tagged w/ Arlen Specter
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ABC News' Ariane de Vogue reports: Sen. Arlen Specter, in remarks he dubs his "closing argument," makes one last effort before retirement to encourage Congress to require the Supreme Court to televise its proceedings.
His harshly worded comments -- prepared for delivery on the floor of the Senate as his final statement -- eviscerate the Supreme Court for its recent campaign finance decision. Specter says the Court ignored a massive congressional record in reversing decades old campaign finance legislation.
"The Court has been eating Congress’s lunch," Specter says, "by invalidating legislation with judicial activism after nominees commit under oath in confirmation proceedings to respect Congressional fact finding and precedents."
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/12/sen-arlen-specters-closing-statement-supreme-court-eating-congress-lunch.htmlABC News' Ariane de Vogue reports: Sen. Arlen Specter, in remarks he dubs his... more
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Posted on May 20, 2010
By Ruth Marcus
In understanding the foibles of politicians, I’ve always found it is a benefit to have spent large amounts of time with toddlers. Me! Me! Me! The narcissism of the toddler has its adult manifestation in the career politician: If self-absorption is not a job requirement, it is at least a helpful attribute in getting ahead in politics.
Is there a better explanation for soon-to-be-former Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter’s artless explanation that he switched parties solely to keep his seat than a preschooler’s sense of entitlement? It’s mine! Gimme! Anyone who’s watched a gaggle of politicians jockey to see who’ll speak first at a news conference understands that taking turns and sharing nicely come as poorly to elected officials as to 4-year-olds in a sandbox.
Specter is a fascinating study in political egocentrism, but the similarities between young children and politicians came most vividly to mind this week with the seemingly different foibles of Richard Blumenthal and Mark Souder.
Blumenthal, the attorney general of Connecticut and would-be senator, seems to have engaged in a bit of what the psychologists would describe as “magical thinking” about his service in Vietnam—oops, I mean Vietnam-era service. At various points, Blumenthal described how “we have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam.” He told a crowd cheering for troops that “when we returned, we saw nothing like this.” He noted that “I served during the Vietnam era,” adding, “I remember the taunts, the insults, sometimes even physical abuse.”
Certainly Blumenthal knew he had not been in Vietnam—and, yet, there is in his words something of the child’s capacity to imagine that saying something makes it so. Blumenthal has been a champion for veterans’ rights, not the most obvious focus for a state attorney general. Was there a small piece of him that began to think of himself as truly part of their band of brothers?
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As Joan Didion wrote in “The Year of Magical Thinking,” about her inability to acknowledge her husband’s death, “I was thinking as small children think, as if my thoughts or wishes had the power to reverse the narrative, change the outcome.” Pretend play and the concrete reality of the imaginary are the essence of childhood.
Likewise, politicians excel at trying on costumes, assuming identities (the angry populist, the slayer of pork), delivering lines written by others. Is it any wonder that the division between fantasy and reality starts to blur for some of them?
Ronald Reagan spun untrue stories about how he had photographed Nazi death camps. As a radio broadcaster, he once continued announcing a baseball game after the newswire relaying the plays went dead. Joe Biden, channeling Neil Kinnock, spoke about his (imaginary) coal-mining ancestors. Hillary Clinton vividly described being under (nonexistent) sniper fire in Bosnia.
Were those deliberate lies or some more mysterious mechanism of the unconscious brain? “Reagan is a romantic, not an impostor,” his aide Michael Deaver explained. “He saw this nightmare on film, not in person. That did not mean he saw it less.”
Souder, the Indiana Republican forced to resign his congressional seat after an extramarital affair with an aide, raises the question of why so many politicians stray, and here, too, politicians share similarities with children. Most of us learn, eventually, to survive without gold stars and frenzied parental clapping. There are not many occupations other than politics—acting comes to mind—that reward the need for constant adulation. Politicians crave the affirmation of the cameras, the crowds, the voters. The same neediness for ego gratification is, I think, part of what motivates their desire for new sexual partners as well.
Along with this goes another form of magical thinking—the false conviction that they will be able to get away with it. John Edwards denying that he was the father of Rielle Hunter’s baby reminded me of a 4-year-old, chocolate smeared across his face, denying that he had eaten the cookie. Similarly, Souder seemed to believe he could get away with having an affair with an aide—a part-time aide, he said, as if that matters—who served as his co-host on a video promoting abstinence. You really cannot make these things up.
This leads to an important difference between politicians and toddlers. Both can be entitled narcissists with a problem distinguishing fantasy from reality. But it takes a politician to simultaneously preach abstinence and play footsie. It takes a grown-up to be such a hypocrite.
Ruth Marcus’ e-mail address is marcusr(at symbol)washpost.com.
http://lemontreepre-school.com/preschoolers_around_table.jpgPosted on May 20, 2010
By Ruth Marcus
In understanding the foibles of... more
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A radio debate between Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter (D) and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) on Thursday grew especially heated when the senator told the conservative congresswoman she ought to “act like a lady.”
For Full Story and AUDIO/VIDEO of Specters Sexist rant......http://ctpatriot1970.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/video-douche-bag-arlen-specter-to-michele-bachmann-act-like-a-lady-sexism-too/
As Bachmann finished describing tax policies she would ideally pursue in 2010, Specter began his response, criticizing the congresswoman for dodging the original question. That discussion became tense, as Bachmann continued to talk over Specter, prompting the Pennsylvania senator to charge: “Now wait a minute. I’ll stop and you can talk… I’ll treat you like a lady. So act like one.”A radio debate between Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter (D) and Minnesota Rep. Michele... more
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POLITICO has learned that Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, will announce today that he’s switching parties to become a Republican.
According to two senior GOP aides familiar with the decision, the announcement will take place this afternoon in Griffith’s district in northern Alabama.
Griffith’s party switch comes on the eve of a pivotal congressional health care vote and will send a jolt through a Democratic House Caucus that has already been unnerved by the recent retirements of a handful of members who, like Griffith, hail from districts that offer prime pickup opportunities for the GOP in 2010.
The switch represents a coup for the House Republican leadership, which had been courting Griffith since he publicly criticized the Democratic leadership in the wake of raucous town halls during the summer.
Griffith, who captured the seat in a close 2008 open seat contest, will become the first Republican to hold the historically Democratic, Huntsville-based district. A radiation oncologist who founded a cancer treatment center, Griffith plans to blast the Democratic health care bill as a prime reason for his decision to switch parties—and is expected to cite his medical background as his authority on the subject.
For the Full story and Griffiths views on Heatlcare Reform...http://ctpatriot1970.wordpress.com/2009/12/22/alabama-democrat-rep-parker-griffith-switches-to-republican-over-health-care/POLITICO has learned that Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, will... more
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More anecdotal evidence that primary challenges influence incumbents. Arlen Specter (who was literally a Republican until recently) has now committed to voting for all major Democratic legislation.More anecdotal evidence that primary challenges influence incumbents. Arlen Specter... more
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WASHINGTON — Following his surprising switch to the Democratic Party, Senator Arlen Specter announced on Monday that he will no longer identify with the male gender, and will be joining the ranks of congressional females. [more]
--TheSkunk.orgWASHINGTON — Following his surprising switch to the Democratic Party, Senator... more
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Arlen Specter is no prize. His "defection" to the Democratic Party only shows how little it means now to be a Democrat.Arlen Specter is no prize. His "defection" to the Democratic Party only... more
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Random Rush: Sam Seder takes 60 random seconds of Rush Limbaugh's Radio Show and then rebuts his arguments in 90 seconds. Here, Rush calls out 'moderate Republicans'. Sam explains the buffoonery of his arguments for the rest of us.
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Random Rush: Sam Seder takes 60 random seconds of Rush... more
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The Senate dealt a blow tonight to Sen. Arlen Specter's hold on seniority in several key committees, a week after the Pennsylvanian's party switch placed Democrats on the precipice of a 60-seat majority.
In a unanimous voice vote, the Senate approved a resolution that added Specter to the Democratic side of the dais on the five committees on which he serves, an expected move that gives Democrats larger margins on key panels such as Judiciary and Appropriations.
But Democrats placed Specter in one of the two most junior slots on each of the five committees for the remainder of this Congress, which goes through December 2010. Democrats have suggested that they will consider revisiting Specter's seniority claim at the committee level only after the midterm elections next year.
"This is all going to be negotiated next Congress," Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), said tonight.
Specter's office declined to comment.The Senate dealt a blow tonight to Sen. Arlen Specter's hold on seniority in... more
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More from my favorite political commentator and voice of extreme reason, FearTheReaper:
I do enjoy watching the Democratic leadership stumble and bumble their way to ineffectiveness. It's just so absurd and stupid, all one can do is chuckle. The latest ridiculousness came last week, when they opened their arms wide for former Republican Senator Arlen Specter. He’s now a Democrat! Who will vote like a Republican! How awesome is that?
He wanted to stay a Senator and that’s it. This is anything but a good sign. All it proves is how far the Republicans have gone to the right – to the point where they are nearly insane. They are now driving out actual conservatives and the Democrats are accepting them into their ranks – further pushing their party to the right. Awesome.
He constantly voted with Bush on issues like Iraq, the Patriot Act, Bush’s insane judicial nominees, Bush’s insane department appointees, telecom immunity, warrantless wiretapping, tax cuts and has strongly been opposed to any investigation of the many Bush crimes. See, what the leadership knows that you don't is that the Democrats need another Dianne Feinstein, Joe Lieberman or Ben Nelson. Add another problematic jackass to the pile, because these are the "moderates" who force the Democratic Party to act like Republicans in order to get things passed.
Apparently, Democrats think the best way to build their majority, is to bring in people who agree with them on around 10% of stuff. And they want that guy to be from the blue state of Pennsylvania, the guy who was driven from his crazy party for being too liberal, even though he is very, very conservative. He’s just not crazy conservative. But the Democrats love it! Thanks for the trash! They'll take it!....
Hit the link above to read on...More from my favorite political commentator and voice of extreme reason,... more
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Jeff Birnbaum talks about Senator Arlen Spector's decision to switch political parties and what this means for the balance of power in the Senate.Jeff Birnbaum talks about Senator Arlen Spector's decision to switch political... more
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"So we're sitting there talking prevention measures," he said, nursing the 3rd of many Buds consumed that afternoon, "and Sebelius (the new HHS secretary) asks me if we have enough facemasks in the White House for everyone. I'm like OMG, those f*cking things don't work anyway, let's get back to the real issue. But then everyone starts begging for masks for them and their families, so I listen to the noise for a while and then I snap. Table goes over, paper and pens everywhere. I'm outta there."
http://thestupidtimes.blogspot.com/2009/04/obama-celebrates-100-days-by-resigning.html"So we're sitting there talking prevention measures," he said, nursing... more
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President Barack Obama on Wednesday hailed Arlen Specter's conversion to the Democratic Party, while Specter vowed that he'll be an asset as Obama tries to get his ambitious agenda through Congress.President Barack Obama on Wednesday hailed Arlen Specter's conversion to the... more
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