Five area Republicans shifting votes in shutdown (Areas surrounding Philadelphia)

[onehandle]

Last edited Thu Oct 3, 2013, 08:20 AM - Edit history (2)

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer

Let the record show that five Republicans representing House districts in the Philadelphia region were among the first to crack during the great federal government shutdown drama of 2013.

The mutiny of congressmen from competitive districts exposed the fault lines in the House GOP caucus - between tea-party hard-liners seeking to block an omnibus spending bill to undo or stall President Obama's signature health-care overhaul, and those who, in the words of U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent of the Lehigh Valley, believe it is "time to govern."

Their expressed willingness to support a spending bill without the anti-Obamacare provisions offers a path for their party to avoid potential political damage of a prolonged shutdown, GOP strategists said.

Several of their constituents interviewed Wednesday, even those troubled by the health-care law, expressed support for efforts to end the impasse. "It's about time somebody started thinking like regular people," said Maxine Veasey of Yeadon, Delaware County.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20131003_Five_area_Republicans_shifting_votes_in_shutdown.html

[grantcart]

1. When they start moving in little groups that means the cracks are about to

bust big time.

Very important story thanks for posting.


I wouldn't want to be standing in front of the exits when the East Coast Republicans start running for the high ground.

[Sancho]

2. I called Bill Young's office (Florida)...they are getting lots of calls here too...

and we have a bunch of military contractors laying people off.

I suspect there are a couple of Florida reps who would cave, but they would never be the first ones. Most of the others down here are the craziest.

[CBHagman]

4. Thanks for the on-the-ground report.

I'm actually astonished you still got through, because I think some district offices are already closed.

[woodsprite]

3. That's Delaware County in PA, not the state of DE

Our guys are Carper, Coons and Carney - all Dems.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. This little group tried before

And the next time they "cave" to their party's loons, then the Democratic Party in PA & NJ needs to target their seats full blast in the media. The recently redistricted PA seats now held by Meehan & Fitzpatrick once belonged to Joe Sestak & Patrick Murphy. The state party Chairman Jim Burn needs to be on every media outlet like he was during 2012 when the Voter ID debacle was happening.

[modrepub]

10. Good Luck Unseating These Rs

I'd be very surprised if any of the SE PA Repubs cave. Their districts are drawn to favor them. My congressman (Meehan R-7) is mentioned as one of these "defectors". Here's Meehan's district map:



Last election cycle Dems won over 50% of the vote in PA but only got 5 of 18 congressional seats (Meehan won 59% to 41 % though the district has changed since the last election).

[Lefty Thinker]

12. That means the GOP stretched the votes they had

spreading them thin to win as many seats as possible. Successful gerrymandering is giving your own party small expected leads in as many races as possible and leaving your opponents with giant leads in the remainder. This leaves the GOP very vulnerable to any major shift in opinion favoring the Democrats.

[BumRushDaShow]

15. My sister lives in the 7th

and that insanely gerrymandered District also includes some very minority-concentrated cities like Chester and townships like Upper Darby (that continues to get a flow-in from West Philly).

The only reason why those guys are in is because they were "relatively benign Northeast moderates" (former "old school" rethug DAs) and had not done the crazy teabagger shit. But guess what? They lay down with their teabagger colleagues, they'll get up with their fleas and they are vulnerable if you can piss off the more concentrated black, hispanic, and Korean areas (Upper Darby has a good chunk of Koreans) and if the Main Liners decide to sit home and teach the crazies a lesson. It may end up being a matter of turnout, some strong Democratic challengers, and continuing to keep the Voter ID law at bay.

What also *might* drive PA turnout is the gubernatorial election if enough people finally show they have had it with Cor-butt. That would be sweet to have a straight Dem ticket deluge come next November.

[RobinA]

23. I Live In

the disgrace that is the 7th District. I mean, Oley and Chester represented by the same guy? The heavily minority areas are well-diluted by the rest of the district. Look at the Obama/McCain numbers. Part of the district is economically conservative (We vote Wall Street), part is Reagan Republicans (None of my tax dollars to welfare queens), and part wouldn't vote for a black guy, or any idea promugated by a black guy, if their lives and the lives of their children depended on it.

[KamaAina]

24. Looks like Chester is just outside the 7th

according to that map.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

25. Chester Countian here, and I am so disgusted with the Rs taking over the

state thanks to that asshole Gerry Mander.

[MgtPA]

6. "Fitzpatrick Takes Heat for Shutdown"

Front page of yesterday's Bucks County Courier Times

http://www.phillyburbs.com/00redesign/news/columnists/local-politics/fitzpatrick-takes-heat-for-shutdown/article_1fb61956-d79e-5d1c-bec0-0cac777edb40.html?mode=jqm

[BumRushDaShow]

9. Thank you for posting that link!!!!!

I was hoping that someone would be running for that 8th Congressional seat as it should be vulnerable, even with the redistricting.

[MgtPA]

11. You're welcome! I should think Fitzpatrick would be pretty vulnerable in 2014.

One of the Democratic contenders (Strouse) is an ex-CIA officer who served combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, so he should appeal to Repub voters. Fitzpatrick lost his seat to a combat veteran in 2008 (Patrick Murphy), then got it back in 2010 when the Repubs regained the House. This isn't a tea party district, he's sitting in Jim Greenwood's seat (Greenwood was a moderate pro-choice Repub and held the seat from 1993 to 2005, and was well-liked here. People weren't happy when he left the House; he wasn't voted out). Fitzpatrick just isn't a good fit for this district.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. I remember when they redrew the 8th District and made it all Bucks County

taking it completely out of Philly. I know they had to do something wild with the redistricting because PA lost 2 seats, but other than the insane 7th, it wasn't too too bad.

I had wished that Patrick would have tried again for the seat rather than try to run in a primary against Kathleen Kane for AG, but at least he is out there on MSNBC as a contributor offering his commentary and staying active. I know Murphy and my own Congressman Chakah Fattah were the only 2 in this area (including the city officials) that originally endorsed candidate Obama back in 2007/2008. Murphy had been the 1st Iraq War vet in Congress so having similar candidates now is a plus for that area.

[Sunlei]

7. Thank you House members who will expedite this issue and get the job done asap!

Today would be great.

[beerandjesus]

8. What I'm reall hoping is that this will break the party in half

Literally. Why not have Republicans and Baggers? Democrats can deal with the Republicans, the Baggers can bark on the sidelines. Happens in lots of other countries.

Lots of logistical details might make that next to impossible, even if the Republican establishment wants it... but hope springs eternal and all!

[RC]

14. This guy is a genus among politicians.

"It's about time somebody started thinking like regular people," said Maxine Veasey of Yeadon, Delaware County.

Wow, what a concept, huh?

[PasadenaTrudy]

17. I think you meant

gal - - Maxine?

[RC]

18. Oops.

Haven't had breakfast yet. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

[PasadenaTrudy]

19. I hear ya

Still on my first cup of Joe...

[cosmicone]

21. Did you also me an "genius" rather than "genus" ? n/t

[RC]

22. Like I said - breakfast

I ain't got no other excuse.

[blue neen]

20. Keith Rothfus (PA-12, gerrymandered across half the state)

is still sticking with the Tea Party radicals.

He's disgusting. Rothfus and his wife and 6 children are all getting his salary, healthcare, and every perk imaginable while he votes to shut down the government....while he would deny others healthcare.

I resent the fact that our taxdollars are being used to pay these Tea Party Hypocrites.