Birds of a Feather...

Lieberman on MSNBC right now (4.00 / 1)

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by: Scarce @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 19:06:14 PM UTC

That's what Obama thinks we need? (4.00 / 2)

Give me a break!  We need real Democrats who are committed to the rule of law (as Jim Himes said he was during the campaign), who are dedicated to implementing health care for all (as Himes and Obama said during their campaigns), who will stand up to right-wing judicial nominations, who are not rubber-stamps for torture.  Since when do we need Arlen Specter?

The guy says he is not a reliable 60th vote.  Then why is Harry Reid (again!) groveling and giving him seniority now?  Why not let Specter vote his conscience, which he says is with the Democrats, and back a real Democrat for 2010?  

It kind of makes me sick to my stomach.  President Obama keeps selling out real Democrats.  If he keeps doing this, his claim to greatness just won't be cashed.

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by: thomashooker @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 19:10:27 PM UTC

He likely won't be reliable... (4.00 / 1)

... but the incentives change for him. Before, if he didn't remain part of a solid block of 41, he risked his political future (his political future being simple re-election, as it'll probably be 2014 or 2016 before the GOP could plausibly regain a majority in the Senate).

Now, what's possible for him in over the next 1-7 years is different -- getting his proposals passed into law, chairing committees -- so the incentives for him run the other way. He certainly doesn't need to be any kind of maverick to secure his re-election. So if he's really as craven and opportunistic as the Republicans are claiming, then their newfound superminority is royally fucked.  

–7.25 / –7.28 | http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/tw...

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by: mattw @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 19:20:51 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

An insider's game, to be sure (4.00 / 1)

From what I've seen, Dem leadership (i.e., Biden, senior Dem senators probably) told Specter they would not support other Dem challengers. Politico is reporting Obama would support Specter in a primary. Given their record re: Lieberman-Lamont, I am not surprised in the least that either the insider Dem senators or Obama is acting this way, they are playing the inside game they always play. Since the bipartisanship thing went kablooey, Obama will probably try to use this as a talisman.

But I'm not as aggravated over this as I was in '06, at least not yet. Because Pennsylvania is a union-rich state, and Specter is still saying he will not vote for cloture on EFCA, he will be open to a challenge from the left. Joe Sestak may be considering running, and while he's no progressive, he is pro-union and to the left of Arlen (not that that's saying anything). I could see Sestak or someone else running a very competitive primary against Specter, even with Specter's advantage of bringing Obama on the trail. Even Obama probably won't be able to boost turnout from former Republicans in a Democratic primary that's more likely to be composed of voters who have voted against Specter two or three times. Now if Specter eventually reverses course of EFCA he might be able to count on union support which could change the equation. So let's see what he does.  

"There's class warfare, all right, but it's my class, the rich class, that's making war, and we're winning." - Warren Buffet

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by: joesaho @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 19:54:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

A better match for Specter (0.00 / 0)

would be the CFL party. Well? Before the CFL was taken over by sane people.


Drinking Liberally in New Milford
ePluribus Media

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by: Connecticut Man1 @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 20:34:27 PM UTC

What are you implying here? (4.00 / 1)

That I'm sane? I'll ignore that put-down.  

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by: Sue @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 22:23:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sorry (4.00 / 1)

but sometimes we were considered a little nuts (understandably). It's that new crowd, those doctors and engineers who are going with it and running people in real political races I worry about.

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by: Sue @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 22:26:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The extremists of both parties (4.00 / 1)

not the extremists in the Republican party,

drove Arlen from the Republican party to the Democratic party?

Right.

Of course, Arlen is not looking at the 200,000 Republicans who switched parties to tip the balance for him in a Democratic primary.

The interesting play here is that Arlen is not paying attention to how aware voters have become about which politicians have been Bush lapdogs for the previous eight years. If he was paying attention, he'd know that Liberman is little more than an albatross now. And becoming even more irrelevant by the hour.

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by: notcho @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 20:54:48 PM UTC

He SAYS he's switching, but has he actually done the paperwork? (4.00 / 1)

He could be attracted to those big cameras, that media glare, that stroking of the ego. However, going to your local town hall and doing that annoying paperwork could be a real pain.

I'll bet he's still a Republican on paper. There's a chance that someone might be able to start a Democrats for Arlen Specter Party.

These things do go places.  

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by: Sue @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 21:58:08 PM UTC

Specter had to switch because ... (4.00 / 1)

... PA rules don't allow him to lose a Republican primary and then run as an independent in the general election, as Lieberman did here.

And Specter was sure to lose the Republican primary.

Honestly, I don't think this switch matters much at all in terms of getting progressive policies passed. It makes it a little easier for Specter to vote with Democrats, but he's just another Lieberman. Specter and Susan Collins teamed up to strip funding for pandemic flu out of the stimulus package, along with millions in education funding. And Lieberman helped "broker" that compromise.  

If they have any progressive Democrats in PA, I hope that person runs against Specter in the primary. But the Senate hates it when outsiders disturb their cozy little existence -- it's no wonder Senate Democrats are happy.  

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by: CaptCT @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 22:35:45 PM UTC

See above for Joe's take (4.00 / 1)

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by: Scarce @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 23:05:00 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

ugh! (4.00 / 1)

Yeah, Lieberman and the "centrists" plan to do a number on health care and climate change legislation too, just the way they "fixed" the stimulus package. If we had to rely on the Lieberman/Specter/Collins brand of centrism, we'd be doomed.

Hopefully, Congress will agree on the rule that allows for just a simple majority to get legislation passed, and avoid that 60-vote requirement.    

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by: CaptCT @ Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 23:44:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Speaking of Susan Collins.... (4.00 / 1)

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by: Scarce @ Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 00:00:48 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

that's great -- worth saving for 2014 (0.00 / 0)

 

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by: CaptCT @ Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 01:34:15 AM UTC

[ Parent ]