He was the lone republican to vote to increase the debt limit.

Just as Democrats used to have to hold their nose and vote to increase it under Bush, one of the Republicans had to take one for the team and do it recently.

Letting the United States Government default on their obligations would be disaster on a scale the likes of which we don't want to imagine.

It would strand every troop over seas, and the global economy would crash in a way that makes last year and 1929 look like a picnic.

I know it is a principle thing with some people, but it is not a realistic policy option and Voinivich was being a grown up. Had the Democrats needed 10 votes, they would have gotten 10. Thankfully they only needed one so the other 39 Republicans can demagogue the issue now even though they would have done the same thing and have done the same thing.

IggyPride00 wrote:

He was the lone republican to vote to increase the debt limit.

Just as Democrats used to have to hold their nose and vote to increase it under Bush, one of the Republicans had to take one for the team and do it recently.

Letting the United States Government default on their obligations would be disaster on a scale the likes of which we don't want to imagine.

It would strand every troop over seas, and the global economy would crash in a way that makes last year and 1929 look like a picnic.

I know it is a principle thing with some people, but it is not a realistic policy option and Voinivich was being a grown up. Had the Democrats needed 10 votes, they would have gotten 10. Thankfully they only needed one so the other 39 Republicans can demagogue the issue now even though they would have done the same thing and have done the same thing.

In the short term, but in the long term it only increases the consequences by delaying the inevitable. That day will come and it will make 1929 look like a picnic and no congressmans vote will be able to stop it. When it happens Senator Voinovich will either be drueling in his wheel chair or he will have passed on. I am sure our children will herald his grown up action then.

Lack of principle is what has got us where we are at. As a father I make decisions that cause my children an myself temporary pain in order to avoid them having to experience catastrophic pain in the future. Politicians can't reign themselves in because they have promised too many things to too many people. Either we make painful decisions now or our children will be forced to make incomprehensibly painful decisions in the future. Our choice.

majorspark wrote:In the short term, but in the long term it only increases the consequences by delaying the inevitable. That day will come and it will make 1929 look like a picnic and no congressmans vote will be able to stop it. When it happens Senator Voinovich will either be drueling in his wheel chair or he will have passed on. I am sure our children will herald his grown up action then.

Lack of principle is what has got us where we are at. As a father I make decisions that cause my children an myself temporary pain in order to avoid them having to experience catastrophic pain in the future. Politicians can't reign themselves in because they have promised too many things to too many people. Either we make painful decisions now or our children will be forced to make incomprehensibly painful decisions in the future. Our choice.

Well said.

If an individual keeps taking on more debt in the name of keeping his personal finances from creating a catastrophe he only prolongs the inevitable. That's NOT "principle" - that's irresponsibility and stupidity.

Sooner or later someone is going to call in the loan. Then our children and our children's children will have to read about the era of American prosperity in history books because they certainly won't be living it.

Chris Dodd's retirement virtually wipes out any chance the Republicans had to win in Connecticut. Sometimes you should be careful what you wish for. It sometimes can rise up in bite you in the you know what. If he had stayed, you might have had a shot. Not now.

Swamp Fox wrote: Chris Dodd's retirement virtually wipes out any chance the Republicans had to win in Connecticut. Sometimes you should be careful what you wish for. It sometimes can rise up in bite you in the you know what. If he had stayed, you might have had a shot. Not now.

You make is sound like the Republicans forced him to retire. The powers to be in the Democrat party forced this issue. I sure he will probably pick up some type of lobbying job so he can still bump political uglies in DC.

Politically for the Republicans this may not help their chances in Connecticut. It all depends who the candidates are on both sides. After all they did elect Leiberman.

One of the top ten jackasses in congress is gone. I'll wish for that any day.

ccrunner609 wrote: Winning for any rebublican right now is easy. Play moderate to liberal on social and moral issues and ultra conservative on $ and national issues.

I think that when they start to play moderate to liberal on the social and moral issues its gonna get the teabaggers up in arms and cause another incident like the one that happened in upstate New York.

Swamp Fox wrote: Chris Dodd's retirement virtually wipes out any chance the Republicans had to win in Connecticut. Sometimes you should be careful what you wish for. It sometimes can rise up in bite you in the you know what. If he had stayed, you might have had a shot. Not now.

The election is a long time from now...no telling what the climate will be in 10 months. That being said...if the election were held today, the Pubs could run a circus monkey and take that seat.

fish82 wrote:

Swamp Fox wrote: Chris Dodd's retirement virtually wipes out any chance the Republicans had to win in Connecticut. Sometimes you should be careful what you wish for. It sometimes can rise up in bite you in the you know what. If he had stayed, you might have had a shot. Not now.

The election is a long time from now...no telling what the climate will be in 10 months. That being said...if the election were held today, the Pubs could run a circus monkey and take that seat.

They already have Lieberman, do you really think they would go for two circus monkeys representing them?

zhon44622 wrote:

fish82 wrote:

Swamp Fox wrote: Chris Dodd's retirement virtually wipes out any chance the Republicans had to win in Connecticut. Sometimes you should be careful what you wish for. It sometimes can rise up in bite you in the you know what. If he had stayed, you might have had a shot. Not now.

The election is a long time from now...no telling what the climate will be in 10 months. That being said...if the election were held today, the Pubs could run a circus monkey and take that seat.

They already have Lieberman, do you really think they would go for two circus monkeys representing them?

Why do you think Leiberman is a cirucus monkey? I thought he was the epitome of moderation.

zhon44622 wrote:

ccrunner609 wrote: Winning for any rebublican right now is easy. Play moderate to liberal on social and moral issues and ultra conservative on $ and national issues.

I think that when they start to play moderate to liberal on the social and moral issues its gonna get the teabaggers up in arms and cause another incident like the one that happened in upstate New York.

Social/moral issues make up about 5% of the teabaggers' platform.