Senator Orrin G. Hatch: Provoking a Split Within Conservatism Again

Newsmax.com ^ | 04-05-03 | Weyrich, Paul M.

[hinckley buzzard]

" Did you listen to Hatch when he was blasting Dems for filibustering judicial nominees, and viewed it as unprecedented and toxic?"

I listened to him. It was a Joe Lieberman-style wrist slap. The response of a political panderer. Considering it was from the Chair of Judiciary, who had, after all, been personally and politically humiliated by the dems, it was nothing--pansy crap. Talk's cheap, and that's all Hatch did. Talk.

[Jaysun]

Scratch Hatch!

While we're at it,

Drain McCain

Blow Snowe

Strafe Chafee

[Theodore R.]

leave the personalities out of it

Is that possible? Politics is now as much about "personality" as anything else.

In an event, Hatch, on the big items, is as bad or worse than Specter because Specter never claimed to be "conservative." It's just that some misguided PA Republicans think that Specter is "conservative" enough. In that Specter was born in KA, and Hatch was born in PA, we can say that Hatch is the other "native-born" senator from PA.

[Theodore R.]

was so lazy about it all

Yes, but. Dole took off several weekends in September, and then in a final zeal of energy he campaigned (fairly effectively) for some 96 hours straight prior to the general election. Some think his late effort may have save a couple or three Senate seats for the GOP that year.

[Theodore R.]

Do you recall Hatch on the cable channels in 1998 "begging" Bill Clinton to "come clean" with the American people? If that were even possible for Clinton, he would have never done so. The result was that Hatch looked weak and meaningless. Yet UT Republicans cannot figure that out!!!!

[Theodore R.]

Did Specter grow up in Russell, or was he born there and then left as a small child for greener opportunities in PA?

[Theodore R.]

Yes, but Hatch and McCain cannot stand the sight of each other despite their similar personalities and penchant for splitting their own party. I don't know the root of their personal division. I had read somewhere that Arlen Specter and John Heinz, who agreed on everything, disliked each other immensely too. Years later, Specter "endorsed" Teresa Heinz (before she was Kerry) for the second PA Senate seat.

And John Adams and Alexander Hamilton, who shared philosophy and were co-founders of the Federalist Party, detested each other personally.

[Theodore R.]

Why do you think Hatch has been able to fool the "conservative" people of UT for so long?

[steve-b]

The Hatch amendment this time would basically leave the issue of so-called "gay" marriage to state legislatures.

Which is what all true conservatives recognize as the proper approach to an issue that inherently belongs to the states.

[brownie]

Fair Opinion,

You always seem to defend any GOPer. Is there ever a time, in your opinion, when it is o.k. to challenge and criticize a republican for not pursuing (or in fact hindering) a conservative agenda? If we followed your advice, and never questioned, challenged, or criticized, the GOP would become a tax and spend party that did not fight to get nominees confirmed . . .

[gaspar]

Weyrich can be a bitter cup of tea, but what he says about Howdy-Doody is bang-on; he has drawn the conclusion that most people on FR drew long ago.

[Theodore R.]

No, the "full faith and credit" section of Article IV of the Constitution of the United States trumps state laws in regard to public records, court proceedings, etc. If any one state permits "legal" same-sex marriages, such "unions" must be recognized by the other 49 states. That's whay "states' rights" won't work on this issue. The liberal Supreme Court of the United States may yet strike down the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act as in conflict with Article IV.

[Carry_Okie]

FairOpinion doesn't get it.

"Presidents, regardless of party, face constant pressures from the Left -- from the Big Brother government, neofascist, high tax, property-confiscating liberals, from the econazis and global warmists, from the pro-abortionists, from those who are pro-one world and anti-American and from those who advocate cradle-to-grave socialism. (Have I left anyone out?) And, unless there are constant counter-pressures from those on the Right who believe in small government, low taxes, America first and individual liberty, presidents, under Left-wing pressure, tend to drift that way." --Lyn Nofziger

Principled conservative activism is good for the GOP because leftist policies, no matter who enacts them or why, produce more Democratic voters. It is demographic fact. The RINOs complain that this is all about winning that one election and then we'll move slowly conservative. Their compromises produce results that preclude any possibility of realizing their empty promises. Speaking of which...

Torie, as I recall, you have advocated gay marriage on this forum. If that is true, your defense of Hatch, as lacking prejudice rings a little hollow if you don't make that clear, or am I mistaken?

[ClintonBeGone]

Torie, as I recall, you have advocated gay marriage on this forum.

Absolutely disgusting. No wonder Torie doesn't like 'lables'.

[Carry_Okie]

Absolutely disgusting. No wonder Torie doesn't like 'lables'.

I would await an admission before saying that.

[bmwcyle]

Hatch and McCain are worthless to the party.

[hgro]

Anyone that is a friend of Fat Teddy Kennedy is no friend of mine. Anyone who is a friend of Fat Teddy is no conservative by any stretch of the imagination.

[lockeliberty]

It's time ole' Orrin retire from the Senate and become mayor of Colorado City.

[Utah Binger]

It's time ole' Orrin retire from the Senate and become mayor of Colorado City

Good one! Problem is what women (pl) would want that wimp?

Here in Utah we have been putting up with Hatch for all too long. A couple of my very conservative friends,(both Democrats) laugh at me regarding Mr. Kenn-a-hatch. Real Democrats in Utah are mostly like Zell Miller. Some Liberals in Utah in many ways try to "play like" they are conservative by joining the party in disguise. They are seeking the Mormon Church vote. Hatch is one of them. When he stands up to speak in bold tones I only hear fakery.

[ClintonBeGone]

Sometimes silence is an admission.