Olympia Snowe: GOP Has Abandoned Principles; Specter Switch "Devastating"

[ElsewheresDaughter]

Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, one of the few remaining moderate Republicans in the Senate, said Tuesday that Arlen Specter's abandonment of the GOP is "devastating," both "personally and I think for the party."

"I've always been deeply concerned about the views of the Republican Party nationally in terms of their exclusionary policies and views towards moderate Republicans," said Snowe, who has been approached, she said, by Democrats in the past about switching parties.

Specter's switch to the Democratic Party "underscores the blunt reality" that the GOP is not a welcome place for moderates, she said.

So far, she said, she's staying put. "I believe in the traditional tenets of the Republican Party: strong national defense, fiscal responsibility, individual opportunity. I haven't abandoned those principles that have been the essence of the Republican Party. I think the Republican Party has abandoned those principles.

She added that being a Republican is simply part of who she is. "It's my ethnic heritage, Spartan side, that continues to fight," she said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/28/snowe-gop-has-abandoned-p_n_192368.html


So what do you think .....Do you think Rush, Beck, Hannity, and O'Lielly and the right wingnut base will lay off of the moderates for a bit?

Snowe and Collins are safe until 2010 and 2012 respectively I believe.

I bet the rhetoric calms down and the right wing starts telling Limbaugh and his ilk to shut their effing pie holes up.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. Those three? Not a chance. They'll probably ramp up their attacks.

[ecstatic]

2. The values she listed are important to most Dems as well:

"strong national defense, fiscal responsibility, individual opportunity..."

[IndianaGreen]

9. Sounds like a blue dog Democrat

and, let's face it, the only role women are allowed by the American Taleban is be stay home and be baby factories.

Come to the light!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

3. GOP Leadership, such as it is, needs to figure out that what's good for Rush's ratings is NOT

the same thing as what's good for the party's success. Used to be, but not now.

[Botany]

4. come on in Oympia the water is fine.

The New England and East Coast Republican is a dying breed and Rush, Rove, bush, and the fundy-nuts helped
to kill 'em off.

[democrattotheend]

10. Nah, I'd rather keep her on the other side

Because she helps make the rest of her party look so out of touch and unreasonable, and she has leant crucial bipartisan support at times to Obama and Senate Democrats. She does more harm to the Republicans from their side.

[DrDan]

5. why do the R's think they own "fiscal responsibility" and "individual opportunity"

and "strong national defense" for that matter.

I also believe in those - as do most D's.

Those are certainly not the cornerstones of their party. How about "pro-life", "anti-gay", ""bedroom monitoring", "tax cuts", "loss of constitional protection" and the other beliefs that truly identify the R's. Are those the reasons she will stay put?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

12. Because what they really stand for doesn't look as nice in print.

[DrDan]

14. ahhhhhh - got it

"fiscal responsibility" = "tax cuts for the wealthy"
"strong national defense" = "invade at will"
"personal opportunity" = "personal riches at the expense of others"

So, they are better at word-smithing than governing.

Got it!

[Cha]

6. This is what I'm talkin' about! Thank

you, Senator Olympia Snowe!

[Schema Thing]

7. Whether she or Collins switch or not, they are now free to vote with dems

and other republicans are much more likely to want to be on the "moderate" side of the brewing republican civil war.



This is a very good day to (not) die, fellow dems. We done good; let's enjoy it.

[Sebastian Doyle]

8. The FAUX crew and Mush think McCain is a "moderate" let alone Specter.

They don't have any use at all for Snowe and Collins, who might be the only actual moderate Repukes left - and I'm not so sure about Collins.

[vaberella]

11. Snowe might be the quickest to turn. n/t

[DrToast]

13. They won't because it would be an admission they were wrong...

And they're not courageous enough to admit that.

[cboy4]

15. I'd like to propose a trade. Sen. Snow for Joe LIEberman.