Specter made the right political call

If he makes it through the Republican primary, he's set--whether he supports EFCA or not.

But what this means is that we absolutely have to contest the seat in November: Specter has reaffirmed his Republicanness.  

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by: andgarden @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 20:23:09 PM UTC

Specter is a weasel

In his statement, he said that he opposes EFCA because the economy is weak, and he'll reconsider that again when the "economy returns to normalcy".  Or otherwise, after the PA primary is over.

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by: IHateBush @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 20:28:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

He's a pol

Watch long enough and you'll see just about every pol do a 180 or a backflip when he or she is up against a wall.  

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by: andgarden @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 20:32:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Weasel is a polite word for him

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by: Paleo @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 21:54:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I disagree

He's made it through in the past with help from the unions and moderate Democrats. If he spends the next year and a half being the one vote that stops the Democratic agenda from moving on some issues, he'll be in a weaker position in the general election than he's seen for quite some time. It should be a moot point, though; the PA Republicans aren't going to open their primary, so Specter can't count on the crossover support that bailed him out last time - plus he doesn't have Bush and Santorum to help him out, either.

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by: RealNRH @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 22:49:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

EFCA

Other than business owner Republicans who in the GOP primary will care about EFCA? Maybe thered be many others whod disagree on philosophical grounds, but i doubt theyre passionate about the issue. But...maybe theres enough business owners in the GOP primary to make a real difference.

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 04:12:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Money, Money, Money, Money

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by: andgarden @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 04:47:01 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

NH-02

Horn isn't really aiming for a rematch because Hodes is running for senate.  

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by: JeremiahTheMessiah @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 20:35:13 PM UTC

Just a reloss then

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by: andgarden @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 20:37:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Vermont to legalizing same-sex marriage

Sounds like both the state house and senate have the votes to override and potential veto by Governor Douglas.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/...

Vermont is weighing a bill that could make it the first state to legalize same-sex marriage without being prompted by the courts.

The state's House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday afternoon to consider a bill that the Vermont Senate passed Monday by a vote of 26-4.

The House is expected to pass the bill.

Republican Gov. Jim Douglas, however, has said he opposes the bill.

"Governor Douglas agrees with President Obama that marriage is between a man and a woman. He supports Vermont's current civil union law, which provides equal rights, benefits, and responsibilities to Vermonters in civil unions," said the governor's spokeswoman, Dennise Casey.

The governor "believes this bill is a distraction from the important work the legislature needs to do to pass a responsible budget and get our economy going again," Casey added.

It is unclear whether both chambers of the state legislature would vote to override a potential gubernatorial veto.

Vermont made history in 2000 by becoming the first state to approve civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.

Massachusetts and Connecticut are the only states that allow same-sex marriage. Vermont, New Hampshire, and New Jersey allow civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.

Vermont legalized civil unions nine years ago in response to a ruling from its high court.

Nationwide, the issue of same-sex marriage remains highly divisive. A June 2008 CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll found that 44 percent of adult Americans believe gay marriage should be recognized by law as valid; 53 percent are opposed.

The issue took center stage in the nation's largest state last November, when California voters narrowly approved a proposition amending the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage. California had been issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples since a May 2008 ruling by the state Supreme Court legalized the unions.

California's high court heard arguments three weeks ago in a case tackling the constitutionality of the controversial ballot proposition. It has not yet issued a decision.

The 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act effectively bars the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions by defining marriage as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife" and a spouse as "a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife."

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by: ChadInFL @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 21:04:14 PM UTC

The Senate has the votes

the House will be close, they have 90 out of 150 for sure, and reportedly may have as many as 105.

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by: IHateBush @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 00:24:36 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Over two-thirds

We have 95 Dems + 7 members of minor parties.  I'm almost positive all 7 are progressive party members.  That adds up to 102/150 members who are from leftist parties, more than two-thirds.

http://www.ncsl.org/statevote/...

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by: ChadInFL @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 12:46:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Not guaranteed that every Dem votes

for gay marriage.  One voted against it in the Senate.

What I was saying was that there are 90-105 votes for gay marriage in the Vermont House.  You need 100 votes.

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by: IHateBush @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 15:06:31 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

MN-06 more insanity: "I'm a foreign correspondent on enemy lines

I'm a foreign correspondent on enemy lines and I try to let everyone back here in Minnesota know exactly the nefarious activities that are taking place in Washington.

This includes links to more of her "greatest hits"

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by: homerun @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 21:05:05 PM UTC

I don't see how Switalski has a chance

Levin hasn't done anything wrong, and with Switalski lacking name recognition, he's not going to be able to attack him without tarring himself too.

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by: Englishlefty @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 21:09:00 PM UTC

My guess

He's term-limited and thinks Sander may run statewide sometime in the future, so he may just be doing this to expand his name rec for a run when Sander eventually vacates the seat.

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by: ChadInFL @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 21:10:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Levin is 78

so I don't think he's going statewide. He will be retiring at some point, so Switalski (who's something like 55) may be getting his foot in the door for that moment. But if Levin hits eject in 2012, this may be the district that gets eliminated in redistricting (if it's under split control), as I think the critical mass of population loss in Michigan has been in the Detroit area.

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by: Crisitunity @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 21:13:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The Dodd's

John Tower voted for Thomas Dodd when he had his troubles in the senate.

Chris Dodd returned the favor voting for John Tower's nomination as the defense secretary.

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by: fai calif @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 21:13:53 PM UTC

79 Days: Minnesota Sets State Record for Longest Period With Only One U.S. Senator

At 12:00 am Monday morning, the State of Minnesota set a new record for operating at half-strength in Capitol Hill's upper chamber.

At 79 days and counting, Minnesota's current stint with only one U.S. Senator has now eclipsed the previous mark set in the summer of 1923, when it took 78 days to schedule a July 16, 1923 special election for the unexpired term ending March 3, 1925 to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Republican Knute Nelson on April 28, 1923. Farmer-Laborite Magnus Johnson won that election.

LINK
Anyone know the record for a state going with only one Senator?

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by: homerun @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 21:24:34 PM UTC

New Hampshire 1975

I know the New Hampshire senate seat remained vacant for at least nine months in 1975.  A revote was held in the Durkin-Wyman race.

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by: Paleo @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 21:56:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

We need to get a strong candidate for PA-Senate

Someone needs to step up to the plate to take out that scumbag Specter, if he survives the primary.  Auditor General Jack Wagner would be the perfect candidate, but he might prefer to run for Governor instead.

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by: Paleo @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 21:57:40 PM UTC

Specter

We have 58 "Democrats", 59 if Al Franken is ever seated.  By any stretch we need a minimum of one Republican.

Specter is as good as it gets from the Republicans these days.  No Specter, no stimulus. Snowe and Voinovich voted against EFCA.  Collins took a ton of money from the anti-EFCA people and voted no.  Our best shot is either changing the 60 rule on the fly or buying a vote from Grassley or Voinovich.  Can we build a football stadium in Cleveland or Columbus with Federal money?

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by: David Kowalski @ Tue Mar 24, 2009 at 22:54:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Option 3

Attach EFCA to the budget reconciliation bill which cannot be filibustered.

The downside of this is that anything in the bill must expire in 10 years.  So effectively it would be a 10 year trial on EFCA.

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by: IHateBush @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 00:26:27 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Reconciliation

The Democrats, especially Reid, don't have the balls to do something like that.

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by: Paleo @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 12:51:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I'll make a prediction

Rick Perry will upset Hutchison in the Repub primary.  And if that happens, the Democratic candidate, whether that is Schieffer or someone else stronger, will win the Governorship.  If it is Schieffer v Perry, I would not be surprised if some of Bush's less wingnut associates in Texas backs Schieffer.

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by: IHateBush @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 00:32:57 AM UTC

I'll believe it

Two things made me think it is possible Perry could win the primary.

1) Speaker Joe Strauss. A Moderate Speaker as opposed to the hyper-conservative Craddick for this session? That set off the conservative base and got their ears perked up.

2) Palin's endorsement of Perry. Once the primary campaign Hutch will have every statewide Republican that no voter has ever heard of, and Perry will have the activist base's favorite poster child getting out the vote for him. The only thing that may set it off is if Dems cross over to vote for Hutch out of disgust for Palin. Depends how the Democratic primary is of Schiffer, Kinky (ugh!), and if anyone else enters.

26, Male, Democrat, TX-26

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by: trowaman @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 03:58:12 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Kinky

From what ive heard of him in interviews Kinky is pretty right wing on immigration. I would think to the right of Perry and Hutch. I cant see him winning a Dem primary without any latino support. And the general? Forget about it.  

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by: HarrisCountyBrian @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 04:17:49 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Here's what Kinky is

He's the guy that pot smoking hippies like who gives the finger to every other elected officials, such as those that you should be guiding in the legislature since you are chief spokesman for the party and its agenda.

He's RON PAUL!™ if he were to run as a "Democrat" (and that's it, Kinky is running as one, there's nothing else Democratic about him party wise).

I just wrote a post mentioning my two least favorite Texas pols, Paul and Kinky. You debate a conservative and it's like arguing whether it is snowing or sleeting, either way you agree there is weather. Then the RON PAUL!™/Kinky folks come along and it's like they try to argue that the sky is green. There is no sensical connection to what is going on with the people who vote for these people.

/RANT!

26, Male, Democrat, TX-26

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by: trowaman @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 05:12:39 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I doubt it

I could see Perry upsetting Hutchison, although I still think Hutchison is more likely to win.  But, Schieffer over Perry?  I know Perry is unpopular, but Schieffer does not strike me as enough of a quality candidate who can break the Republican monopoly on Texas statewide offices.  I just don't see him ever winning.

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by: sicembears @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 16:43:40 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

He doesn't have to be that great

just strong enough to portray himself as an independent moderate candidate to get all the moderate voters who voted for Strayhorn in 2006 or Hutchison in the primary in 2010.  

I think a moderate/conservative Democrat would have beaten Perry one-on-one in 2006, and certainly will in 2010.  Actually, even Chris Bell would probably have gotten at least 45-48% against Perry one-on-one in 2006.

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by: IHateBush @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 18:39:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]