Misfits: Eight Politicians Who Should Just Switch Parties

Politics Daily:

RINOs and conservadems are cutting quite a swath these days -- making demands, frustrating their colleagues, wielding clout and even influencing elections. Not surprisingly, the nicknames aren't terms of endearment. GOP conservatives disparage GOP moderates as Republicans In Name Only. Democratic liberals apply the conservadems label to party brethren they consider obstructions to President Obama's agenda.

It would make perfect sense for a lot of the misfits to switch parties. But that would mean sacrificing their dissident status and the attention that goes with it. It would also mean less havoc -- a sad prospect for those who enjoy political spectacle.

Read the whole story: Politics Daily

Comments

[humanbeing-rick]

I think the DINOs and RINOs are plants by the opposition, respectievly, using subterfuge and trickery to cause maximum damage. It is an age old technique used to attack the oppostion from within.
It is a dirty handed technique, and degrades the quality of our political system in America.
The political party platform that all political candidates are supposed to be supporting, written by a consensus of the people belonging to that political party, becomes a mockery. If these "misfits" do not support their party's platform, then they should not claim to be a member of said political party.
To continue to pretend to support it, shows the value of their word, and how hypocritical they really are.
I hvae no respect for these political "plants", particularly Joe Lieberman's in your face politics.

[aspizon]

Total malarkey. Political parties need internal dissent lest they become totally convinced of their own wisdom. American politics is polarized enough as it is. The far better solution would be a third party in the center so that the extremists can have their sandbox all to themselves. It would do wonders for American politics.

[mostly amused]

Arnold is conservative. If the GOP wants to remain relevant, it would be advised to ask Arnold how to put up a smoking tent.

[1088]

The blue dogs are Republicans who've infiltrated the Democratic party to stop the agenda of the Democrats, and they need to be voted out.

[BlackYowe]

Ms. Snow knows how to stay alive and serve her state well so she does not need to make any changes.

[MEN8v]

So many of these pundits were obviously not born in Maine, probably haven't been to Maine, and certainly seem incapable of even a cursory glance at the careers and political positions of the Senators we have elected in Maine.

Republicans from Maine bear no resemblance now, nor have they ever (William Cohen, Margaret Chase Smith, etc.), to the intolerant fundamentalists sent to the Senate from the deep South whose brand and ideology seems to have co-opted the one proud Party of Lincoln.

[JimR]

Yes! DEATH to individualism!

[entrenchedhoosier]

Bizarre creatures these RINOs and conservadems.

Diseased Mastodons moving aimlessly towards extinction.
And Cyan tinted Jerry Springer Spaniels lost in the wilderness and barking at rustling leaves.

[Sylmason]

Switch parties?? They should go home......­..........­......

[PATina]

This just goes to show how interchangeable the two parties are.

[michiganman2]

r3d n3ck right wingers say "gimmeehhhh baccccc mehhhhh kkkunnnnntreeeee"

me say "gimmmeehhhhh baaccccccc muhhhhhh purrrrrttyyyyy"

get out loser dems.

[TRex86]

Individual conscience is a good thing. I don't see much evidence of it in the list--maybe Cao. Stupak has held hostage the most important social legislation since the 60's to push the pro-life agenda. Uh, I think health care is pro-life too. The RINO's are in states or districts where the wacko wing of the Republican party is in short supply (Cao, Snowe). Lieberman has disintegrated into a walking personality disorder (narcissistic personality). Besides he's on the take and can play his game from either side of the aisle. Nelson represents a split state. District one is heavily Democratic--and went for Obama splitting the electoral vote--the rest is hard core Repug. He's walking a tight rope.
These pols are no different from their predecessors. The problem lies with the Democratic leadership and Obama. They need to exact whatever price it takes to get shaky Dems behind health reform. "Do it or else." LBJ style arm-twisting. Political maneuvering is all about balancing risks and rewards. Will your benefactors let you vote "conscience" or not? If not, what offsetting benefits can your party deliver to you? Solidarity is a powerful phenomenon. Most pols know this and understand that they undermine it at their peril.
To wit: compare and contrast the Dems and the Repugs. chaos vs. lockstep voting.

[Doofus]

It seems to be a feature of American politics that everyone elected
nationally has to slot themselves into one party or the other. (Only
two exceptions currently.) That means that a party spectrum has
to be pretty broad &/or there are a lot of hypocrites in the mix. We
put up with this because it has created much political 'stability', or
so we think, at the expense of something more like 'true' democracy.

Not so long ago, it was widely believed that there wasn't much
difference between the two parties. That has certainly changed.
But the level of hypocrisy hasn't changed much at all.

[Whinger]

As reliable and dependable as a snow blizzard on a hot day in July!

[Emucrat]

This article is just BS! It always takes two in the House to pass a bill and many many Democrats were behind hte Stupak amendment.
Joe Lieberman ist and Independent Democrat so it doesn't matter for which party he was campaigning.
Schwarzenegger and Cao are very Republican, but you must look twice to see their hidden GOP-agenda.
The same applies to Snowe. What? A trigger? she is not for Health Care Reform, she wants to be re-elected.

[XLintLuvR]

First of all, your spelling is horrible so I've got only half an idea of what you were trying to say. As far as Schwartzenegger and Cao, neither are "very Republican." The Governator married into the most powerful Dem family in the country's history and his stances have hardly been seen to be staunchly to the right. It's why they're so fed up with him but because he's got an R in front of his name, they put up with him because the Dems like him. Cao only got elected because his competitor got caught in a sting operation on tape and they found the money in his freezer. Cao will be a one term Rep. Snowe has aggravated the Repubs for voting for the Stim and for passage of the Health Care bill out of comittee, but she's pledged to vote against it if there remains a public option. Only if she votes for cloture even while voting against the bill would I consider welcoming her over to the left, but I'd hardly call her "very Republican" either. She's very popular in her state. Don't worry about her re-election.

[Littlewords]

On the governator, Dems hate him. He was elected via a reckless and rushed recall hosted by US Rep Issa (who actually cried on TV upon realizing he would not get to be the GOP candidate, so Republican is he).
Arnold was thrust forward on his "Star Power" not party power. While he is quite moderate on many GOP platfoms, he is also an egotistical @ss (hum, not sure why the Cal voters didn't see that one coming). His politics are tempered by the progressive power and majority in the state, thereby trying to avoid being recalled himself (he's throw his decisions over to the voters on ballots which they soundly trounced, greatly embarassing and humbling him after one of his dramatic public circus stunts).

However, if Cal was far more right leaning rather than progressive, Arnold would run to the extreme right. Circumstances in the state stop this and an attempt would result in his recall. He now ends his tenure as Governor and wants out...State sentiments seem to be that his end can't come too quick, tired of his divisive and childish antics from the governor's seat and unable to collaborate with cantankerous state congress that is mired in constant budget, proposition, initiative fights.

[addisonsteele]

As a Californian, I must say that the Democrats do not want Arnold. He is completely unwilling to do anything that might effect the interests of his rich cronies and he repeatedly targets the weak and powerless. He is a paradigm of a Republican.