Dear Senator Specter, bite me!

[giza]

According to to Senator Specter, burning the US Flag is comparable to child porn. No really:

> A vote is expected this week, before the Fourth of July congressional recess.
>
> Sen. Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, compared the measure to Supreme
> Court decisions banning so-called "fighting words," slander, libel, obscenity and pornography
> involving children. As such, he said, it has no "social value."

And here's another enlightened comment from Senator Facist:

> "Flag burning is a form of expression that is spiteful or vengeful," the five-term Pennsylvania
> Republican said. "It is designed to hurt. It is not designed to persuade."

...and your point is? It's called free expression, dumbass. The First Amendment doesn't stop at things that offend you, you narrow minded twit!

But I will give the Republicans credit where credit is due. Senator McConnell has the right idea:

> The amendment, however, does not have the support of the Senate's No 2. Republican,
> Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
>
> "I think the First Amendment has served us well for over 200 years. I don't think it
> needs to be altered," McConnell said Sunday on ABC's "This Week."

And Senator Leahy hits the nail on the head:

> Sen. Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, argued that burning
> the American flag was precisely the kind of speech the First Amendment is meant to protect.
>
> "The First Amendment never needs defending when it comes to popular speech," the six-term
> Vermont senator said Monday. "It's when it comes to unpopular speech that it needs defending."


Okay... so who are the morons who elected Specter? Aw, crap. He's from my state! Okay, who's running against this guy in the next election?

Comments

[zenmouse.livejournal.com]

Sadly, he has been our senator for almost as long as I've been alive. The chances of removing him are slim, especially considering the 98% incumbency rate we have in Congress.

What does this teach us? That term limits on legislators are a fucking necessity.

[giza.livejournal.com]

You sure it's 98%? That seems really high, and I'm pretty sure there was >2% turnover the last election...

[zenmouse.livejournal.com]

Do a Google search: "98 percent incumbency"

[giza.livejournal.com]

I did that Google search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%2298+percent+incumbency%22&btnG=Google+Search), and the 7 main results refer to this, but I don't see a primary source cited. Do you have any additional data?

[zenmouse.livejournal.com]

First I heard of this was when Jon Stewart interviewed Juliet Eilerprin about her new book Fight Club Politics.

But since you probably don't trust that, here's (http://www.washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060222-085118-1810r.htm) the Washington Times Op/Ed column that cites specifics. Proving his statements true is just a matter of checking records of elections for these last four terms. Do I really have to go get them as proof?

Trust me, this is a fucking problem.

[giza.livejournal.com]

That's sufficient. It's odd that the Washington Times column didn't show up in my Google search, though.

[zenmouse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my fault, that came up under "98 percent re-election"

[sagejackal.livejournal.com]

I sooo want to move to Vermont, one of the least narrow-minded and most independent(right-left paradigm wise) states in the Union!

Okay, who's running against this guy in the next election?

I'd run if I were 30. ;)
Seriously though, I'd fell more represented if we randomly picked people for office. Better to have just some of the barrels loaded when playing Russian Roulette, then to have all of them loaded.

[ilthuain.livejournal.com]

Specter really isn't that bad. He says some goofy stuff from time to time, but he's the kind of opposition I can deal with. I really can't think of a Republican senator who has been more critical of the administration.

Anyway, he's very ill, so he won't be around much longer.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Problem is, he's critical, then votes right with 'em every time.

[ilthuain.livejournal.com]

He's still a positive opposition. I'd love to have Senate filled with equal numbers of Specter-types and Feingold-types, both intellectual folks with honest policy disagreements who are willing to work with the other party in order to achieve change.

[giza.livejournal.com]

I guess you have a point, considering that our other Senator is none other than Rick "frothy mixture of lube and fecal matter (http://www.spreadingsantorum.com/)" Santorum. Lesser of the two evils and all that.

I feel dirty now.

[sagejackal.livejournal.com]

ZOMG!!!
That link is awesome! You're my new hero!

[zealianbadass.livejournal.com]

He makes the right sort of point, but tries to fix the problem the completely wrong way... the amendment needs no alteration, the uneducated people that take advantage of the liberties it grants -do-. And while the alteration must ultimately be more or less of their own free will, it needs to be handled soon.

that's all I'll say on that, save for that education is the key, and it's been broken in the lock.

[sagejackal.livejournal.com]

You're not being very supportive of your government! Government gives you want you need! Government gives you life! Government created the solar system!
You sound like a terrorist! We better search and seize your property with out a court issued warrant! What's a 4th Amendment anyway? Then detain you for years on end without a trial, let alone a jury! What's a 5th and 6th Amendment?
It's only in the best interests of the Military-Industrial Complex people, so we can protect people from false-flag government sponsored terrorism!

[tlttlotd.livejournal.com]

We've been trying to vote him out for eight years now, and it still hasn't worked.

[skippyfox.livejournal.com]

[giza.livejournal.com]

UNAMERICAN!

[wildw0lf.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, not even you can break out of this one :)

[unclekage.livejournal.com]

Arlen Specter was the man who came up with the Single Bullet Theory.

Sadly, he is also leading the charge to shine the light on Bush's abuses of power. See the KYW report.

So, angel or demon?

[skippyfox.livejournal.com]

Flag burning ban fails by one vote