Arlen Specter switches parties

It's sad that we have such a low bar of approval for our politicians.

 

i have not always agreed with him but i respect him for voting with a reason and not just with the party...anyway with only about 21% of americans that admit to being republican and dems pretty much in control of everything and republican politicians changing parties it looks pretty bad for the republican party...

 

I am not sure the bar is so low. I hold those I vote for accountable. That's the only power the voter actually has that's why elected officials have a set length of service before election and reelection. If you don't approve vote them out. If we did that more often and relied less on implied competence based on experience the political scene would be different.

 

Right on.

It's dangerous to lower our expectations of politicians based on the absurdity they get away with these days, so what, because the bush administration lowered the bar by re-writing the constitution and giving away our infrastructure and our pensions to their buddies, we're supposed to cut our losses and be grateful for anything less damaging?

No way, this only the beginning. The representative of my district voted against the bailout both times, and seems to be with the people on issues like health care reform, so he'll get my vote next round, but both my senators have sold out to the banksters and voted in favor of the bailout, so I will vote against them in the most effective way I can, even if it means voting republican.

 

On health care reform when are we going to wise up. Medicare has seen lesser increases and provided more services to a more needy population, then the private sector, yet we hear over and over again government can't do it. Well it appears it can. Are you happy with your HMO? if you can afford to have one or you are one of the few where an employer provides it. I am not but very few seniors enter the hospital with no care.

I am not saying what they receive is superior, far from it when a medicare patient enters the hospital their time is tabulated. I've sat in the halls of a hospital and heard the talk you have three days to die, but that's more than those whithout insurance have. At least for three days they receive care, those without insurance can't even get in the doors unless they go to the ER and even then they may die outside if triage says they aren't needy enough.

 

Ever tried to find a bed for your elderly parent who is dying to a convalescent home? I have they don't want that death on their books and the hospital doesn't want to keep them past the 72 hours either no matter what their supplemental insurance plans are, with a single payer plan none of them would be looking at statistics they would be considering what is best for the individual making that final transition. The hospitals would provide a supportive environment for all of us to help our family and friends make the transition. That to me is much more important than any corporate bottomline.

Fact is we will all die and we will all know and love someone that dies.

 

one of the republican party's single biggest mistakes was making foreign wars their almost sole platform issue.

 

And I've done that a few times, and will probably do it again, doesn't mean I sign on to their whole agenda. I don't agree with hardly anyone all of the time.

I find it sad that the democrats promised Spector senority on committees but have rescinded it now that he's switched. Didn't see them strip Lieberman of his power after his performance during the election, why is that? I trust Arlen much more than I trust Joe. And Lieberman is not even technically part of the party he's an independent why not let him stand up with Bernie Sanders (whom I respect and admire).