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Pete Stark's burned bridges have cost him
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 8/17/12 | Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Posted on 08/17/2012 10:22:14 AM PDT by SmithL

Rep. Pete Stark has coasted to election in his East Bay district ever since Richard Nixon beat George McGovern, the U.S. bombed Hanoi and France performed its last official execution by guillotine.

Along the way, Stark became California's longest-serving House member and a liberal totem in the Bay Area delegation. He left a big footprint on Medicare, the health care program for the elderly. He earned a reputation as a policymaker ahead of his time on universal health care, the Iraq War and carbon taxes. He aided thousands of constituents in dealing with federal agencies and brought billions of dollars to his district.

At the same time, he left a storied trail of verbal outbursts and personal confrontations that cost him, his district and his state the chairmanship of the most powerful committee in Congress, Ways and Means, which oversees the nation's tax laws and biggest social programs, Social Security and Medicare.

Now 80, using a cane and seeking his 20th term, Stark is in trouble. The two sides of his political persona - serious policymaker and snarling partisan - are at war on a campaign trail littered with false charges, invective and mental confusion. The outcome may topple not just Stark, but the machinations of the Bay Area Democratic brain trust.

Stark has falsely accused his opponent, Eric Swalwell, of taking bribes and a Chronicle columnist of donating to Swalwell. He retracted both charges. At a Chronicle editorial board meeting in May, Stark confused defunct solar-panel maker Solyndra with high-flying Tesla Motors, both nationally famous companies with ties to his district.

Asked about Solyndra, Stark said he would love to buy one of the company's new "S" cars.

This month, he excoriated former California Assembly leader Alberto Torrico for endorsing his opponent, threatening to ruin Torrico professionally.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: cultureofcorruption; fufortney; moonbat; rat
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1 posted on 08/17/2012 10:22:25 AM PDT by SmithL
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To: SmithL

Democrats attacking Democrats? Nothing bad can come of this.


2 posted on 08/17/2012 10:32:02 AM PDT by MeganC (The Cinemark theatre in Aurora, CO is a 'Gun Free Zone'. Spread the word.)
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To: SmithL

Petey is stark mad and represents exactly what is wrong with politics in general, liberal politics in particular


3 posted on 08/17/2012 10:34:10 AM PDT by A_Former_Democrat (Now a Chick-fil-A customer . . . God bless Dan Cathy)
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To: SmithL

Term limits are the only way to make sure that creatures like Stark never come into existence.


4 posted on 08/17/2012 10:35:25 AM PDT by tx_eggman (Liberalism is only possible in that moment when a man chooses Barabas over Christ.)
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To: MeganC
D vs D
your right, whom to root for?

5 posted on 08/17/2012 10:35:58 AM PDT by skinkinthegrass (WA DC E$tabli$hment; DNC/RNC/Unionists...Brazilian saying: "$@me Old $hit; w/ different flie$" :^)
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To: SmithL

Stark is a Marxist bully with a huge ego and an even larger mouth. Seeing him lose, even to another Democrat, would be a great pleasure.


6 posted on 08/17/2012 10:39:03 AM PDT by andy58-in-nh (America does not need to be organized: it needs to be liberated.)
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To: SmithL
Now 80, using a cane and seeking his 20th term, Stark is in trouble. The two sides of his political persona - serious policymaker and snarling partisan - are at war on a campaign trail littered with false charges, invective and mental confusion. The outcome may topple not just Stark, but the machinations of the Bay Area Democratic brain trust.

Tells you something about the perks of office for the criminal class, and their lust for power, when 80 year-olds don't have the sense to retire and enjoy their lives.

7 posted on 08/17/2012 10:40:13 AM PDT by Dahoser (Separation of church and state? No, we need separation of media and state.)
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To: SmithL
Stark is an example of why dueling should be legal on the floor of the House and Senate.
8 posted on 08/17/2012 10:42:18 AM PDT by Truth29
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To: SmithL

So what is the benefit of replacing Stark with another Californian? Reduction of seniority for the seat, I suppose.


9 posted on 08/17/2012 10:43:42 AM PDT by arthurus (Read Hazlitt's Economics In One Lesson)
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To: SmithL
In 2001, Stark narrowly escaped being punched by former Republican congressman and college football star J.C. Watts of Oklahoma. During a debate on sexual abstinence programs, Stark accused Watts, an African American who was not present, of fathering all his children out of wedlock. Watts confronted Stark two days later on the House floor, asking Stark why he had brought up Watts' children and denying that all were born out of wedlock. Stark retorted, "Then how many were there?" Watts had to be restrained by colleagues.

Too bad -- sounds like Stark would have gotten a richly deserved beating.

10 posted on 08/17/2012 10:44:53 AM PDT by Cincinatus (Omnia relinquit servare Rempublicam)
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To: A_Former_Democrat

You can have “raving mad” without “Stark.” Few people deserve to die alone, unloved and unmourned, but Fortney appears to be one of them.


11 posted on 08/17/2012 10:50:03 AM PDT by pogo101
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To: A_Former_Democrat
Petey is stark mad and represents exactly what is wrong with politics in general, liberal politics in particular

I would also throw evil in with that. Stark has done more damage to US Healthcare than any other politician.

He left a big footprint on "the neck of" Medicare, the health care program for the elderly.
12 posted on 08/17/2012 10:50:53 AM PDT by PA Engineer ("We're not programs, Gerty, We're People")
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To: SmithL

Oh come on, so this flaming bats**t lib has a 30+ year career having never had to face any form of serious election competition and maybe he loses one election before he’s carried out feet first? We should all suffer such a horrible fate. His idiot district would elect him posthumously.


13 posted on 08/17/2012 10:51:26 AM PDT by Attention Surplus Disorder (This stuff we're going through now, this is nothing compared to the middle ages.)
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To: andy58-in-nh

He’s also a Proud, raging atheist.


14 posted on 08/17/2012 10:51:49 AM PDT by AmericanSamurai
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To: pogo101

Whoops, I meant “You CAN’T have” up there.


15 posted on 08/17/2012 10:52:48 AM PDT by pogo101
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To: SmithL

Democrats don’t seem to have a problem with electing and re-electing their criminals and crazies. Of course John McCain is nothing to brag about, but he looks like an elder statesman compared to the “best” of the ‘rats.


16 posted on 08/17/2012 10:53:49 AM PDT by mrsmel (One Who Can See)
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To: SmithL

(Stark) Now 80, using a cane


17 posted on 08/17/2012 11:01:09 AM PDT by Michael.SF. (Romney was right about the Olympics, but neither the Brits or the Dems will admit it.)
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To: SmithL
Its depressing that this lunatic leftist had to become a senile, cane swinging foul mouthed octogenarian for the GOP to even begin to feel optimistic about defeating him.

And he STILL might win re-election.

18 posted on 08/17/2012 11:01:49 AM PDT by skeeter
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To: Truth29
Stark is an example of why dueling should be legal on the floor of the House and Senate.

Swords or pistols? OK, both!

19 posted on 08/17/2012 11:04:24 AM PDT by Focault's Pendulum (R&R isn't just a railroad in Monopoly anymore!)
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To: SmithL

Fourtney always was a crazy old man. Congress has a lot of them.


20 posted on 08/17/2012 11:21:14 AM PDT by ozzymandus
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