A Lesson For The GOP?

Could be. As I and several others have said before, America is from center-right to right, regardless of how the daily headlines read. And if Republicans, outside of possibly a few notable northeastern states, want to act like Democrats, they'll be treated like it come election day.

Actually, this from Pennsylvania might actually be a sign the Northeast isn't quite the haven for less than moderate to conservative Republicans it's been in the past. The American people are angry, they want accountability and results, not rhetoric from government. And the story of 17 un-elected officials below indicates the people appear to want it, or a pound of flesh, now.

Angry taxpayers on Tuesday tossed out the two Republican Senate leaders who helped engineer last year's legislative pay raise, an issue that apparently cost 15 House members their jobs, too.

Senate President Pro Tempore Robert Jubelirer of Altoona, and Senate Majority Leader David Brightbill of Lebanon County conceded to their challengers, becoming the first lawmakers in major leadership posts to lose a primary election in 42 years. The House defeats would be the most since 1980.

"We have had a dramatic earthquake in Pennsylvania," said Jubelirer, a 32-year legislator.

The defeats of Jubelirer and Brightbill "will send shock waves throughout he political establishment for years to come," said Mike Young, a retired Penn State University political science professor.

Comments

[IMHERE]

Hurray for the voters of PA, they are my heros.

BTW how many taxpayers got raises of the likes of the legaslators?

[jeff]

Why do you see this as a repudiation of centrist republicans rather than a disgust with ALL republican?

[Dan]

Why do you see this as a repudiation of centrist republicans rather than a disgust with ALL republican?

It has nothing to do with either, it has to do with the salary increase, which translates to accountability. In the case above the Republicans were in control so they are paying the price.

[Bern]

Not exactly sure where you get the idea that America is right-leaning. When it's broken down issue by issue, Americans tend to lean to the left. Your side has just done a better job of demonizing liberals so that fewer people are willing to label themselves as such - even though their overall views remain consistent.
Now that your side has shown how inept and corrupt it is, the name-calling just won't cut it anymore. As your boy Dubya said, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice . . . we won't get fooled again."

[Gordon]

As a PA voter, I love my state and the importance of this gesture. The pay-raise voting was a 2:30 am boondoggle and they got their due.

Here is what doesn't jibe though. Santorum, our truly conservative Senator is in the fight for his life. Spector, on the other hand, a lovable RINO sits very pretty.

Spector doesn't rate high on the Porkbusters lists and he voted against the "secure the borders first" resolution from last night.

So... Oh I don't know. Whatever. I will actually put my money where my mouth is and write to Spector's office this weekend. That ought to show him.

[John Perrin]

Do make sure when you write to the Senator to spell his name correctly. It's just basic politeness.

[Gordon]

Thanks for the correction. But you are mistaken. I am writing to my senator, the Honorable Phil Spector.

[tommo]

You are living in the Riehl world when you should be in the real world. Statistics show the nation is over 50% liberal.

You all have had your chance. After six years there is not ONE THING the WH or Congress has done that has been good for this nation as a whole. Good for corporate cronies and lining the pockets of legistators, yes. Good fot the country, only damage.

The corrupt and incompetents in the WH should be in prison, perhaps executed for the treasons they have done to us.

[Rick]

Partisans crack me up. Especially liberals on one end and biblt thumpers on the other. So the republicans are more corrupt than the dems? Geeze, buy a freakin' history book would you.... Then one might expect followers of klan klegals and the drowners of women to be a wee bit confused. Tis also amazing how in just a very few years GW has ruined all the wonderful things the dems gave us over 40 years. Our sterling education system from which graduates cannot name the countries on our borders. Welfare is a great one too. Generations of people kept uneducated,poor and dependent on handouts. And those damned republicans have yet to trap a bunch of children in a shack and set it afire like Waco. But be happy libs, we are still killing half a million unborns every year so you dont have to face responsibility for your actions.

[zoe kentucky]

As I and several others have said before, America is from center-right to right, regardless of how the daily headlines read.

You can say it but that doesn't make it true. The fact is that the moderate center doesn't sit still for long, it always in flux, and parts of it represent core GOP values, other parts represent core Democratic values. (If either party truly dominated we wouldn't have 2 parties now would we?)

Frankly neither party is what most Amerians truly are-- moderate, fiscally responsible, compassionate, and with a "live and let live" approach to most private, personal issues. Unfortunately the left-wing and right-wing fringes dominate most of our debates in this country and most of what passes for debate is nothing but shrill, ugly mudfights that accomplish nothing.

I think the one thing most people do agree with, at least in theory, is fiscal responsibility. But NEITHER party can claim to be the party of fiscal responsibility. We basically have 2 parties that cater to different splinter factions, but neither is really rational or consistent. Why? They are both beholden to the same thing-- the marriage of money and power.

[peteathome]

The underlying assumption of the blog, that this was a repudiation of left-of-center Republicans, is ridiculous. Basically, it was a "throw the incumbents out" vote. It affected both parties, with a number of incumbent Democrats losing their primary, too.

If you look at who won the primary, it's hard to make an argument that it was pro right, left, or center.

The vote was triggered by the midnight pay raises, symbolic of a number of issues that were irritating the voters. Now, if you consider fiscal responsiblity, ethics, and openness of government to be right-of-center values, why sure, that's what it reflects. However, as many, if not more, Republicans as Democrats in the Senate would fail these requirements right now.