First off, my fellow freepers, let me state for the record that I have no problem backing true "moderate" Republicans for the Senate over a socialist Democrat. While they are not my first choice, I would have no problem voting for several "moderates" running for the senate right now if/when they have won the primary -- including Shelby in AL, Grassley in Iowa, Voinvoich in Ohio, Nethercutt in WA, Howard Mills in NY, Jack Orchulli in CT, probably even McCain in Arizona. In each of these cases, none of the individuals are known as good conservatives and I would DEFINITELY prefer someone else in the primary...but in the general, they do support the party the MAJORITY of the time and would be far better than their screwy far-left opponents.
Also, I've had to hold my nose and vote for several "moderates" in Illinois, including pro-abort Republicans that won the primary. A lot of people were complaining back in 2002 when we had a pro-abortion Republican for the Secretary of State nominee. However, I pointed out that nobody bothered to run against her in the primary so it was our own fault that we were stuck with her. And that candidate (Kris Cohn), was solidly pro-gun, pro-traditional marriage, cutting waste, etc. Even on the abortion issue, she was against partial-birth and tried to extend an olive branch to pro-life voters by promising that she would support "Choose Life" license plates and not force her pro-abort views on other Republicans. Her opponent was an ultra-corrupt Chicago machine hack. I voted for Kris. I also supported Jim Edgar for Governor twice, and he was pro-abortion, nowhere near as conservative as his primary opponent. Edgar basically personified what people CLAIMED Arnold was in California -- a hard-core "fiscal conservative". Mayor Daley hated him because he cut off Chicago's funding several times over an airport battle. During Edgar's term he was known as "Governor No" because you could not this guy to sign ANY legislation for state funding unless it was absolutely necessary. Again, far better than his RAT opponent, who was a spendthrift and had extreme anti-death penalty views as well.
Third, I am definitely not a "sore loser" type who throws a temper tantrum if the candidate I worship gets elimated in the primary. I was pretty bitter when John Sununu's supporters (most of whom are the real "purist" Republicans who don't mind if someone with an "R" votes like Hillary but find it UNFORGIVEABLE if a conservative changes his registation to "Independent" for a few weeks and STILL votes conservatives) defeated Bob Smith. I was angry that we had lost a great conservative and I absolutely HATED many of Sununu's backers here for personal reasons. Still, between Sunun and Shaheen, Sununu was an outstanding conservative. I strongly supported John over Shaheen and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Also, no one on this forum was more upset than me when the old yellow-dog "conservative" Dixiecrats on this forum ran around backing Mark Warner for Governor of VA because THEY had a personal grudge against Republican Mark Earley. These disgusting disruptors claiming to be "freepers" actively PROMOTED a pro-abortion socialist RAT over a solidly pro-life Republican candidate and then had the gall to claim everyone voting pro-life was a "statist" and a "marxist". They bashed Earley for being weak on guns and heaped praise on the 100% anti-gun LP and DEM candidates. They completely shredded Earley for having ties to the NAACP -- then PROMOTED an lifelong NAACP member for mayor a few weeks later (these Dixiecrats are so consistent in their "principles", eh?) and they tarred Earley as being "anti-southern" even though their boy Warner wasn't even FROM Virgina and could care less about the state's culture and history. And they claimed Warner was "more conservative" and wanted to "cut spending" even though he was an old school Clinton liberal who says anything to get elected. In any case, I am still irate over these RINOs and I would be glad to remind them of all the taxpayer funded abortions and state fees that they VOTED for. Unfortunately, the disruptor gang who gloated when Warner won is no where to be found on FR now. Hmmm....
. With that history established on this forum, I don't think any Specter backers can assume me of being a "kool-aid drinking purist" or a "sore loser" in primary elections. 90% of the time, I will vote for WHICHEVER Republican wins in the primary. But in this instance, I will NOT.
First off, Snarlin' Arlen MacSpecter is NOT a moderate/centrist and does NOT support the party "the majority of the time" -- or even "votes with us when it counts". This was true during the primary and it's true now. If he truly voted "with us" over 50% of the time, I would likely be supporting him (please note that Voinovich in OH votes nearly 20 POINTS TO THE RIGHT OF SPECTER and is still the prime example of a moderate Republican who would never be confused with hard core conservative. What does that say about Specter) MacSpecter's his lifetime record BARELY makes it to 40% of the time, and that's because he PRETENDS to be a Republican from time to time and brings it up to 70% during election years and scores high with the American Conservative Union being more lenient in recent years. Now that MacSpecter never has to worry about re-election, he can become the GOP's "Zell Miller" and vote however he FEELS like voting and ignoring the party leadres Knowing Democrat Arlen's "personal views", that will probably be liberal 70-80% of the time. Don't think so? Please notice that the final vote tally wasn't even IN yet when Arlen Specter moved back to his ol' leftist views and started campaigning around the state toting how much he OPPOSES Bush's agenda. This guy is truly shameless and any "freeper" who votes for him DESERVES to have a liberal Senator "represent" then, which they will no doubt get no matter who wins now.
Second, Arlen is NOT a Republican and has never been. The Pennsylvania primary results essentially gave us the kind of results that Louisiana gets in a run-off between two Democrats. Specter is a Michael Bloomberg type Republican who was a PROUD, LIFELONG DEMOCRAT who only "joined" the GOP OUT OF CONVINENCE out of the time. To compare these people to Reaganites who switched parties because they embarecd our agenda and values is to compare apples and oranges. An article posted earlier on FR noted this: "I was apprehensive about running on the Republican [ticket]," Arlen Specter writes about his virgin foray into politics in Philadelphia in 1965. It "was almost like changing my religion." In fact, he says "the decision was even tougher." Specter later explains his admiration for Franklin Roosevelt, Adlai Stevenson and John F. Kennedy. Becoming a Republican was a source of "trauma" for the District Attorney candidate. Looking back at Specter's record 40 years later, one wonders why Specter became a Republican. His lifetime American Conservative Union voting record is 43%, which means, even in this partisan Senate, there are more Democrats to his right than there are Republicans to his left. In his memoirs, A Passion for Truth, Specter answers the mystery: he literally sold out to the highest bidder. In January, 1965, Specter asked Pennsylvania's Democratic U.S. Senator Joseph Clark, "Senator, will you help me? Will you help me raise money?" The Democrat said no. Senator Specter then asked the Republican Senator, Hugh Scott, "to what degree would you be willing to help me?" Scott replied, "Do anything I can for you, Arlen." The desperate Republican Party raised the money for Specter, and made sure the field was clear -- the sort of assurance he couldn't get in his own party. Thus began Specter's career, not only of party disloyalty, but of seeking out the highest bidder when faced with a difficult question"
To those who will say I'm trying to help the Democrat win, I will respond that there is no doubt in my mind that Hoeffel is a liberal, and Specter is one too. Pennsylvania and this nation will have a Senator who SUPPORTS TOM DASCHLE MOST OF THE TIME REGARDLESS of who wins. I didn't make this bed, the RINOs on FR who promoted Specter in the primary did. Both candidates are a disaster and neither is worthy of the support of conservatives. It is inevitable that a PA Senator will be undermining us in 2005, but that doesn't mean we have to vote for it.
Third, the election is now about whether a reliably liberal Senator with 24 years worth of Seniority will be chairing the judiciary committee or an unknown hard-left liberal will be a powerless freshman senator from PA in the minority party. Don't think Specter will be given the gavel because he's too liberal? Hmm, well, perhaps you can explain how Jumpin' Jim Jeffords was Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions committee right before he switched parties. Or how about the DISASTEROUS tenure of tree-hugger Chafee as Chairman of the Environment and Public Works committee? Can you think of anyone worse in EITHER party? Right now, Susan Collins heads the Government Affairs committee. Ted Stevens runs Appropriations. Does that sound wise to you? Seniority gets you these slots no matter how bad you are. You want to talk me out of opposing Specter, how about a GURANTEE from our senate "leadership" and President that Specter won't get the job after 49% of Republicans from his own state were dead set against it? And as for Specter owing Bush big time, he's in office for life now and there's not a damn thing Bush can do to "persuade" Specter not to Bork more nominees. You thinks RINOs repay a debt if they won thanks to conservatives backing them? Well, tell this is Governor Pataki in NY. He wouldn't even be governor if it weren't for the votes he received as the CONSERVATIVE party nominee!! They saved his ass because the MAJORITTY of voters selected the Democrat candidate over the number of people who voted for Pataki on the Republican ticket. Has RINO Pataki done the biding of the conservative party after they ELECTED him? HA!
If Specter is re-elected in 2005, we can say hello to activist liberal jugdes in the federal government for another three decades. The only thing conservatives can do in good conscience is vote for Jim Clymer (not be confused with Adam, the "major league Ass****), Jim is a solid conservative and man of integrity. The ONLY scenario where any conservative should support Specter is if it appears 50 or more Senate Democrats will end up Dem so Specter is NEEDED to keep the GOP in power in the Senate. Right now, with Republicans likely to pick up 3-4 Dem senate seats in the south -- that is VERY, VERY unlikely.
Please consider supporting Jim Cylmer for U.S. Senate. As I noted, PA is going to end up with a liberal Senator one way or another, but you don't have to sell your soul and vote for that on election day.
JIM CLYMER
for
U.S. Senate
www.jimclymer.com