As you surely know by now, three Republican Senators (Specter, Collins, and Snowe) defected and voted for the stimulus bill, allowing it to pass the Senate. This keeps reminding me of the Penguins vs. Red Wings game I attended last weekend, where all of the Pittsburgh fans (fairly or not) booed Marian Hossa and repeatedly chanted, “Traitor! Traitor!” whenever he took the ice. Now in the scheme of things, the actions taken by Senators Specter, Collin, and Snowe are much more significant, and so the question arises: how should Republican voters respond to this?
As a Pennsylvania resident, I’ve known for a long time that Senator Specter was as moderate as they come. However, I’ve always run into an interesting conundrum in deciding whether to support Arlen: can anyone more conservative than him win a Senate race in Pennsylvania? I worked for Senator Santorum’s campaign in 2006 and witnessed first-hand the near impossible challenege of electing a Republican, let alone an unabashedly conservative one, in PA. And what’s worse: electing a moderate Republican who sides with Democrats on some issues, or electing a Democrat who sides with Democrats on all issues? After all, Specter was certainly many notches better for conservatives than Joe Hoeffel, his general election opponent in 2004.
So what do you think? How should we deal with these Republicans who defect on important issues such as the stimulus? Please share your thoughts and comments!
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The Republican Party MUST return to its conservative roots. I am thoroughly disgusted by what has happened to the party.
They should lose committee assignments related to fiscal and spending issues.
Specter is a member of the Judiciary and Appropriations Committees – ranking member on Judiciary, and ranking member of a subcommittee in Appropriations. If I had a vote, I would remove him from the Appropriations committee.
Collins is also on Appropriations, and should be removed.
Snowe is on the Finance committee, and should be removed.
I think that Texas Conservative has this right. Specter is actually pretty good on judicial issues, and the senators from Maine have their merits too. However, these three should lose their spots on the finance/appropriations committees. Specter I think voted as he did because he faces the electorate next year. Senators Collins and Snowe likely voted as they did, because they do tend to be squarely on the left end of the Republican Party.
Specter will probably not run. His cancer is worse than reported and he will face MSNBC’s Chris Matthews. Snowe and Collins aren’t up for re-election until 2012 and should be stripped of their committee assignments. A Republican Party will be resurgent in 2010 (Just see how Saxby Chambliss did against his Democratic opponent when the Messiah wasn’t on the ballot.) We don’t need Snowe and Collins.
Not sure you’re right about the cancer, or Chris Matthews. When thinking about the appropriate response, we owe it to ourselves to simply act on the information we have and ignore rumors.
Specter is running, and Chris Matthews says he isn’t.
I feel that all 3 should be removed from any and all committees. I don’t believe that they should be in office if they change from their conservative roots.
We need to find conservatives willing to run against them in the next election. Now that the democrats control the senate, they also control who sits on which committee. The republican leadership cannot remove them from their committees. And now that they have jumped to the dark side, they will get better seats as long as the democrat’s control the senate.
There is only one way to deal with these three liberal republicans. Toss them out and get real conservatives in.
I think by removing them from all committees you send the message that dissent is not allowed. If we’re going to have a big tent, we need to accept that sometimes people will disagree on issues. I disagree with a number of planks in the current Republican platform, especially on foreign policy and civil rights issues. But I am a Republican, no doubt about it.
So, make sure the committee assignments reflect each Senator’s ability to advance the party platform: ex: Specter on Judiciary. If you do not agree with the party platform on economic issues, do not expect to be placed on committees dealing with the economy and spending.
I’m supporting Specter’s democrat opponent. We need to purge ourselves of Republicans who call themselves ‘conservative.’ That’s the only way we’ll move forward.
Specter is not conservative, is misleading in saying so, therefore, we can’t tolerate him as our representative.
They should receive no federal funding! Spector is up for re-election in 2010. Not one penny of GOP money! And yes they should lose their committee assignments. Specter is singularly responsible for this mess. He could have saved the country by voting no on this. I for one am appalled.
Proposed resolution for the February 12th 2009 meeting of RPLAC
By Vladimir Val Cymbal
The economic state of our nation is being used by the Democrats in turning this country into a socialist paradise. Although out numbered greatly, most Republican legislators have held fast to Conservative Republican Economic principals. Those who have stuck to their guns while under intense pressure form many sides should be commended and rewarded in their future political endeavors. By the same token there are a few Republicans that are sacrificing their principals for immediate personal political gains. They should be considered traitors of the party, their names published frequently, and opposed vigorously in any future political ambitions.
It is time that true Republicans stand up openly and loudly for our principals without fear or compromise.
I propose that the RNC officially adopt a resolution commending all Republican legislators holding the line on new or more taxes and oppose big government and that the RNC name those Republican Legislators who go against Republican values and ideals and proclaim our opposition to their quest for further political positions.
‘Benedict Specter’, ‘Benedict Collins’, and ‘Benedict Snowe’ will be hitting the GoogleRank logs pretty hard if I have anything to say about it. Linked directly to either the Wikipedia article on Benedict Arnold or the voting roll for this travesty.
Let no one miss their names in any article about the day our great-grandchildren were forced into servitude for the sake of Obamanomics.
Let politicians of the present a future see how difficult it will be to avoid being tarred and feathered for turning their backs on America, to support their buddies on The Hill.
1. Concur with Texas Conservative on removal from indicated committees.
2. As this was a major issue where these three contributed to expanded government, limiting of individual freedoms and massive debt, these three deserve to be defeated and therefore no funding or assistance from the NRSC should be offered. Also, all three went against the GOP in a way that has hurt not only the GOP but America and they have evidenced that they do not believe in the “Principles” of the Republican Party. They are RINOs.
On Wednesday, I used strong language and said in part in my referenced post the following:
Today in Washington D. C. – Feb 11, 2009 – Three RINOs Damn America to Debt
http://arkansasgopwing.blogspot.com/2009/02/today-in-washington-d-c-feb-11-2009.html
“. . . Three republicans crossed over to the Democrat side thus assuring the needed votes to pass the Senate’s porkulus spending stimulus bill. They will be labeled forever as RINOs for damming America to a millennium of debt. They failed to stands with their conservative party in an effort to strip out the needless pork, unneeded spending, and intrusive government regulations from the stimulus bill. These three non-heroes, Susan Collins (ME), Olympia Snowe (ME), and Arlen Specter (PA), even if not assured defeat in future elections by republicans, have definitely demonstrated they are so weak that they can be easily defeated by democrats unless they now move further into bed with the liberal socialists by changing their party affiliation. The bill being pushed through by the three stooges of liberalism could have been stopped and meaningful negotiations forced on the democrats. These three RINOs undid all the efforts of their fellow Republicans and its leadership. They will not find themselves profiled in future issues of “profiles of courage” unless written by a new socialist order and even then they will probably be ignored as traitors to their own party who are not worth mentioning!”
I stand by these words, If you agree or have another position, click on the link and leave your comment for the post.
A reply for many, in order:
Wanda and Al, kick them out of office? The Senators were elected democratically. As a Maine voter, I understood that both Collins and Snowe were RINOs before casting my ballot. It isn’t little-known. But you can’t throw out a Senator elected by their majority; if you’re in their state, you could work against them. But my bet is that you can’t vote in both Maine and Pennsylvania, the position you’d have to be in to try that.
Vladimir, as a continuation from above, Senator Collins and Senator Snowe, the 2/3 I’m familiar with, haven’t been “sacrificing principles” at all – they’ve had the same lines regardless of who has been in control.
Dan Oblak – I don’t know whether you’re stuck in the distant past or just extremely paranoid. A “travesty” isn’t a Senator or three voting to pass a bill that you disagree with. And “servitude”? Nobody’s reinstating slavery. As for “turning their backs on America,” I fully believe that Collins and Snowe both voted for what they believed to be best for their state. The place they’re representing. Just because someone is considered on a national stage doesn’t mean said person represents the nation, and the senators here represent only a fraction of our great nation.
Bill / Ozark, bullet 2. “… these three contributed to expanded government, limiting of individual freedoms and massive debt…” Well, yes, as did George W. Bush, and the only people I saw ready to toss him into the lions den come the Inauguration wore blue. So might I suggest drawing a more rigid line before accusing some and not others?
As a personal piece, “how should Republican voters respond to this?” The same as ever. If you’re unhappy about it: work on campaigns; communicate with your Senators; communicate with the Whip and tell him to do his job.
You can’t force an election one way or the other; you get to pick from your own state. And then the question again arises: which is better, to hedge bets and go with a more moderate republican or to go big or go home? Keep in mind the mindset of America. Keep in mind that the promise that elected Obama to office was that of a less divided nation.
So when unity is required to stay afloat, who is really “turning their backs on America,” the divisive or those trying to work things out?
Just a thought.
~Heather~
Heather,
My problem with Collins and Snow is the ADDITIONAL$420 million put into the bill Thursday night for Maine’s Medicaid. What does that sound like to you?
It’s time we supported viable conservative, common-sense, constitutional Republicans against each one of them during the primary.
Tom Ridge or Mark Schweiker should be recruited to take out Specter in Pennsylvania, if he runs for reelection in 2010. Specter will be 80 years old that year, so hopefully he won’t run again.
We have to wait until 2012 to take on Snowe and 2014 for Collins. Hopefully someone will emerge by then.
In the meantime, Sen. Mitch McConnell needs to remove and replace them as ranking members of any committee or sub-committee on which they serve:
Specter is RM on the Judiciary and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
Snowe is RM on the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and the Commerce, Science & Transportation Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard.
Collins is RM on the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
At everyone suggesting Specter won’t seek re-election: he has a campaign website up, http://specter2010.com/ — and I know a number of people working for his campaign. He’s already announced his intentions to run again in 2010, and I’d be completely shocked if he drops out.
I agree that he is likelyy to run again, particularly with Matthews out of the race.
I emailed spector and received a response that he could not read my email because i wasn’t from his state. So much for working for the people.
Ultimately, it is up to the voters in each senator’s state to determine the final fate of those three. However, let it be noted that Democrats love so-called “moderate Republicans” like Snowe, Collins, and Specter because they offer the opposition the fig leaf of “bipartisanship” and cause problems in the rest of the caucus. I say strip them of their committee appointments and threaten them with conservative candidates that run as challengers in the Republican primaries (which would force them to spend money on re-election they didn’t plan on spending).
This is just another lesson of Democracy failing. Read the Bill of Rights. Does it say anything at all that would allow the economic ignoramouses on Parasite Hill to legally plunder $800 billion dollars from its citizenry in order to ’stimulate’ our economy? This is not a Republican vs. Democrat issue, or a Specter, Collins, Snowe vs. Repubs issue. The voting turned out to portray it as that, but it is not that. It is a matter of whether you believe markets allocate monetary capital, or whether you believe governments, a.k.a politics, allocates the monetary resources. Of course Repubs are too economically clueless to think about this argument, so I don’t see things changing for the better in the near future.
Here’s my problem – cutting through all the chatter – Either you can count on your friends, or you have no friends. These three, plus McCain and Graham, are not reliable whent he chips are down. I don’t know what Republican principles they share with the party that they’re willing to quickly sacrifice when they’re needed. I remember my friends, and I’ll remember those who surrendered the good fight for this sleazy alternative.
In 2004, Pat Toomey came with in striking distance of taking out Arlen Specter, less than 2 percentage points. His campaign was irrevocably stalled when President Bush came to Specter’s side. It’s safe to assume Toomey would have won, had President Bush not intervened.
Our leadership needs to hold the rank and file accountable when they violate the common, basic, fundamental principles of the Republican Party. Loyal and passionate activists don’t belong to the Republican Party for the sake of power in and of itself, but for the purpose of advancing and protecting our liberties. Protecting a member out of party loyalty and not out of loyalty to principle is a losing proposition. We need to uphold our principles by holding our elected officials accountable. And when we have a viable candidate, who can win, and is within striking distance, our highest ranking and most influential leaders should not protect an incumbent who has a record of voting contrary to basic tenants of our Party, out of loyalty to his seniority.
True, you don’t see the Democrats kicking their 7 members out of Congress for voting no on the stimulus bill. But those seven may have never even been supported to run for office as Democrats, had the Democratic Party not softened its strident stand against conservative candidates in the last two congressional elections, in order to gain their majority in Congress. Republicans, on the other hand, didn’t loose their majority for being strident, or as the media wants to convince the public, for imposing limited government and free enterprise principles. No. Republicans are in the wilderness for their abandonment of these principles in large enough numbers that the people who had fervently supported them out of faith, stood home in the last two congressional elections. It is principled leadership that will bring these voters back.
If there is a principled candidate who will run and can beat Spector or Collins, or Snowe, our leadership should at least just stay out of it. Incumbancy has to stop being a shiboleth of our Party.
Martha — just to respond to your one point. Yes, Toomey came within striking distance of “taking out” Specter, but I believe to this day that he would have been defeated, if not trounced, in the general election, and then Joe Hoeffel would be the U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania.
What is important to consider is this: Regardless of how Specter and the senators from Maine would have voted, we would have gotten this dog of a bill.
Speaking of Specter– as I vote in PA– I can tell you this: It takes a pretty squishy Republican, or one of very special charisma and character, to win statewide in PA. If PA voters vote a Dem into Specter’s seat, it will take special circumstances to to unseat him or her. If it was Rendell, it would probably take death.
So Arlen is the best we got, and the only rational GOP response is to exact a price for grinning and bearing it. That price should be a reassurance that this is his last term, and he agrees to support someone young, local, and more authentically conservative as his successor. Eichelberger or Folmer from the PA Senate would do nicely. Perhaps Gerlach if it comes to that.
Please, not Ridge. You would have the same problems with Ridge that you have with Specter.
I think Snarlin’ Arlin’ will probably be challenged again by Club For Growth President and Former Congressman Pat Toomey will be challenging him in the Pennsylvania primary and this time Arlin may end up either losing, going the Joe Lieberman route or retiring.
In Minnesota, we called a group of Republicans who voted against Gov. Pawlenty’s veto of a huge tax increase “The Override Six” and targeted them with a grassroots campaign, led by the Taxpayers League of Minnesota and the House Republican Caucus. As this blog post explains, “Whether the story of the ‘Override Six’ leads to a larger and more conservative House Caucus or just represents a momentary bout of philosophical discipline still remains to be seen.”
See: http://www.truthvmachine.com/?p=8041
My opinion? At some point you have to decide to stand for something. Otherwise, you’re just Democrat Lite.