2004 will go down as the year of the Great Leap Forward for the Democrats

[rabid_nerd]

Or - "WHY SANTORUM IS VULNERABLE"

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/10140677.htm

...snip...

"Kerry's was the largest margin received by a Democratic presidential candidate in these counties since Lyndon Johnson murderlized Barry Goldwater there in 1964 (on his way to winning the state by 1.4 million votes)."

...snip...

"They out-registered the Republicans and then out-voted them. They picked up more state legislative seats in Montgomery County, and easily held onto the congressional seat that straddles Philly and Montco. They came close to toppling other Republican incumbents.

Hail, Rendellphia

The city and the four suburban counties are combining to create a supermajority for favored Democrats - the kind of insurmountable lead Kerry enjoyed this year.

What to call this new five-county Democratic area? One wag has already come up with a name for it: Rendellphia."

...snip...


"Consider Rick Santorum, our baby-faced Republican U.S. senator from Pittsburgh. He's up for reelection in 2006, too. The question is: How will his hard-right, conservative philosophy fly with voters in the burbs? My bet is not well at all.

If Rendellphia produces a supermajority for his Democratic opponent, Santorum could end up a red candidate in a blue state.

Add it up and what have you got? One of them paradigm shifts.

In Pennsylvania, the future may depend on which candidate can win Rendellphia."

[LamedVov]

1. Still Feeling Burned

I'm still feeling a little too bummed about last week to take out the bubbly about our progress in Philly. But still good news.

[rabid_nerd]

2. My mantra is

Pennsylvania Democrats did their job...

[Patiod]

3. My mantra as well

I did my part.

My big worry is that the Catholic Church will mobilize big-time to support the evil Santorum, but the anti-Santorum folks may stay home in droves.

[meow2u3]

4. We can launce a pre-emptive political strike now

by asserting that Santorum is a cult member of Opus Dei, and not a real Catholic. He couldn't care less about lifting the downtrodden or how many people already born are killed; he thinks we should kill'em all and let God sort them out.
Opus Dei members don't really worship God; they worship the founder of OD, Jose Maria Escriva.

[Patiod]

5. Ugh, I have a cousin who is Opus Dei

Worked for Ken Starr.

It would be one thing if they were just perverse, but it's another thing that they are blatently out to position their members in the highest places in government.

[Cheswick2.0]

8. I hate to tell you this

but most catholics no longer care about the poor either. Those that do are already voting Democratic. The rest care about abortion and homosexuality, that is all. The new catholic church is the church of "Your sin is bigger than mine".

[Joy Anne]

9. Opus Dei

Is Santorum really in it? I'm also gathering anti-Santorum ammunition.

[meow2u3]

10. Why the hell should it matter?

Make him deny it--that's what they do to us. Turnabout's fair play.

[IrishDemocrat]

6. I'm worried about the Catholic Church's overt support...

as well. I'm another recently defected Roman Catholic myself. God help me I will be on the campaign team of whoever his opponent is in 2006. You are not alone buddy, I think he is an asshole as well.

[newyawker99]

7. Hi LamedVov!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[PittPoliSci]

11. making gains in the Philly area...

getting annhilated in westmoreland county. we need to do something about the fucking tribune review, it's KILLING westmoreland county democrats. see allen kukovich and bob regola.

[IrishDemocrat]

12. What's going on out in Western PA ?

You guys out there lost quite a few counties from 2000. I remember even during the dark time when Massachusetts was voting Reagan you guys were pumping it out for the Dems. Wow, Montgomery County on the other hand was a Reagan stronghold in the 1980s that voted for Kerry 55%. Are "moral" issues really striking a chord out there?

[PittPoliSci]

13. Richard Mellon Scaife.

His vile publication, the Tribune Review, is nothing more than straight Republican propaganda. The Republicans in Westmoreland county are more than willing to undertake the most vile smear campaigns that are based on total lies. We need to get rid of that newspaper, and fast, so that we can start winning again.

[demodonkey]

14. If you aren't from Westmoreland, Look... this is how Scaife operates....

Our Dem State Senator Allen Kukovich was one of the most decent, effective members of the Pennsylvania Legislature, ever. In case you never heard of him, among many things he did, he was the one who worked out PA's CHIP program to get healthcare for uninsured kids (which later became the blueprint for the Federal program). That was the kind of thing Allen Kukovich stood for.

Well this year, after the GOP waged one of the most filthy dirty State Senate campaigns in Pennsylvania history here in Westmoreland County, the kicker came when Scaife's Tribune-Review SUED Allen Kukovich on the Friday before the election.

The ridiculous suit was thrown out Election Day morning, but it was hanging out there all weekend and the Re-thugs (and yes, they ARE "thugs" behaving like this), milked it for EVERY drop. The night before the election, there were even two hand-painted bedsheets hanging out the windows of GOP headquarters on Main Street Greensburg (county seat), sprayed with crap like "Kukovich liar, Trib sues!" It was beyond ANY semblance of decency.

The sad thing is that apparently a lot of people BELIEVED this crap and voted against Allen, people who should have known better; people who benefited greatly from Allen Kukovich's work over the years. Well, I hope they now enjoy the term of their new local political whore Bob Regola, and his pimp Richard Scaife. http://www.PAvotersfortruth.com (especially see the Links page)

But this smear campaign came not ONLY from Westmoreland Co GOP, NOOOOOO! This campaign was orchestrated by the STATE GOP COMMITTEE; every piece of junk mail attacking Allen Kukovich that arrived at my house came from State St. in Harrisburg! And then there was Scaife's -- "The Trib's" -- little "contribution".

I never voted straight tickets, BUT have voted for my LAST Republican candidate for the foreseeable future. And our family has bought our last copy of "The Trib" -- EVER. We only ever bought it for the obits anyway. I always preferred the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, at least they REPORT news, not try to MAKE it.

Ye in other parts of the State -- beware Scaife and all the tainted media outlets he owns!

[IrishDemocrat]

15. We have our dog shit GOP here as well

Here are a few notables locally where I'm from:

House Speaker John Perzel (PA-172)- Almost lost in 2000. Scared to death of loss so he gerryamdnered the seat into more conservative territory. Despite teh fact he was going to win anyway, he painted his Democratic opponent in 2004, Tim Kearney, a Communist. He handed out campaign lit with Kearney's cpiture next to Stalin and Lenin. That's not all. He is using the ineptitude of John Street to his advantage. He already has control of the Philadelphia Parking Authority and gives patronage jobs to GOP members locally. A PPA employee was called at home by someone asking for $100 a plate for a GOP fundraiser. He refused and was told if he didn't contribute, he was going to get fired. Perzel denies this, but this sounds fishy.

Perzel's Top Lackey George Kenney (PA-170)- Had a very good challenge from Notre Dame/Harvard educated, fresh faced 27 year old Brendan Boyle. Kenney, a glorified lackey to John Perzel of course got scared. Kenney and other GOP notables tried to bring up false and ridiculous charges against Boyle, his brother and his fiancee. Of course he had a 10-1 spending advantage to utterly destroy Boyle and handed out stupid fliers and needed taxpayer funded "public service announcements" to beat him 58-42.

The two above unfortunately are 20+ year incumbents and have neighborhood rappeours. Tough to knock off and won handily despite Kerry doing well here.

Ann Coulter's Evil Twin Dr. Melissa Brown (PA-13 GOP Congressional Candiate)- Tried to use racially divisive tactics by scaring mostly white voters in Northeast Philadelphia over Section 8 housing. In 2002, she told us in mailings that Joe Hoeffel was endorsed by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. She also said that if Hoeffel were elected, Section 8 would run rampant and the entire NE would be ruined. In 2004, she accused Allsyon Schwartz of calling her a slut. She also said that airport screeners should "focus on young Arab-American males."

Fortunately she lost to Allyson Schwartz by 15 points.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. Western PA is socially conservative

Take a look at some of the Represetnative in Congress. Phil English and Melissa Hart both represent districts where there are more Democrats than Republicans. Both districts also labor presences. In addition to abortion and gay rights, gun control is a huge factor in the decline of the Democratic party in this area of the state.

[tech3149]

17. Interesting thread

It has covered so many issues, I almost don't know where to begin. I guess I'll respond to the first post by saying that Santorum will probably lose the next election. Why do I think that? He's too closely associated with hard RW Fundamentalist philosophy. He's been a consistent bush* supporter and will go down with the ship or have his supporters turn on him if he tries to protect his job. The more sane wing of the Repub party won't support him if they know how it cuts down their bottom line.

I'm also proud of what we've done to keep PA blue. I would also say that it is not enough. We don't have the freedom to rest on our laurels. There is too much more to be done. We need to be doing everything we can to educate and inform everyone we meet.

When people talk to me about making political decisions based on "moral" issues or present themselves as "social conservatives", I ask how important are those compared to being able to provide food and shelter to your family.

What's gone wrong in W Pa? The same thing that's gone wrong everywhere else in the country. It's the media stupid! (no offense intended) Since high school, I've been contemplating the nature/nurture influence on how people think and live their lives. Those who have lives to live and only have the main stream commercial media to let them know what's happening in the world are the target. They don't have the time or energy to question or investigate the accuracy of what they are told. As citizens/consumers of media outlets, our job is to make them prove everything they present to us.
I may be too old to count anymore, but I think honesty and integrity should be something we should demand from the "media".
As a side note, I think that we should encourage everyone to consider print media to more important than television or radio. Reading requires active involvement, watching or listening is passive.

Hope you all have a good weekend

Jeff