debt forgiven, because otherwise she's pretty much going to be buried underneath debt that she can't possibly hope to pay off before she grows old and dies.
-Another of my closet friends has gone over two years without treatment for a perfectly treatable mental illness. He's high functioning enough that he can live on his own, but he's struggling to keep employment and I helplessly watch him self medicate with alcohol and extremely unhealthy foods. I also know that he frequently contemplates suicide, and I fear that if things don't improve for him in the next few years, it might come to that end. He's highly educated and intelligent and willing to work hard, and I know that if he simply were able to get the counseling and medication he needs, he'd be much more likely to get a good job and be much happier and much more useful and productive to society.
Just yesterday my cousin ended up in the hospital due to dehydration from morning sickness and flu. She works full time, has health insurance, and lives with her parents instead of paying rent or a mortgage. And yet her pregnancy will cost her thousands in co-pays and deductibles, and this little visit to the hospital has only added to the bills that she already can barely afford. By the time she actually has her baby, she'll be dead broke and possibly in more debt. The father wants to be involved, but he has no health insurance and earns very little income himself.
These are the three most extremes cases I personally know. However, among myself and my other friends and family, I can see how a single severe illness or injury could cost them to lose their homes or jobs, and sink deeper into debt. I live in fear of illness or injury not because of the pain it causes, but because of the cost. That is fucked up. We pay for fire departments, police, roads, schools, libraries, etc. in this country, and only the most extreme libertarians complain about it. But when it comes to health care, even moderate liberals are reluctant to adopt a single payer universal system. I don't get it.
If the Obama administration doens't make some significant progress in this area soon, I'll conclude that this was all a sham and that the Democratic party is nothing more than a centrist party with the interests of the affluent and corporations in mind more than the interests of much greater masses of working people in need. When I see progressive steps in health care, then I'll start to enjoy it. |
"Too much certainty and clarity could lead to cruel intolerance" -Karen Armstrong
Check out my art store: http://www.marfknox.etsy.com
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| Edited by - marfknox on 04/29/2009 10:10:00 |
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Spector D-PA
