Could a Congressman Richard Tisei help bring sanity to his party in Washington?
That intriguing possibility is a big part of the moderate Republican’s appeal in his race against the incumbent, John Tierney. That, and Tisei’s dearth of sleazy brothers-in-law.
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Sadly, it will be very easy to ignore a moderate in the current House. He won't be lambasted. He just won't really exist as 1/435th of the debate. Maybe in a few years, if he gets elected/stays...
Lets get real: Obama considered NO party member, Democrat or Republican.
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How far gone from reality is this Boston Globe columnist when she believe the majority party in the house of representatives is insane? She's so far detached from the average American that this probably seems reasonable to Ms. Abraham.
Tisei will win, no doubt, but he's pretty far to the left of the average American.
The only way to bring back moderate Republicans is to defeat the extremists in the Tea Party. In the 2010 election, a lot of big money poured across state lines to influence voters. A lot of atack ads from PACS which convolute the issues rather than inform the people.They were successful in many places, including Scott Brown in MA. (BTW, he is likable and teh Dems were asleep in 2010.) Then, of course, their candidates had to sign the "no new taxes pledge" which means there is no room for "across the aisle" negotiation.
With that, they are able to obstruct government. Some of them talked about that as a goal.
With all that success behind them, more money pours across state lines in 2012 on the assumption that money can elect and then control the candidate. They are not stopping at Congress. They are trying to influence local elections so that they can groom their own candidates. Vote against their ideas and the T party PACs will get you in the next election. That is why anyone taking money from them is "beholden" and can't make a difference when he gets there.That is why so many Republicans have left the party.
When we stand up and say no to T party propaganda, we can go back to an America of moderates. First, we really need to say no. Tisei may be a nice guy but this is just not the right time for him. I hope for the day when the moderate Republicans can come back and their party welcomes them.
Perhaps you can take a few minutes and research the Tea Party platform and tell us where they have gone wrong? Every one of their stated positions deals with fiscal matters yet so many in the media portray the organization as out-of-step on social issues when in fact, they have NO position on social issues.
I agree with jim1751 - this idea that members of the Tea Party are somehow "extermists" is simply a meme developed by liberals to disparage people who believe something really, really crazy - that the government should not spend more money that it recieves in taxes, etc. and that government has over-expanded it's role in regulating the activities of its citizens.
Republican intransigence on a host of issues will fall along a fairly predictable curve. This is more troubling for die-hards than they care to admit. If it were just as simple as giving way on some social issues they would gladly say, "We've grown", because all they really care about is the dirty, filthy money. But they can't because they would lose their ignorant religious base. (Mostly a self-imposed ignorance-so I won't apologize). Tisei is an opportunist and a deluded dreamer at best.
Why is it always "Republican intransigence" when national polling shows the Republican party platform most mirrors a majority of Americans' views? I'm pro-choice yet only 41% of Americans consider 'abortion under any circumstance' acceptable. The same holds true for same-sex marriage and most other social issues when they have been put before the voters to decide. So because my opinion differs from your opinion, what makes you wrong and me right? Isn't that what a democracy is all about, the right to hold and express your opinion and that the majority opinion should prevail in our laws? Why is there always a lack of respect for the opposing view? Lastly, I am an unenrolled voter who votes republican a majority of the time yet I can tell you that my 'dirty, filthy money' that I worked very hard to earn, provides me and my family with a comfortable life however it always finds its way into the coffers of many worthwhile charities to assist those less fortunate in life. When these charities receive my money, is it still 'dirty and filthy' or does it become clean and wholesome?
The old "Republican Obstruction" meme! This is complete nonsense! Obama had a veto-proof majority in congress for two full years when he had free reign to jam through Obamacare, one of the least popular pieces of legislation ever passed. You have Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader, who hasn't passed a Federal Budget in over three years (this is Constitutionally mandated, btw). Plus, it is well-known that Obama has made no effort whatsoever to even work with Democrats in the House or Senate to pass anything.
If history is any guide, 'insanity' is infectious, not moderation.
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'Imagining?' Really? Isn't it wonderful for you to be able to collect a salary for garbage!
Consider the reality of the past 4 years: Obama REFUSED to collaborate with any party member, Democrat or Republican. His partner was Axlerod!!!!! Biden provided comedy relief.
History is a slippery thing but not THAT slippery. Only in the Fox "News" Alternate Universe would any knowledgeable person believe that it was Obama who would not collaborate. The Republican mantra was "What's ours is ours. What's yours is negotiable." In the mail today I got an advertisement saying that Brown is for women...this from a co-sponsor of the Blount Amendment that would have let anyone deny a women equal health coverage. The next one says that Warren is against Seniors from the Party that fought the very idea of social security, medicare and medicaid; programs that protected my mother and father and that now protect my wife and me. The last one says that he is a father and a husband. Bravo. Me too. My wife, my kids and I will vote Democratic and not those who would rewrite history for their own partisan advantage.
Good point, can Abraham give us examples of Democrats she sees as reaching across the aisle? I really dont get this article, is she suggesting people vote for Tierney? And nahantjim; I do not watch Fox news and I totally disagree with you. I really don't get people like nahantjim's fascination with Fox news...Also, women already have equal access to health care as men, looks like you should read up a bit more.
When Tisei is described as a moderate it is because his social views mirror those of John Tierney and moderate Democrats. Certainly he is sensitive to gay issues, which is all to the good. He is pro-choice and might even be against imposing religious restrictions on health care insurers just like a reasonable Democrat. Health care should not be restricted to anyone because of someone else's religious beliefs.
One of the big issues for me is that the Eric Cantor/Paul Ryan wing of the Republican Party have thrown about 4 million dollars into Tisei's campaign. What are they buying? And what is he selling? They are NOT buying his moderate social views that are pretty Democratic in nature. And, whether he likes it or not, he is selling his soul and his vote to the folks that would have cut FEMA by 40%, that would favor air pollution over green energy, that see tax breaks for oil companies and hedge fund managers as essential to the American economy as they deny funds to rebuild infrastructure...and then complain about that government can't fix potholes.
On the social issues Tisei would be sidelined and marginalized by the his buyers. On the fiscal issues he would be disciplined and brought into line. Cantor and Ryan, Mr. Tisei's buyers, brooked no opposition, not even from John Boehner. If they were able to discipline the Speaker of the House, Mr. Tisei's "independent voice" would be sadly laughable.
It could have been different. He could have demonstrated that he was not "for sale" and announced that he was running as heir to the traditions of Elliot Richardson, Ed Brooke, Frank Hatch, John Volpe, Frank Sargent and others. But he did not. He could have run on his vision of government and his accomplishments. But he did not. Instead he ran an ugly, tawdry and distorted campaign against the slimey Eremian brothers...who were not on the ballot. John Tierney is a decent, hardworking guy who reflects my Massachusetts values and has never been accused of a crime or wrongdoing. He will get my vote.
A vote for Tisei feels like a vote for moderation in the Republican party, but it's not. A vote for Tisei strengthens the Republican majority in the House, which gives more power to the extreme right.
So for you it's party over people. No wonder this country is going no where.
It would really be something if someone like Tisei and Brown some of the more fiscally conservative Democrats formed a tenable and rational third party. There is a middle way, and it is possible. It just requires a level of leadership that no one in this country seems willing or able to provide. And a point of clarification. Some of those "loopholes" they want to close - like shutting down the ability to write off mortgage interest - do not in anyway favor the wealthy 1%. They don't need that write off as much as the Henri's (High Earner Never Rich) and the middle income earners who own their homes do.
Brown won't be in Washington next year!
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VOTE TISEI FOR CONGRESS!
What does it mean to be a 'moderate' in today's Republican party? It seems any Republican who isn't a knee-jerk right-wing ideologue with no connection to reality is now called a moderate regardless of their social and fiscal views. So in that sense Tisei is a moderate. But that's a very low bar to meet. Olympia Snow was called a moderate even though she clearly voted as a conservative 99% of the time. However, due to her very few 'moderate' votes she was called a RINO and attacked and scorned by her own Party. That's Tisei's fate IF he is a real moderate - he will simply be ignored or attacked. He will have no influence on the current Republican leadership, but unfortunately Tisei's very presence will still help the Republican extremists continue to control committees and continue to prevent constructive law-making. Vote for Tierney if you want Massachsuetts to have a representative in Congress with the ability to get something done.
I wonder if Yvonne, who laments a lack of moderate Republicans in congress, endorses Scott Brown. I honestly don't know - please inform me if you know. But my guess based on my occasional readings of her columns is that she's solidly in the Warren camp. Most MA democrats, including the Globe, love to talk about the rigidity in congress, the gridlock on issues, but then support Warren. By supporting Warren you're basically saying "I don't care about gridlock in congress, I want the far left wing liberal". It's clear that Warren will vote 100% party lines, will never cross on an issue. That's exactly what we DON'T NEED elected to congress these days. But the MA lemmings seem well on their way to doing just that.
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Tisei is obviously a better choice. Hopefully, the voters will realize that and vote out Tierney. As far as Scott Brown, don't count him out yet. Polls are not reliable as everyone had Martha Coakley winning hands down last time. Scott has done a good job and I believe Massachusetts will send Scott back to wasjhington for 6 more years. Nobody wants a phony like Warren who will be a huge stumble block like Kerry.