home

Snarlin Arlen: "I'm Going To Fight for The Public Option"

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 10:46:17 AM EST
Tags: (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

Wouldn' it be funny if Specter vowed to vote against any health care bill that did not contain a robust public option? The power of primaries:

Asked if he would oppose a bill without a public option, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) said: "I’m not prepared to recede at all. I think the public option is gaining momentum. I am not going to step back a bit. I am going to fight for the best public option."

I'm telling you, Sestak needs to up the ante and join the Progressive Block- no robust public option, no bill. Then Specter will do the same in the Senate.

Speaking for me only

< Sunday Football Open Thread | Political Bargaining: When Should Outsde Groups Draw Lines In the Sand? >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Snarlin Arlen: "I'm Going To Fight for The Public Option" | 11 comments (11 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    I like the idea of Sestak upping (5.00 / 1) (#1)
    by MO Blue on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 10:53:28 AM EST
    the ante. No robust public option. No bill.

    More primary challenges please.

    You're assuming Sestak is a real progressive. (5.00 / 2) (#3)
    by Susie from Philly on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:08:04 AM EST
    And I have some doubts. Sestak is an ambitious sort, and being seen as a progressive is useful - for now. But I suspect he'll run to the right for the general election. And if you check both his and Arlen's pre-primary voting record, you'd be hard pressed to tell them apart. Despite promises to progressives, Sestak did vote for FISA and additional Iraq war funding.

    So why is Sestak's newly-polished "progressive" cred any weightier than Arlen's timely "road to Damascus" conversion? The netroots need to be a little more sceptical of people who see us only as a convenient ATM.  

    compared to Specter (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Capt Howdy on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:15:44 AM EST
    he is a progressive.  just because Arlen may fight for a public option to save his own sorry a$$ doesnt mean he is a progressive.

    Parent
    I was appealing to his ambition (5.00 / 3) (#5)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:25:23 AM EST


    Parent
    Ding, ding (none / 0) (#6)
    by andgarden on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:36:10 AM EST
    Bowers can't have his guy outflanked on the left by Arlen Specter, now can he????

    Parent
    We'll see (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by Big Tent Democrat on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:46:27 AM EST
    Snarlin Arlen has been neutralizing Sestak pretty good so far.

    Parent
    The problem for Sestak (none / 0) (#9)
    by andgarden on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:55:33 AM EST
    is that in order to beat Specter, he has to convince the "bitter" white Democrats outside of the Philly media market that he's a better choice than Arlen. So in Scranton and Pittsburgh, he has to run ads about his military background, while in Philly he has to attack Specter for being an Iraq war enabler, or something. But the problem is that Philly/suburbs Democrats already know Specter, and many have voted for him over the years (usually the only Republican along with Tom Ridge that they'd consider).

    Parent
    I agree that people need to a little more (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by MO Blue on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:54:43 AM EST
    skeptical. Yet, at this point in time, Sestak is a very useful tool in making Specter take more progressive stands on issues like HRC.

    What the netroots and other activists need to do IMO is not wed themselves to candidates that they support once they win. IOW, if Sestak wins and fails to follow the agenda that gained support, the message needs to be "We unseated Specter and we can do the same to you."  

    Parent

    I hope Sestak (none / 0) (#2)
    by Capt Howdy on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 11:04:19 AM EST
    reads this.

    Catchy title. (none / 0) (#10)
    by oculus on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 12:16:20 PM EST


    And the Lesson Is . . . (none / 0) (#11)
    by john horse on Sun Oct 18, 2009 at 08:50:52 PM EST
    So when moderate/conservative Democrats like Arlen Specter are challenged from the left they tend to move more to the left.  I think there is a lesson here that progressives can take away from this but I just can't put my finger on it.  Does anybody know what it is?

    Snarlin Arlen: "I'm Going To Fight for The Public Option" | 11 comments (11 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment