Comments on: Olympia Snowe at the Alamo

By: ccs1977

ccs1977 — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:03:23 +0000

I think Snowe's article was a very sincere outreach to her party. However, I do not think it will do her any good. The moderates of the republican party are the minority and I do not see it getting any easier for them. Just check out the blogs on Fox News website and other republican sites- they are in uproar over her article and their comments are insane and unrelenting in their hatred for moderates. They don't want any moderates in their party.

By: THE GUN TOTING LIBERAL™

THE GUN TOTING LIBERAL™ — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:28:39 +0000

Republican Senator Olympia Snowe (Maine) On Arlen Specter Defection And The Republican Party: I’m Getting Claustrophobic In This Tiny Little Tent…

QUESTION: Is Senator Snowe Going To Be The Next Republican To Defect To The Democratic Party?
The answer to this question, I can only give you this one man’s opinion, but let’s just say I’m not as convinced the answer is “Yes……

By: StockBoySF

StockBoySF — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:08:10 +0000

Before making any decision to switch parties I think one of the main questions (no pun intended) any senator has to ask himself or herself is whether their current party allows them the freedom to vote how their constituents would like them to vote and their own personal convictions.

The GOP seems to want to control how their members vote. If the member doesn't vote that way then the GOP will threaten to cut-off their support for re-elections (as they threatened to do do members if they voted for the stimulus bill).

So if the elected official can't represent their constituents or vote for what they themselves believe in, then it is time to consider changing parties.

I think that is what Snowe was getting at when she said, "As to the other issues that draw on the deep springs of morality and emotion, let us decide that we can disagree among ourselves as Republicans and tolerate the disagreement.”

Snowe seems to be saying that the Republicans don't want to disagree among themselves on these second tier issues.... that the GOP leadership wants fidelity.

By: Jillmz

Jillmz — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 19:33:48 +0000

I could not have written a better op-ed on the subject. I thought Snowe described the situation precisely as how many people – inside and outside the Beltway and the GOP – see it.

By: mikeyes

mikeyes — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:05:03 +0000

You have to wonder where Barry Goldwater, who believed in civil discourse in the Senate, supported gays in the military, and hated Pat Robertson would be in the current state of politics. My guess is that he would be the Independent Senator from Arizona as he would not be very happy with the gigantic growth of government under the last two (three?) administrations nor with the prospect of torture and aggressive wars that had no direct bearing on the safety of our country.

Goldwater, for all his faults, was not a wingnut nor was he as stupid as most of the leaders of the Republican party seem to be. In many ways he was an easy target for the Democrats because he did not explain his positions in a way that was acceptable to the majority of voters. Yet his ideas: no government interference on the basis of "morals", small government, rigorous defense of the country, prosperity available to anyone willing to put in the work regardless of race, etc. would be very saleable these days if the Republicans actually believed in them.

Goldwater would have to look very hard to find any of his ideas still exant in the party.

By: shannonlee

shannonlee — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:50:44 +0000

Maybe moderate Repubulicans should use the same theory used by conservatives? Jump ship. Let the Republican party drift further and further to the right. After the social conservatives completely fail at the national level, Republican voters will finally see the folly of following these dittoheads and turn to moderates for leadership.

I never want to see America fail…regardless of who is running the ship. I might actually enjoy watching this group of Republicans turn to ash.

By: TheMaineView

TheMaineView — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:26:26 +0000

As a Mainer, I'd be really surprised to see Snowe and Collins jump ship. They would have more competition from Dems in the primary. That was part of the reason for Spector to move, Repub primary competition.

Maine is also not the same as the rest of New England. We have the only NE Repub senators left. If you are out of the greater Portland area, life is not easy for a Dem. Plus both Snowe and Collins have some of the highest approval ratings in the Senate.

No, the Republican ship would have to be just about underwater for them to jump in the blue dog lifeboat.