We’re this much closer to calling things what they are. And that’s nearly always a good thing. From Human Events:
HUMAN EVENTS has learned from staff sources that Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa) is about to announce his switch to the Democratic Party.
Specter, a five-term Republican and ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee, is facing a tough primary challenge next year from former Club for Growth president Pat Toomey. He was one of the three Republicans to support President Obama’s stimulus bill, and his liberal approach to many issues — from his devoted opposition to the Supreme Court nomination of Robert Bork to his support for illegal alien amnesty programs — earned him a low ACU rating of 43 in 2006. This switch will give the Democrats their 60-seat filibuster-proof majority.
According to the Washington Post, Specter said today, “I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary,” said Specter in a statement. “I am ready, willing and anxious to take on all comers and have my candidacy for re-election determined in a general election.”
The Post also reports that he added: “Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.”
Well, many of us would argue that that’s long where Specter’s been, anyway — and that, at the very least, he was never much of a conservative or classical liberal.
Still, to switch over to the party of centralized banking, unimaginable spending, and government intrusion into the very heart of private industry, is to admit that, for all these years, you’ve been legislating without principle.
Shame on those in PA who kept you there, and shame on Bush Jr for backing you.
That having been said….
Yippeeeeeeeeee!
****
udpate: more.
Arlen has come out of the dirty socialist closet at last and if those bitches from Maine would take a time out from spreading swine flu and join him maybe the National Republican Senatorial Committee might actually glean a donation this year.
I don’t understand “We’re this much closer to calling things what they are.” Senator Specter isn’t join the Feckless Crapweasel Party.
Well, not by that name . . .
joining, dammit, joining
Darn, now I don’t get to vote against him in the primary.
Office of the Chairperson
Democratic/Progressive Party
Arlen, old friend, welcome home.
Your long arduous sojourn is now over. We thank you for your work, on all the difficult assignments, tasked for you, by us. We have reserved for you the Kim Philby chair in our caucus. The “Hero of Socialist Labor” awarded to you in secret, will now be gratefully presented to you by your loving friends, in public, now that the secret side of your life is over.
Once again. Well done comrade. You are now home, among friends. Rest, your time of struggle is over.
Peace out.
“DeMint said Specter’s switch “shows that there were not principles attaching Arlen to the Republican Party, but the Republican Party was the means to get elected.â€
D’oh!
DeMint continued: “I would rather have 30 Republicans in the Senate who really believe in principles of limited government, free markets, free people, than to have 60 that don’t have a set of beliefs.â€
Mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow.
Ontology recapitulates phylogeny, or somesuch.
my arlen specter pez dispencer
always left wispy falling out cancer hairs in my candy
the only reason i’d vote for chris matthews
in a democratic party
Ontology recapitulates phylogeny and gets into a creek that flows through a cemetery and the brain-hungry dead arise and begin to march I think.
dem party primary[sorry]
Losing Specter is like losing Chafee, really no loss at all. I would like to see the GOP win the general election though. That would be especially sweet. I am sure the Dems cooked up a deal that Spector gets the Dem slot unopposed. Who is that candidate? Toomey? Or is there a better choice from Pennsylvanian Republicans?
As I said on another thread, Spector’s invoking of Reagan in that quote is bizarre beyond all recognition. When was he ever a part of the “Reagan Revolution” in most areas of political principle?
This guy is a moronic narcissist and a buttinsky of the highest order. His questioning of Judge Roberts during the SCOTUS hearings, when he repeatedly hectored Roberts about Roe v. Wade as to his confirmation that it was a “super precedent,” was one of the dumbest, most idiotic legislative moments I have ever seen. (Surpassing even Ted Stevens “internet series of tubes” laugher.)
Good riddance indeed although, in addition to George W. Bush, I wonder if there will be any reaction from Rick Santorum, who also blew off a conservative candidate to support Spector in 2004.
Strange Times. I hope Bill Toomey kicks his ass in November.
“About damn time”, as somebody once said about something totally unrelated.
Now the Dems will totally own the massive screwup they currently have in process. It seems the best way to get America to vote for Republicans is to give them a nice, long, unadulterated swig from the Dem kool-aid barrel. Then, when they choke on the foul taste and horrendous results, it’ll be back to the other lane of the highway.
We better have somebody available to lead at that time. And John McCain-style squishy-soft “moderates” won’t cut the mustard, boys.
I wonder whether Lynn Swann is still looking to get into politics. His gubernatorial bid fell short, but Senate might work.
Does this put card check fascism back in play? I bet it do.
Toomey is the guy, Joe. No one else has the political power in this election.
geoffb, I just sent your comment to Specter.
It is to laugh.
He joins the towering. legendary, moral and ethical giants suchas Jim Jeffords and Ben Nighthorse-Campbell.
Will he refund any donor money to people who (mistakenly) thought they were giving to a Republican? I know, how could they have?
they’re trotting out a version of the view
with all male peoples
the line-up is anderson cooper/bill maher/perez hilton
and as the right wing conservative- arlen specter…
when the talk focused on tea bagging..
arlen thought it was a cancer treatment…
fun was had by one and all
Arlen was part of the reason the GOP was not a clear difference between us and them. There is no room in a “big tent” for small government free market and big government socialists. They are mutually exclusive.
From the second link,
Nice name for the law.
my arlen specter pez dispencer
always left wispy falling out cancer hairs in my candy
Could Dickinson have distilled the essence of this news more succinctly? No she could not have she’d have just gone with some loopy snake metaphor and we’d be scratching our heads wondering what she was trying to say exactly.
joyce carroll oates had an uncle in the shed
who looked like arlen specter[she never wrote about him]
even though he could play the deliverance theme
on a saw
Americans united for Change Press release (h/t Rush)
“Spectre’s defection is ultimate rejection of Limbaugh Republican party”.
and I love this from his statement.
um. okay.
I’m kind of concerned that this formerly “moderate” Republican will be a somewhat less than moderate Democrat in order to cement his seat going into 2010.
Arlen wants to be judged like in the NPR report what they are putting together for their diseased new bff.
John Cornyn has been through 2 tubes of Crest and 3 bottles of Listermint today. And it still tastes like ass every time he swallows. W couldn’t be reached for comment.
Won’t Spector’s defection tend to strengthen, rather than weaken, the hands to be played within yet against the Republican caucus by the two Mainesie twins, Susan and Olympia? Seems likely to me anyhow.
Good point. Cornyn is a pitiful pitiful joke. I hope his ass gets a primary challenge as well… he went homo shockingly fast even for a Republican senator.
i hope[snark] he gets his rest
he’s gonna be on tee-vee lots..
somewhere a harried make-up proffessional
is getting yelled at
It’ll be forever though before we can slap Cornyn upside his dumb pansy head.
Compare and contrast the coverage of how brave and courageous this was to when Shelby switched.
Good riddance. BJ, in time, you will see this as the monumentally good thing it is. Filibuster-proof majority kind of sucks, but hey, this is all theirs now, not that it wasn’t before.
N. O’Brain,
Thank you.
Specter is the Chuck Johnson of the Senate. And you’re right, the man ain’t even fiscally conservative. Good riddance.
I wonder how many more Repubs will switch parties.
Will there be anyone left in the end to turn the lights out at the Repub nut house?
How hilarious would it be come the Democrat primaries in Pa next year should Spector be beaten by a genuine lefty and thus find himself out in the wilderness without a party backing an attempt to keep his seat? Not that that is going to happen, mind you……
“In a statement, Specter said he does not want to be ‘judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate.'”
Shorter Specter: “Bitter Clingers KMA!”
If they all want to bail, I’m cool with that.
We can find more. And better.
Specter: “I am not going to allow my 29-year record to be judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate”.
I can’t imagine a more arrogant and self-serving admission of defeat. Gave the one-finger salute to the Pennsylvania GOP, he did.
What a jerk.
“If they all want to bail, I’m cool with that.
We can find more. And better.”
Except DeMint; he’s the only one I can think of who’s been consistent.
Lindsay and ‘Lympia are blaming the mean ol’ conservatives for Arlen’s boogey-out. Figures.
Couple of links from over at HA (Heart-Ache):
Squish tears from Snowe and Graham.
Frumpy Frumian Frumisms.
Maybe Kay Bailey Hutchinson will turn.
She seems to have some dignity left in her tank.
Nice homophobic comment on #31–Glad to see nothing’s changed. I wonder where Protein Wisdom sees itself in the wake of the Arlen Specter defection and the very real prospect (mentioned by Jim DeMint) of conservatives boiling down to about 30 votes. Given that the Republican Party is shrinking down to a regional core of the Deep Confederacy (South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Arkansas), the Central and Southern Plains (rural Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota), and the Mormon/Mountain Belt of Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming, do you guys see yourselves as migrating to conservative areas. In The Big Sort, Bill Bishop argues that conservatives and liberals are moving to ideologically homogenous enclaves. Perhaps some of you are contemplating moves to a “rock-ribbed” state like Oklahoma where I believe John McCain carried every county. Or do you see yourselves more in Michele Bachmann terms as “foreign correspondents” in a nation that’s increasingly hostile to your points of view? Just asking.
Huzzah! Ric Caric is back! Is Snarlin’ Arlen no longer a Republican Weenie Boy, Professor?
thor, not sure you’ve noticed but half the republicans in congress are completely out of touch with the republican party. The reason dems were voted in last round was the republicans were acting in their own best interest rather than in the interests of those they represented. WHen politicians act primarily in their own interest, corruption generally follows. Personally, I’d pray for more hard right candidates because those people will get votes- you have this impression that any right non moderate candidate is an extremist but that’s simply not the case. Republicans in Congress have lost site of their principles and acted like morons for years and years.
Also, I don’t know why you think you somehow have a permanent majority. I’m not sure if you’ve looked lately but congress approval ratings are in the toilet. the democrats are getting their chance to be the “most ethical congress in history’ and they’ve taken a big steaming dump all over that chance. As the economy continues to tank, its finally going to dawn on pelosi and co. that its their economy. Blaming Bush may work in your circles but its not going to fly with those outside the far left bubble.
If you are asking if individuals without principles can more easily adapt to a moral cesspool, and constantly changing governmental directives on what to believe, then the answer would be yes! You will do well in the new order.
*Lindsay and ‘Lympia are blaming the mean ol’ conservatives for Arlen’s boogey-out. Figures.*
I think the repubs should own it. Get somebody out there saying “we’re glad he’s gone and here’s why…” rather than wringing their hands and flagellating republicans for “driving” him out of the party. Unfortunately, as republicans are basically leaderless at this point, we don’t have a point person who should be making those statements.
Well, I see I was just in time to TrollHammer Caric. And oddly enough I saw his stool just as I was about to comment on the use of “out of the closet” as a description of Sen. Specter’s action today. To wit:
Don’t most closets have, like, doors?
#46
Nah, we see ourselves as being represented by a bunch of principled representatives.
And you?
Oh, look! The self elected Sultan of Political Correctness and All Things Identity/Other has issued a ritual denunciation.
Sorry, perfesser, but JD is in charge of ritual denunciations here. Many of us operate under blanket condemnations to save time.
In the meantime there is a long way to go for this administration and the reality of the real costs of socialized health care, cap and trade and the burgeoning deficits may just make an impression upon the electorate come 2010, 1994 Clinton style.
Stay tuned…
What a shitbag of a day. I have run across timmah and professor caricature in the same day. I must not be living right.
Micheal Steele at CNN.
Good on him!
Preposition trouble? Maybe if that had been “over” instead of “across” you’d be having a better day.
I think I got a pardon quite a while ago from Walter Williams. A permanent one.
Steele still has his whores from Maine to give him the strap on loving he craves I think.
I had a caric once, but a dentist fixed it.
President Obama is asking Congress for $1.5 billion to fight the current swine flu outbreak.
Senator Specter has just confirmed the wisdom of my 2004 votes, for Pat Toomey in the Republican primary, and Jim Clymer (Constitution Party) in the general election.
If the Democrats run a strong enough candidate against Mr Specter in the Democratic primary next year, I might just switch my registration long enough to vote agsinst Mr Specter in their primary. I’d rather have an honestly liberal Democrat than a slimeball.
Put it this way:
Specter’s been a Democrat for a long time. This just changes the label to the correct one. (Or perhaps it’s more like rats deserting the sinking ship.)
Tough on the people whose appreciation of politics is more like following a sports team, of course.
Regards,
Ric
Is Ric “No Weenie Boy Here” Caric just gonna hit and run like that?
I mean, WTF? I thought he came out to play?
Also, Ric acts like he doesn’t know that Snarlin’ was a Democrat before he was a Republican before he was a Democrat. It couldn’t be that he, well doesn’t know, could it?
JD wrote:
If it hadn’t been for Senator Specter abandoning the Republican Party and voting for cloture on the Porkulus Plan, Pat Toomey would be running for governor and Mr Specter would still be a RINO. The Democrats had Mr Specter’s vote when they really needed him anyway, so now he’s just being honest about what he has always been.
“Some in the Republican Party are happy about this. I am not…[Specter] 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.”
So, Steele’s not happy because Specter should have stayed on as a Republican with his left-wing voting record?
Does this guy ever think before he speaks? Or is this really what he meant to say?
A couple of thoughts struck me. 1) This Moron is suggesting that the REPUBLICAN party is farther RIGHT than REAGAN! Hhahhahahhahahahhahaahahhaha That is funny.
2) Specter admitted that he was about to be SHIT CANNED. He left because we KICKED HIS ASS OUT.
Just wanted to drop in and say thanks for making your party so toxic, that your moderates have no choice but to switch to the Democratic Party if they want to stay in office.
You’re welcome to him, yellow one. He fits right into the Party With No Priciples.
Also he’s a tumor magnet.
You can have our “moderates” douchebag.
As O’Drama pisses his pants day after day after day after, our dimwitted libtard friends stay “Bitter” and “cling” to their Hope and Change;. Hold on tight libs, you are not going to like what we are going to do to you next time around. You are going to pay.
#67 being a perfect example.
Funny how the “nyah-nyah” trolls don’t get that we here have no more use for the current crop of elected Republicans than we do for the neo-socialist omnipotent-big-government Democrats.
Maybe McCain’s next?
(Hope, hope, hope!)
Oh dear, dear dear, we’ve lost an 80 piece of shit. What-ever-shall-we-do??? Now the the PORK will become law!!
Damn it. Please don’t leave us Arlen Colonel Sanders Speculum.
#67-
What moderates? Specter was no moderate.
Apparently Libs WANT Specter. And he wants them. This is too funny for words. Which policies of the OH SO RIGHT WING Republican Small Tent party did Specter oppose???
All of them. He’s an unprincipled prick.
Well, Xanthippas, as the cat said when she shit in the sugar-bowl, that remains to be seen. It’s worth remembering that neither side can afford to trust a known traitor, which has been our (or at least my) problem with Arlen Specter all along.
It is, of course, a problem from the standpoint of counting assholes, a process which has always included Senator Specter. For those of us whose attitude leans toward clarity it’s perhaps painful but a good thing overall, rather like a flu shot.
Regards,
Ric
#75: By the Democratic Party’s definition of a “moderate” — only 90% loyalty to the Democratic Party line — Specter qualifies.
Regards,
Ric
#Comment by Matt on 4/28 @ 1:37 pm #
Please ignore the insane troll.
Thank you.
And now Toomey will always have the right to say he defeated Arlen Specter.
Hey, Dana, nice to see you!
JD called me earlier today just after I had read the “Reagan Big Tent” quote and he will confirm that I was acting very unchristian … what with the F-Bombs and all.
I was royally flaming pissed.
I have since calmed down and see the good things as well as the possibilities. Arlen may find the Democratic party less collegial than he expects. Also, if there is a bow back from the real costs of Cap and Trade, Natioanlized Health Care and various other political imperatives, there may be a reversal of fortune much like waht happened to Bubba on ’94. Unless the Dems roll over for Arlen (a possibility as the deep thinking party usually cannot resist playing the “now on the side of troof” card) then a conservative candidate, even in PA, may beat him senseless. that would be most satisfying but not as much evil fun as spector losing in the Dem primary.
That would be to laugh.
Those of us in PA, like Dana, N.O’brain and Alex Leamas, to name a few, have gritted our teeth, endured the shame of Bush and Santorum supporting Spector in 2004 and wondered what it would take to oust this useless, doddering old fool from politics.
Perhaps, he has managed to make my dreams come true all by his lonesome. BTW: (and i think Dana will back me up on this) anybody who honestly thinks that Spector switched parties out of principle rather having to face than the stark reality that he was going to lose the Republican Primary is drinking something and needs to send a case to me.
Outside increasing the pressure on Sens. Collins and Snowe of Maine to do the same, Specter’s switch doesn’t make that much impact on the Senate. But Specter is a significant symbol of the shrinking of the Republican Party into an ever smaller regional and ideological zone. As the Republicans become less viable as a conservative party, American politics seems to be going through a momentous transformation comparable to the decline of Federalism after 1800 and the falling apart of the Whigs in the late 1850’s. Congratulations to Protein Wisdom for being a significant participant in such an important process.
That’s inarguable. Specter himself said so: “I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate.”
Perfesser:
You derive all of that from two (2) consecutive election cycles?
Really?
I think it’s hilarious that the lefty trolls are coming out to celebrate this in the comments. You would think that at some point they would realize what everyone at the Tea Party Protests have been shouting across the country almost every weekend. People are realizing how much this administration is going to cost and they aren’t happy about it.
Specter can spin it all he wants, but this sends a clear message to the rest of the RINO’s, as Demint so clearly eloquated- “I would rather have 30 Republicans in the Senate who really believe in principles of limited government, free markets, free people, than to have 60 that don’t have a set of beliefs.â€
None too soon, I say. And for those conservatives who want to play “chase the middle” you might as well join Specter because the conservative movement is clearly not going in that direction no matter how much Meggy McCain like totally thinks it would be rad to do so.
Xanthippas wrote:
But that’s just it: we tried being the go-along-to-get-along, Democrats Lite Republican Party of the 1960s and 1970s, with such luminaries as Hugh Scott and Everett Dirksen and Gerald Ford, a permanent minority party which pulled out a couple of presidential wins only due to the fact that the Democrats ran teh lamest of the lame.
We won the congressional majority when the GOP started to actually stand for something different, started to be a real conservative party instead of the “me, too, just less” Democrats Lite.
The purpose of politics is to win governing power to put your beliefs and agenda into policy and law. What is the point of winning an election for the Republicans if they are still going to enact laws and propose policies indistinguishable from Democrats?
“Congratulations to Protein Wisdom for being a significant participant in such an important process.”
I do not see how anyone could consider a small blog on the internet significant in that process but feel free to continue being a dumbass and keep thinking that if you want.
“…and the falling apart of the Whigs in the late 1850’s.”
And the heir to the Whigs were…The Republicans!
Thanks for reminding me.
Maybe this time we can save the Republican wing of the Republican party.
Caric, you don’t get it do you? Oleempia and Susie have just gotten stronger in their caucus and yet you think they are contemplating a move to a place where they will not only be superfluous but certainly forgotten presences within a fortnight, all of which you think they don’t know either? Jeez, you’re dumb.
“Jeez, you’re dumb.”
Everyone here knows that.
Excellent observation from Powerline:
Speaking of “clinging to office as most people cling to life” — I really don’t know if Ted Kennedy has announced his retirement. Has anyone heard?
When I was getting my undergrad degree, I lived about 2 miles from campus. At that time I had a oh-so-shitty Chevy Citation my Dad bought at an auction. It ran, after a fashion, when the weather was warm, but at the first hint of frost you had no prayer of getting it to turn over. Every morning from late fall to early spring I would trudge out my door, walk past this POS, and head for campus. I never even gave a thought to trying to start it. When the time came to renew the tag I sold it to a parts yard from $40. I was glad to get it and wondered why I had waited so long.
It cost me money I couldn’t really afford, it only worked when the weather was nice enough to make walking a pleasure, and consistently let me down when I really needed it. Good riddance.
I feel the same way about Specter.
It must be exhilarating to be so foolish. All the highs, all the lows.
For some, foresight is limited to projecting the present to the future. Rome won’t fall, it will continue to grow. Same with the English empire. Same with the invisible progressive movement of ’09.
Please, continue, your infantile hubris is funny for us.
You can frame it that way — and many pragmatic GOPers will even agree with you, as they panic over losing numbers in the short term.
Me, I’m happy we seem to be going into rebuilding mode. And the fact that many conservatives and classical liberals not only don’t much care about Specter’s defection — but in fact are happy about it — suggests that some other symbolism is at play here, symbolism that you leftists will go out of your way to ignore or dimish.
Which, too bad for you Specter’s name wasn’t Senator Teabagger. They you could have merely recycled.
invisible = invincible
BJT-FREE wrote:
I am quite proud to say that I have never voted for Arlen Specter. In the 2004 Republican primary, I voted for Pat Toomey; in the general election, I voted for Jim Clymer, the Constitution Party candidate. I didn’t live in te Keystone State in 1998, Mr Specter’s previous election cycle.
I understand why President Bush and Senctor Santorum supported Arlen Specter in 2004, but I can also see just how well Mr Specter repaid that debt. Where was Senator Specter when Mr Santorum was fighting for his seat in 2006? Where was Senator Specter when President Bush was fighting for his agenda against the Islamists and his judicial nominees?
Specter is an official dirty socialist now and that is very good news for the Republican brand and if we can knock off Meghan’s coward daddy in a primary challenge then this will have been time well spent. Except for the destruction of our little country as a financially viable entity and the dirty socialist corruption of so very much of what made this country special.
>>shrinking of the Republican Party into an ever smaller regional and ideological zone.
Dunno about that. Looked at the county-by-county voting maps? My own NYS is mostly Red, not Blue, with the exceptions being in ideologically near-homogenous enclaves – cities – that by dint of population density or district gerrymandering tends twoards giving the vote to Dems.
There’s two factors playing here, though. One, the Repubs are outnumbered, not non-extant. Our suburbs being solidly Red. Two, we don’t tend to have Conservative pols, but more Rino types. Then, of course, massive corruption in both parties, people that wouldn’t vote for whichever if you held a gun to their heads, etc. It isn’t like most put any thought into their votes.
No blowhard, you had it right the first time. There isn’t any “progressive” movement. Just a bunch of fascists in democrats clothing.
“Please, continue, your infantile hubris is funny for us.”
It sure is funny for me. How long has it been since WHATSAMATTAYOU KANSAS was a top seller?
The other part that is funny is that they seem not to see the seed of defeat in their midst. Ask Perfesser Caric if the Lightworker can get a new Assault Weapons Ban passed in either the House or Senate, and why this is so?
“Those of us in PA, like Dana, N.O’brain and Alex Leamas, to name a few, have gritted our teeth, endured the shame of Bush and Santorum supporting Spector in 2004 and wondered what it would take to oust this useless, doddering old fool from politics.”
I’ll say that Snarlin’ has never been my cup of tea ideologically, but I’ve voted for him for strategic reasons. He’s also a Machiavellian character, and has more lives than a sack full of cats. I predict that Toomey (for whom I will vote) and any primary challenger on the Left are in for a real struggle. He’s probably working behind the scenes as we speak to make 2010 a three-way race.
Confucius approves.
You know, for having almost total control of the reins of government at this moment, lib/progs sure seem…uncertain of themselves. cf. Xanthippas and Junior Adjunct TA Caric.
in his cell ira einhorn
beats off to thoughts of
a presidential pardon
Seems like the GOP has a golden opportunity to clean house of all those democrats posing as Republicans. Not like it would hurt them any.
“You know, for having almost total control of the reins of government at this moment, lib/progs sure seem…uncertain of themselves. cf. Xanthippas and Junior Adjunct TA Caric.”
Its almost like they’re afraid of something. Like accountability. In two years.
Optimisitic angle: R’s will reject the spastic attempts at political calculus and simply act on principle, which most people tend to respect. The dramatic contrast between a coherent, principled minority and the corrupt bread and circus majority leads to a huge electoral turnaround.
Pessimistic angle: People are simply tired of the free market. They want their government binky cradle to grave, no matter how nasty it is. They’d rather be taken care of than take care of themselves. Welcome to stagnation and eventual decline. It was nice being a superpower while it lasted.
I’m a hopeful pessimist. I hope I’m wrong.
My favorite part is how Obama will now have to revisit the Bush Jr role and support Specter in the primaries rather than someone more in line with his party, like Sestak.
Fantastic.
But Specter is a significant symbol
Exactly.
Posterboy for RINO Inc.
Door, ass, some assembly required.
“Sestak Not Ruling Out Pennsylvania Senate Run in 2010“
What’d they promise him? Big bucks? A clear playing field? 24 virgins?
Or is it because he was toast after voting to spend TRILLIONS on a bill he had never taken the time to read?
He belongs in jail along with every other person who voted for that bill.
In which toxic means in violation of the New Progressive Religion of State. Working title: Doing as regards taxation, collectivism, speech, bias, oppression, rule, and corruption what would have gotten you hung two hundred years ago.
How do you end up not with but a modicum of historical perspective, but none whatsoever?
Another thought: what if Democrats need Republicans to maintain their power? What if the lack of someone to serve as convenient bogeyman and a cover for unpopular policy decisions fractures their alliance? Could we see other political parties arise? It would be interesting.
How do you end up not with but a modicum of historical perspective, but none whatsoever?
Three letters:
N
E
A
I mean, why all the nyah, nyah stuff when your idealogical cohorts are running the show? Sure, it’s a foregone conclusion that Dems lack class. That much is obvious in their dear leader and his skeezy wife who have all the class and good taste of Fred Sanford, but what compels Junior Assistant Adjunct Part-time Third Team TA like Caric to swing by PW and break wind?
“I mean, why all the nyah, nyah stuff when your idealogical cohorts are running the show?”
You know that nyah, nyah, neener, neener never comes from confidence. The rest is best left to imagination.
To Jeff–As always, you’re not quite as smart as you think you are. I was saying that the Republican Party was boiling down to people like you which is also what you’re saying. The question is whether that’s success or failure. You and Jim DeMint seem to think that losing elections, shrinking down to core regions, and getting whipsawed by Obama is success. Hey, that’s fine with me. After all, it’ll still be a free country even after Obama passes health care reform. Actually, the idea of Republican success sort of reminds me of all the successes Wall Street had last year. Just remember to give the GOP leadership the appropriate 50 mill in bonuses they’ve earned.
But I’m not exactly being unreasonable to view the Republicans as failing on a momentous scale. My reason for doubting that the Republicans will ever recover is that conservatives have made it a moral principle to make no attempt to appeal to blacks, hispanics, gays, secular independents, or young voters who dislike the religious right. As long as that’s the case, it’s difficult to see Republicans as having any room for growth except on the far fringes of the right (represented in my part of Kentucky by neo-confederate, gun fetishist, and survivalist sentiment).
It seems more likely to me that some sort of moderate political party will emerge to occupy the growing political space between the liberalizing Democrats and the increasingly right-leaning Republicans and that the Republicans will become a regional third party–sort of like Party Quebecois (hopefully the spelling here is close) or the Scottish National Party. That’s not exactly insignificant, but it’s not exactly the status the Republicans enjoyed until the end of the Bush/Cheney years either.
That’s certainly one possible fork in the fractal timeline.
Recall 2006. Democrats defeated Republicans across the board, and Pelosi and Reid gleefully took the reins and announced all kinds of wonderful initiatives — none of which were ever implemented. Reason? Well, the Conventional Wisdom was that Everybody Hated The War and wanted it ended and those responsible for it frogmarched off in orange boiler suits. What actually happened was that all those Democrats started getting cards and letters and phone calls from constituents, saying “Hold on, there, Bubba, that ain’t why you were elected, and if you expect to be elected next time you’d better remember that.” What was supposed to be a Progressive explosion turned into a fizzle.
We’re seeing that now. One possible result is Blue Dogs splitting from the main Democratic Party, whether or not the Republican rump is either welcome or willing. It has, after all, happened before, though a long time ago.
Regards,
Ric
Well, Kelly, the good perfesser wouldn’t be caught dead in a real debate. He actually once declared victory in a debate with Jeff by posting his response on his own site without ever mentioning it to our host. He fancies himself as an erudite dropper of bon mots when all he really amounts to is a clueless hack with visions of political grandeur.
Think fruit fly trying to mount a rhino.
“I was saying that the Republican Party was boiling down to people like you”
Stay at home father (Joo!) from Colorado?
Something tells me that’s your opening line in ever paper you grade written by a classical liberal / conservative. Or, in your parlance, a racist homophobic cancer who really should just die.
Beyond that I didn’t bother to read. Because frankly I don’t give fuckall for what you think — and you’re too stupid to recognize that you aren’t dealing with Republicans here.
Translation: conservatives have decided that swapping booty for votes is not for them. I can live with that.
Which is not to say that Republican congresscritters are turning up their noses at swapping influence for booty, unfortunately.
Ric:
You played football? Really?
That’s pretty manly. If I do say so myself.
I read it Mr. Goldstein and it’s more of that that passive aggressive gloatyness that is seemingly incognizant that the future of politics in this country is a test of anti-dirty socialism as a political force and the fat ugly people are very very scared of the results of that test so they fall back on the tired argument of hey all yous black people and gay people and such should embrace socialism cause Republicans are mean… here listen to NPR it’s true Republicans all hate you so socialism is good.
Ric Caric is so manly in his not-caring-about-being-perceived-as-manly that he makes sure you know that he played football on his bio page.
Please. Spare us your psycho-sexual fantasies with Obama and answer this question: Why do you even care about what happens to Republicans, anyway? Your team is in charge. Why does it matter if your putative enemies are out in the wilderness? It can’t be from nobility–liberals don’t have any of that, it’s clear. What could it be?
I heard an interesting take on the “why have Republicans written off blacks” question: “why have blacks written off individual liberty?”
“Please. Spare us your psycho-sexual fantasies with Obama.”
Ric Caric sucks cock like a manly man. And, it makes you gay for being hard in the first place.
Yeah, but does he mean American football or soccer? Europeans insist on calling soccer “football”, and we all know how the tranzis love them the Euros.
Caric, Please tell me that you don’t hold any position in society higher than fry cook at Hardees. Because your worldview isn’t much beyond your arm’s reach.
If by appealing to those constituencies, you mean individually pandering to them, making promises about the lilac aroma of unicorn farts and how all turds are light sweet chocolate, then I guess you are right. I believe that principles are larger than bribes, although only to a small percentage of one national political party.
It’s not enough for them to win, they must be unchallenged, and any who challenge them must be punished and humiliated.
Not much impact? You wish.
The unintended consequence is that this gives 100% cover to every Republican with a brain. They can vote against the predestined to fail policies of the President, or even refuse to vote and claim they voted “present.”
When the failure comes, they cannot be blamed.
Another question for the Student Associate TA: How is it you think you know anything about conservatives? Is there a picture book where you can point to caricatures and grunt?
Personally, I can’t get enough of this Caric guy. The Germans have come up with a few good words for subtle emotions. Do that have anything that roughly translates to “the mild pleasure derived from being poorly mocked by fools”?
“Another question for the Student Associate TA: How is it you think you know anything about conservatives? Is there a picture book where you can point to caricatures and grunt?”
His bio says he’s from Kentucky, so he figures he’s like the Jane Goodall of Reglur Merkins. He lived among’em, so he reckons he can be agin’im.
Where the fuck did Caric go?
He’s no fun, really.
Comment by PR on 4/28 @ 2:48 pm #
HA!
I see Teh Caric is arguing with those caricatures again. Homophobes! Racists! Bitter clingers of guns and religion! What a mendouceous twatwaffle. Notice how he now worships at the altar of Barcky, after being a strident Hillary supporter. Caricature and timmah make a perfect match.
Actually John I kinda thought when you offered droopy diseased Arlen a handjob if he’d help you win back the majority y’all pissed away that that was the height of political self-preservation. Homo Texan jackass.
Happyfeet got it right, in a sense. Collins, Snowe and Specter just want to be able to belong to the right clubs. At least Specter has the honesty, finally, to admit who he is. Having said that, if either Olympia or Susan has a grand daughter, her chance of debuting at the Mayflower Ball probably just took a hit.
Awww. Georgie says Arlen baby I’ll still give you that handjob.
“now worships at the altar of Barcky, after being a strident Hillary supporter”
He had to get his cred for not being afraid of a womyn in power, and thus manly.
“After all, it’ll still be a free country even after Obama passes health care reform.”
AHHHHHHH TEH STOOOPID IT BURNS IT BURNSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
“To Jeff–As always, you’re not quite as smart as you think you are.”
People who start sentences in this manner don’t realize how insecure they sound about their own intellect.
It’s pathetic.
conservatives have made it a moral principle to make no attempt to appeal to blacks
Because in conservative ranks, you don’t get bonus points for belonging to a grievance group. A black or brown person is not “special” anymore as a conservative; he’s just one among many who holds to the same principles.
And what fun is that? Better to stay in a party that pats you on the head for nursing your grudges and lets you lord it over the cowering, guilty white folks who must pay for what their ancestors did.
Caric is a chronic driveby. That’s why I always ignore him.
Fuck off.
“Notice how he now worships at the altar of Barcky, after being a strident Hillary supporter.”
Hahahahha that is hilarious. Especially after Barack and all his supporters spent so much time calling Hillary and her husband racists. Also remember how that bitter clinger remark was made at Hillary supporters. Now that is irony.
Hold back those tears, George. Hold back those tears.
Aw, who am I kidding? Let them flow, George, let them flow out like a river. You’ll feel better.
“Because frankly I don’t give fuckall for what you think….”
Jeff, the Perfesser doesn’t think.
He just sort of outgasses.
I get a big kick, though, out of those liberals crowing that our party is so toxic, bla bla bla, that “moderates” can’t remain. Because of their principals, right? What a fucking joke. Honestly, you folks are certainly welcome to a man who PRIMARILY cares about his own ass staying in the Senate.
Alternate translation: unlike Leftists, conservatives don’t believe that Americans who are black are different from any other Americans, so they don’t have a special separate-but-equal outreach program for them.
I think we should send Mrs. Snowe a little tent that she can camp in all by her lonesome.
— Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine.
I forget. Is Snowe the scrawny ponyface woman or is it the other *cough* Republican Senator from the great white state of Maine?
“conservatives have made it a moral principle to make no attempt to appeal to blacks”
Instead of actually being reactionary racists like the Democrats have always been.
“Slavery was a specifically an institution of the Democratic Party.
Eugene “Bull” O’Connor (the poster boy of American racism) was a Democrat.
The poll tax was a Democratic institution.
Jim Crow laws were instituted by Democrats
Democrat Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black was a KKK member.
It was Democrats like Lester Maddox, Orval Faubus and George Wallace — governors of Georgia, Arkansas and Alabama — “who blocked the schoolhouse doors,
While Governor of South Carolina, Democrat Sen. Ernest Hollings oversaw the raising of the Confederate flag over the Statehouse on April 11, 1961, the anniversary of the firing on Fort Sumter.
The Democrats also filibustered 83 days against the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Albert Gore Sr and former Robert Byrd were two of the Democrats who opposed the bill.
Ex-Klansman Sen. Byrd filibustered for more than 14 hours and 13 minutes straight.
William Fulbright voted against both the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. He did so because he believed in separating the races — in schools and other public places. He was a segregationist, heart and soul.
In 1985, as governor, Bill Clinton, the First Black President, signed a law making the birthdates of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert E. Lee state holidays on the same day.
Which is the party of racists?”
But you’re exactly being unreasonable to view the Republicans as failing on a momentous scale you won’t philosophically identify and you cannot begin to comprehend.
You’re so ignorant you’re offensive on that Caricteristic alone, you unmitigated moron.
Snowe is the more lesbianer looking one.
Sometimes, I accidently start reading Ric Caric’s comments, because I think it’s the other Ric. The one who makes sense, and responds back. As soon as I realize my mistake (usually a sentence or two in) I scroll on down.
“Comment by Alec Leamas on 4/28 @ 3:19 pm #
Ric Caric is so manly in his not-caring-about-being-perceived-as-manly that he makes sure you know that he played football on his bio page.”
He was a kicker, right?
“He was a kicker, right?”
If I had to guess, I’d say Center.
Genius concept, is the new slavery.
Thanks, feets. That’s very helpful.
“The Germans have come up with a few good words for subtle emotions. Do that have anything that roughly translates to “the mild pleasure derived from being poorly mocked by foolsâ€?”
Schadenfreude is a dish best served microwaved, and covered with Hershey’s syrup and whipped cream.
you’re welcome. Also, SCIENCE!
“Snowe is the more lesbianer looking one.”
I don’t think she’ll go Democrat, because she doesn’t have that husky, Democrat woman politician build, like Barbara Mikulski. They’ll always be wary of her because of it.
Napolitano has that husky build too.
“Comment by Alec Leamas on 4/28 @ 3:56 pm #
“He was a kicker, right?â€
If I had to guess, I’d say Center.”
Naw, centers get dirty.
Centrists, on the other hand, never do.
“Napolitano has that husky build too.”
Elizabeth Edwards always reminded me of a white Mike Singletary, with that big, blocky head.
“U.S. officials want ‘swine’ out of flu name”
Because what if a Muslim gets it?
Easy on all the “husky build” woman talk. It gives Assistant Junior Associate Adjunct TA, Caric a funny feeling in his pants. He still whiles away the hours calling all the Janet Renos in Florida hoping to get a date.
You can still use the present tense with Liz. Her illness is interminable.
Caric’s just happy because Bunning’s gonna get the shit kicked out of him and he thinks KY will go all blue. As far as losing elections go, well hell, when the current crop of losers is all gone conservatives will re-build. Easy-peasey. Specter will lose either way. Had to go through Carter to get to Reagan.
I will be glad to see Bunning get the shit kicked out of him.
Yeah, her husband is still around, isn’t he?
Sorry 169 was not original.
*
We all know what happened then, Carter handily won re-election and the Dems kept moving from victory to victory up until the present day.
this is from that wikipedia website about useless codger Jim Bunning…
He has said that would reassess his decision to run based on fundraising through June 2009.
That’s hopeful.
Um. Mr. Cornyn when I say “that’s hopeful” that’s your cue to stop laving Mr. Bunning’s scrotal sack with your tongue. Ok then. That’s a good man.
alec – i’m not picking on you specifically or personally, as i’ve seen plenty of others use the term and spelling. but could we all please refrain from calling our fellow citizens merkins?
i’m already a bitter clinger and a dangerous right wing nut. and i’m happy to own those things and wear them with pride. but there are some things up with which i will not put. and one is that i refuse to be classified as a pubic toupee. ymmv.
I think wikipedia meant has said that *he* would reassess his decision to run…
The Leftists like Caricature sure are not very confident.
Since it supported Hillary before Barcky, he was a racist before he was a sexist.
A pubic toupee ?! Good Allah. Is that what that mop is called on top of caricature’s head?
“The Leftists like Caricature sure are not very confident.”
That’s the thing. In sports – like, say, football – if you’re ahead and winning, you don’t go “nyah, nyah.” You put the other guy to sleep by telling him what a great effort he made, and maybe but for some calls and lucky bounces, the result would be different. “Nyah, nyah” would only get the other guy going, or yourself.
So, which is it Perfesser?
all about merkins. (pics at link may be NSFW.)
see how much you can learn about language on this site? =D
In 1995 5 Democrat Congressmen and one Dem senator switched. Of course, all of them had just been re-elected. That’s a little different from switching parties so you can keep your Senate parking space and Amtrak discount.
“Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right.”
It continues to amaze me how many folks actually seem to believe that.
Spector instantly takes up the mantra chanted in his new party BMoe, who doesn’t understand that?
Dear George W Bush and Rick Santorum: Your loyal standing up for your Republican colleague, Arlen Specter, in his primary campaign against Pat Toomey, has just been repaid.
RACIST!
I like the idea of cleaning house now, while it doesn’t much matter. Ask Snowe if she wouldn’t mind availing herself of this opportunity to beat feet away from the dangerous racist extremists who make up the “far right” and join up with the mainstream progressive openly racist extremists who now hold power.
I’m serious. Either we remake the GOP into the party of classical liberal ideals or I say fuck ’em. Start a third party that appeals to classical liberal ideals.
I’d bet you could siphon off a number of rote-voting Dems by pointing out how they’re getting $13, a truck load of debt, a nannystate government that will intrude into every aspect of their lives, and a guaranteed Balkanization of the country into competing grievance groups by continuing to vote for Democrats.
Ask them if that’s worth selling their freedom and individuality for.
The GOPs message has always been too cute by half because they allow the media to set the debate. They seem surprised, then, when they find themselves on the defensive and forced, always, to “prove” that they don’t hate blacks and gays and women by, eg, voting for race-based affirmative action programs, same sex marriage, and Title IX.
Cut the mainstream press out entirely. Don’t grant them interviews. As I’ve said before, at some point people will wonder where the opposition went and begin looking around for it. When they find it, it should exist without that media filter.
LMC, I’d like to believe we’ll go through Carter II to get to Reagan II, but when I look at all the ways the Democrats are making sure they have over half the country dependent on government (and are planning to import more) it won’t happen soon, and probably not peacefully.
Of course, the WSJ is more than happy to tell us that “Republicans can boast that they have kept their principles. That and 41 votes will buy them a filibuster.”
Oh, that happened right after that election. He then denied it, but this is Arlen Sphincter we’re talking about.
Like accountability. In two years.
One year, six months, and four days.
And it’s going to be a friggin’ slaughter.
I hope the red diaper kiddies are enjoying their kegger, because it’s going to be mighty unpleasant when the parents get home.
SDN, JPod says much the same.
But selling the GOP is like flogging a dead elephant.
Assuming the votes are accurately counted.
Oh, and better hope it is a slaughter, because the 2010 census is going to be run by ACORN. We’re all gonna be surprised at how many people are discovered living in our shrinking cities.
I enjoy pointing out to “progressives” how the only groups who have actually have gotten any of the money Barky is stealing are banks and car companies — both perennial favorites of the left-wing set.
It’s great black humor (consider that pre-denounced, btw). We all knew that Barky was going to screw us. They were stupid enough to believe that Barky wasn’t going to screw them.
Gay marriage legal yet?
Pot legal yet?
Troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan yet?
Gitmo closed yet?
“Free” health care yet?
What do you think about the Dems planning to shut down all those hippie organic farmers?
Is there a single issue dear to “progressives” on which Barky has delivered? I think not.
But He’s so dreamy.
Exporting hatred of America, maybe, SBP? Sells pretty well with the proggies in Europe, Latin America, Arabia, etc etc anyhow.
Screw it. Let the dems own everything. And we can enjoy the spectacle when lightweights like Ric Caric who engage in meme whoring like prepubescent sports fans rooting for the home team experience exploding head syndrome down the line. The kind of fundamental reshaping the left is engaged in is something that even an obsequious media and the obscene levels of campaign spending we witnessed last cycle can’t obfuscate once the bill comes due and the consequences reveal themselves. Republicans suck but many people will be reminded that the Democrats suck even more. So let these idiot lefties keep up the cocky and insufferable and stew in their vomitous delusion that politics are static but we shouldn’t be so foolish as to strategize from the same premise.
Cut the mainstream press out entirely.
That is much kinder than what I would suggest but it is still a very good idea.
Hey, where did Caricdouche go? I wanted to ax him how blacks feel about gay marriage.
But blacks vote for Democrats so that’s ok kelly, and besides calling black people ignorant or hickish is racist.
Kendrick Meek might could be one of them insatiable bottoms I think. Caric would know.
Yippeeeeeeeeee!
Ki-Ay!
I have absolutely no argument with that, baldilocks.
Oh, and we dislike the votehuckstering Jesse Jackson rather a lot. That probably didn’t help. I know Jesse is more passe these days, but he wasn’t always, and he still gets his ring kissed by the DNC.
Jesse Jackson wanted to cut off Meghan McCain’s president’s nuts.
It figures he ran away. Did the same thing a couple of years ago when someone pointed out how minorities tend to feel about SSM.
If he squeezes his pud as hard as he clings to teh narrative he’s probably hurt himself by now.
You think I make this stuff up I don’t it’s all true.
Meghan is still under the illusion that black attire slims the figgah.
Someone should tell Meghan the slimmingest thing she can do is hang out with girls even fatter than she is. That means NO MORE MEDIA, Meghan. It’ll be good for your self esteem, sweetness, and also think what a nice example it will set for your coward daddy.
Dan, I think that JPod argument merely amounts to his conceding N. Machiavelli’s contention that power is virtue – period – and he’ll work everywhere and always with that in mind. It’s gross, sure, but it seems to work for the opposition over and over, so JPod nods and follows suit, thinking he’ll win a hand sooner or later. Putting that way almost boils it down to an even simpler, tit for tat, huh?
Isn’t there a word for folks who treat black folks different from other folks? Or who treat hispanics different?
Or gays?
What’s that word I am thinking of?
Democratists.
That ain’t right, brb.
I just read that John Pod post.
Think this guy understands modern political history?
Or, how about this characterization?
That’s odd, I remember quite a number of lean years mixed in there. What were the marginal tax rates from ’68 to ’81? Remember how well we did in the congressional races after Nixon resigned?
The Pod serves his purpose, which is to regurgitate the day’s conventional wisdom. That’s about it though. He’s deep like a puddle.
“Oh, and we dislike the votehuckstering Jesse Jackson rather a lot. That probably didn’t help. I know Jesse is more passe these days, but he wasn’t always, and he still gets his ring kissed by the DNC.”
Jesse is a white-guilt creation.
SDN,
Don’t worry. The problem with being dependent on the gov’t is that when you are, the gov’t can tell you what they think you should do, say, think, and feel.
Like Jeff says, people will be looking for the opposition.
The tipping point will be the first Network TV news story on the “graffiti problem”.
It’s on the way.
Progressives. Now, what do you call someone who’s besting one of them in an argument?
I know!
I know!
RAAAAACCCCIIIIIIIISSSSSSTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!
At the end of the day, Taranto and the Pod would only have a point if Specter, Collins and Snowe (add McCain and Graham on some issues) voted with us on the important issues. They don’t. We didn’t lose the filibuster. We never had the filibuster.
I think they, folks like Taranto and the Pod, want seem smart. And being cold-blooded number-crunchers seems smart. But, by my lights, pretending that you have 41 votes when you have between 36 and 38, depending on the issue, simply means you can’t count.
The Democrats announcing that they have decided to change the rules regarding use of the filibuster in any case. They won, you see.
If that doesn’t convince you, I suggest you kindly shut up.
Do you guys ever get the feeling that some pundits who praise the big tent and compromise strategy simply don’t have the balls to admit to their readers that they themselves are very moderate so they’re happy to be represented by moderates?
As in, it’s not pragmatism they’re actually arguing for, but simply representatives who vote as they would?
That’s fine with me actually. But, how about a little honesty?
For plants that cannot bloom by day
Must flower in the night.
Toomey on Hannity NOW
I like what I’ve heard and read of Toomey, very smart guy.
I agree about the plants.
Who is this Specter of whom you speak?
You know who is a delicate little hothouse flower is that Lindsey Graham.
I don’t think there’s anything good about this, OUTLAW!-wise.
The GOP today still isn’t a party that won’t have him, and it’s not any closer to being one.
Call that thing what it is, maybe, instead.
You know who is a delicate little hothouse flower is that Lindsey Graham.
I agree, but he can walk the walk occasionally. Specter’s needle hasn’t read above “worthless” since he grilled Anita Hill in 1991.
psycho speaks troof but still this leaves the dirty socialist media with two indistinguishable dirty socialist dykes from the same state on the to call list when they want to run the “bipartisan” narrative. That’s not nothing. It’s not a lot, but it’s not nothing.
It is hard for me to picture how running an 80 year old Arlen Specter next year is a long term win for the Democrats. Especially since he isn’t exactly a shoo in to win.
Jeff, when you wrote:
…You penned the smartest suggestion I’ve encountered in my months of reading well-meaning “tips” to reform the conservative movement.
Thanks for that one!
Oh, and ‘feets,
Janet Napolitano has a “traditional” build. That’s “traditional.” Got it?
If she were skinny like a reed she could hide in tall grass, and you wouldn’t want that would you?
Traditional. Got it. N
Daaaam. Now we’re going to have to spend even more time purging moderate dems.
I haz more the feeling that like a stack of Pez candies in the dispenser, you take one out (spector) and there’s the next one (collins) but eat that one and look! there’s another (snowe) and another (lindsay) and another (voinovich) and another (mccain) and another (martinez) and another (warner) and another (murkowski) and it just goes on like that Pez after Pez and the damned things aren’t even nutritious.
oh. That one wasn’t ready. That’s never happened before. Vista has weird hotkey thingers I don’t know all of them yet.
It’s all part of our evil plan. First, we hijack the language, then we massage it to our evil ends. Then we employ our brainbots to ensnare wobbly dipshits to morph to our side. Then we slam the doors closed, and horror follows.
You didn’t get the memo cynn. Horror comes first, slammed door or no.
You do have wobbly dipshits in spades though, so there’s that.
Horror!
cynn’s so smart.
Happyfeet, I get you don’t like Meghan M., but the fat shit is trashy. Just sayin’.
Would you say it was gratuitous?
Sloooowly I turned……inch by inch…..step by step….
Certainly would, even fractious!
So you’re calling me trashy fat shit. Nice. California can’t flop into the ocean soon enough.
I think we should explore what makes something… gratuitous. Me and cynn and Meghan should explore that I think.
The Spears girl flashing her cooze to the hollywooden photogs was trashy, hf cracking down on the ultra-stupid opportunistic McCain chick, not so much.
flop!
Wait. What? What I did not call you was trashy or fat or anything at all. Who I called fat was Meghan, kind of, but the idea that “fatass media whore bitch daughter of cowardly useless geriatric piece of shit loser” is somehow not perfectly acceptable shorthand for “Meghan” is kind of unnecessarily constraining I think.
Meghan is one who I never wonder what she is thinking about and yet I could find out pretty easily.
But that describes me, and so many others. And I am gratuitiously pissed.
It matters not if you smear chocolate chip cookie dough on your balls. You will never know the warm pleasures of Meghan’s tongue, hfoot. You’ve crossed the line!
Something has gone horribly wrong with the communication part.
And I wouldn’t bet money against the cookie dough.
I see Jeff’s enough of a grad student that he’s still got the multiple identity thing down. He can be a “Republican” or “not a Republican” to suit his needs. Good for him.
I don’t sure where people got the football thing from, but I was “football, football, football” from the age of 7 until I took up shotputting in high school. The only bio I can remember that mentions football is the one that emphasizes the extent to which I regret giving up shotputting when I was in college.
Someone made a comment about New York. Actually, the Republicans do have a lot of strength in the rural areas of states like Pennsylvania (I have relatives around the Camptown of “Camptown Races” fame). But I’ve read that upstate New York only has 3 Republican members of the House left and I’m pretty sure that Hillary took upstate in 2000 and 2006–the same with Obama in 2008. I grew up in a heavily Republican area between Binghamton and Elmira. That’s just not typical anymore.
So is this some kind of community service?
Beats picking up trash on the highway.
HF: are you a man or a woman? Trying to get my marriage issues in order.
Government coffers empty? Drill for oil!
Ric, like many of us, Jeff G., as I understand it, has voted GOP when the candidate is broadly aligned with his views.
The GOP has largely abandoned voters like us, so in terms of campaign effort, $$ or PR, we have abandoned them.
We primarily identify as classical conservatives and have little interest in what the GOP, has recently been or might be in the near future. You do know what one is, dont you?
Even a liberal academic like yourself can see this is a place that is openly hostile to the leading lights of the GOP, cant you?
All of which begs a question–given that many of us reject most of the GOP–why do you make an effort to stop here to “tease” Jeff and the commenters, as if we were Red State or Free Republic? It makes little sense.
Its like me showing up at KOS and giving them crap about Lieberman.
That’s what I’ve been trying to say a while now. Be the better man, offer real ideas and substance, and people will find you when they’re ready – and remember you were the adult.
If you go over and check out his site mcgruder, and especially if you try to actually engage him, you will find the good professor is really quite thick. Seriously, the man just isn’t very bright.
I see Jeff’s enough of a grad student that he’s still got the multiple identity thing down. He can be a “Republican†or “not a Republican†to suit his needs. Good for him.
It has nothing to do with suiting “his needs” you bottom-tier university hack. Like the rest of us he simply hates the left. Sometimes it is more useful to directly mock you and other times it is necessary to hold one’s nose and defend republicans from your slime. But teh hate is perfectly consistent.
Jeff is a classical liberal who will, on occasion, vote Republican — though he has always been critical of those Republicans, Democrats, Greens, progressives, and libertarians who don’t adhere to the ideals that this country was founded upon. In fact, he was often openly contemptuous of McCain and Huckabee.
Surely someone like Dr Ric, who is at pains, constantly, to remind everyone of his supposed intellectual heft, can understand such relatively obvious distinctions. Or maybe he’s just not as smart as he thinks he is.
To borrow a phrase.
Care to source where our host has claimed the mantle of being a Republican, Caricature? Or, was that yet another asspull? How did it feel to be a racist when you were supporting Hillary?
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and has arrows stickin’ out it’s duck ass, then it’s a quacking Republiduck.
Wait a second, this isn’t an official GOP hangout and glee club?
You bastards! I’ve been deceived!
YIP!
YIP!
YIPYIPYIPYIPYIPYIPYIPYIPYIPYIPYIP!
YIP!
If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and has arrows stickin’ out it’s duck ass, then it’s a quacking Republiduck.
Sayeth the Loon.
Does anybody else smell the ass end of a Tijuana donkey show?
Someone hasn’t been paying attention at all.
It constantly baffles me how someone who can get things as utterly and consistently (tediously, even) wrong as Caric does pretty much every time he comments here can land a job even at a no-name place of learning. Surely even the no-name institutions have standards?
Liar.
The Left, Party uber alles, isn’t everyone? No?
Damn, how do you argue with those who can’t be shamed by “their” Party. You people got to get your goosestepping back into rhythm, this dancing all around isn’t proper.
Tea. Tea. What kind of Party is that?
Meya is fucking on fire dudes.
Worth a peek.
Spamatazoon man, seeding every thread. Don’t.
From Ace in that post:
Hmmm, this 60 vote filibuster issue certainly has a few people confused. Anyone here remember the good ol’ days when Specter was still an R? And they filibustered the stimulus bill? Me neither.
I know math is hard but counting to 60 isn’t the hardest question you’ll ever come across.
For the real tears of a moderate, check out Allah’s twitter, he’s reposting Meghan McCain go-get’em-GOP twats. Without irony. I’m dumber for reading it but it’s good for a few laughs.
Enfuego
Exactly, bh. Since when could we rely on Specter? That’s our problem. We’ve settled.
Hell, maybe the lefties and the pragmatic Repubs are right: maybe classical liberalism just doesn’t sell any more.
But I’d like to actually try it first before I gave up on it. What the GOP has been peddling ain’t it, that’s for sure. What good does it do to win elections if to get votes you have to promise to legislate like a Democrat?
Yep. Doesn’t seem all that complicated to me.
arlen specter burp cup responsne team…
internet up!
[brboan2]
If today has taught me nothing — and it hasn’t really — there is nothing the pragmatists like more than catching a good ol’ case of the vapors.
If progressives run things today, then they will run things forever!
I’d be quite glad to see Collins and Snowe make it legal with their chosen party.
Let the Democrats try to placate those attention seeking asshats for a while.
collins ‘n’ snowe
a licky licky new ‘cream flavor
Nobody ever sees the black swan coming, so you know of course, they don’t exist. Except maybe as dreams, or nightmares.
Sweet dreams.
Pragmatic? Fuck that. This is life and death. It always has been.
since the 1700’s
Yep. Doesn’t seem all that complicated to me.
But if you, as a politician, run on shrinking the gubmint, and then when you get into office, you DO shrink the gubmint, who will donate big bank to your next campaign?
The big biz entities don’t want a smaller gubmint, they want a gubmint that will make regulations to quash their smaller upstart competitors. The big interest groups want the same type of thing: you get massive contributions by promising to send some gubmint largess their way.
The system naturally pushes politicians—especially the entrenched ones—toward bigger and more intrusive gubmint, and toward more “integration” with the gubmint. It’s a juggernaut whose progress I don’t know how we stop.
u got ur toe in…might as well jump
i declare
no one done told me my gubmint be spending all willy-nilly
read the stimulus package people!
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cha-ching- now proud owner of floyds succotash barber
and clown college-uigher-uigher
goober-eeeeeletric car mogul upset by plans 4 petticoat junction
hi speed rail…
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The Constitution. Keep hammering on what it means and its purpose. Its a long shot, but its the only thing we got.
[…] and lifelong swillers at the DC trough, but I consider that a feature, not a bug. As Jeff says, “We’re this much closer to calling things what they are. And that’s nearly always a […]
re 291- I have been giving some serious thought to what we can do, to what policies we can push to try to stop the slide. Returning the education system to a neutral footing and term limits are absolute necessities, I think.
“Hmmm, this 60 vote filibuster issue certainly has a few people confused. Anyone here remember the good ol’ days when Specter was still an R? And they filibustered the stimulus bill? Me neither”
He’s still dancing on EFCA. He won’t be any more reliable to dems than he was before. What this does mean is that dems won’t have a chance to replace him by having Toomey beat specter.
What is funny is that even now that Dems have 60 votes to override a fillibuster they still will skirt that rule in order to pass health care and cap and trade. You know for teh bipartisanship.
B Moe / 293 – re education, how about returning it to the states as a way of achieving neutral position? Because our schools in my town, although certainly overfunded, do a respectable job of nonpartisan education. Parents are involved in both how the school teaches and in their kids lives, and it all works pretty well. However, pretty much everything the feds get involved with goofs it up.
*In fact, WE ARE often openly contemptuous of McCain and Huckabee.*
Just a brief edit. There’s a reason why I’ve been reading protein wisdom for going on 4 years now. Its the only site I regularly read and comment on. I’m a conservative christian and yet, this site better reflects my views, political, economic and yes, socially then any other site I’ve found. The common denominator, as I see it, is our general agreement in smaller government and less spending. Jeff’s writings regarding use of language are important because of the manner in which the left has hijacked the language and thus try to control the debate. And unfortunately, I think this will continue until the MSM’s role as the sol called fourth estate is reduced significantly. Its why I’m gleeful watching Fox destroy liberal news show and joyful when left wing rags like the NY Times announce gigantic losses. I find it ironic the only paper not posting a loss is the WSJ, which tends to swing a little right but at the very least, provides a newspaper which will print both viewpoints on a particular debate.
Democrats are, on the whole, power hungry liars. Spectre is a perfect example of a democrat- he will do anything to hold onto power and benefit from said power, to the extent he will abandon the people who put him into office for years and years. As someone already noted, there’s 10 more senators who really should switch sides. I have afeeling many of these senators, who fooled republicans voters into voting for them in the past, will, like Spectre, be facing challenges in the coming years from conservatives with actual principles. Senators like Chafee, Snowe and McCain are elitist northern politicians, who are only interested in keeping their tenuous grasp on power. Fuck them all, I say. As someone else noted above, eventually, people will look for an alternative to the BS – the contract with America resonated in the 90’s for the same reason.
It’s a daunting task to be sure. However, we have had success before. So, it’s possible. B Moe’s points are good. I’d add that most often, our success seems to come when people simply notice what a crappy job the government does.
New York is on the decline again but remember it was once much worse and then got better. Bill Clinton actually signed a welfare reform bill because it was politically popular. We’ve deregulated entire sectors before. So, it can be done.
Your larger systemic point stands of course, so yeah, maybe we should heed the old warnings about the republic needing moral and educated citizens as a safeguard.
Specter is a poster boy for term limits. When a servant of the republic considers possession of a seat in the United States Senate as his rightsimply because he’s been there for 29 years, it’s time to clean the bastards out.
I’d rather see the 535 oligarchs we now have squatting in Congress replaced on a regular basis by a random drawing of social security numbers, or blind picks from the phone book. It might be more chaotic, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
If the system as currently operating runs away from the principles we hold dear, then the solution is as simple as it is daunting.
Exactly. When I was a kid most of the power resided with the counties. It worked much better.
From ‘feets’s link @ #164:
Courtesy of Reuters. Their new slogan: We just make shit up.
Um, actually, Israel Radio, as well as the country’s three largest daily newspapers, have been calling it nothing but “swine flu” since it became news.
“JPod says much the same.”
He sounds suspiciously like a shit sandwich advocate….
collins/specter/snowe
they urinate sitting down
i know that u know