Sen Collins and Sen Specter should be commended

[scheming daemons]

In the entire congress, there is apparently only 2 or 3 Republicans for which country means more than party.


They're not perfect... but going against the will of their GOP overlords takes some courage.


And I commend them for it... And I won't forget that they did it.

[babylonsister]

1. Not a done deal. Specter has a nasty cloud around him. It's called

the highest bidder, I think. And I used to respect him.

[dflprincess]

2. Sometimes with Specter I think it all depends on which personality

is in control when a vote comes up. He so often seems to contradict himself.

[Yukari Yakumo]

8. It's called...

up for re-election in 2010 in Pennsylvania.

[Baikonour]

15. This is the truth.

[tsuki]

4. You respected 'Magic Bullet.' Say it ain't so....

:hi:

[Sugarcoated]

3. I emailed Specter yesterday

and called today. The majority of PA'ers must've been urging him to back the bill. I'll definitely be sending him a big thank you.

On Edit - I got the impression from the OP this was a done deal . . . Specter better not pull a fake here.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. Hasn't he faked before? Pretended to be conciliatory, then voted Party?

[Sugarcoated]

9. If he wants to be re-elected he'd better not

I thought, maybe, without Smirk and Snarl breathing down his neck he might come through and do what's right . . . but maybe I'm just Charlie Brown thinking he won't pull away that football. :grr:

[BlooInBloo]

25. I've never known him to do anything BUT that.

[nevergiveup]

5. Specter's specialty is

changing horses in midstream. Don't count on him.

[ChiciB1]

6. Beware Of Specter... He Often Times Wears Different Cloths & Spouts Off

seeming to be one who you can play ball with. Many is the time he seems "moderate" only to run back into the fold and become a turncoat all over again. He's played this act over and over.

Olympia Snow & Susan Collins seem more genuine, but I'm still not going to depend on them completely to follow through. There's promise there, but then maybe not!

[Jennicut]

10. Collins should be commended more

She actually seems to respect Prez Obama, Specter...one never knows.

[DebJ]

11. I'll be calling Specter again myself. Anytime I call to ask his

position on ANYTHING, the only answer his office ever gives is that he is not decided yet...even when the vote is in like an hour or two.
I really think that is quite spineless.

[Political Heretic]

12. What the fuck are you talking about? His Amendment is POISON!

What the fuck are you commending him for... he's part of the Dem-Repuke collaboration that is gutting the heart of the stimulus bill!

[old mark]

13. I emailed Specter on Tuesday urgubng him to support the bill, especially

funding for infrastructure. I am happy to see him doing what he is doing.

Many "real" Repobs think he is a Democrat in disguise, and the "religious" right hates him.


mark

[kstewart33]

14. Well said. The stimulus would die if not for them. nt

[Better Believe It]

22. Their "help" is not at all needed to pass an effective stimulus bill ...

unless you believe the nonsense that 60 Senate votes are required for passage.

51 votes are needed.

Oh .... some Republicans might filibuster against a bill that doesn't cut the stimulus.

So what?

Let them hang themselves.

All filibusters end.

And a much stronger bill would pass the Senate with over the 50 votes needed.

[kstewart33]

24. Pardon, but you make no sense.

60 votes are needed to bring the bill to a vote, before the final vote is taken.

All filibusters do not end. Filibusters kill bills. And there are hundreds of examples of this.

[Hippo_Tron]

28. Filibusters end when 12 senators filibuster, not when 41 do

What you don't realize is that the Republicans are in the minority and they know that they aren't going to get any of their agenda passed for at least the next two years anyway. They lose absolutely nothing by filibustering for months and months. Meanwhile the Democrats lose their chance to pass a lot of other important legislation.

60 votes are needed unless you want to grind the senate to a halt for months. Not weeks, MONTHS. I don't think people calling for a real filibuster understand the ramifications of that.

[AlinPA]

16. Let's wait for the cloture vote. Limbaugh and the rest of the repig leaders

have all weekend to make them change their promise to vote with Democrats. It now looks like Tuesday for the cloture vote - I heard it on the radio (would not be surprised if Reid buckled again). First he said he was confident there would be a vote on Thursday, then Friday, then Monday. I'm thinking that they (Collins, Specter) are stringing him along and will blind side him by voting no.

[Jennicut]

17. I don't think they are stringing him along at all

Remember that their states are more blue and as Rethugs they are endangered species in New England and PA.

[stillcool]

23. Let's hope they do.

I would love them to start from scratch, remove all the Republican compromises, and let it thrive or die on the vine. If the American people can't get their own Senator to do the right thing, why bother?

[saltpoint]

18. I'll defer to people from Maine and Pennsylvania, but from a distance

I'm more inclined toward Snowe.

Specter strikes me as publicly appearing to be "moderate" then caving to the Far Right at almost every essential turn of the road.

Collins, to me, just doesn't seem up to the job of U.S. Senator. I don't hate her but at the same time I can't make a case for her being in that chamber.

Snowe seems to have a firmer footing on the big picture. I like her voice and trust her more as an independent Republican.

[Barack_America]

19. Specter has his merits. He is, after all, the only pro-choice Senator PA has.

And we do have a Dem Senator (Casey).

[saltpoint]

20. I hear you on that. Specter was in a strange position his last election

in PA, nearly losing to a right-wing kook.

Agree with you that his position on choice helps mitigate his otherwise icky way of doing business. But I hope that a strong Democratic candidate can be fielded to challenge him and beat him.

[Maine-ah]

21. NO.

Collins was against the education part of the package. I will not commend her. I still have no idea why the voters of Maine continue to keep her in office.

[BlooInBloo]

26. BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

[democrattotheend]

27. What about Snowe? I thought she supported the stimulus package as well.

Am I wrong about that?