The next time someone tells you the Republican Party is controlled by an extremist agenda on the subject of abortion, you might reply by noting the number of times the word “abortion” appeared in the speeches of Sarah Palin and John McCain.
The number: 0.
The number of times abortion was even alluded to, as in a reference to a “culture of life”: 1. Once.
It came, 25 paragraphs down, in McCain’s speech. And it so displeased Jody Bottum, the editor of the splendid monthly First Things, that he wrote a disgusted blog item about it:
One reference to a “culture of life,” buried in a laundry list in the twenty-fifth paragraph? That’s it in John McCain’s acceptance speech? The sole mention of abortion in the combined hour and a half of oratory from the two Republican nominees over the last two nights?
Doubtless, those who have committed themselves to a conviction that the Republican ticket has been assembled to march all women in lockstep into a back alley where there is a rusty coat hanger and a gleeful undertaker will see the silence on these matters as a form of deliberate deception. Or it could be what it truly is: It’s a pro-life ticket, but the man at the top of the ticket, with a perfect pro-life voting record in the Senate, is far more concerned with other matters. And his vice presidential pick is there to follow his lead.
i will send some mony to mr. Toomey and i do support the club for growth. and am very sorry that we are seeing the downfall of the US that has been underway in more and more socialism for years and now picking up steam. anyway to stop this madness? lots of luck
Arlen Specter should be embarassed. His actions are disgraceful. And I mean that. He knows damn well that if the GOP blocked it, negotiations would have continued and a better bill would have been agreed on. Seriously, a couple of weeks delay would have endangered the economy? Specter is nuts if he believes that.
Specter, Collins and Snowe did not have to do this. But they figure if they go along with Obama they will eventually benefit. It is all about them.
Mom Blogs – Blogs for Moms…
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And don’t forget Arlen is the author of the Single Bullet Theory in the Kennedy murder. Did not believe him then, don’t believe him now.
No special treatment for Arelen Specter or experimental drugs for him. Just like Daschle said based on his book to save healthcare cost old people got to go.
He should line up like everybody else if the government wants control of healthcare.
Arlen Specter must be incompetent or a liar, how else to you explain this statement?
Camille Paglia on the pork-u-lus:
Why in the cosmos would the new administration, smoothly sailing out of Obama’s classy inauguration, repeat the embarrassing blunders of Bill Clinton’s first term? By foolishly promising a complete overhaul of healthcare within 100 days (and by putting his secretive, ill-prepared wife in charge of it), Clinton made himself look naive and incompetent and set healthcare reform back for more than 15 years.
President Obama was ill-served by his advisors (shall we thump that checkered piñata, Rahm Emanuel?), who evidently did not help him to produce a strong, focused, coherent bill that he could have explained and defended to the nation before it was set upon by partisan wolves. To defer to the House of Representatives and let the bill be thrown together by cacophonous mob rule made the president seem passive and behind the curve.
Specter is up for re-election in 2010. Collins is up for re-election in 2010. Snowe is a Democrat in drag. QED.
I KNOW that “RINO” hunting is a popular sport amongst Conservatives. I know that the “folks” want 100% participation AGAINST a president with high approval ratings…I know it’s all “politics”…Unfortunately, this is all misguided. Whoever’s not happy with Specter’s moderate positions will be far less happy with his replacement….If ANYONE outside of the “conservative echo chamber”, thinks that a Pat Toomay can win in a General Election in PA; you’ve been drinking too much kool aid….Pennsylvania is a state that gave Obama an 11 point victory AFTER McCain spent more campaign time here, than in any other state! There’s a reason why Rick Santorum is writing columns and moonlighting as a “Fox news contributor” instead of legislating on Capital Hill…PA’s demographics will no longer support an extreme candidate (left or right)..Sorry but Arlen’s the best bet for the GOP. Trust me, he knows this…Of course, the GOP can go with it’s “stand on principals” argument and Arlen will lose the Primary….This will be followed shortly by the GOP losing another Senate seat….Maybe it’s time to find a way to be more INCLUSIVE rather than more EXCLUSIVE?? …
Please tell me the difference between Specter being re-elected and “the GOP losing another Senate seat”? Ine either case, you have a person who always votes with his/her Democrat pals.
#9
You’re right. Let’s just become utopians, kneeling on our prayer rugs before the Obama, while his high priests Nancy and Harry shuffle among us dispensing spritzes of democratic incense. Much the same line of thinking took place when the Germans moved into France. Forget your beliefs, suspend your principles, get on board with the guys who are in charge. Be part of the team, don’t make waves.
You mean Pelosi is centrist? You are drinking too much Obama kool-aid.
Your Messiah won’t save you a buck from his pork laden stimulus package.
We need to bag this RINO.
I think it’s time to give Arlen Specter a medical retirement.
The Cancer and brain surgery have finally rendered him incoherent and useless.
To #10:
The “difference between Specter being re-elected and the GOP losing another Senate seat” can be meaningful. The “RINOS” swung $75BIL to the Alternative Minimum Tax. As a PA resident, that hit’s MY bottom-line. I’m sure it’s an exercise in Conservatism to many who reside in redstates but…This is PA!…Our Republicans are more like Michael Smerconish than Rush Limbaugh. Do you think that a Dem in the Senate would make sure that AMT break stayed??…Besides, there’s no REAL “Conservative” offering here….Conservatives are proposing infrastructure spending and they want to control mortgage rates…Are you kidding me?? …..Just today, Ensign’s talking about “transaparency” with the Federal Reserve (That would require a Constitutional Amendment!). These are not Conservative principals…This a Party that’s out-of-power, trying to be the party that’s in-power. The “ideas” are interchangeable, depending on who’s a “D” or an “R”…The Gov’t AND Fed spent $7 TRILLION on this crisis…Bush was “rewarded” with a 70% approval rating amongst self-described “Conservatives”…There’s no “principals”, there’s just “Party”.
The 3 defectors may have let the country down –
but not the party.
Had they held out for a better bill with a really bipartisan
support, then Republicans would have co-owned it, and co-owned
all the misery that would still lie ahead (even with a better stimulus).
Now Democrats and Obama will own the economic outcome.
Of course if perfect recovery occurs with lightning speed,
then Democrats will get all the credit…
(and welcome – that would be well worth it!)
But probably it won’t happen; in November 2010 people will
feel much worse than they do now; and a long chain of
self-serving expenditures (and other scandals) will be
hanging heavily around the neck of the misruling party;
while Republicans will be the party of change and hope.
Specter votes Republican 41% of the time, so technically, he’s a democrat anyway. One thing for sure, he’s no Republican!
If temporary AMT relief will buy you, fine. Howeveer, AMT is a wholly-owned creation of the Democrats. They built it and haven’t figured out how to get rid of it. Class envy is like the proverbial tar baby. It just doesn’t go away once you pick it up.
Text of my letter to our revolting rinos….Senators Collins, Specter, and Snow:
I would like to thank you for aiding and abetting the Congressional gang rape of the American taxpayer by supporting the Stimulus Bill.
While your own Congressional Budget Office has stated that this bill will not change anything, you instead decided that thousands more dollars in debt hung around the necks of
each American is the way to go. In reality, a far better stimulus exists. Simply cut corporate
taxes, capital gains taxes and personal income taxes. Cut oppressive over-regulation of industry. Open ANWR and our western oil shale fields for production. Then stand back and watch the American worker take care of business.
Unfortunately, I cannot say when I have been more disappointed or disgusted by the actions of a few in our Senate.
CapitalistforReform writes:
“I know that the “folks” want 100% participation AGAINST a president with high approval ratings…I know it’s all “politics”…Unfortunately, this is all misguided.”
Ironically, this IS RINO-speak. CapitalistforReform writes in political calculations without any mention that there are real principles at stake here. Conservatives don’t have to “hunt” for RINO’s; they proudly step forth in gold bodysuits and sparkles for the admiration of “those who matter”.
It is also of note that the “big-tent” types don’t produce the goods. All talk. No paycheck.
Republicans – the Defeatist party – let’s Give Up on America…