We should all write to Lincoln Chafee and ask him why he's still a Repuke?

[LynneSin]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=97643&mesg_id=97643&page=#98057

After reading this thread and some of the questions that moderate republican Lincoln Chafee was grilling on that idiot Wolfowitz, it makes me wonder why Chafee hasn't followed Jeffords?

I personally think it's time to ask Chafee to go independent like Jeffords. Obviously from today's grilling he's probably not one of Frist's favorite and being independent could greatly benefit Chafee in the long run. Maybe it's what we need to help jump start a third party in this country. Maybe if Chafee jumps ship he'll give another moderate republican the courage to do the same.

After I write my thank you letter to Joe Biden, I'm going to write a letter to Lincoln asking him why not go independant. Obviously Chafee is what a true republican is - like the republicans of Abraham LIncoln's time. But since the party has been hijacked by the neo-cons, people like Chafee, Jeffords and many other moderates have been shoved aside in the party in favor of brown nosing bigots like Rick Sanatorium and Sam Brownnose.

[Doctor_J]

1. I did this

awhile back, and got no answer, since I'm not from RI. It can't hurt, but it might propmt Zell to wonder why he's still a Dem.

[LynneSin]

13. Zell is retiring in 2004

But has said numerous times he has no plans to leave the democratic party, even after the repukes courted him after the Jeffords defection.

[caledesi]

2. Originally a Rhode Islander...I was thinking the same thing when he spoke

today. I will write him a letter to. got the email addy for Chafee?

I like the man.

[wellstone_democrat]

5. Proud native RI'er here and I disagree

I'd love to have Sen. Chafee Jr on our "team' but, he is his father's son, and honest old line NE Republican and he will neither switch parties nor should he. He is a living reminder of what Republicans once could be. Let him shame them from the inside.

[LynneSin]

14. He doesn't have to join the democrats

Just go independent like his buddy Jim Jeffords!

[never cry wolf]

3. he sounded like a du-er today

absolutely stupendious. he better stay away from light aircraft.

[never cry wolf]

4. hey, hold on a second

before you start writing that letter. doesn't it lend a TON of creedence to his arguments that he IS a repug?? they cannot claim petty partisan politics in this one. it may be best for him to stay on the inside pissing out, know what i mean??

maybe even someday, after this whole cabal is exposed, the neo-cons brought to shame and prison and the GOP returns to it's roots we could have an election in '12 faced with a choice of Dean's veep vs chaffee. move the right to the left like the dlc is trying to move the left to the right.

[Dob Bole]

6. Hell will freeze over...

before Chafee is the Republican nominee for President. And he's not going to switch because his father was the leader of the old moderate Republicans- family tradition.

There is optimism in this, though. Only 6% of Republicans are liberal and there is a liberal Republican senator. 17% of Dems are conservatives and there is only one Conservative Dem Senator. So we got the better end of the deal.

[ButterflyBlood]

8. What about Ben Nelson?

[Dob Bole]

9. Nelson

is definitely on the right corner of being moderate, but he's no Zell Miller. He didn't vote for the full Bush tax cuts, while Miller was a sponsor.

[ButterflyBlood]

7. because he's actually more useful as a Republian now

since he counts as a Republican on the committees. So if he votes our way, we actually have kind of a majority.

He won't switch unless either:

-Like Jeffords, this would make a difference in Senate power

or

-He's in serious danger of losing reelection

[Quahog]

10. My man Linc

I have to agree with other posters here, Linc will not jump ship in the near term (although he gave signs in the '02 elections that IF his defection would change the power balance, he'd consider it... but it didn't end up that way). RI LOVED his father, and he was one of the last remaining Republicans with a link to the old guard (Teddy Roosevelt tradition). John Chafee voted more often with the Dems than the thugs in his last years, and I know that Linc was elected largely based on the tremendous affection Rhode Islanders felt for his dad (remember that Carter carried RI in '80). Many of us were worried that Linc would cave under the pressure from the BFEE cabal, especially once Bush was appointed in '00. But if anything, he has become even more outspoken as the congressional tide has gone radical right.

I've stopped nagging him about switching parties, I think I understand what he's doing. It's not at all about political aspirations, it's about being the last little glimmering bit of soul and conscience in an otherwise heartless machine.

And this is SO RHODE ISLAND! I'm not a native (my wife is), but I have grown very appreciative of RI's reputation since it was one of the 13 original colonies of being a safe haven for eccentrics, nay-sayers and radicals, and a tiny thorn in the nation's side. RI boasts the first synagogue in the colonies, as well as the FIRST Baptist Church (not A First Baptist Church, but the actual very first one). Over 70% of us are registered Democrats, and we just elected (in the same election cycle) a Republican governor and an openly gay mayor of our capitol city (he recently led the gay pride parade, flanked by drag queens). We were the last to sign the Constitution, dammit, and we will be the last to vote rethug!

Lincoln Chafee is a perfect symbol of his state, the last honest Republican left in the senate.

God bless you, Linc! Give 'em hell, and a bowl of chowda!!

[lastliberalintexas]

11. No

Chafee is actually more conservative than Lieberman on many issues near and dear to us. Yes, he's correct on the Iraq war. But so is Ron Paul, and I don't want him joining our party either.

Chafee is better for us as a RINO than a DINO.

[ButterflyBlood]

12. He votes similar to how Jeffords did as a Republican

now Jeffords votes consistenly liberal. I think he would do the same.

[Quahog]

15. That's a very interesting assertion

Chafee is actually more conservative than Lieberman on many issues near and dear to us.

I'd like to know whose voting record you're looking at to come up with that statement, Chafee's or Lieberman's or neither. I am on the phone at least twice a month with both Senator Reed's and Senator Chafee's offices, and I cannot remember the last time that either of them disappointed me in their vote on an issue that was "near and dear" to me. In fact, while I don't monitor every vote, I can't remember the last time that Chafee sided with the GOP except on issues where almost all Dems did as well. He was one of three pubs who voted against the Iraq war powers act, he voted against the tax cuts (both times), he's consistently voted down Bush's court nominees... exactly where is this "more conservative" tendency manifesting itself?

[ButterflyBlood]

16. he was the ONLY senate Republican to vote against the war powers

there were 7 total if you count the House.

Is Quahog a real place? I thought it was just a creation of Family Guy...

[lastliberalintexas]

17. Well, on the big votes he is there for us

But he has been pretty conservative on tax, spending and union issues in the past. For example, Lieberman has a higher rating from unions than Chafee, while Chafee has higher ratings from conservative groups than Lieberman. Don't get me wrong- I'm not saying that there is a huge difference between the two. I just find it ironic that Lieberman is lambasted on this board and Chafee lionized when he is actually a little more to the right than Joe.

I check the Project Vote Smart guides on elected officials to get a good idea of where they actually stand on issues and how they voted in the past. Granted, these are ratings from interest groups with an agenda, so we can take them with a grain of salt. But I'll still take the Conservative Union's word for it that they think Chafee deserves a higher rating than Lieberman.

I am NOT bashing Chafee. I think he is great on some issues, especially the social issues. But he's a fiscal conservative, too, so I am just acknowledging that he's not all that liberal. And again, I think he actually does more good for us while he stays with the repubs. It gives him gravitas when he criticizes Shrub since it doesn't come off as just another partisan attack.


http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BRI43231

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=S0141103

[ButterflyBlood]

18. as I said, he has similar ratings to pre-switching Jeffords

now Jeffords is one of the most liberal senators. So if he switched it's possible the change would also occur.

[lastliberalintexas]

19. Perhaps

And if it would change the balance of power in the Senate, I'd be all for it. But for now, he gives the moderate repubs a very strong voice. And again, he is in a position to attack this administration without the media labeling him as partisan and petty.

I'm certainly not anti-Chafee, and he's more liberal than my conservative Dem Congessman on social issues. I appreciate people like him, Weld and Snowe. I just wish they still dominated the repub party! *sigh* Oh for the good old days when Bob Dole was the most malignant force in the repub party! :-)