After Jesse*, the New Moderates (*Helms, that is)

BusinessWeek.com ^ | September 9, 2002 | Lorraine Woellert

[Constitution Day]

Jesse A. Helms, the man who defined North Carolina politics for three decades, will hang up his hat at the end of the year. An ailing Helms, 80, says he wants to spend more time with his family. But had he run for reelection, the state's changing demographics would have made it an uphill battle.

[Constitution Day]

We'll miss you, Jesse.

Republicans (left to right) James Broyhill, the late Sen. John East (seated), former President Ronald Reagan, Sen. Jesse Helms, US Rep. Howard Coble and former Governor James Martin 1986.

[dubyagee]

That's why Dole is irritating conservatives by not putting opposition to gun control and abortion at the top of her agenda. Instead, she's appealing to seniors with promises of prescription-drug coverage, reaching out to suburbanites on education, and pitching job creation to rural workers.

It's not hard to irritate conservatives when you pretend to be one.

[Zack Nguyen]

Compared with Helms, they're more in tune with the state's increasingly diverse population and high-tech service economy than with its tobacco-growing, textile-manufacturing past.

Translation: These new candidates are most interested in kissing the backside of the wealthy elite, are experts in the sweetheart deal and the pork project, and wouldn't touch "controversial" issues like guns or abortion with a ten-foot cattle prod. They can be counted on to raise enormous amounts of lobby money, blanket the state in slick television campaigns, take firm stands on virtually nothing, take no risks, and have little or no effect on American governance.

Have I just described a "moderate" Republican? Or am I being too judgemental?

[angry beaver norbert]

We surely will, CD. I wrote and emailed him often, and he always wrote back. You didn't have to worry about where Jesse stood. I sadly notice niether the media nor the NC reepublican party want to acknowledge any hint of Doles' competition. I think we'll beat the dems.. with Dole, but they didn't realize, we would beat them as well with Parker, or Snyder. We're the people who kept Jesse elected, thank God.

[TheBigB]

Actually, I think you just described 99% of Congress.

[angry beaver norbert]

BINGO!

[Howlin]

Plenty of DEMOCRATS vote for Jesse Helms, my mother-in-law, a Yellow Dog democrat, being one of them. They liked what he DID for Wake County and North Carolina. Politics is local.

[MadIvan]

It's rather sad to see Senator Jesse go. He was always the most reliable Senator - you could count on him for issues like tax cuts, the United Nations, blasting pornographers and so on.

Conservatives will miss you, Senator...even ones abroad.

Regards, Ivan

[billbears]

Dole, who has had the benefit of an easier primary race.

Not if we get out the truth about Giddy!! Still have four days and every conservative I see I make a note to inform them about her 'real' views. Jesse, we'll miss you. You did this state proud and you protected the tobacco as long as you could. Unfortunately Dolt will attack this along with many of our other freedoms because it's not 'good for the children'

[Paleo Conservative]

Compared with Helms, they're more in tune with the state's increasingly diverse population and high-tech service economy than with its tobacco-growing, textile-manufacturing past.

.............

But populist centrism is not an easy road to walk. Bowles has been furiously backpedaling from his success in getting Congress to pass the North American Free Trade Agreement, which siphoned jobs from North Carolina's textile industry.

So which is it?

[angry beaver norbert]

Can anyone tell me WHY any parent would name a daughter 'Crandall'???
Also don't forget that Springs Ind. is in the process of closing 2 plants near here, laying off roughly 340 workers, one of whom is my mother-in-law.

[Vinnie]

I heard one of Dole's ads today. Jesse endorsed her and mentioned her anti-abortion and pro-2nd amm. stance, including pro- CCW.

I thought she was on the wrong side of these issues.
Change of heart or see's where the votes come from?

[angry beaver norbert]

This is true, of course.

[Zack Nguyen]

Yes, you are probably right. I can think of a few Congressmen that fall outside that description, but very few.

[Howlin]

I believe it's called "misinformation."

[Constitution Day]

"Can anyone tell me WHY any parent would name a daughter 'Crandall'???"

Who knows. Same reason someone would name a daughter "Tipper", I suppose.

Also don't forget that Springs Ind. is in the process of closing 2 plants near here, laying off roughly 340 workers, one of whom is my mother-in-law.

Check this out:
Charlotte Observer, 09/03/02: Bowles' rivals say he's cost N.C. jobs

[Constitution Day]

Ivan.

His nickname for many years here was "Senator No".
He was indeed the most reliable.
I can't recall any time where he vacillated on any issue.

I may be wrong, but I can't think of one.

Regards,
CD

[skeeter]

Yeah, he was solid as a rock. A dying breed for sure.

[angry beaver norbert]

A chameleon, my friend, able to change it's color according to it's surroundings.Not long ago, she said "People don't need Uzi's...." If she ever got friendly with PETA, people wouldn't need hunting rifles... I won't vote Dem., but I don't trust her, either. That goes for a lot of conservatives here, but the competition is split between Parker/Snyder mostly,+ a few others.