Alabama Democrat defecting to the GOP

[KRonn]

Democrat defects to GOP! He's seen the light!!! This is just the tip of the ice berg, a start of a stampede!!! A great flood, of biblical proportions, will ensue!! Dogs and cats living together! 

Poor guy though. Now in the Republican party he'll still have to put up with politics as usual.  Or actually, politics that have become even worse and little sign of let up. 

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705353555/Democrat-defecting-to-GOP.html

Alabama Democrat defecting to the GOP

By Jay Reeves

Associated Press

Published: Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2009 10:57 p.m. MST

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — A U.S. House Democrat who opposes the health care overhaul announced Tuesday he is defecting to the GOP, another blow to Democrats ahead of the midterm elections.

U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith spoke to reporters at his home in northern Alabama, a region that relies heavily on defense and aerospace jobs.

"I believe our nation is at a crossroads, and I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy, and drives us further and further into debt," Griffith said as his wife, Virginia, stood by his side.

The 67-year-old radiation oncologist was narrowly elected last year in a district that includes Huntsville and Decatur. President Barack Obama lost badly there to Republican John McCain.

Griffith also slammed the health care overhaul making its way through Congress. He was one of 39 House Democrats to vote against a version of the bill that narrowly passed.

"I want to make it perfectly clear that this bill is bad for our doctors," he said. "It's bad for our patients. It's bad for the young men and women who are considering going into the health care field."

[Eddie Teach]

That's bound to happen when Democrats run competitive candidates in deep red districts. They get to Washington and realize they're really Republicans.

[Valmy]

I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy, and drives us further and further into debt

Then why is he joining the Republican Party?

[citizen k]

"The Democrat party is imploding."

[DontSayBanana]

I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy, and drives us further and further into debt

Then why is he joining the Republican Party?

QFT.  Some of the "Democrat crap" being bandied about in Congress right now smells suspiciously like "Republican crap" circa early 2002.

[Sheilbh]

I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy, and drives us further and further into debt

Then why is he joining the Republican Party?

There are a couple of odd things about this.  He was only elected in 2008.  So it's not like an old, old Southern Democrat moaning about the liberal direction the party's taken since the 1960s, rather it's a guy who was elected on a platform that called for economic stimulus and healthcare reform who's annoyed that the Democrats are pursuing those policies.  It seems very strange.

The other odd/sad thing is that apparently conservatives are already coalescing behind his Republican opponent (now a primary opponent) because this guy's too liberal

[Faeelin]

There are a couple of odd things about this.  He was only elected in 2008.  So it's not like an old, old Southern Democrat moaning about the liberal direction the party's taken since the 1960s, rather it's a guy who was elected on a platform that called for economic stimulus and healthcare reform who's annoyed that the Democrats are pursuing those policies.  It seems very strange.

The other odd/sad thing is that apparently conservatives are already coalescing behind his Republican opponent (now a primary opponent) because this guy's too liberal

Why is it odd? The guy will betray the Democrts when the going gets rough; who's to say he won't betray the GOP?

[DontSayBanana]

There are a couple of odd things about this.  He was only elected in 2008.  So it's not like an old, old Southern Democrat moaning about the liberal direction the party's taken since the 1960s, rather it's a guy who was elected on a platform that called for economic stimulus and healthcare reform who's annoyed that the Democrats are pursuing those policies.  It seems very strange.

The other odd/sad thing is that apparently conservatives are already coalescing behind his Republican opponent (now a primary opponent) because this guy's too liberal

In other words, he's trying to hedge his bets for reelection too late.

[citizen k]

There are a couple of odd things about this.  He was only elected in 2008.  So it's not like an old, old Southern Democrat moaning about the liberal direction the party's taken since the 1960s, rather it's a guy who was elected on a platform that called for economic stimulus and healthcare reform who's annoyed that the Democrats are pursuing those policies.  It seems very strange.

This might provide some background:

The Wall Street Journal

NOVEMBER 30, 2009

Vulnerable Democrats Juggle Districts, D.C.

Representatives Targeted by Republicans Cast Votes Against Party to Stay Viable for Re-Election, in a Challenge to Party's Priorities


By GARY FIELDS

DANVILLE, Va. -- The challenge facing Rep. Tom Perriello can be seen all along U.S. 58 where Republican campaign signs outnumber those for Democrats 7-to-1.

Mr. Perriello is a freshman Democrat.

As both parties gear up for next year's congressional elections, the most vulnerable candidates are those among the 49 primarily freshmen and sophomore Democratic House members from districts that supported the Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, in the 2008 election. Republicans rank Mr. Perriello, who squeaked out a victory in this southern Virginia district by 727 votes, as perhaps their biggest target.

"Talk about the definition of endangered species," said Gary Nordlinger, a Washington, D.C., Democratic consultant. The majority party usually loses seats in its first midterm election after the inauguration of a new president. In addition, recent Democratic gains have come in traditionally Republican seats. "It's hostile territory," Mr. Nordlinger said.

Democrats trying to address the concerns of constituents in Republican districts is also the definition of a political conundrum. To remain viable re-election candidates, many of these Democratic congressmen are casting votes alongside Republicans in Washington. That is causing difficulties for the Democrats' health-care legislation, climate bill and a revamp of financial-sector regulation, issues on which the party's more-conservative members have some misgivings.

The tension is a direct product of a strategy followed in the 2006 and 2008 elections, in which Democratic leaders picked candidates whose political ideology represented their districts, not party orthodoxy. Gone were litmus tests on hot-button issues such as abortion and gun control. In came sometimes conservative or populist lawmakers who bucked the party line.

Today, managing this diverse caucus is "the big issue for us," said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. "It's a hard challenge to keep our coalition together so we can get enough votes to get us over the finish line, while giving enough members the latitude to reflect the views and values of their districts."

Among those on Republicans' target list are Reps. Bobby Bright and Parker Griffith of Alabama, Maryland's Frank Kratovil, Florida's Suzanne Kosmas, Walt Minnick of Idaho and Glenn Nye of Virginia. They have voted with Republicans 83% of the time, opposing some or all of the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the 2009 stimulus package, President Barack Obama's budget, a cap-and-trade bill and health-care legislation.

Mr. Perriello's district, which is larger than New Jersey, supported Mr. McCain heavily in last year's presidential race. It helped sweep a slate of Republicans running for statewide offices into power earlier this month. And the youth and black vote that came out strongly in 2008 likely won't be there next year in such numbers.

Six Republicans, including a popular state senator, and one candidate who plans to run as an independent, have already said they plan to challenge him. During a trip in his district where he attended the funeral of a slain Danville youth as well as met with farmers to talk about them potentially losing their farms, Mr. Perriello said he can't be too concerned with who is opposing him. "Last weekend I was in a city with 22% unemployment. The worst thing that happens to me is I lose re-election," he said.

The lawmaker has nonetheless tried to straddle Washington and southern Virginia, sometimes uneasily. Mr. Perriello, 35 years old, voted against Mr. Obama's budget on the grounds that it wasn't balanced, despite a phone call from White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel seeking his support. He opposed releasing part-two of TARP. He is likely to side with Republicans on extending Bush-era cuts to the estate tax, to help farmers in his district.

On the other side of the ledger, he supported the stimulus and a cap-and-trade bill, which opponents used in ads against him. He also voted for the House's health-care overhaul, despite opposing an earlier version, although he bucked the party by voting for beefed-up abortion restrictions.

"It's almost as if he's willing to go down guns blazing," said Paul Lindsay, deputy communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, the party's campaign arm in the House. "He's so willingly supporting these things clearly not in line with his constituents."

Mr. Perriello said he changed his mind on the overall bill because the latest iteration included elements he and other freshmen pushed for, including allowing young adults to stay on their parents' insurance.

During a one-hour town-hall conference call organized after the vote, a woman from Farmville, Va., asked: "I would like for you to please tell me why, when you work for the people of this district and this area and they continually say they are against the health-care plan, you vote for it?"

Mr. Perriello told her there is a lack of consensus in the district. It is the stance he takes often during his visits.

In an interview, Mr. Perriello said his fate and that of other Democrats will likely hinge on what the economy looks like in November 2010. "If the economy is stabilized Democrats will get some credit for that and people will be glad," he said. "If it's spiraling down, that will be tough."

[Fate]

Yes this guy called himself a Democrat. But he voted with the Republicans on the stimulus package, the FY 2010 budget, the health care bill, the Stupak Amendment to the health care bill, the jobs bill, the financial regulation package, the cap-and-trade bill, the Fair Pay Act, the Guantanamo detainee transfer vote, and the defense apporpriations bill.

I'm not sure what aspect of the Democrat constituency he was representing.

[Sheilbh]

I'm not sure what aspect of the Democrat constituency he was representing.

Presumably the one in Alabama.

[Fate]

I'm not sure what aspect of the Democrat constituency he was representing.

Presumably the one in Alabama.

The anti-spending, anti-homosexual, anti-health care reform, pro-life wing of the Democrat party.

I thought we lost that valuable constituency to the Republicans in 1994. Clearly there are still hold outs...

[jimmy olsen]

Yes this guy called himself a Democrat. But he voted with the Republicans on the stimulus package, the FY 2010 budget, the health care bill, the Stupak Amendment to the health care bill, the jobs bill, the financial regulation package, the cap-and-trade bill, the Fair Pay Act, the Guantanamo detainee transfer vote, and the defense apporpriations bill.

I'm not sure what aspect of the Democrat constituency he was representing.

Presumably the one that votes with Pelosi 85% of the time, good luck getting through a Republican primary with that hanging around your neck.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/1209/Griffith_voted_with_Pelosi_85_percent_of_the_time.html

Griffith voted with Pelosi 85 percent of the time - Glenn Thrush: Griffith voted with Pelosi 85 percent of the time
December 22, 2009

Griffith voted with Pelosi 85 percent of the time

While the left is dismissing Parker Griffith as an unreliable Democrat who often sided with Republicans on big issues, one Democratic aide points out that Griffith actually voted with Speaker Nancy Pelosi 85 percent of the time.

According to these rankings compiled by washingtonpost.com, Griffith has a higher party loyalty score than Democratic Reps. Heath Shuler (N.C.), Frank Kratovil (Md.), Glenn Nye (Va.), Harry Mitchell (Ariz.), Gene Taylor (Miss.) and Walt Minnick (Idaho).

Griffith has been far more reliable for Pelosi than his Alabama counterpart, Democrat Bobby Bright, who's near the bottom of the loyalty list at 71 percent.

To be sure, many of the votes used to calculate these scores are noncontroversial — and Griffith definitely ditched his parties on the big votes on health care, cap and trade and the stimulus. But these loyalty scores are often used for internal political purposes — which is why a Democratic aide pointed them out to us.

[Eddie Teach]

Y'know, the Republicans and independents in his district are also part of his constituency...

[Fate]

Presumably the one that votes with Pelosi 85% of the time, good luck getting through a Republican primary with that hanging around your neck.

You do understand that the 85% number basically means procedural votes.

On every prominent piece of legislation that I can think of (abortion, the budget, the stimulus, health care, the war, homosexuals) he was a functional Republican.