So The First Person To Get Into The Democratic Race... Is A Former Republican ???

[WillyT]

Link: http://tinyurl.com/pmejknj

[JI7]

1. he has a liberal record even when he was a republican

[2naSalit]

2. He's not

the worst we could do, really. I liked him when he was in office, he was pretty liberal... to the point that I was surprised to find he was a republican. He's the old fashioned kind that you never hear about anymore.

[TreasonousBastard]

3. So what? He was hated by the Republicans because...

back then he was a better Democrat than a lot of Democrats.

Doubt he'll get the nod, but we could do worse.

[madfloridian]

4. I would vote for him, WillyT

I remember he voted against the Iraq invasion.

He is a supporter of public education. Opposes charter schools.

Education

On "education reform" in general, Chafee does not believe the politically and publicly popular presumption that America's schools are failing, saying:

This notion of all these failing schools, if this were true, how did America get to be at the status where we are in the world if it were that bad? So I don’t buy into the trashing of our public school system. Somehow Brown University, and University of Rhode Island and Bryant University, Providence College are full of public school students that are doing very, very well and leading America in many fields. Yes, there's room for improvement, I don't deny that and I want to be part of the improvement. But the notion that our public school systems are in disarray and failing, I don't buy that.[49]

Chafee opposes charter schools, saying, "I am wary of charter schools undermining and cherry picking and skimming off the top of our public school system."[49]

Chafee is "wary" of Race to the Top, "because Race to the Top includes money for charter schools".[49] He says he would ask federal officials "what kind of flexibility we might have" to alter Race to the Top, were he elected Governor.[50]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Chafee

[pnwmom]

8. He's for the privatization of Social Security. No thanks. n/t

[leftofcool]

31. Not exactly progressive, eh?

But, he is the shiny new toy.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

36. Who needs Social Security when you have a net worth of $51,624,561.00?

http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/assets.php?year=2005&cid=N00009954

[leftofcool]

40. Yea, my little ole 1500 per month just needs to be in private hands for the sake of the country.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

41. I don't get SS yet but I doubt it will be much.../NT

[leftofcool]

45. Mine isn't that high by the time they take out taxes and medicare.

That is about what my check is before all the deductions.

[rogerashton]

37. Also for free trade agreements. eom

[madfloridian]

68. Thanks, did not realize that.

Surprises me.

[madokie]

13. I'd vote for him too

I never seen him as a republicon cause he always stood pretty much where I do on most issues. I like him

[Warren DeMontague]

5. He makes a pretty spot-on point, here:

“I would argue that anybody who voted for the Iraq War should not be president, and certainly anybody who voted for the Iraq War should not lead the Democratic Party into an election"

I dont know if I would go that far, at this point, given that it was 12 years ago. Still, at the very least said vote should be acknowledged as a mistake and apologized for.

[Renew Deal]

6. I think you mean the first two

Webb and Chafee

Bu I guess this is part of the current state of affairs. Yesterday's moderate republicans are today's Democrats.

[RedstDem]

15. don't forget hill

[AtomicKitten]

7. He's more liberal than most Democrats. /nt

[blkmusclmachine]

11. To the left of Clinton

?

[leftofcool]

43. When did privatizing social security become a progressive thing?

So he is more liberal than most Dems, uh. Have you really checked his record?

[AtomicKitten]

50. He voted no on the IWR. How'd Hillary vote on that? /nt

[leftofcool]

51. I realize that the vote on IWR is more important to you than social security

But you really should check really close into Chafee's record.

[AtomicKitten]

52. He's more liberal than she is. By a long shot. /nt

[Kalidurga]

9. Conservatives hate him, I mean foaming at the mouth rabid hate.

They have been calling him a RINO for a long long time, before 2008 IIRC. I think they might hate him more than any life long Democrat. They think he is a traitor. That is good enough for me.

[cali]

10. No. He's not in the race. And his record is more liberal than most dems

for instance, he voted against the IWR.

[Bluenorthwest]

24. Most Democrats in Conress voted against the IWR, 147 Democratic No votes to 111 Democratic Yes votes

So on that vote, he was not more liberal than most Democrats, as most of them made the same choice he did. Not Clinton, Biden, Kerry or Edwards, but fact is most Democrats opposed that war and voted against it.

[cali]

28. I was speaking of the Senate. Sorry, but the majority of dem senators voted FOR IT

58% of Democratic senators (29 of 50) voted for the resolution. Those voting for the resolution are:

Sens. Lincoln (D-AR), Feinstein (D-CA), Dodd (D-CT), Lieberman (D-CT), Biden (D-DE), Carper (D-DE), Nelson (D-FL), Cleland (D-GA), Miller (D-GA), Bayh (D-IN), Harkin (D-IA), Breaux (D-LA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Kerry (D-MA), Carnahan (D-MO), Baucus (D-MT), Nelson (D-NE), Reid (D-NV), Torricelli (D-NJ), Clinton (D-NY), Schumer (D-NY), Edwards (D-NC), Dorgan (D-ND), Hollings (D-SC), Daschle (D-SD), Johnson (D-SD), Cantwell (D-WA), Rockefeller (D-WV), and Kohl (D-WI).

42% of Democratic senators (21 of 50) voted against the resolution. Those voting against the resolution are:

Sens. Boxer (D-CA), Graham (D-FL), Akaka (D-HI), Inouye (D-HI), Durbin (D-IL), Mikulski (D-MD), Sarbanes (D-MD), Kennedy (D-MA), Stabenow (D-MI), Levin (D-MI), Dayton (D-MN), Wellstone (D-MN), Corzine (D-NJ), Bingaman (D-NM), Conrad (D-ND), Wyden (D-OR), Reed (D-RI), Leahy (D-VT), Murray (D-WA), Byrd (D-WV), and Feingold (D-WI).

1 (2%) of 49 Republican senators voted against the resolution: Sen. Chafee (R-RI).
The only Independent senator voted against the resolution: Sen. Jeffords (I-VT)

[leftofcool]

44. So, he voted against the IWR but he wants to privatize social security.

Yea, I guess that makes him really liberal.

[Vattel]

12. He looks better than any of the alternatives so far.

[RedstDem]

14. the race will be filled with former Republicanz

By wide margin.
Clinton
Webb
Chafee
All former Republicanz.

Run Joe Run!

[madinmaryland]

19. Joementum??

[DemocratSinceBirth]

33. To have been a Republican I assume you would have had to vote for one...

What Republican did Hillary Clinton vote for?

[fredamae]

48. She was GOP until 1965

"In 1965, Rodham enrolled at Wellesley College, where she majored in political science.[18] During her first year, she served as president of the Wellesley Young Republicans;[19][20] with this Rockefeller Republican-oriented group,[21] she supported the elections of Mayor John Lindsay and Senator Edward Brooke.[22] She later stepped down from this position, as her views changed regarding the American Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War.[19] In a letter to her youth minister at this time, she described herself as "a mind conservative and a heart liberal."["

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Rodham_Clinton#Early_life

Am I the only person who Didn't know HRC is a former GOP? I knew Elizabeth Warren is a former GOP...

[Dr Hobbitstein]

57. Was she able to vote at that time?

Being a Republican in your teens doesn't get Republicans elected. Her ENTIRE adult life, she has been a Democrat.

[fredamae]

62. Not if she was under

the age of 21.
Of what import is your question to the fact she worked for and supported the GOP of that era...I supported the Dem party for More than a decade before I was able to vote.
I believe it's fairly clear, tho not set in stone Who she Would have supported ...at that time...If she was of legal age to vote.

I certainly, as an underage voter...lobbied for Adults to vote for the candidate of My choice.
I don't hold any of that Against her, nor do I believe her past GOP membership should affect her candidacy today.
All of these facts and musings are part of the vetting process.
Have you seen the 1956 GOP Platform? Hell, I'd be Tickled Pink if Democrats of today were That liberal.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25838

[Dr Hobbitstein]

63. To equate a teenager's misgivings with

adults who ACTIVELY voted for and pushed for GOP legislation is quite dishonest. HRC was NEVER a registered Republican. The only reason it gets mentioned is because Warren actually was.

[fredamae]

64. She was President of

Wellesley Young Republicans. Period.
I'm not understanding your apparent angst with this....I Easily could have been GOP back then, I am almost the same age as HRC....The GOP was a totally different animal and apparently HRC smelled the stench from Nixon's campaign...and lost her enchantment with the -by then-rapidly (devolving) changing politics of the once "reasonable" republican party.

I'm saying: I Don't Care that she WAS a repub.........Especially since it was a Half Century ago.
That said....it's good to know.
It's the vetting process.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

66. Sorry...

It's something that gets tossed around a LOT here as an attack line. I have a low tolerance for things like that, and sometimes over-react.

[fredamae]

67. No worries....

I understand.


Belonging to the GOP during an era where they weren't all Crazy And were willing to dump the likes of McCarthy....Is Not necessarily bad. Leaving early on....when the stench of Nixon emerged is actually a Positive thing about her, imo.

As I said earlier...I Wish todays Dems stood with the 1956 GOP Platform She, I think left the GOP when the smallest and first "red flag alerts" were emerging about the direction and future of the GOP. Again...that's a Good thing.

[Warren Stupidity]

16. Lincoln Chafee is a solid progressive.

New England liberal republicanism goes back to the formation of the Republican Party during the height of the abolition movement.

[pnwmom]

53. Who supports privatizing Social Security. A pretty big crack in the "solid." n/t

[HereSince1628]

17. Seems to be a lot of that going around...

I think the operative part of that description is 'former'.

Personally, I think the US needs a whole lot more former republicans.

[riqster]

18. Warren is a former Repub.

Last edited Fri Apr 10, 2015, 10:30 AM - Edit history (1)

Just sayin'.

[SidDithers]

22. Well, Warren is...nt

Sid

[riqster]

25. I thought Hillary was as well?

Am I in error? I will gladly correct my post.

[leftofcool]

26. She was a Goldwater girl when she was 16

She has never been a registered Republican.

[SidDithers]

29. She volunteered for the Goldwater campaign as a teen, but was too young to vote...nt

Sid

[riqster]

32. Thanks. I failed to note the age.

I shall correct my post.

[SidDithers]

38. Cheers...

Sid

[Tuesday Afternoon]

46. lol

[ismnotwasm]

58. Hah!

[DemocratSinceBirth]

20. I don't know where the meme he is some crypto-progressive comes from...

His Senate voting record was to the right of Ben Freaking Nelson who was pilloried on this board and he made Third Way Bill Nelson look like Ted Kennedy


http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2001.pdf

http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2002.pdf

http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2003.pdf


http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2004.pdf

http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2005.pdf

http://www.adaction.org/media/votingrecords/2006.pdf

Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) is an American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA works for social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research and supporting progressive candidates.

I love how he holds himself out as some paragon of virtue when his voting record reeks of opportunism...Is it just a coincidence it got more liberal in the last two years of his term when he knew he was going to face a strong liberal Democratic challenger in the bluest of states in a Democratic wave election?

[leftofcool]

27. Thank you for this post.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

34. You're welcome

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.


-John Adams

[pnwmom]

54. Thank you. Knowing he supported privatizing Social Security should give anyone pause. nt

[NuclearDem]

21. Warren was a Republican too.

[n2doc]

23. This worked out so well in Florida

[cali]

30. Chafee is nothing like Crist.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

59. Yeah, Crist actually leans left.

Chafee wants to privatize social security.

[NCTraveler]

61. One of a few politician that the.....

One of the few politicians that the sight of brings out a reaction in me. I cannot stand that smarmy asshole. We have great dems in Florida and the party has been working on this asshole for a decade. First to get him to switch parties, then for a second run at governor. He is such a lackey he let Morgan run over his campaign for personal reasons. That is the face of a person without a spine.

[Capt. Obvious]

35. Vermin Supreme was never a Republican

[Tuesday Afternoon]

47. lol @ Vermin Supreme

[valerief]

39. Wants to privatize Social Security????? Nyet!

http://www.ontheissues.org/Archive/2006_AARP_Sheldon_Whitehouse.htm

Q: Will you support or oppose using Social Security taxes to fund private accounts?
A: Social Security has been the foundation of our country’s promise that no American will have to face an impoverished retirement. The Republican leadership in Washington is committed to undermining this promise through a risky scheme to put Social Security funds in the stock market as part of new private accounts. We should never again put seniors’ livelihoods at risk from a catastrophic stock market crash. I am opposed to President Bush’s proposal to cut Social Security benefits to middle-income workers through progressive indexing, and am disappointed that Senator Chafee has expressed support for this plan.

[jeff47]

42. He didn't enter the race. He's now thinking about forming a committee to explore

the possibility of entering the race.

There are still zero announced Democratic candidates.

[DonViejo]

49. Uh, he isn't the first person in the race. In fact, he hasn't even declared that he's running....

From the link you provided:

Lincoln Chafee Considers Run For 2016 Democratic Presidential Nomination
http://ripr.org/post/lincoln-chafee-considers-run-2016-democratic-presidential-nomination

BIG difference between declaring and considering.

[bananas]

55. ...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2961768

[NCTraveler]

56. For a second I was about to get excited. Thought it was going to be Warren. nt.

[LeftishBrit]

60. Several are former Republicans.

Hillary Clinton worked for the Goldwater campaign. Elizabeth Warren was a Republican till the Nineties.

So long as they are really FORMER Republicans, it might just make them better at converting others to vote for Democrats.

One of the worst and most influential Republicans, after all, was a former Democrat called Ronnie.

[Comrade Grumpy]

65. Which one? It seems like there'a a lot of former Republicans running.

[markpkessinger]

69. And so is the second -- Her Very Self! n/t