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Arlen “DINO” Specter – Not the Cute One from The Flintstones

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I tried to stay away from the Arlen Specter party-switching story but since I have written posts on him in the past (and his dissaffection with the conservative wing of the Republican Party), I have to put my two cents into the void and see if it turns up anything interesting. Most pundits, and bloggers, are shocked that Specter made the move. I am shocked that he did not … [Read more...] about Arlen “DINO” Specter – Not the Cute One from The Flintstones

World’s Most Liveable City: And The Winner Is…?

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Vienna, a city that has managed to remain clean, green and safe, and known for its music, theatre, art, history, coffee-bars and trams, is "world's most liveable city". According to a recent survey, Vienna is followed by Zurich and Geneva, while Auckland and Vancouver come joint fourth. All of these cities have a reputation – perhaps undeserved – for crashing dullness, … [Read more...] about World’s Most Liveable City: And The Winner Is…?

After-Midnight Blogger: You Know How Men Are…

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I met a man today a young man with muscles lots of them a weightlifter/ bodybuilder... they're so taken with themselves you know, all about themselves. He was clerking in a power-vitamin store where I was buying the 4# jug of protein powder. Upon leaving, my daughter pointed out I was driving around with my new license plates on the seat instead of on the … [Read more...] about After-Midnight Blogger: You Know How Men Are…

The GOP Purity Experiment

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Over the last few decades, an experiment has been taking place within the Republican Party. It has been conducted not by party leaders as much as by the rank and file or so-called base. It has been an experiment as to whether a politically-pure party can be a viable party. To my knowledge this has never been done before. Over the years, groups such as Club for Growth have … [Read more...] about The GOP Purity Experiment

Well Done, Dummies

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Note: The following was written by Travis Johnson, the head of Progressive Republicans. President Obama was inaugurated in January, but the Obama Era officially began today. Don’t believe me? wait til you see what he does with the filibuster-proof majority we gave him by driving Senator Specter from the Party. I’m appalled. Not at Senator Specter. At the Republican … [Read more...] about Well Done, Dummies

Knee-Capping: Why the Club for Growth Does It (And Why It Will Never Work)

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My colleagues here at The Moderate Voice - many of them moderate Republicans of the Arlen Specter ilk - have eloquently explained the larger significance of Specter's defection from the Republican Party. I want to focus on the Pat Toomey angle. More to the point: why does the Club for Growth consistently "knee-cap" its own moderates in the GOP, knowing full well that the … [Read more...] about Knee-Capping: Why the Club for Growth Does It (And Why It Will Never Work)

A Little Specter Of History

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In reporting the decision of Senator Specter to the Democratic party most of the articles touch on the fact that he has been a member of the Senate for 29 years. In reflecting on his remarks about the increasingly narrow base of the Republican party it might be worth our time to take a look back at the origins of his career. He was first elected to the US Senate in 1980, the … [Read more...] about A Little Specter Of History

The Pundits On Specter Shift

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Being a political junkie I had to watch all of the talking heads commenting on the shift of Arlen Specter to the Democratic party. As is often the case, they each tended to get some of it right and some of it wrong On the left, while I do not always agree with Rachel Maddow on the issues she is often quite entertaining in her analysis of the issues of the day. However this … [Read more...] about The Pundits On Specter Shift

Bush Era ‘Came Close to Disfiguring the Country’: Estadao of Brazil

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As in the United States, the controversy over the torture issue continues to ripple through the international community. But according to this editorial from Estadao of Brazil, there is much more at stake than merely the issue of torture, aka, 'enhanced interrogation techniques.' The editorial reads in part: "What's at stake goes beyond torture ... Under the auspices … [Read more...] about Bush Era ‘Came Close to Disfiguring the Country’: Estadao of Brazil

Did Arlen Specter Take This Philadelphia Journalist’s Advice?

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It sure sounds he thought over this well-reasoned (as usual) March 9th column by the Philadelphia Inquirer's Dick Polman about why the Pennsylvania Senator should switch parties and jump from the GOP to the Democratic party. EARLIER TMV POSTS ON THIS TOPIC: Cagle Cartoons: Specter Flu Jazz Shaw: Party Purification By Fire Joe Gandelman: Specter Switches To … [Read more...] about Did Arlen Specter Take This Philadelphia Journalist’s Advice?

‘Deliver Me, O My Lord, from My Friends’ [the Americans]: L’Orient Le Jour, Lebanon

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''Iran's regional cards: Syria, the Muslim Brotherhood, Hezbullah and Hamas." Israel isn't the only U.S. ally in the Middle East expressing concern about the policies of the Obama Administration. According to this editorial from Lebanon's L'Orient Le Jour, The pro-West ruling faction in Lebanon is worried as well - given the peace overtures being sent out in the direction of … [Read more...] about ‘Deliver Me, O My Lord, from My Friends’ [the Americans]: L’Orient Le Jour, Lebanon

Party Purification by Fire

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Our alert staff already tipped you off to the breaking Arlen Specter story today, (see Holly and Patrick for details) but I have a few more brief thoughts to add. Pennsylvania is a perfect microcosm of what I've seen going on in my former party for some time now. The land of Rocky is a swing state which has been swinging in precisely the wrong direction for the GOP for several … [Read more...] about Party Purification by Fire

Specter Switches To Democratic Party: Potential Democratic Filibuster-Proof Senate Closer (Includes Roundup)

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Faced with a stiff challenge from conservatives and part of the dying breed of moderate Republicans, Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter has announced that he's leaving the GOP and will become a Democrat -- creating a new situation in his up-til-now troubled re-election bid, further thinning the ranks of once powerful moderate Republicans and potentially giving the Democrats a … [Read more...] about Specter Switches To Democratic Party: Potential Democratic Filibuster-Proof Senate Closer (Includes Roundup)

GOP Losing Its Last Jewish Senator, Moderate Arlen Specter of PA

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AP via MSNBC: BREAKING NEWS: Republican U.S. Senator Arlen Specter in talks to switch parties, sources tell AP Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post: Specter To Switch Parties Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter will switch his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat and announced today that he will run in 2010 as a Democrat, according to a statement he released this … [Read more...] about GOP Losing Its Last Jewish Senator, Moderate Arlen Specter of PA