A Fine Point

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The editors who craft the Post-Gazette’s daily stands on the issues affecting the region, the state and the nation hold an on-line conversation with readers about key topics in the news. The PG editorial writers are: Tom Waseleski, Reg Henry, Susan Mannella, Tony Norman and Dan Simpson.  

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Overheated and underhanded

Tom Waseleski

I was reading Mackenzie Carpenter's report this morning on Sen. Arlen Specter, whose critical vote helped pass the federal stimulus package. I couldn't believe the quote from Nachama Soloveichik, the communications director of the conservative Club for Growth on Specter's position. He called the senator's vote "the ultimate act of treason."

That's the kind of unfounded, overheated rot that has polarized this country for years. It's the reason that John McCain and Sarah Palin couldn't win the confidence of American voters. Critics like Soloveichik are free to condemn the stimulus or fault those who voted for it, but slap a senator with committing "treason" for not only casting a vote but a vote that ended up in the majority? Such a smear only shows how far on the fringe these fringe groups are. Let's hope they stay there.

Posted Feb 15 2009, 08:07 AM by Tom Waseleski
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Comments

kevin morris wrote re: Overheated and underhanded
on Mon, Feb 16 2009 10:31 AM

The saddest part of the extremist reaction to Specter's choice to vote for the bill is that no moderate voices from the right have come forth to defend him. Reminds me of the lack of voice by the moderate Muslims in the Middle East, which empowers the worst. What has happened to the Republican Party?

TheDudeFromWM wrote re: Overheated and underhanded
on Tue, Feb 17 2009 2:35 AM

Spector is what us very conservative republicans call a RINO.  Republican in name only.  I don't understand how anyone that calls themself a conservative could have voted for this.  Not only, in my humble opinion, does all this deficit spending cause further devaluation of our currency, but some of the provisions in this package violate the Commerce clause in the Constitution.  Specificly Article I Section 8.  

kevin morris wrote re: Overheated and underhanded
on Tue, Feb 17 2009 12:50 PM

Specter is not a consrvative. He is a Republican. Do you realize these two words are not synomymous? The Democratic Senator from our state sure isn't a liberal, and I have to deal with that.

Besides, regardless of what shade of Republican you are, calling his vote "the ultimate act of treason" is hate-mongering demagoguery. The man deserves better, and a leading conservative political voice should be able to manintain his  civility.

Finally, I hope you were very vocal in objecting to the deficit spending of the past 8 years. Otherwise you would be a hypocrite, but certainly not a traitor.