Republican Says We Need A Dem Congress

[kpete]

July 27, 2006
Republican Says We Need A Dem Congress
The following is a letter from former Republican Congressman and Presidential candidate Pete McCloskey.

THE NEED FOR A DEMOCRAT MAJORITY IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN 2007

I have found it difficult in the past several weeks to reach a conclusion as to what a citizen should do with respect to this fall’s forthcoming congressional elections. I am a Republican, intend to remain a Republican, and am descended from three generations of California Republicans, active in Merced and San Bernardino Counties as well as in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have just engaged in an unsuccessful effort to defeat the Republican Chairman of the House Resources Committee, Richard Pombo, in the 11th Congressional District Republican primary, obtaining just over 32% of the Republican vote against Pombo's 62%.


The observation of Mr. Pombo’s political consultant, Wayne Johnson, that I have been mired in the obsolete values of the 1970s, honesty, good ethics and balanced budgets, all rejected by today’s modern Republicans, is only too accurate.

It has been difficult, nevertheless, to conclude as I have, that the Republican House leadership has been so unalterably corrupted by power and money that reasonable Republicans should support Democrats against DeLay-type Republican incumbents in 2006. Let me try to explain why.

read the rest at:
http://www.seeingtheforest.com/archives/2006/07/republican_says.htm

[ChiciB1]

1. That's An Impressive List Of Indictments Against Pombo & My

my hat is off to McCloskey. The article should be an eye-opener to many Repukes, but probably won't be. I dare say that McCloskey is going to be called a "sore-loser" instead. Perhaps one might see some of that in the article to be sure, but he has been very articulate and the facts speak for themselves.

I'm very happy to see this type of thing going on... may Democracy return to America!

[satya]

2. K & R -- great find! nt

[RufusEarl]

3. Well they're finally starting to stand up,

i've always wondered why real americans in the republican party, have stood by and let what is/has been happening to this country and to their party continue.

I still haven't figured it out, but at least someone from that party has stood up! I personally commend him for taking the action he has.

It may be self serving, but imho that's OK. After watching the committee on the environment last night on C-Span, i was once again amazed how completely in the pocket of big business the republican party really is.

I hope this has a snow ball effect, and other americans in that party come forward to condemn the out right fraud and theft that has taken place during the past six years.

[zbdent]

4. My memory might be faulty, but isn't this the guy that

Mike Doonesbury was the only person in attendance at the rally (in the Doonesbury strip)?

[rman]

5. hell is freezing over

[Raster]

7. ...and the Amazon basin becomes a desert. Go figure.

[rman]

8. it requires some heat exchange to create hell on earth

[Raster]

6. Kicked and Recommended! If you know any recovering Republicans,

this just may be the one you email this weekend.
:kick:seven!

[rman]

9. Republican primary opponents endorse Democrat in anti-Pombo race (CA-11)

Hell just got a little colder.

--
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2745580

Both Republicans who ran in the primary against Pombo have endosed Jerry McNerney:

It’s not often that lifelong Republicans endorse a Democrat in a congressional race that could change the balance of power in the House of Representatives. At Wednesday’s press conference at McNerney headquarters, however, former Republican primary candidates Pete McCloskey and Tom Benigno decided to place their country above their party.

Communicating the frustration of so many patriotic Republicans who are troubled by Richard Pombo’s corruption, McCloskey and Benigno told the assembled throng on Wednesday that they believe Jerry McNerney is ready to restore honesty, integrity and accountability to Washington.

“You know, I never really thought I’d be doing this. I’ve been a Republican for 57 years. My family have been Republicans for four generations,” said McCloskey. “But I’ve concluded two things: Jerry McNerney is an honest man; Richard Pombo is not. I’m confident that Jerry McNerney is an honorable man who will vote his conscience.”

http://www.jerrymcnerney.org/

[goddess40]

10. they need someone else to blame

and to build up the money so the repubs have something to plunder in the future.

[DocSavage]

11. Many of

my republican friends are hoping for a dem congress. First they are just p.o'd at the current repubs about thier spending and inability to pass legislation (immigration, tax and SS reform). They are hoping that a thrashing at the polls will bring out a flock of candidates in 08 like were there in 92 (contract with America crowd).

They are also hoping that the dems will start impeachment hearings and all the investigations in the world to just show people that the dems "are just bent on revenge and hate". Many republicans are mad at the president and congress because they are not tough and conservative enough. That WILL NOT equate to them voting for Dems. It will mean that they sit on thier hands for 2 years to teach the republican congressman and senators a lesson.

Be very careful thinking that a dem controlled congess and senate would be a good thing, because ever republican that I have talked to has told me that the thought of Hillary in the white house will cause them to vote 3 or 4 times if needed to make sure that she has a conservative house to block her every move.

[EstimatedProphet]

12. Only a Republican would say that

Only a Republican would justify voter fraud by not liking the opposition candidate.

[DocSavage]

13. Sometimes

it is just a figure of speech. I do not agree with thier politics, but they are honest and do not condone voter fraud nor would they partake of it. How about if I re-phrased it by saying they would crawl across broken glass to vote against her.

[EstimatedProphet]

14. Well...

Call them honest if you must, but if this person said they would vote 3-4 times to see to it that the candidate they opposed would be kept out of office, that's voter fraud. So, did they say that or not? If they didn't, why bring it up? If they did, why defend them by rephrasing their words?

[DocSavage]

16. Is

semantics somthing new? I am not defending them, they were stating to thier strong belief, nothing more, nothing less. And I will call them honest, I know them, have known them for many years, they are friends and I know that they were just using a figure of speech.

[EstimatedProphet]

18. Fine, if it was hyperbole

But considering the Republicans by all acounts committed massive voter fraud in 2004, then turned around and accused us of voter fraud, I don't feel like being charitable to them if they say that they would commit fraud again to keep from losing an election.

[IronLionZion]

19. OK, so then we shouldn't hope for victory?

BWAHAHA!

Let's do it. Let's win this election in a big way. Who cares if the Repubs claim it's part of their plan? A Dem congress is better than what we have now.

[oberliner]

15. I really hate when they say Democrat

instead of Democratic.

[BurtWorm]

17. McCloskey is the anti-war Republican who ran against Nixon in 1972

He's always been a bit of a "maverick." Unfortunately, a lot of Republicans have never forgiven him for his lonely attack on Nixon, and I doubt they'll take him seriously now.