Crossposted from Hillbilly Report.
You know, as a grassroots activist for the Democratic Party in a tough area it seems I always here one thing. Many people will readily agree with many of the ideals of our party, but they always come down to one reason why they consistently vote against us. It always boils down to "Yeah, the Democrats have some good ideas but they are too cowardly to fight for the things I agree with them on". Unfortunately, many times these folks are right, and one need only look at the recent love-fest with former Republican Arlen Specter among our leadership to see yet another example.
Now, I love my party and it hurts to have to write things like these. In the last several decades I have put up with our pandering to all things centerist and DLC but now during this most pivotal time in the history of our country it is becoming too much to bear. The fawning love-fest over Arlen Specter is yet another case of misplaced priorities by our party. Of course, Specter played his recent status as a Democrat for all it was worth at the recent Pennsylvania Democratic Committee meeting:
Arlen Specter has been a Republican officeholder for more than 40 years, but you hardly would have known it Saturday when he made his debut in front of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.
Here, at the annual state committee meeting, Specter had his unofficial coming out party and he aimed to please. Using a teleprompter for his speech—"I wanted to express myself with precision," he said—and sporting a blue and red donkey tie, he told an audience of 300 Democratic elected officials and activists he felt "welcome and comfortable."
"Maybe it’s no coincidence that I feel so comfortable with Democrats, because I’ve spent most of my life with Democrats," Specter said, a little over a month after leaving the Republican Party.
"Maybe it’s no coincidence that I’ve been derided for years by the far-right as a Republican in name only," he said. "Well, I’m no longer a Republican. I’m again a Democrat, and I’m pleased and proud to be a Democrat."
He noted his own Democratic roots and referred to the GOP as the "obstructionist Republican Party." He ticked off his support for increasing the minimum wage, abortion rights, stem cell research and civil liberties in a time of war.
http://www.politico.com/...
Really?? Is Arlen a Democrat?? I don't think so:
Voted NO on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore. (Mar 2005)
Voted YES on reforming bankruptcy to include means-testing & restrictions. (Mar 2005)
Voted YES on restricting rules on personal bankruptcy. (Jul 2001)
Rated 87% by the US COC, indicating a pro-business voting record. (Dec 2003)
Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies. (Oct 2005)
Rated 81% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-family voting record. (Dec 2003)
Voted YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress. (Mar 2006)
Voted YES on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000. (May 2006)
Voted NO on requiring FISA court warrant to monitor US-to-foreign calls. (Feb 2008)
Voted YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad. (Aug 2007)
Voted NO on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months. (Jul 2007)
Voted NO on increasing tax rate for people earning over $1 million. (Mar 2008)
Voted NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months. (Dec 2007)
Voted NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008. (Mar 2007)
Voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. (Jun 2006)
Voted NO on investigating contract awards in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Nov 2005)
http://www.ontheissues.org/...
Typically, Specter was treated like a conquering Caesar by party leadership despite all this:
On Friday, in an enormous bear hug of a speech, Gov. Ed Rendell declared that Specter "saved the country" in reference to the senator’s vote for the $787 billion federal stimulus package– a decision that the governor described in heroic terms on Friday.
"Arlen Specter understood what was good for the country," Rendell said. "He cast a vote knowing that it would put his political career in peril. He cast that vote fearlessly."
Speaking to reporters earlier in the evening, Rendell said that it would be "tragic" if the second-term suburban Philadelphia congressman entered the race.
What about all those "fearless" votes he has gotten wrong? How many times has Specter voted AGAINST a Progressive direction for this country?? The second-term Congressman mentioned by Rendell just happened to be in attendance:
As Rendell and Casey heaped praise on Specter, Sestak sat quietly sipping a cup of coffee.
Sestak said the lack of establishment support did not worry him.
"I honestly do believe when you go in a V.F.W. post at night and they’re looking you in the eye and they don’t have health insurance or something like that," Sestak said, "they’re not asking if Ed Rendell endorsed you or not.
"It was a bravura political performance, and one that earned him a standing ovation from the crowd—except for possible primary challenger Rep. Joe Sestak, who rose from his chair briefly and lightly joined his hands in a gesture that fell short of a clap.
He was not alone in skepticism:
At the invitation of Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Bill George – a ubiquitous presence on the Democratic scene – Specter appeared at a union rally Saturday morning where he was greeted by a mix of cheers and boos by members who say they are waiting to see how Specter comes down on the Employee Free Choice Act.
Some Democrats had a hard time getting accustomed to idea of the five-term senator as a member of their party. Jim Burn, chairman of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, acknowledged that it was "a little surreal to see someone here who many men and women in the room spent 30 years trying to beat."
However, it appears in the end that the antics of Specter and party leadership may have insured themselves a primary:
"It would take an act of God for me to not get in now," Sestak told a Democratic State Committeeman Saturday morning within earshot of reporters.
http://www.politico.com/...
Which brings us back to the original point of all this showing the weakness of our party. Do we really think that nominating and electing Arlen Specter is going to forward Progressive ideals for six years?? Why is it so easy to take the easy way out and achieve victory when you can actually fight for real Democrats that can be depended on to fight for the ideals of our party at least most of the time??
This Joe Sestak seems like a fighter and I hope he will run. We simply must let our leadership know that some of these things they do are not acceptable. Millions of Americans need our party to fight, not embrace men like Arlen Specter. Our party should be looking for a future, not conjuring the ghost of failed Republican past. Sometimes you embrace "bi-partisanship" at the expense of cowardice and I am already anticipating the questions on our party's cowardice in the 2010 elections from undecided voters.
I don't have an answer for them.