Congressman To Switch Parties Over Health Care

5 Responses to “Congressman To Switch Parties Over Health Care”

1. Leonidas says:

   December 22, 2009 at 12:18 pm

   The numbers of democratic moderates are dwindling.

   Rep. Bart Gordon is retiring
   Rep. John Tanner is retiring
   Rep. Dennis Moore is retiring

   All of those three are Blue Dogs

   Rep. Brian Baird is retiring (he is a moderate as far as being a deficit hawk)
2. Leonidas says:

   December 22, 2009 at 12:21 pm

   Also, Politico has more:

   http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30896…

   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.

   Not a Pelosi fan either

   Signs of Griffith’s dissatisfaction with his party began to surface publicly during the summer recess, when he received an earful of criticism from constituents.

   In August — one month after Republicans picked up his former state legislative seat in a special election — Griffith told a local newspaper that he wouldn't vote for Nancy Pelosi to remain as House Speaker because she's too divisive. He joked that if she didn’t like it, he’d provide her with a gift certificate to a mental health center.

   He added that if the Democratic leadership wouldn't commit to working in a more bipartisan manner, “perhaps we should look at altering that.”
3. dduck12 says:

   December 22, 2009 at 12:39 pm

   Wow. You made my day.
4. GeorgeSorwell says:

   December 22, 2009 at 12:41 pm

   Maybe this was just a desperation move? It looks like the base doesn't like him.

   From Talking Points Memo: “Conservative Backlash Against Griffith Party Switch Begins”.

   From The Club for Growth: “But just a quick perusal of 2009 shows that he voted YES on the 2009 pork-filled Omnibus; YES on Cash for Clunkers, NO on waiving the harmful Davis-Bacon provision, and had a pathetic 0% score on the 2009 RePORK Card. This party switch signals Griffith's nervousness, but it doesn't signal that his incumbency is safe.”

   From Red State: “Again, changing the letter next to your name does not magically make you one of us.”
5. patrick4rent says:

   December 22, 2009 at 9:59 pm

   This morning at around 8 AM, the Senate passed, again on a straight party-line vote, Majority Leader Harry Reid%u2019s (D-NV) manager%u2019s amendment to the Senate%u2019s version of Obamacare. This keeps the Senate on pace to pass the bill at 9 PM on Christmas Eve despite the fact that Americans overwhelmingly opposed the legislation.
   …”AMERICANS OVERWHELMINGLY OPPOSED THE LEGISLATION”…
   (“The Heritage Foundation”)
   Those of you bought off in exchange for your vote as well as those deluded Senators who actually “support” this boondoogle tax increase are going to have to face voters sooner or later, AND YOU WILL BE FIRED.
   http://www.topnflnews.com/