posted on May 24, 2001 12:37:17 PM new
Senator James M. Jeffords in reaction to the increasingly radical tilt of the republican party in its stands against fiscal responsibility, the environment, consumers, workers, and public education, and for theocracy and intolerance and other issues has decided to leave the GOP.
posted on May 24, 2001 03:49:38 PM new
This is the first positive thing I've heard since Bush was elected. I wonder if anyone else is brave enough to join him?
Hi Shosh & Helen!
[ edited by kraftdinner on May 24, 2001 03:50 PM ]
posted on May 24, 2001 10:25:50 PM new
Before you get too giddy with excitement it should be pointed out that some are approving of Bush. The polls are running contrary to the predominant tone on this message board.
April approval ratings in first year in office
Bush now ----------- 62%
Clinton, 1993--------55
Bush, 1989-----------58
Reagan, 1981---------67
Carter, 1977---------63
Nixon, 1969----------61
Sampling error: +/-3% pts
posted on May 24, 2001 10:37:42 PM new
Oh, get a newer poll. That one is a month old, (April 20-22) and you might include some or all of the aspects polled from that sampling of a whole 1,015 Americans, eh? Things like:
"From what you can tell so far, who do you think history will remember as a better president -- the current president, George W. Bush, or former President Bill Clinton?"
George W. Bush 41%
Bill Clinton 50%
and:
"Which of the following comes closer to your view -- George W. Bush is personally making the decisions in his administration that a president should make, or other people aside from George W. Bush are making the decisions in his administration that a president should make?"
posted on May 24, 2001 10:38:32 PM new
Americans need to wise up.
Republicans , Democrats....Oh whoopeee...
James Jeffords went from dumb to dumber...
(or vice versa)
When will America wake up and see that
A politician is a politician?Bush , Gore
Dahmer , Bundy.....The lesser of two evils?
The end to partisanship begins with us.
Personal freedom should be responsably preserved.Abortion , Guns , Drugs , whatever...within the bounds of common sense.
The republicans and the religious reich the democrats and their radical factions.They are both freedom grabbing monsters.America is slowly dissolving into the abyss of socialism.Didnt we leave europe for a reason?
Havent many people fled socialist and 3rd world countries for a chance at this fruitful republic founded on capitolism , free enterprise and personal freedom?
The politically blind will turn this country into a herd of sheep.Branded , bar coded,cloned,tracked and controlled.Thats where we are headed.You people keep up your partisan bandwagoning and you will destroy what America is supposed to be.Heck what am I saying....Its being destroyed right now.
Baaaaaa.......Baaaaaaa.....said the Democrat....Baaaaaaa.....Baaaaaaa....replied the Republican......Time for the slaughterhouse of politics........
Tectah
"Leave our freedom be"
(and you can take your "polls" and dump them into the feed trough."The polls say______"
"And OJ was innocent" Baaaaaa.......)
posted on May 25, 2001 12:05:28 AM new
Never heard of tories and whigs, and forgot all about how it took so many years to agree on "what America is supposed to be".
posted on May 25, 2001 09:45:04 AM new
I am not understanding something: one of Senator Jeffords' friends said in the interview on PBS that Mr. Jeffords did what he felt was right for him....He would remain a friend....but he was an abhorration....(which I thought was abhorrence, but what do foreigners know...)...Anyway, how can the words FRIEND and ABHORRATION be juxtaposed, when referring to a friend!....
I would be disappointed with my friend, but he/she still would be my friend, and I could NEVER call him/her a REPUGNANCE....and PUBLICLY!
Which confirms something another statement made on NPR last week regarding the kind Oil People out to help California: "Don't be fooled...Those Oil People in Texas are NOT your FRIENDS...They are barracudas...
********
Gosh Shosh!
posted on May 25, 2001 09:53:13 AM newKen....My friend to the recue... Thanks.....Now that makes a little more sense....I am glad to see that the other Senator's sentiments for his friends are not tarnished...
Thanks, seriously...I learned something today...
OK..I retract my statement...Won't Edit, 'cuz it would be cowardly...
******** Gosh Shosh!
posted on May 25, 2001 10:27:00 AM new
Tectah, while I agree with most of what you say, I think the point is more resentment towards a president that wasn't elected by the people.
Americans know what's going on, and they're becoming more enlightened each day with each new decision/policy that comes out of the Bush government. Americans are starting to speak out now. I don't hear people chanting "we want Gore", they're chanting "we don't agree with your policies, OR the fact you didn't win the election."
I agree. I think the Democrats are the lesser of the 2 evils, but it's better than the alternative....for now.
Maybe this whole fiasco will bring a much need change to politics. I think things are at the point now, where something has to give, and I applaud Jeffords for his unbelieveable courage!
posted on May 25, 2001 12:57:27 PM new
It may be a courageous and great thing that he did to a lot of people, I'm just thinking what his constiuents, who voted him in as a Rebuplican think. After all, they are the ones that put him in there
posted on May 25, 2001 01:03:42 PM new
They knew he was pro-choice, pro-environment--so maybe the party he represents is not as important as the views he supports.
posted on May 25, 2001 01:32:31 PM new
I wish I could meet him in person and thank him for making the best decision of his life. As far as the republicans in vermont goes WHO CARES? the man is 67 years old, and has the office for 6 years. Too bad he dident wake up and smell the coffee before. The repubs are a dying breed since they stole the election last year. Dont let the conservative media fool you people never forgive, and they never forget. Just wait and see what happens in Florida if jeb runs. That senator got a rock star crowd and applause in vermont. I think John McCain may be next since trent kept delaying him on the campaign finance reform bill.
posted on May 25, 2001 02:33:56 PM new
Yeah, he's 67, so you could well be. Anyway:
Mr. Jeffords' change of political complexion is unlikely to cost him at home. Opinion polls show he is more popular than ever.
Vermont, one of the country's most Republican states from 1856 to 1958, has moved steadily to the left politically. The state's only congressman is
socialist Bernie Sanders and Mr. Jeffords was the last Republican to hold statewide office.
"He's been elected for years and years by the votes of Democrats and independents," said Garrison Nelson, a political scientist at the University of
Vermont. "Hard-core Republicans have despaired for years of Jim Jeffords."
posted on June 6, 2001 04:05:57 PM new
He won't be able to join the Democrats right away. The GOP is still reeling from his defection and he really doesn't want to antagonize his old buddies any further than he has to at this point. The problem all Independants face is that no party wants to be your friend most of the time. So, in order to push his agenda through, Jeffords will eventually have to switch to the Democrats. I hope that instead, he will wait for Senator McCain to defect and become Independant and the two of them can make a new thrid party that has a real chance of beating the barricaded two-party system in place.
