Reply #19: Thank you per the post, save the insult [View All]

of "you firebreathers" - that is.

Given the safeness of his seat, and regardless that I am not a fan, I have been trying to get an angle on where he is coming from - esp given that his is a safe seat, and given that the war is increasingly unpopular - so on the surface it doesn't seem to be necessary per the election.

You give good context per the other statewide race, and the location of defense related industries. It isn't just his support for the war, but the rather strong rhetoric per dissent that made me scratch my head. I really don't buy this is just a "he wants to be sec of defense" thing... I can not see him serving in the bush admin - given his opposition to them on so many issues, just as I find the idea that he would jump parties laughable (for the very issues that you cite above per appealing to the general electorate in Connecticut.) {For the record: I also think that as much as I respected Weicker in the senate when I worked on the Hill, that his chances of running against Lieberman and winning are nil - due to his taxation policies (regardless of the wisdom behind them) when he was governor. Unlike you, I do think were Weickekr to be in the senate that he would caucus with the dems, ala Jeffords, so there wouldn't be a net loss. However, that is a moot point, as he wouldn't win. }

We are in agreement in desiring taking control of the senate, and were that too happen that the margin would be exceptionally small. However unless the republican attack/money/power machine were seen as broken, I don't know that reaches across the aisle would do much... for example the Sens from Maine objected loudly to the cutting of heating support to lower income families - but in the end voted along with the leadership - as has increasingly been the case. Then again, perhaps being in a minority (even if just a slight minority) might embolden a few of these moderates to vote in opposition to the bullying of their party's leadership :shrug: (We can always hope.)