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GGniner · 11-04-2009 04:39 PM

Who can blame them: http://texasgop.org/news.asp?artid=85

as many as 50-70 are reportedly about to change from D to R in Texas to CYA after last night. 03-nutkick

DrTorch · 11-04-2009 04:51 PM

Is that necessarily a good thing?

More RINOs?

I never completely understood this changing party thing.

Claw · 11-04-2009 04:51 PM

I may have to move to Texas.

~~claytonbigsby~~ · 11-04-2009 05:14 PM

I think that's crap. You run as a democrat then switch parties to CYA? That's pretty low class. I'm sure I would trust them.

GGniner · 11-04-2009 05:15 PM

http://libertarianrepublican.blogspot.co...ocrat.html

Quote:Commented Preston on the main reason for the Switching: Today's election results with Republicans on the verge of a blow-out and the fact that "Obama's name is becomming poison here in Texas."

If you aren't a real marxist, this is a logical response. abandon ship

smn1256 · 11-04-2009 09:55 PM

(11-04-2009 05:14 PM)claytonbigsby Wrote: I think that's crap. You run as a democrat then switch parties to CYA? That's pretty low class. I'm sure I would trust them.

I think it's crap, too. And how do these guys think they'll get re-elected? Besides, it not what you call yourelf, it's how you vote.

11-04-2009 09:58 PM

(11-04-2009 05:14 PM)claytonbigsby Wrote: I think that's crap. You run as a democrat then switch parties to CYA? That's pretty low class. I'm sure I would trust them.

I happen to agree with this as well. If you want to change parties, fine. Hold a special election and you pay for it.

SumOfAllFears · 11-05-2009 06:39 AM

They are leaving because the New Democratic Party has become a party of Obama radicals. Make that Socialists, Communists and Fascists.

Code:

Nov 4, 2009

Catch the Wave! MORE Texas Dems Switch to GOP *UPDATED*

Texas Democrats Set to Switch to Republican All Over the State (Updated) 

Austin - The Republican Party of Texas is pleased to welcome several Democratic officeholders who switched parties today and became Republicans.  Today in Hardin County, seven Democrats announced that they are switching parties to become Republicans.  The new Republicans include Sheriff Ed Cain, County Judge Billy Caraway and Precinct 4 Commissioner Bobby Franklin.  And at noon Tuesday in Palo Pinto County, Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Bobby Hart switched his party affiliation and became a Republican.  Three other Palo Pinto County Democratic officeholders indicated a strong interest in switching parties.  The Republican Party of Texas has been working to build Republican strength at the local level, by working with county parties, recruiting candidates for the GOP primary and by recruiting conservative Democrats to switch parties.

“The wave of Republican strength continues to build,” said Republican Party of Texas Chairman Cathie Adams. “Americans are simply fed up with the Washington Democrats’ failing leftwing policies and government power grabs.  The elections in Virginia and New Jersey Tuesday prove that Republicans are gaining momentum as the voters tell Democrats 'Enough is enough!.'  We welcome these newly minted Republicans and anyone else who will stand with us for more freedom, lower taxes and smaller government.”

There are more party switches to come, as more conservative Texas Democrats make the choice to become Republicans. Dozens of Democrats across Texas are known to be considering switching or are already in the process of doing so.  There is no similar movement of Republican officeholders leaving the Party. 

UPDATE: The full list of new Republicans includes:

County Judge Billy Caraway

Sheriff Ed Cain

County Attorney Rebecca Walton

Commissioner Bobby Franklin

Justice of the Peace Butch Cummings

Justice of the Peace Kent Walker

Constable Wayne McDaniel

One of them was quoted at today's event: "I didn't leave the Democratic Party.  The Democratic Party left me."

Owl 69/70/75 · Owl 69/70/75

(11-04-2009 05:14 PM)claytonbigsby Wrote: I think that's crap. You run as a democrat then switch parties to CYA? That's pretty low class. I'm sure I would trust them.

I've never understood this.
Maybe it's because I have no party loyalty (I pretty much hate them all at this point).
But I just don't see what difference it makes.

I45owl · 11-05-2009 01:24 PM

(11-04-2009 09:55 PM)smn1256 Wrote:
(11-04-2009 05:14 PM)claytonbigsby Wrote: I think that's crap. You run as a democrat then switch parties to CYA? That's pretty low class. I'm sure I would trust them.

I think it's crap, too. And how do these guys think they'll get re-elected? Besides, it not what you call yourelf, it's how you vote.

It worked for Phil Graham (who I never trusted after his party switch - I didn't know much about him before then, though). The Democrats forced Graham's hand back in 1984 or so, so I guess this is somewhat different. And, changing what he called himself did change how he voted in congress, so it does matter.

Typically, there is a fairly large proportion of votes that are determined by the party whips, etc, compared to votes that are done to represent the district or that are done on principle. IMHO, that is doubly so for the kind of politicians that switch parties on someone's whim.

~~claytonbigsby~~ · 11-05-2009 01:31 PM

Richard Shelby and Arlen Spector did it too. Lieberman at least ran as an independent, but he's a weisel for trying to be the Democratic(2000) and Republican(2008) VP nominee.

BlazerFan11 · 11-05-2009 02:07 PM

(11-04-2009 09:55 PM)smn1256 Wrote:
(11-04-2009 05:14 PM)claytonbigsby Wrote: I think that's crap. You run as a democrat then switch parties to CYA? That's pretty low class. I'm sure I would trust them.

I think it's crap, too. And how do these guys think they'll get re-elected? Besides, it not what you call yourelf, it's how you vote.

Unfortunately, that isn't true for much of the mindless masses.

Owl 69/70/75 · Owl 69/70/75

(11-05-2009 01:24 PM)I45owl Wrote: It worked for Phil Graham (who I never trusted after his party switch - I didn't know much about him before then, though). The Democrats forced Graham's hand back in 1984 or so, so I guess this is somewhat different. And, changing what he called himself did change how he voted in congress, so it does matter.

Are you aware of significant votes where he voted in a manner after the switch that was inconsistent with how he voted before the switch? I'm not, your post would imply that you are, and I'd be interested in knowing about them.

I45owl · 11-05-2009 02:44 PM

(11-05-2009 02:22 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:
(11-05-2009 01:24 PM)I45owl Wrote: It worked for Phil Graham (who I never trusted after his party switch - I didn't know much about him before then, though). The Democrats forced Graham's hand back in 1984 or so, so I guess this is somewhat different. And, changing what he called himself did change how he voted in congress, so it does matter.

Are you aware of significant votes where he voted in a manner after the switch that was inconsistent with how he voted before the switch? I'm not, your post would imply that you are, and I'd be interested in knowing about them.

I can't cite anything out of his voting record, so I'm just posting on my perception. Looking at wikipedia, it seems I forgot that he resigned his seat in 1983 and won as a Republican in a special election (he only spent 6 years in the House, 4 as a Democrat, 2 as a Republican).

I didn't assert that significant votes changed, either - those are not the ones controlled by party whips. I would assert - without being able to back it up - that there were a number of insignificant votes that changed. But, insignificant votes are the stock and trade of Washington, and that's the death of 1000 cuts that bleeds our country dry.

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