PA Green Party Supporters can KISS MY ASS - You're in bed with Rick

[LynneSin]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/15166569.htm

In potential boost for Santorum, GOP aids Green candidate
PETER JACKSON
Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Thanks to the generosity of GOP donors, a Green Party candidate is expected to make it onto the ballot in Pennsylvania's Senate race and siphon votes away from Democratic front-runner Bob Casey in his bid to unseat Republican Sen. Rick Santorum.

While Santorum said Monday that he would welcome another candidate on the ballot, Casey's campaign accused Republicans of "trying to steal the election."

Green Party candidate Carl Romanelli, making his first bid for statewide elective office, acknowledged Monday that Republican contributors probably supplied most of the $100,000 that he said he spent gathering signatures to qualify for the Nov. 7 ballot.

Romanelli said he expects to turn in far more than the required 67,070 signatures by Tuesday's deadline.

<<<<snip>>>>>

An analysis showed that at least $29,000 came from donors who also have given to Santorum's campaign, and nearly all the donors had given to Republican candidates in recent elections.

You guys still want to support a candidate being pushed into the race not by Green members (they are struggling to get the sigutures needed) BUT BY THE GOD DAMN GOP, RICK SANTORUM AND HIS SUPPORTERS.

Don't even give me a lame excuse as to why you're voting Green - go start a Green Underground and wallow in your pity and know that this time you vote green YOU ARE VOTING FOR RICK SANTORUM. He knows that't the only way and right here is the proof that Rick Santorum is behind the push to get the green party on the ticket.

So FUCK YOU you worthless pieces of crap who dreams some pathetic "Oh but we have our values we have to live by" mentality. Your mentality is nothing more than a tool to help get Rick Santorum elected.

And if for some god forbid reason Rick pulls off a win because of the Green Party - you greens can rot in hell. Casey isn't a perfect candidate but he had a primary and Pennsylvanian's have spoken.

:grr: :grr: :grr:

[wakeme2008]

1. Yipes LynneSin

I have not seen you so pissed off... I think I will go and :hide:

:hug:

[LynneSin]

3. I want the Green party to be sucessful

but clearly the money they are getting in order to get the 67k signatures needed isn't coming from Green Party/Progressive supports but conservatives who knows that they can peel off about 5% of the vote with a Green Party candidate on the ticket.

[Outer_Limit]

100. In the end, people have the right to vote for the person of their choice

irregardless of who is on the ballot and how they got there. Even if said third party candidate gets on the ballot the republican party won't be siphoning anything. They don't control the people who go to vote. Its the citizens choice. Limiting ballot access is a losing strategy that will stagnate the party and ensure its defeat in future elections. A candidate must be able to convince a person to vote for them by election day based on their platform and personal character. If all they are relying on are limited ballot alternatives then frankly they don't deserve that vote and wasn't likely to get it anyway.

[elehhhhna]

114. yeah. irregardless. now why not address the inherent SLEAZINESS

involved in punkng the REAL Greens by buying a candidate and fielding him just to bleed votes from a serios, sincere candidate? Please. Go on.

[LynneSin]

124. You know, that's what all these Greens are in denial about

I mean their fricking candidate even said they got the money from the Republicans in order to get on the ticket and yet they still act all 'Hoity-Toity' with this 'irregardless of where the money came from blah blah blah"

TAKE YOUR DAMN BLINDERS OFF AND LOOK AT WHAT HE IS DOING

YOUR GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE WILLING ACCEPTED AND ADMITED TO TAKING THE MONEY

And you want to vote for him why? I mean you know and I know he ain't gonna win the election.

[elehhhhna]

134. Ralph Nader all over again.

[elehhhhna]

135. Ralph Nader all over again.

[OzarkDem]

115. Green Party also has the right

to F*** Off where Dems are concerned. Screw them wanting to work with Dems, then pulling this kind of crap.

[elehhhhna]

136. Well, they are called the GREEN party. Maybe they like MONEY.

[WoodrowFan]

2. YES!!!

:woohoo:

Go Lynnsin!!!

[skids]

4. . . . . . .

:popcorn:

[sallyseven]

5. Glad to see someone else

is pissed off at the phony greens. You stand a chance voting democrat to change things. Greens won't give you health care, ss security, education reform etc. We can take care of the environment along with everything else if you just stick to the plan. No party is perfect but I will vote and stay democrat until the day I die.

[LynneSin]

9. This isn't a rant on the green party as a whole

This is a rant on the fact that they are obviously being used as a tool to help get Santorum elected. Should the Greens get on the PA senate race (clearly with the help of GOP donations) then this is obvious proof that the Green Party is being used by the republicans to help keep Santorum in office.

If the Greens want to earn back my respect then return all the GOP tainted donations. If you're meant to be on the ticket then it'll happen without the influence of one of the other parties

[GodlessBiker]

16. I agree, the Greens should return that money, but only if Casey returns

money from people who also contributed to Santorum's campaign.

I hate people who play both sides of the fence.

[LynneSin]

18. With the War Chest he has I hardly doubt it's that much money

Except from corporations trying to get in the good graces of both parties.

But the differences is, Casey has overwhelming support from democrats whereas even the article said that most of the money contributed to the green candidate was from Republican supporters

[GodlessBiker]

21. The corporate and PAC money is the worst part. He should not accept

any money from anyone who has the gaul to contribute to both sides and just play for influence no matter who wins. It's so fucking sleazy.

And don't say it's not that much money. $29,000 is not that much money either.

[LynneSin]

28. Oh please, get over yourself

there's a big difference between corporations who double dip and a 3rd party candidate getting into a race based solely on almost all money coming from the republican party.

If you don't see the difference then perhaps you want another 6 years of Rick Santorum in office

[GodlessBiker]

39. Sorry, there's not that big of a difference between accepting those monies

[LynneSin]

45. Sure - why not just pull the level for Rick Santorum if it makes you happy

it is.

Corporate donations are a totally separate entity deserving it's own thread.

This is PRIVATE donations from GOP/Santorum VOTERS (not corporations) basically paying for the Green Party to run. Why aren't they helping to get a conservative 3rd party on the ticket huh? huh?

I mean, it's ok if you like Rick Santorum - because that's what I'm reading.

[skids]

10. I think the greens should sit this one out, personally.

...but you definitely need to go read the GP platform if you think that they are only about the environment and don't address working people's issues, because that's very wrong of you.

[ProudDad]

101. I'm still waiting

for some Dem to supply Universal Health Care...or even fucking talk about it. Where were they in '93 when they had the chance...?

[Divernan]

6. Absolutely - any true Green would be outraged at having party hijacked

by the GOP.

[Mz Pip]

7. THey know they are

being used and don't seem to give a shit. He even refers to the Repug donors as his Republican friends.

Here's a newsflash for you Mr. Romanelli - the Repugs are not your friends. They would eat glass before they would really work to see you in the senate.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[LynneSin]

11. If Greens want my respect - return the money back to repuke donors

If you are meant to be on the ticket you'll managed to do it with your true supports who believe in the party, not your pretend friends who want to use you so they can stay in power

[Clark2008]

71. Better idea: fold the campaign up and give the left-over

cash to some charity that would completely and totally piss off Republicans - like Al Gore's charities or Planned Parenthood or something.

That would teach these assholes to stop meddling in the election.

:evilgrin:

[bowens43]

8. They can kiss mine too!

Greens do not expect to win elections. Their only purpose is to keep Democrats from winning elections. They must play spoiler. Remember , they gave us Bush, Alito , Roberts and Iraq.

[MrSlayer]

12. I'm with you 100%. I want that fuckhead out of here.

I'll be writing letters to all the local papers. This word must be spread.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

13. I won't even vote for a Green locally if they pull this crap in PA.

(p)rick Santorum is target #1 and Casey is the Democratic candidate. The primary is over and Casey is the candidate to beat Santorum.

The Greens won't even get my vote in local races if they screw up ousting Santorum.:grr:

[LynneSin]

17. Thanks for your pledge!! I'm not trying to be anti-green

But when it's shown that almost all of their money is coming from Republican contributors and the asshole candidate Romminelli says dumbass stuff like this:

"I have friends in all political parties. It's just that my Republican friends are more confident about standing with me than my Democratic friends. And as a group, my Republican friends are a little better off," he said in a telephone interview."

Then the Green Party as a whole should distance themselves from this person.

BTW, it would be interesting to see the breakdown of party affliations for the signatures he gets. I'm sure Santorum can find 67k republicans to sign the petition

[Kahuna]

14. Here here!

:grr:

[acmejack]

54. Please, it is Hear hear

Meaning

A shout of support or agreement.

Origin

Originated in the British parliament in the 18th century as a contraction of 'hear him, hear him'. It is still often heard there although sometimes used ironically these days.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/178100.html

Thank you...

[charlie and algernon]

15. abso-fucking-lutely

Heads will fucking ROLL if Santorum wins because of the greens, FUCKING ROLL!!!!!!! :grr:

[KKKarl is an idiot]

19. ..

Santorum needs to go. If that means the green party taking a back seat in this one then so be it. We need to get him out before he tries to run for president. It will be like 4 more years of Bush in a Santorum body.

[LynneSin]

25. What the hell are you talking about???

The Green party has no chance of winning this. But they have a chance of pulling about 5% of the vote which would make it just a little bit easier for Rick Santorum to win.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[charlie and algernon]

22. ya know what

I would elect 1000000000000000000000000000000000000 pro-life dems over santorum any day!

[LynneSin]

23. Amen and Alleliua

And would a "woman-hater" oppose federal funding for Family Planning, Birth Control and EC?

And unlike most anti-choice politicans, Casey would actually do something to help get fetus once it is born like universal healthcare and better education

[Warpy]

24. That's your right and your privilege

but apparently a lot of women don't agree with you.

If this is how the party learns not to cross the choice line, so be it.

[charlie and algernon]

26. really?

so Ricky is going to get 85% of the women's vote? I think not.
If those women are voting for the green, then they're royally screwing themselves

[LynneSin]

30. Rick Santorum can't even get 50 people to show up for a Woman's conference

Pro-Life democrats have been very popular in Pennsylvania and I have no clue why. I'd like to know if that poster is hoping that JOhn Murtha is defeated in 2006, I mean, he's a pro-lifer too

[charlie and algernon]

32. we're the old school democrats

PA has tons of blue dog reagan democrats in the slate belt regions of the state. that and people absolutely LOVED Casey Sr, no matter what he did.

[LynneSin]

35. I hate to say it - I want Casey a senator so he doesn't end up governor

A pro-life senator can do far less damage than a pro-life governor. Remember, if RoeVWade gets overturned it'll be the states to decide whether or not choice is allowed. And in 2010 the field will be wide open for a new governor in PA.

I'd rather put him in the senate where I know there is hardly a chance they'll put him on the Judiciary Committee. He'll probably get on some Labor/Education committees since that is Casey's forte

[Warpy]

41. No, the DEMOCRATS who thought CASEY was a good idea

have screwed themselves.

One woman hater is just like another woman hater. It doesn't matter what letter is after his name. If he hates half the human race, that half of the human race is not likely to vote for him.

Just telling it like it is. Learn from it or keep losing votes to Greens.

(The Greens in my state ran a woman hating candidate one year. He didn't get any votes, either, if that makes you feel any better)

[charlie and algernon]

44. wow, "women hater" is so FUCKING off the mark

i'm so, it's that extremist language that's totally unnessery and I don't care which side of the aisle it comes from. It's ok though, we need you extremists to make sure the country doesn't go fucking crazy

[LynneSin]

51. Don't you know, Bob Casey regular beats women

It's his campaign schtick where he pulls one woman from the audience and beats the crap out of her because he's such a woman hater. :sarcasm:


And what gives with Casey endorsing the use of birth control, EC and funding for family planning?

[charlie and algernon]

52. oh i know

that's on his platform, that all men should have the opportunity to beat their wives :sarcasm:

and don't you know, we're not supposed to talk about his endorsing birth control and family planning 'cause that would tear a big hole in our talking points! :eyes:

[Warpy]

55. Any man who thinks he can make an intimate decision

for any woman out there and that she is incapable of making the decision for herself is a WOMAN HATER.

That is the bottom line. Perhaps some people are comfortable with the legal infantilization of adult female human beings.

However, it seems many women quite rightly resent it.

This is a FACT. Either learn from it or not.

[charlie and algernon]

58. a fact, huh?

seems more like the OPINION of an extremist who would sacrifice women to a repub just to make a point

[Warpy]

61. I don't have a dog in this fight, honey

Just telling it like it is.

There are a lot of women who won't vote for a woman hater.

That's where the Green votes will come from.

Learn from it or don't. Your problem.

[charlie and algernon]

65. um, almost

but not quite, if you think more women will vote for the green candidate than casey, then you're name fits 'cause you seriously have a warped view of things.

bye bye

[LynneSin]

67. Warpy is from NM and has no understanding of Pennsylvania Politics

I'm from Delaware but lived for 30+ years in the state. Democratic Pro-lifers (aka "Casey Democrats") have immense popularity in the state especially in the Western half. The name Casey is a major draw and the fact that the Casey family have been major union supporters is probably a more important draw that the choice issue.

Each state has a different makeup of electorates. The fact that Casey has come out and said that the current laws on choice are good enough and no more really are needed, the fact that he supports family planning, birth control, EC, protection for rape/incest/mother's life and a host of other issue will work better in Pennsylvania.

Warpy's name is appropriate because the attitude is pretty warped when it comes to what can win in a state. I suppose having a GOP supported Green party candidate is ok because then PA will have Rick Santorum.

ANd anyone who will help enable Rick Santorum to win is about 100% more of a "woman-hater" than what Bob Casey is!

[LynneSin]

59. As a woman you fucking offend me

Because as a woman I know that anyone who would not vote for a democrat simply because of choice means you don't really care about how the rest of the country manages after they move from fetus stage to human form. It means that you would rather continue on the war that does not end and KILLING more of our children, it means that you want the environment to be destroyed to the point that we can hardly breath the air or drink the water around us. It means you want the educational system destroyed in such a way that I as a woman who can bear children would have to struggle to get my kids through school and into college (perhaps they'll just enlist and get killed in the war).

I am a pro-choice democratic woman and I vote. I support Emily's List, Naral and Planned Parenthood. I helped organize a DU gathering in conjunction with the 2004 March for Choice protest in DC and even paid for with my own money the $150 needed to get one of the March for CHoice banners that says "Democratic Underground" (which I gave back to the DU). I regular volunteer with my local Planned Parenthood and hell, I wear my purple "DE for Choice" tee-shirt to the fricking gym!

I am upset that Casey is not a bit more understanding about the issues of choice but since I am not a narrow-minded voter, I've read his stances on the other issues like sex education, birth control, ec and family planning and found that although he is NOT an idea perfect candidate, he is trying to be more receptive to the idea of providing some choices which is 110% better than what we have now.

So if you think a Green Party candidate paid for by the GOP is somehow a better choice than not only are YOU the woman hater, but you would rather let our troops rot in Iraq too.

And btw, I better NEVER EVER find you posting any postive supportive thread for John Murtha because that man is much more 'anti-choice' than even Bob Casey. Who cares what Murtha has sone to help put an end to this war and bring our soldiers home. He's a 'woman-hater' which means he's scum of the earth in your book

[Warpy]

60. You don't control any vote but your own

and the fact that you need gutter language when you howl rage against that particular fact is very telling.

Bye.

[charlie and algernon]

62. um, ok

bye, don't let the door hit you on the way out

[Name removed]

64. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[OnionPatch]

74. I'm a woman and I just don't think

anyone who is against abortion necessarily hates women. I'm pro-choice and very liberal, but I see most "pro-lifers" as having a genuine concern that abortion snuffs out a life. I disagree with them, I don't think they have thought it through completely, but I really don't think they all "hate" women.

[LynneSin]

90. Thank you for that

:pals:

[tkmorris]

99. Now THAT is a rational point of view

I wish more people thought this way, i.e. being able to see both sides of an issue without attempting to demonize whoever isn't on the same side they are. Think how much constructive the Israel threads could be for example.

I look forward to hearing from you more OnionPatch.

[jwirr]

53. So you want us to vote for the pug candidate like we did in SD

against Daschle? Thune is really good for the country!:sarcasm: The point here is not who hates who but "How do we get rid of the present administration in DC?". By the way many Democrats are personally against abortion as a form of birth control but understand personal choice. Just because you do not feel that way doesn't make them a lessor part of the party.

[LynneSin]

57. Actually I hate to say this, Thune winning wasn't all that bad

We weren't going to get the majority and it removed one of the most ineffective minority leaders ever. Harry Reid has definately done the best he could with what we have down in DC.

Let's hope now we can get rid of Thune next election

[jwirr]

127. I agree that Dashle was ineffective as minority leader but he

was a Democrat who voted with us not against us. What I am saying is that we cannot afford to mess up again. If I am not mistaken if Dashle had held that seat we would need one less win to take control back in 06. I for one cannot afford even 1 more year of pug control. We are having trouble buying food for our family! VOTE DEMOCRATIC.

[wryter2000]

102. I'd like to know who uses abortion as birth control

You could probably fit all of them into a small conference room.

[jwirr]

128. Aren't you missing the point? It does not matter how many of them

there are. Many old time democrats believe abortion is not a personal choice they would make. They also believe in using things like education and welfare to prevent abortion. As to not using it as birth control - I know women who have had 2-3 abortions. I call that using it as birth control.

[LynneSin]

138. The whole Abortion issues has to be a comprehensive package

I recommend anyone renting and watching the movie "Citizen Ruth" which is a spoof on the whole Abortion issue that basically attacks both sides as caring more about the actual act of abortion and very little about anything else. It's a spoof so take it like that, but it made me realize that if all I care about is protecting abortion then I was no better than those women in that movie.

We need to have a complete package that includes a strong education program that promotes "Abstienence First" but also how to use various types of birth control especially to prevent pregnancy, STDs and AIDs. We need to have a comprehensive family planning system that is well funded to help provide birth control to low income families so they can plan on a family size they can manage. We need to stop rogue Pharmacists who believe they can use their moral judgement in dispensing necessary medicines for family planning. We need to require all hospitals to administer EC to anyone woman who comes to their emergency room because of rape or incest (and EC should be over the counter).

In France they have one of the more liberal laws on Abortion but are also very forward when it comes to sex education. And their percent of pregancies that end in abortion are way lower than ours. Abortion should not be a form of birth control but this country's sex education & family planning have pretty much made it exactly that.

[IronLionZion]

142. I'm sure he hates his wife and 4 daughters

and all those women that vote for him and work with him and endorsed him. He really hates Congressman Allyson Schwartz even though she's actively campaigning for him. Every speech he gives starts out with "It's nice to see so many dominant alpha males in this room" and ends with a public beating of some random woman. LynneSin has been beaten by Casey but she's into that sort of thing.

:sarcasm:

Geez, Casey doesn't hate women any more than you do. Do all those pro-life women hate themselves?

[LynneSin]

143. I need your address please...

..so I can send you the bill for my replacement monitor and keyboard

:spray: :spray: :spray:

[IronLionZion]

166. You can start a group: "Battered Women for Casey"

No matter how badly your candidate beats you, you can NOT cut and run. Stay the course!

:silly:

[LynneSin]

27. At one point the head of NARAl was going to run as an independant

Kay Mitchelson I think is her name. But then she realized that her run would only help to secure a Santorum win.

And as a pro-choice, Emily's List supporting female democrat - I want Rick out and if Casey can do it so be it. Because I need a candidate in there that is going to do more than worry about fetus.

Don't you have a grasp of the article - if the GOP didn't intervene and fund the Green Party's work to get the required signatures they would never be on the ticket

[charlie and algernon]

29. amen

one issue voters and candidates, on both sides, really drive me up a fucking wall. If the whole world revolved around one issue, it'd be a hell of a lot simpler, but it doesn't and until people realize that, we're fucked.

[Totally Committed]

33. It's not "Pro-Life", please...

It's "Anti-Choice". I know it doesn't seem like a huge distinction, but it really is. I am Pro-Choice, but am not, then, Pro-Death. No one is "Pro-Death". Therefore, no one is "Pro-Life" unless they use the term to describe how happy they are to be alive.

Thanks!

TC

[charlie and algernon]

38. well then call me a pro-choice dem who chooses life

[LynneSin]

42. I call myself & anyone who supports the fetus after they are born pro-life

your rhetoric is nothing more than a ruse to help garner support for Santorum. If we can take wedges issues and make Casey less appealing then hopefully he can garner a win.

You know we waste all this fucking time on a damn fetus - I want people in DC who are going to give that fetus a fricking chance to have the American Dream after it's born.

[charlie and algernon]

46. you're talking to warpy, right?

'cause i'm 100% on your side

[LynneSin]

49. Yeah, I'm talking Warpy

Sorry, I'm all in an uproar about any idiot that doesn't see through this ruse. God, I got a poster who can't distinguish between Corporations that tend to contribute to both parties and the concept that THE ENTIRE PA GREEN PARTY SENATE CANDIDATE WAS FINANCED BY INDIVIDUAL REPUBLICAN/SANTORUM SUPPORTERS.

I mean, if the Green Party was meant to be a ticket for Pennsylvania US Senate then their party should be able to get enough funds & signatures without help from any other party.

[charlie and algernon]

56. it's party purists

God forbid you waver even an inch on any of the party's platforms, then i may just have to support the other party! :wtf:

[jwirr]

47. Amen.

[MH1]

70. I HOPE you left off the sarcasm tag. nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

75. Casey won the primary by a landslide

He was the overwhelming choice of Democratic primary voters.

[LynneSin]

80. I know, he had more votes with 2 opponents than Santorum

But that was the primary. This is the general election and it's gonna get a whole lot dirtier before it's overwith. Santorum is behind by 10-12 points and the machines aren't fixed like they are in Ohio (flawed but not enough to be a factor). A Green Party candidate could be a shoo-in for 4-6% exta votes for him to help catch up.

[Freddie Stubbs]

85. I'm not too sure that a Green Party candidate would get that many votes

The Green candidate for governor only got about 1% in 2002.

[LynneSin]

86. I guess the concept is what bugs me the most

I mean it's as obvious as the nose on your face that Santorum is subsidizing this run in hopes to pull enough votes away to enable the win.

And for some of the Green supporters all they think is "WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO RUN SO THERE" with absolutely no remorse that the real probabl here isn't their rights to run but the fact that they are being paid for by republicans who are USING THEM.

I'd have more respect for the Green Party if they did this on their own and returned the money from Santorum et al.

[LynneSin]

31. Anyone who thinks it's about choice better be rooting for Murtha to lose

Because Murtha is one of those Pennsylvania "Casey Democrats" who votes again anything related to choice.

And if you're Anti-Bob Casey for a single issue of Choice then I can freely call you anti-John Murtha too.

[charlie and algernon]

34. it's times like these I wish i wasn't working on an MD campaign

while i love Tom and think he'd be an amazing AG for Maryland, I so want to be in PA fighting my ass off for Casey

[LynneSin]

36. Hopefully your work in MD will help get you a Democratic Governor too

and keep your senate seat in democratic hands.

Those are just as important

[charlie and algernon]

40. definitely, we're working hard at that too

O'Malley is putting up a heck of a fight and the people are getting sick of Erlich. the latest polls show both Cardin and Mfume beating Steele, so it's looking good. That and whoever wins the Dem primary for AG easily wins the general.

[LynneSin]

43. I'd love to see Mfume on the ticket knowing his history with Bush

But I guess he has some baggage to deal with first.

Anyhow, 1 African-American senator in DC is pretty pathetic

[charlie and algernon]

48. yeah

Mfume vs. steele would certianly make for an interesting race given that they're both african american, which would probably split the african american vote.

[LynneSin]

50. I don't think African-Americans would even think of voting for Steele

I mean, we had 2 African-Americans on Illinois ballot when Obama ran and yet they overwhelming went with him and not Alan Keyes.

Michael Steele is a pompous asshole and personally I don't think the African-American community is damn smart enough to recognize that the republican party is part of the Bush regime which has repressed more African-Americans these past 6 years.

[yellowcanine]

63. Unfortunately there is some evidence that Steele has made inroads

in some African American churches in Prince George's County. I think it is not so much his race as the gay marriage issue. On the bright side, I think Steele hurt himself with some of the Republican faithful and independents with the "Scarlet R" business. Plus, in the parts of Maryland where there are a lot of Republicans and Democrats who vote Republican there some voters who will not vote for an African American over a white man. Democrats should not encourage that but it is an unspoken fact of life on some parts of the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland. Remember, Southern Maryland is where Wilkes Booth plotted his deed and his escape route and was the center of tobacco production in Maryland, which relied on slave labor before the Civil War and on low paid black labor after. Old habits die hard.

[LynneSin]

66. Didn't help that he told a conference of MD Jewish leaders....

..that embryonic stem cell was comparable to the Holocaust.

I mean, first most Jews support embryonic stem cell research and second - you don't make dumbass comments like that to the one group most horrifically affected by the Holocaust.

[yellowcanine]

68. Yeah, the dilemma of the Maryland and National Republicans is do they

allow Steele to run his own campaign and continue to make blunders or do they try to surround him with minders, handlers and speech writers who would stop (or at least minimize) the blunders but who would tarnish the image of the "commen man who speaks his mind" that Steele has been successful at promoting so far. The other question is whether Steele would go along with any packaging of that sort. When it comes down to it, I think he suffers a bit from the "Katherine Harris syndrome" - not ready for prime time but doesn't know it.

[LoZoccolo]

37. GIVE BACK THE FUNDS!

GIVE BACK THE FUNDS!
GIVE BACK THE FUNDS!
GIVE BACK THE FUNDS!
GIVE BACK THE FUNDS!

HERE is a list of Green party contacts, write them and tell them: GIVE BACK THE FUNDS!

http://www.greenpartypa.org/index.php?module=Include&func=main&page=contacts

[wisteria]

69. I am not happy about this either, but everyone is entitled to run.

We will just have to work harder for Casey and do more to discredit the other candidates. If the race doesn't become to close, we can still win. Actually, if you look at the recent Dem primary, you will notice that the other two candidates running against Casey received very little votes, I wouldn't think it would be much different in the general election- Democrats know how important this election is for our state and our government. What might happen is Repubs vote for the Green candidate and siphon votes from Santorum. During the last primary, a good number of Repubs coming out to vote by-passed voting for Santorum and left that slot open without a vote cast.
If you would like, I can find the figures for you.

[MH1]

72. Entitled, but entitlement doesn't make it right.

I think your observations are correct, but I'd like to see the Greens focus on races that have no dem candidate, and most importantly, working for instant run-off voting. Perhaps challenging democrats is how they hope to draw more attention to IRV, and it may work, but I think they could achieve their goals without risking actually harming this country. If it appears that they made the difference in re-electing Santorum, they will be REVILED in PA by people like me who would rather be sympathetic to their cause. Heck, get me IRV and I will probably start voting Green in a lot of cases (with second choice Dem, of course). But help to re-elect Santorum? I'm with LynneSin on this one!

[wisteria]

94. I don't have any desire to see the Green party go anywhere-sorry.

I suppose that is why, I am not to concerned about this. I doubt this Green candidate will persuade Dem's to vote for him. He may however sway some Republicans who are fed-up with Santorum. I am a Democrat, first and last.

[LynneSin]

73. Everyone does have the right to run

But can you support a Green Party candidate who main source of money, including the $100k needed to obtain the signatures necessary to get on the ballot as a truly a person who has the Green Party's best interest at heart.

He probably would have never gotten the votes or signatures (and btw, you don't have to be a Green to sign those papers) had the GOP not financed their campaign to get on the ballot.

So in a nutshell, I dont' mind Greens running but I do mind Greens taking money from repukes who are using them to help peel off 3-6% of the votes from their main democratic opponent.

And don't fool yourself into thinking that this candidate would siphon votes off of Santorum. They won't. They know what they're doing. They know that there are those who think Casey isn't far enough to the left and perhaps would vote Green if a Candidate was available.

[wisteria]

96. The Democratic primary disproves your point.

People had a chance to vote "more left" then and chose- in large numbers I will add- to vote for Casey. Why would this Green candidate actually sway Dem's to vote for him when they are mostly united in defeating Santorum. Also, don't discredit some of those Repubs that donated and signed the petition to have him on the ballot- many may actually have intentions of voting for the Green candidate.
I also want to mention that I am in touch with Republicans that are sick of Santorum and have no intention of voting for him. So don't just equate Republicans= votes for Santorum.

[LynneSin]

105. These are known contributors to the republican party voting Green?

THey'll just leave the ballot blank before voting Green. Trust me, I lived in Pennsylvania and have been around enough republicans to know they'd rather not vote than to support a Green candidate

[wisteria]

125. I live in PA too and have lived both in the East and the West of PA,

I also have family that are Republicans.

[LynneSin]

131. BTW, the money was not coming from Pennsylvania

I think there was one large contribution that came from California that was in one of the articles. So you can be assured, this aren't republicans thinking of voting Green. They're Santorum supporters finding new ways to support Rick by getting the 3rd party on the ticket and hopefully hurt Casey

[javadu]

76. He Has the Right to Run

But, I have the right to call him out on his poor decision making. Even if he had a chance to win this election, which he does not, he has shown a willingness to put progressive reforms at risk by handing the election to Santorum. This is someone who clearly does NOT value the future of the country. I have not and never will vote for Green candidate. Like right-wing wackos, they make ideologically-based, instead of evidence-based decisions. Their decision-making must be called into question.

[LynneSin]

81. Exactly and well written

I want Green Party candidates to run for office. If Romanelli was meant to be on the ticket he would have gotten those signatures without the help of republican money.

He clearly knows he is being used and doesn't care because of the thrill of being the potential spoiler. And he obviously knows that Santorum would be the benefactor of his spoiling but doesn't care.

One day I could see myself voting for a Green Candidate; however, if this guy does enable Santorum to win then the Green Party will be forever DEAD to me.

[The Sushi Bandit]

77. GET OVER IT!!

The Greens have every right to be in this race. I am sure the local dems have gotten donations from a "few" unsavory sources too!

[javadu]

78. Are You Suggesting that We Don't Have the Right

to call him out????

This is a stupid and ignorant decision he has made. He is willingly giving an advantage to Santorum. God forbid that he would actually win the election. Imagine what other damage someone with this record of decision making might do.

[LynneSin]

79. Can you be that clueless?

This isn't about the rights of the Green Party to be on any or all elections out there.

This is a party that knowingly took hundreds of thousands of dollars from GOP/Rick Santorum supporters in order to get their name on the party including a signature gathering campaign that was financed by the GOP.

If you can't get that then I feel sorry for you. This isn't about US supressing the rights of a 3rd Party, THIS IS THE GOP KNOWINGLY USING SAID PARTY TO HELP PEEL AWAY VOTES.

If the Green Party had a set of balls (and clearly they don't) they would have revoked the money and found a way to get the 67K signatures WITHOUT GOP-tainted money.

And yes, it is common for people to donate to both democrats & republicans, even some unsavory types. But not to the point of outright using a candidate in order to benefit other person in the same race.

SHAME ON YOU!

[The Sushi Bandit]

82. Let me ask you this..

Is your guy very "Green"??

Can he draw Green party voters because he supports some of the Green platform? (and how can you not)

As an Ex-Green one thing i know is they WILL support a Dem who they can feel good about even if there is a green on the ticket

[LynneSin]

83. DId you read the article: SANTORUM PAID FOR HIS CANDIDACY

Don't take this as a gripe against the party as a whole (although it will be if this keeps Rick Santorum in office.)

The requirement to get on a PA Senate ballot is 67k votes (2%) which is pretty high for most states. Romanelli probably wouldn't get those signatures if the republicans didn't pay like $100k to get the signatures for him (and probably filled with registered republican signatures. I can hear the signature takers right now "Want to keep Rick Santorum in office - sign here")

This is a member of the Green party willingly and knowlingly taking the money to be a pawn in Rick Santorum's re-election bid.

Had Romanelli done this on his own I would have probably never even thought of posting this.

This is about the will of people. If Pennsylvania wanted a Green Party candidate, they would have gotten on there by their own hardwork and NOT by republican financing

[mark414]

129. "unsavory sources" perhaps, but not Republicans

i've voted green more often than i've voted democrat but this is just ridiculous. i'm glad to see greens get on the ballot but not like this. it's completely unprincipled and it's SELLING OUT. if i lived in PA there's not a chance in hell i would vote for this guy.

[LynneSin]

132. You're the first Green Party supporter that finally gets it

This isn't about democrats trying to suppress the Green vote. This is about the Greens (Or at least the PA Greens and Carl Romanelli) willingness to get into bed with Rick Santorum. I mean we know the Green isn't going to win and we know that the Green will pull votes from Democrats. And even Rick Santorum says he asked for his supporters to help Romanelli because 3rd parties help incumbants (and gee, who is the incumbant in this race?).

I admire and respect you as a supporter of Green Party. Unfortunately too many others here at DU who are Green supporters just don't get it. As far as I'm concerned - they're closetted republicans

[OzarkDem]

151. That's up to Pennsylvania voters to decide

not the GOP. If the Pennsylvania voters wanted Greens on the ballot, they would be there. The choice is the electorate's to make.

[GalleryGod]

84. I couldn't agree MORE, Lynne!

Same old FLA 2000 bullshit!:puke: :argh:
They can go shit in their collective hats.

Does it matter?
Think President Gore would have us at this place or time?
NOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo:patriot:

[hughee99]

87. Either you're with us or against us...

While I don't like what's gone on with the financing, it's up to the Greens to cast their ballots. Those in the Green party know what's going on, and will use this to leverage their issues with the Casey campaign. If Casey is responsive, he'll get plenty of Green votes. If he's not responsive, they probably wouldn't have voted for him anyway. Just my opinion, though.

[LynneSin]

88. Pennsylvanian Greens should hang their heads in SHAME

and demand that Romanelli return the money ESPECIALLY since it was republicans that paid the $100k needed to obtain the 67k signatures required to get on the ballot.

If the Greens felt that strongly about Romanelli they would have gotten those signatures on their own accord and not through the help of the Republican party.

Don't you get it - this isn't about Greens trying to get Casey to address the issues. This is about a Green Party candidate KNOWINGLY putting him of the ballot as a spoiler with the help of republican money. HE even admit that the money came from republicans calling them his 'friends'.

And I can almost guarentee you the bulk of signatures received on those petition lists are probably from republican voters.

I mean, if I was in the Green Party I would be ashamed at being used like that.

I guess this so-called party of standards and working for the regular folks isn't too ashamed to take money from a Corporate Whore.

[hughee99]

89. If there weren't enough Greens interested in him to get him on the ballot

why are you worried that all those greens are going to vote for him?

[LynneSin]

92. This is going to be a tight race

and Santorum knows there are people out there who label Casey as "Conservative" because of his stance on choice, hell I see it in here even though outside of choice Casey is hardly a conservative.

But if you slap the label on it, hopefully you can pull a few more votes away.

And anyhow, this is about respect and reputation. As far as I'm concerned, the Green Party allowing this to happen have basically made themselves no better than the Republican & Democratic parties they try to claim they are better than. They used tainted money by a man desperate to hold on to his senate seat - a man who wants war, wants to suppress the working class and reward the corporations. As far as I'm concern this makes the Green Party aligned with republican values. They have no right to criticize my party as having no moral values when one of their own proves they have very little either

[AtomicKitten]

91. they were perfectly fine with running a candidate against Paul Wellstone

in Minnesota, probably the most progressive Democrat ever.

RIP

[LynneSin]

93. I found your other thread

I can't believe that any Green would be ok with this. I mean, I thought the Green Party was the party of some moral progressive standard that wouldn't stoop to republican & democratic standards.

They are pathetic. NEver before was such obvious proof given and yet the Greens still cling with their "We want to take the moral high road" shit.

Their moral high road to me equals "I don't mind another six years with Santorum in office". Anyone who agrees with what the Greens are doing in Pennsylvania will be labelled a Santorum supporter.

[AtomicKitten]

95. I find the pretense of integrity and cooperation

complete and utter BS. Nader's focus in 2000 was on trashing Gore, not Bush.

I wrote for a Green paper from 2001 to 2004, and I know perfectly well they have no good intentions as far as the Democratic Party is concerned, and I would be fine with that if they were honest. It just really sticks in my craw when they pretend to be pure. They are not.

[LynneSin]

97. Exactly, they denounce me as being corrupt in my political values

but then turn their backs on the fact that they willingly accept help from the one party that benefits from having a Green on the ticket.

[RiffRandell]

98. I totally agree with you. How repulsive! n/t

[gully]

103. Recommended. The GP needs to clean it's own house before

it tells me what's wrong with mine.

[Czolgosz]

104. We're experiencing the same problem in Texas with Kinky, who got on the

ballot with help from people who support the GOP incumbent.

The Stop Kinky blog has a post about this issue with links to sources for all the statements (here: http://stopkinky.blogspot.com/2006/05/is-kinky-trojan-horse-for-perrys-re.html):

Is Kinky a Trojan Horse for Perry's Re-Election?

Texas Monthly's recent gubernatorial election analysis quotes four polls and two respected election analysts. There is only one thing all the polls and analysts agree upon: Kinky will come in last place among Perry, Strayhorn, Bell, and Kinky.

Here is the most disturbing aspect of Texas Monthly's election reporting:

"Most analysts assume that if Friedman gets more than 10 percent, he could well guarantee a Perry victory, since those votes are probably coming from Bell or Strayhorn rather than from the governor."

Maybe this explains why Kinky is running as an Independent this time despite the fact that

(1) he has run for office in the past as a Republican,

(2) he voted for Bush/Cheney in 2004,

(3) his interview with Ruminator magazine confirms that he supported Bush's Iraq war,

(4) his public voting records confirm he lied about voting for Gore in 2000,

(5) he hasn't voted for a Democrat in any election at least from 1994 to 2004,

(6) he wants to take time out of the school day for prayers in public schools,

(7) he wants to post the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms,

(8) he thinks "Negro is a charming word,"

(9) he thinks "Mexico is not a poor country," and

(10) his immigration policy of hiring Mexican generals to police our border is a right-wing extremist's fantasy.

[LynneSin]

107. If we just had election reform and Voter Run-off elections

this wouldn't be the case.

Our founding fathers knew what they were doing when they created the Electorial college but had no clue that 225+ years that the face of election has dramatically changed because of the advance technologies not only to spread the news but to manipulate the vote.

It's time for election reform and moving to a system where if no voter gets 50% then there is a runoff of the top 2. At least that system might give 3rd parties a chance to get elected AND they won't be villified for being spoilers

[smoogatz]

106. Only a moron would vote Green in ANY closely contested congressional race.

Seriously. You'd have to be brain-dead.

[w4rma]

108. This is why I'll never support any Green Party candidate anywhere.

They can run in the Democratic Primary and win there. If they can't win the Democratic Primary then they are just dead weight in the general.

[MrBenchley]

109. A big A-men...

Fuck the Greens!

[LincolnMcGrath]

110. GREEN DEVIL! The Green Devil is coming RUN!

[OzarkDem]

116. No, just Green idiots and whores

They're too dumb to be evil.

[gully]

126. LOL

:rofl:

[LincolnMcGrath]

137. Too dumb to be evil?

Dumb is blaming the 2004 loss on 1/3 of 1 percent of the electorate.

If you insist on being angry with someone, start with the handlers who lost to the biggest idiot to ever draw a breath, twice.

We may never see all of the OTHER votes as low as they were in 00 and 04.

2004:
Ralph Nader Peter Camejo Independent 463,655 0.38%

Michael Badnarik Richard Campagna Libertarian 397,265 0.32%

Other (+) - - 363,579 0.30%

[OzarkDem]

145. Take it to the Green Party Underground web site

This is the Democratic Underground. No one here is required to nor should be expected to support Green Candidates. You have a party of your own for that purpose.

And when you start taking money from Republicans in order to work against Democrats - then you have no place here.

[LincolnMcGrath]

174. Learn to read. It's fundamental.

[LynneSin]

150. I'll give you 2004, you are right there

2000, don't get me started

[citizen snips]

111. the greens are pathetic

to run a campaign on republican money is low.

[UrbScotty]

112. Amen. the Green party is an offshoot of the Republican Party.

If not for the Green Party, we wouldn't be in this mess, because Al Gore would be President!

[WildEyedLiberal]

113. Totally agree.

Fuck the Greens and their GOP Trojan Horse tactics. Fuck Ralph Nader for giving us Bush and taking money from the SWIFT LIARS in 2004. Yes, I know he wasn't the Green candidate in 2004, but this story from PA shows clearly that the Greens don't mind taking dirty money from the GOP's stooges either. Fuck them and their fake self-righteousness.

[Union Label]

117. While I like a lot of what the Greens say

All it does is drain off votes and money for Democrats.

[dajoki]

118. I read about this before...

but didn't realize they were so close to making it work. these dirty bastards will do anything to steal an election. they can all go fuck themselves!!

[TheFarseer]

119. What kind of Green has values

that don't want to get Rick Santorum booted?! This is the guy that wants his women barefoot and pregnant, and wanted to privatize severe weather warnings because only subscribers should know if a tornado is coming. I'm sure he just loves the environment. He probably thinks that trees and homosexuals are causing global warming and smog clouds blocking out the sun is the only thing that can save us.

[rep the dems]

120. WOW!

You just summed up everything that makes me hate Green Party candidates and everything I try to say to people who support them. Democrats should be saying exactly what you are (except maybe without the whole "Fuck you, you worthless pieces of crap") otherwise we will continue to lower our chances in races that we should be winning easily.

[LynneSin]

123. I was really really angry this morning

I think all those years here at DU with the Greens extolling how virtious they are and snubbing democrats as nothing more that corporate whores and republican-like. And I tried to listen to their reasons as to why they were not to blame for what happened in Florida.

But that ended all this morning. I've spent 6 years curbing in all those "Fuck yous" but the dam broke and they all just came rolling out of me.

And now I found a clip in the Philly Inqy that says there may have been campaign contribution laws violated with the money given to Romanelli. I hope that gets explored AND exposed.

Greens get what the deserve with this one!

[rep the dems]

161. Amen to that.

[NoPasaran]

121. I have no use whatsoever for the Green Party

Whiny suicidal treehuggers can kiss my ass!

[OzarkDem]

149. Political narcissists

They think anyone who doesn't support every last one of their issues is their enemy. They know nothing about collaboration.

[FredScuttle]

122. A-fucking-men

the G(reen)OP party can kiss my ass...TWO TIMES!

[IronLionZion]

130. How progressive could he really be?

If he allows himself to be manipulated and used by the GOP to help the most radical right wing lunatic in the US Senate?


I wouldn't bash all green party supporters though, just the ones who help Sick Rick. Most tend to run for local elections and sometimes win, especially in Reading. I think Casey has enough broad-based support to win anyway. It's an important factor to think about, but I wouldn't be worried.

[LynneSin]

133. Most Greens give me the "We have the right to be on the ballot" bull

I had one admit Green finally come out and say that he would never vote on this guy based on the fact that he's running thanks to Republican support.

HE GETS IT

The rest of the Greens - dumbasses!

[Kolesar]

139. In Ohio, Greens are on the ticket so they have standing in lawsuits...

...when the inevitable RW electoral fraud happens.

[LynneSin]

141. Hopefully this time around the dems will have a spine

After the Rolling STones article it couldn't be even more freaking obvious

[OzarkDem]

146. Ohio Dems are doing ok in that Dept

at this point, I'm not interested in Green's help, particularly if they end up doing more harm than good.

[Bretttido]

140. Preach on my friend! K & R

:thumbsup:

[Greyhound]

144. Here's a radical suggestion. Why don't the Democrats take the

Greens issue away from them. Most of those you are whining about would happily vote for a Democratic candidate, if that candidate would address the issues that the Green Party is pushing. So why isn't he? Afraid that offering a real choice, a real alternative?

[LynneSin]

147. The Lamont Lieberman primary got me thinking just that

Why not invade the democratic party and fight to move it to the left

[OzarkDem]

148. So Santorum understands Green issues better than Dems?

Okay, I see your point. But if your values are closer to Rick Santorum's than they are to the Dem Party's, well don't be surprised if you're not getting Dem support.

[Greyhound]

153. That's not what I said at all, and I suspect you know it.

the re:puke: has nothing to do with it. This election is entirely the Democrat's to win or to lose, the re:puke: positions are anathema to the majority of people. The only reason people might vote Green is that they feel it is a real alternative, so all the Democratic candidate has to do is address their issues.

Trying to blame the Greens, or anybody else, for the failures of the Democratic Party is, at best, a waste of time. Offer a real alternative, or go on losing, simple as that.

[LynneSin]

154. It's not quite about that in this situation

I really really really am trying to hold on to that little voice in me that use to say "But we need 3rd parties like the Green to give us choice" in light of this scandal.

But this is clearly is a scandal especially knowing that they used JSM inc to gather the signatures, which btw, has a history of signature gathering corruption (big lawsuit over in Ohio with JSM and the Nadar 2004 group).

So to me, here is this Green Party, a group I've tried to peacefully co-exist here on a democratic website, that has constantly told me they were the political high-road by voting for the candidate that best represents their values and how they are devoid of the fraud & corruption found in the other 2 major parties (which sometimes they couldn't tell the difference between).

And the thing is this - I BOUGHT INTO THAT EXPLANATION and I just figured perhaps I was some type of bandwagon democrat fan that felt it was important to jump on the winning team but sacrifice a few issues than to support a team that loses over and over and over again. And I wrestled with that concept; even considered voting for a Green here in Delaware just to prove that I could vote for the issues and not the party.

But even though others hinted at a Republican/Green collaboration I just took it as sour grapes for what happened in 2000.

So the whole Santorum/Green party basically blew out of the water all this rhetoric spewed forth by the Green party folks here at DU. Because I could not believe that the Green would willing accept money from anything they felt was corrupt, which includes not only corporations but anything related to the Republican or Democratic party. But this Carl Romanelli, and perhaps other Green candidates now, tossed away this Green Politically Moral High Road ideology and figured "Hey, Santorum people are willing to pay for it then so be it". Reading about this just brought out a sense of outrage to what I once believed was a corrupt-free party.

So I guess ultimately I keep hoping that someone from the Green Party announces that they feel as disgusted by this collaboration as many of us democrats her at DU feel.

We shall see.

[Greyhound]

162. Well, I'm registered Democratic and I don't live in PA, so I am

sure there is much I don't hear about in that race, and after working in PA for several months on three projects, I have to say I don't really care.

But, do you feel the same way when a Democratic candidate takes contributions from arms manufacturers, or out-sourcing companies, or insurance companies or... ?

[LynneSin]

164. Again, that's to run a campaign not getting on the ballot

First off, I'm a straight democratic voter and second, I have said multiple times that what we were questioning here was the fact that the Green Party is allowing the republican party to use them to get on a ballot they wouldn't have gotten on without outside help.

You want to start a thread about campaign contributions I'll be happy to help chime in my 2 cents.

But I know my party has corruption so I don't go around trying to claim otherwise. However, the Green party, especially posters here at DU HAVE claimed that the Greens are somehow above corruption - this is proof that clearly they are not!

[Greyhound]

165. Clearly, no argument here.

I, OTOH, do believe that corruption is wrong, no matter the scale, and refuse to advocate any campaign that is rooted in corruption, thus I'm not motivated to do anything for any of them other than to vote.

Politics is corrupt because we allow it and even encourage it. We will get what we deserve.

[OzarkDem]

160. Greens took the money from the GOP

that says it all right there.

Dems will do fine, Greens don't make any difference, one way or the other. I suspect they've lost what little credibility they may have had in PA by now. And they wonder why they can't get on the ballot.

[Greyhound]

163. So? Clinton takes money from Tata, will withhold support from her?

Are you saying that only the Democrats can take money from their political adversaries and still legislate according to their philosophy?

[OzarkDem]

171. Greens took money to help the GOP defeat a Dem in an election

that's a very different matter. A very nasty and destructive quid pro quo.

Sorry, I belong to the Democratic Party, not the Green Party. Parse it any way you want - you've lost your crediblity with Dems.

[Greyhound]

176. Ha ha ha, like they've listened to the likes of us...

:rofl:

[depakid]

152. Poor little right wing Democrats

They want so badly to act like Republicans and never be held accountable or face any opposition as they sell us out on the policy level.

[LynneSin]

155. So instead it's ok that the GREEN party sells out instead

:shrug:

I'm not sure how I see the difference nor is the democrat I believe you're calling "right-wing" that conservative. Perhaps you should read up on his issues outside of the choice area!

[depakid]

156. Not saying I support the Greens taking the money

but I will note that plenty of Dems take money from far right sources, too.

The situation would be different, I think in case like the Minnesota election of 2002- where the Greens ran a candidate against Wellstone.

THAT was craven....

But where the Dems line up behind anti-choice candidates- especially now, when reproductive freeedom is under assualt- or get behind pro-war corporatists, it's to be expected that there will be opposition on the left....

[LynneSin]

157. You really need to look beyond the choice issue

Because the 'anti-choice' label you give Casey is a far cry from what Rick Santorum is. Not that I agree with Casey, but he is not as harsh as you seem to think. Yes, he is against the act of Abortion (except cases of rape/incest/life-threatening). He does believe in funding family planning, birth control, EC AND an extensive sex eduction program that includes more than just "Don't have sex".

Also, the difference between Casey and Santorum is the fact that Casey does believe in more than just protecting the fetus. Casey and his father were some of the strongest supporters of Unions and working class people in Pennsylvania. He is strong with the environment and education.

If we focus just on the act of abortion then we become no better than the otherside - a one-issue repeating mantra. We should all work together to improve the quality of life, the chance for the American Dream and utilize the tools we have to REDUCE the number of Abortions because let's face it - Abortion should NEVER be used as a form of birth control. (and trust me, I have known girls like that).

[depakid]

169. It's not so much what I look at

It's what progressives who care about choice look at. Run an anti-choice candidate, and people will look for an alternative- irrespective of other issues or the lesser of two evils analysis. The candidate is open to a challenge from the left- and someone may well be the vaccum.

Policy Sci 101.

It happens on the right side of the aisle with certain issues, too.

And to be perfectly honest- I hope it happens a whole lot more, because I think that the only way the Dems will ever regain the majority- or even substantial relevancy in terms of policy making, is to stop enabling and legitimizing Republican positions.

As long as the Dems ape Republicans- they reinforce their reputation for being spineless and ineffectual- as a party- and they'll keep on losing.

It's 6 straight congressional elections at this point. And given the behavior of the party leadership this year- the persistent rolling over (looks like even Bolton's going to get a pass) I'm not at all optimistic about November.

I wish I were, but I've seen this pattern too many times.

[OzarkDem]

158. Not worth responding to

Anyone who thinks Dems are right wing, while taking money from the GOP doesn't know enough about public policy to debate intelligently.

That's why Greens' don't get support from voters, they're both ignorant and arrogant.

[depakid]

168. Then why did you bother to respond?

And how many instances would you like me to cite of right wing Democrats taking money from Republican sources?

AND crossing over to votie with Republicans in support various elements of their far right agenda

I think someone on this thread is very naive- or very conservative- or very unsophisticated- or maybe all three.

Either that or in denial.

[OzarkDem]

172. Please do

Name one time the Dem Party or a Dem leader has taken money from the GOP to help a GOP candidate defeat a Democratic one in an election.

[depakid]

175. That's ridiculous "logic"

Try rephrasing the question to where it makes sense- and I'll easily post examples of where Dem candidates have taken money from groups that support Republicans and their agenda-

Further- note that in many of these instances- you'll see the far tight enabler taking this money in order to defeat a candidate in a primary that actually espouses traditional Democratic values.

[OzarkDem]

180. Its the current scenario, period

Live with it. Your party isn't a party at all, its just a sock puppet for the GOP.

[LynneSin]

159. Yes but this topic is NOT about how the campaign is financed

This is about how the candidate got on the ballot in the first place, which if the REpublicans hadn't intervened then the Green Party would not have been on the ballot

[OzarkDem]

173. They know that, but won't admit it

the same small minded arrogance that allows them to justify helping the GOP defeat a Dem candidate allows them to blame the victim.

They're not making an argument, because they have no means to justify their actions. They're just being dishonest.

[GoneOffShore]

167. Just emailed Romanelli

Found his email address on the PA Green Party web site here http://www.romanelli2006.com/node/4

Dear Mr. Romanelli:

I guess you just got bought by those Republicans who so desperately want Rick Santorum back in the Senate. If you had a speck of honor or decency you would give the money back and withdraw from the Senate race in Pennsylvania. I suspect that you, like Ralph Nader, are just too focused on your own righteousness to ever consider that what might be the best thing to do just doesn't measure up to your ideals.

We don't need a Green Party Senator from PA, we need a Democratic Senator.

But I guess you're going to stand on 'principle' and siphon voters off of Bob Casey. Pathetic.

Yours in disgust,

s*** W******

[LynneSin]

170. Sweet! And you're from Philly too

not sure if my complaint from Delaware would hold much water; however, as someone who has lived most of her life in PA it does affect me!

[WestSeattle2]

177. PA Dems need to start funding Libertarian candidates....n/t

[GoneOffShore]

178. I think I'll stick with the Dems

thank you.

Libertarians appeal to me about as much as the Repugs. I'm more of a Social Democrat - I think that government should fix the roads, collect the trash, protect the populace and provide for the poor. And the only way to do that is to collect taxes.

[WestSeattle2]

179. A libertarian candidate would no more win than a Greenie..

they would just split the Repug vote....Democratic funding a libbie would offset repug funding of a greenie......Both majors would lose a few thousand to their respective lesser party competition, but would remain basically equal.

All things being equal, Dems win.

[OzarkDem]

181. Not a bad idea

isn't that the party where all the disenchanted GOP'ers are heading these days?

Where's Pat Buchanan and Ross Perot when you need them?