Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Just wondering...
Apparently, there's a really interesting Republican Senate Primary going on in Pennsylvania. Conservative Pat Toomey is going up against Arlen "Beloved Moderate, But If You're a Right Winger, Remember When I Ripped Anita Hill a New One?" Specter. Conservative writers believe Toomey to be the much better choice, and have not been shy about saying so.
This internecine warfare has caused great consternation among people who ultimately want Democrat Joe Hoeffel to win the seat. These folks are deeply concerned that tossing Specter over the trivial offense of voting against his party's platform - a lot - would send a message to independant voters that they are not welcome in the GOP.
I appreciate their concern about the GOP's need to welcome members who do not march in lockstep with party orthodoxy. It is truly a horrible thing when a party goes after one of its members for daring to dissent.
The reason I bring this up? Well, you see...I live in Georgia. And down here, we've got this guy who breaks with his party, probably as often as Sen. Specter. He still calls himself a member of the party, though, and wishes it would open itself more to people like him. Unfortunately, his heresy has caused him to be cast out, his purpoted allies lump him with their political opponents, the sense of betrayal that he dare speak out against what his betters have deemed to be the right course of action. In some circles, his death is longed for. Now, if what the NRO crew is doing to Specter is so horrible, this ought to rank, too, right? I mean, the guy is so hated by his own party that he's retiring from the Senate, virtually guaranteeing the other side pick up the seat.
Sure, he's endorsed the other party's candidate for President, but it's not like that's what started all this. He endorsed the other guy because he felt marginalized within his own party. What's happened since to prove him wrong?
Just wondering.
This internecine warfare has caused great consternation among people who ultimately want Democrat Joe Hoeffel to win the seat. These folks are deeply concerned that tossing Specter over the trivial offense of voting against his party's platform - a lot - would send a message to independant voters that they are not welcome in the GOP.
I appreciate their concern about the GOP's need to welcome members who do not march in lockstep with party orthodoxy. It is truly a horrible thing when a party goes after one of its members for daring to dissent.
The reason I bring this up? Well, you see...I live in Georgia. And down here, we've got this guy who breaks with his party, probably as often as Sen. Specter. He still calls himself a member of the party, though, and wishes it would open itself more to people like him. Unfortunately, his heresy has caused him to be cast out, his purpoted allies lump him with their political opponents, the sense of betrayal that he dare speak out against what his betters have deemed to be the right course of action. In some circles, his death is longed for. Now, if what the NRO crew is doing to Specter is so horrible, this ought to rank, too, right? I mean, the guy is so hated by his own party that he's retiring from the Senate, virtually guaranteeing the other side pick up the seat.
Sure, he's endorsed the other party's candidate for President, but it's not like that's what started all this. He endorsed the other guy because he felt marginalized within his own party. What's happened since to prove him wrong?
Just wondering.
