Follow your conscience, (Sen Arlen) Specter says

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05112/492569.stm

Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Arlen Specter, warning that Democrats and Republicans were headed for "mutual assured destruction" over President Bush's judicial nominees, suggested yesterday that senators vote their consciences and not follow the dictates of their parties in deciding whether to outlaw filibusters of court nominations.

Specter, the Judiciary Committee chairman, cast himself in the role of a peacemaker on the same day that his panel -- on a party-line vote -- sent on for full Senate consideration two controversial nominations that had been halted in the last Congress by Democratic filibusters.

"At certain junctures of American history, the fate of our system of government has rested on the ability of members of this body to transcend party loyalty for the national interest," Specter said in a Senate floor speech. "I believe the Senate currently faces such a challenge between party-line voting on filibusters and potential voting on the 'constitutional/nuclear option.' "

The "nuclear option" is the colloquial term that some senators have been using lately to describe a prospective rules change being suggested by Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., that would require federal court nominees to receive an up-or-down confirmation vote by allowing a simple majority vote of 51 senators to cut off debate, thus ending the filibuster delaying tactic.

[Liberty Belle]

1. Good for him.

It's high time some honest Republicans start standing up against the extremists leading their party straight over a cliff.

[MADem]

3. Funny how a look at death makes you see things more clearly

He has Hodgkin's disease, expected to be OK in the long haul, but most of his hair has fallen out. He looks like hell....

Now:

Previously:

[Renew Deal]

5. He doesn't look so good there.

I hope he's OK. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

[MADem]

7. He started chemo in Feb or so...

32 or 34 weeks worth. It had spread, so he is in for a long run with it. They think they can get it, though.

[Alizaryn]

2. I heard his speech and was really impressed.

I can only imagine what kind of response the poor guy is getting from the Conservatives. He could use some supportive notes from us.

[Renew Deal]

4. Specter should tell the conservatives to fuck off.

The nuts primaried him last year. Even Bush and Santorum backed him. He should tell the Club for growth crowd to literally go fuck themselves.

[flordehinojos]

6. the prospect of meeting their maker any time soon--or being forced into

thinking about it--seems to work wonders for people to begin to mend their ways and say their mea culpas.

From Lee Attwater, to Henry Hyde--whom I read in a previous thread said that if he had to do it over again he would not impeach Clinton--
to Arlen Specter who now stands on the side of encouraging senators to vote their consciences rather than stand with the party pitbulls ..

(WOW! forgive me if i say, JPII'S passing must be working miracles from heaven...either that, or the reality than when people are sick they die ... something is at work here--but whatever it is: Thank You God for the apparent resurrection of some modicum of truth which seems to have taken over some previously not so truthful souls).



O8)

[The_Casual_Observer]

8. These guys are concerned about the basic checks and balances

being cast off because of 9/11 psychosis. Paranoia and fear resulting from 9/11 has driven the superstitious masses to follow the word of chimp as if he were some kind of prophet.

[lonestarnot]

9. They should be afraid! Be very afraid!

[calimary]

10. Of course, he's operating on the assumption that some of these

jackals actually have consciences. I can think of a few who may not.

[AlCzervik]

11. "transcend party loyalty for the national interest"

of for that i could hug him an maybe forget about Clarence Thomas.

[Gman]

12. Deterrence??

Are we talking about a balance of terror?

[LatePeriduct]

13. Frist can take his nuclear option back to the house...

Of his precious band of cult born fascists.
http://www.yuricareport.com

[Mend]

14. where was Specter's conscience with Anita Hill....he only gets

humanoid when he is sick. Last time it was a brain tumor and he played nice for a while. He knows this thing could destroy this country. Why doesn't he come out totally against it?

[manly]

15. Follow your conscience---Arlen Specter

Specter is losing his marbles. Accusing Republicans of having a conscience! How silly!

[RelativelyJones]

16. Arlen, Arlen, Arlen

Hear the siren call. Your party has abandoned you. Speak truth.

[dbt]

17. "We should explore impeaching Clinton again."

Is that the Arlen Specter we're talking about here?

[Massachusetts]

18. Sure!

[cosmicdot]

19. while you are at it, Arlen, was it really a single bullet?

I'm appreciative of anything you can do to help rescue us from this usurping of power; and, general destruction of our Constitution and Nation ...

but, any light your conscience can shed on the Warren Commission, etc., will be more than appreciated ... feel free to name names ... let's have a day of reckoning ... there's not much we haven't seen ... we can handle the truth ... can you?

... so, don't stop with the filibuster ...

... please help reveal some of the many lies our 'where-we-are-at' has been built upon ...


it's only our nation at stake ... ...
and, you can be
a true hero ... and historical figure ...


now IS the time for ALL good citizens to come to the aid of our country

[LatePeriduct]

20. kick