A lot of time, we Kossacks complain how Democrat Senators from Red States (Salazar, Nelson, etc.) vote against positions we prefer. These are certainly valid complaints, but I think we still want these Dem Senators on our team. For them to vote otherwise in a lot of cases would probably cause them to be replaced by Republican Senators who would vote even worse.
Also, these Red State Dem senators will vote for Reid when/if the time comes to pick a Majority leader. We can't have a majority in the Senate if we don't have some senators who aren't from Red States.
My diary today is not about these senators, but is about their opposites: the Republican Senators from Blue States. Currently, there 9 in the Senate.
...
They are:
- Maine - Collins & Snowe
- New Hampshire - Gregg & Sununu
- Pennsylvania - Specter and Santorum
- Rhode Island - Chafee
- Minnesota - Coleman
- Oregon - Smith
These senators say they are moderate Republicans and perhaps they are. But they vote with the majority when they are needed. They only seem to vote `moderately' when their vote will not hurt the majority (i.e., Bush's position), as with the Alito Filibuster or the Intelligence Committee decision on the Illegal Wiretapping Investigation.
The voters in these states need to understand that it would be far better to have a moderate Democrat than a moderate Republican. First off, it would give us a majority in which we could set the agenda, including whether or not to even bring issues/judges to a vote.
These senators must be defeated at all costs. Even though some are very popular, they are from states that are anti-Bush and lean democratic. Let's take a look at the numbers, in the last presidential election and in the February SUSA numbers of Bush's Approval Rating:
- ME - 53.6% (voted for Kerry), 34/64 (Bush Approval/Disapproval)
- NH - 50.4%, 38/59
- PA - 51.0%, 36/60
- RI - 59.4%, 25/72
- MN - 51.5%, 40/56
- OR - 51.6%, 38/59
In November 2006,
Chafee, Snowe, and Santorum are up for re-election. Looking at these numbers, Chafee and Santorum should be easy for us to turn into Democratic seats. Both these states hate Bush and voted for Kerry (in RI's case, overwhelmingly). To not pick up these 2 would be a disgrace.
As for Snowe, she is very popular, but if a good Democratic candidate can run against her and show this Bush-hating state that she votes for Bush when he needs her such as on the Intelligence Committee wiretapping vote this week, we should have a chance. If she wins, then any Democrats who voted for her in that state should consider switching parties. They are true DINO's in the Lieberman mold.
In November 2008, four of these senators are up for re-election: Collins, Sununu, Coleman, and Smith. Again, at that time, we need to turn these into Democratic seats.
Now I am from a very Blue State, Illinois, that has 2 very Democratic Senators (Obama and Durbin). They don't always vote the way I would like, but when push comes to shove, they vote with the party (both voted for the Alito filibuster). Emanuel is my Representative too.
I can't help much in the 6 states above. But those Kossacks out there who are from those states need to force the issue, especially in Maine. You need to help the democratic candidates that will be facing these senators in November. You need to make those blue voters understand that a vote for a Republican senator is a vote for Bush no matter how moderate. You need to hang Bush around their necks like an anvil!
I don't have any numbers or research on Republican Representatives from Blue states, but I will bet there are plenty and if you have one, work hard to get rid of these guys too. They are only helping Bush and the Neo-Cons. Maybe another diarist can write one on this important topic.
(Of course, Joe Lieberman should still incur our wrath; he is a Democratic Senator from a very Blue State who votes with Bush quite a bit and this gives Bush cover at the expense of his own party. He should be replaced with a better Democrat. This is not the point of my diary though).