U.S. Senator Arlen Specter

Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania announced he was leaving the republican party to become a democrat.  He was candid in his reasons why he was leaving the republic party.  He said he was not prepared to have his 29 year record with the U.S. Senate decided by the jury of the Pennsylvania republican primary electorate.  Specter also said the republican party had moved far to the right.  Specter's republican colleges were not happy with the move and were not so kind about his decision to change.

 

There was immediate talk by people in the news media that Specter would give the democratic party the 60 votes in the Senate needed to shut down debate.  That seems to be premature since no one knows how Specter will vote as a democrat.  However, between now and his reelection bid he will have an opportunity to develop a record as a democrat and the people will be able to judge just who is Specter the man.  Is he the man who cares only about his reelection or will his voting record reflect progress for the country and its people.

 

The present time should  be a defining time for the American people because of all the serious problems the country and its people are facing.  There are a lot of votes coming up in congress on many of those issues and the people will be able to see how our elected officials vote.  We the voters have to take note and see if elected officials vote for progress or vote to retain the status quo.  That is the bottom line regardless of party affiliation.  Time will tell.

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu

Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu announced on 4/27/09 she was supporting the retention of Jim Letten as U.S. attorney for Louisiana's Eastern District.  Jim Letten, a republican was appointed by President George W. Bush.

 

Senator Landrieu's decision was a good one and showed her courage and class.  It was in sharp contrast to the firing of 7 U.S. Attorneys by former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, which was done for partisan reasons that have come out in hearings before congress.  Louisiana's junior U.S. Senator, David Vitter had pledged to fight the nomination of anyone but Letten.  This is the same David Vitter who finished second on a list of the least by partisan republicans according to a survey by the Capitol Hill Newspaper, "The Hill" reported in the Times Picayune of 4/26/09.

 

Senator Landrieu noted in her recommendation of Mr. Letten that President Obama said that he wanted to reach across the aisle and build bridges and middle ground.  This recommendation does that.  The people of Louisiana can be proud of Senator Landrieu's actions.  It is just one more example that separates the democratic party from the republican party.

A Fiscal Responsible Government

I have written many times in past commentaries concerning the federal budget deficits and debt that has been the republican trade mart of the last 3 republican Presidents and how their ideology of trickle down economics has failed.  Those commentaries were made long before the economy crashed, the wall street financial collapse and the massive job losses that have occurred over the past 15 months.

 

It was pointed out in those commentaries how the republican ideology and a lack of a true fiscal and economic policy failed to create a sustained economy and a sustained job creation for the American people.  The country and its people are now living through the carnage and the government has embarked on a massive stimulus plan to turn things around.  I also spoke about the greed of corporate America and how innovation has been lost in America, especially in the automotive industry.  It should be noted no other form of news media were talking about those issues at that very early time. 

 

Now, the news media is paying a considerable amount of attention to all of those issues.  President Obama"s commitment to put the U.S. on track again to balance the federal budget and have a sound fiscal policy has gotten little attention in the news media however, which is very unfortunate. 

 

The President has already started the ball rolling to put the country back on a sound fiscal policy.  He has already ordered his cabinet to identify programs that are outdated or not working and in his radio address to the nation on 4/26/09 called on congress to pass "pay as you go" legislation to deal with the budget problem.  He also said, government must act the same way any responsible family does in setting its budget.  The President's initiative to stabilize the economy will result in larger federal budgets for awhile.  That has been compounded by record deficit spending by the Bush administration for eight straight years.

 

The Presidents desire to return the government to fiscal discipline should be given that chance and the American people should make it be known they too want their government to be fiscally sound and balance the federal budget.  No one really knows how much money the federal government waste each year but if our leaders really want to do the right thing, I believe the government could afford those things that really matter to our country and its ;people without creating more debt.  The Presidents leadership in this will make a difference.