Could the Senate be going back to the GOP?

Lyman, F_H, andyouare? and OTD, thanks for turning this into an adult conversation.

As a conservative, sure I wouldn't mind Lieberman making the move. At the same time, the Senate is so close at 50-48-2 that there's pretty much no way that anything radical from either side is going to get through. And as a conservative, my view is that the less the government does the better.

Still, I'm not so sure I want a GOP that keeps sliding left. I disagree with Lieberman on a lot of issues but truly respect the man. I think a lot of people view him as moderate, but the truth is he has one strong right view (on the war) and a lot of strong left views on social issues.

I'm always reminded of this thought: Throughout history there have been great liberals and great conservatives. There's never really been such a thing as a great moderate.

"Great Moderates in History" is a book that will never be written.

 

I don't really think there is anything wrong with it, FH. Politicans should belong to whatever party in which they feel most comfortable. I'm just not crazy about it when a switch changes a balance in power in the house or the senate.

Jeffords should have resigned, then run again as an independent. Phil Gramm did something similar when he switched from the Dems to the GOP.

I do think a lot of people vote a straight party line. I don't, and I don't think it's wise, but it's reality.

 

Uhh, tony, you might want to run to the library.

There have been numerous books written about great moderates.

 

They were really liberals.</old tony>

 

Long time 'til 2008, aya? Remember, the GOP looked invincible at this point in 2005.

 

The party sitting in power is just one scandal away from control switching back. For the GOP it was the page scandal. For the Dems it was the House Bank.

There are other examples on both sides, but ya get the idea.

 

Those are good points. But isn't the fact that the Dems won big in '06 against a seemingly invincible Republican party the sign of a significant shift? I guess we'll find out.

I should've said, "Unless there's a monster screw up by the Dems..."

 

Get this through your thick head: Joe is a conservative on defense. He's a liberal on social issues.

It doesn't matter what he calls himself. He'll vote accordingly.

 

Don't know who this was directed at but it's exactly what I said above. To some, being conservative on some issues (or even one issue) and being liberal on others makes one a moderate. I completely disagree with that line of thinking.

 

I'm open to be educated here, Zeke. Name one "great" moderate.

I also admit it's possible our definitions of great might differ.

 

Abraham Lincoln.

 

And there's a long fly ball, it's going, going, it's out of here! Holy Cow! Zeke knocks a hanging slider onto Waveland Avenue!