Freshman Alabama Congressman Switches Parties to Join GOP, page 1

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Topic started on 23-12-2009 @ 02:22 AM by Detailed Perfection

Freshman Alabama Congressman Switches Parties to Join GOP

Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, announced Tuesday that he's switching parties to become a Republican.
"I have become increasingly concerned that the bills and policies pushed by the current Democratic leadership are not good for north Alabama or our nation," Griffith said during a press conference Tuesday.

"I am announcing today that I'm joining the Republican conference immediately," he said. "Our nation is at a crossroads and I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy, and drives us further and further into debt."

I came across this news story this morning and I figured it would be on ATS by the time I got back home and got online, but after a search of the board, I didn't find anything about it.

Politicians switching sides after being in office is not all that uncomman, however, as the articles states, it is rare for a politician from the majority to switch to the minority.

With the current situation going on in government and with all of the BS that TPTB are trying to pull over on us on a daily basis, I think this guy shows not only a lot of courage, but also a lot of decency, strong morals and a dedication to his patriotic duties to take care of this country.

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 02:27 AM by Janky Red

Originally posted by Detailed Perfection
Freshman Alabama Congressman Switches Parties to Join GOP

Rep. Parker Griffith, a freshman Democrat from Alabama, announced Tuesday that he's switching parties to become a Republican.
"I have become increasingly concerned that the bills and policies pushed by the current Democratic leadership are not good for north Alabama or our nation," Griffith said during a press conference Tuesday.

"I am announcing today that I'm joining the Republican conference immediately," he said. "Our nation is at a crossroads and I can no longer align myself with a party that continues to pursue legislation that is bad for our country, hurts our economy, and drives us further and further into debt."

I came across this news story this morning and I figured it would be on ATS by the time I got back home and got online, but after a search of the board, I didn't find anything about it.

Politicians switching sides after being in office is not all that uncomman, however, as the articles states, it is rare for a politician from the majority to switch to the minority.

With the current situation going on in government and with all of the BS that TPTB are trying to pull over on us on a daily basis, I think this guy shows not only a lot of courage, but also a lot of decency, strong morals and a dedication to his patriotic duties to take care of this country.

How it that?

Flip the coin, polish up the new elephant logo

My POV - it is just like a politician to switch sides when the going gets tough, I suggest he is preemptively saving his butt...

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 02:47 AM by Detailed Perfection

Yeah I figured that would be the arguement by some people.

When I caught the story on the news, they were discussing how he has been voting against the Democrats for some time now because he didn't agree with what they were trying to do.

Not sure if you read the story or not, but he said that he finally made the decision because the party that he was elected to represent was no longer conducting themselves with the best of interest of America.

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 02:52 AM by octotom

reply to post by Detailed Perfection

Interesting. Is this getting as much play back in the States as the party switch of what's-is-face, Spector? Probably not, eh? I remember when that happened, one would've thought that the Messiah had come.

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 04:07 AM by Schaden

Senators are more powerful, Specter was a well known politician, and him changing parties helped contribute to the 60 vote majority.

This guy changing parties won't make any difference in the balance of power.

Looking at his record, I wonder why he even ran as a democrat in the first place ? I'm guessing it's because the incumbent was retiring, and he figured he's be unopposed in the primary if he ran as a democrat. And now that Congressional Democrats fortunes seem on the decline for the upcoming mid-term, his chances for reelection are better as a member of the GOP.

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 04:39 AM by Dookie Master

He certainly will not be re-elected, unless he is some sort of congressional Badaz. Neither of the parties like this type of "flip-flopping" (couldn't resist the political pun)

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 04:55 AM by endisnighe

It just goes to prove the old axiom/saying.

Dem=Repub

So instead of voting for unconstitutional laws on health care.

He will be voting for unconstitutional laws on privacy.

Screwed no matter which party he joins.

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 07:16 AM by TheRedneck

I campaigned for Parker some years back in an unsuccessful bid against Bud "The Dud" Cramer. He impressed me back then and I am still impressed by him.

That race had him on the Republican ticket. I can only assume that he had switched to the Democrat ticket to get elected (I pay more attention to names than to affiliations). The Democratic Party is strong in local politics here; only the national elections are primarily a Republican voting block. Most local races do not even have a Republican challenger.

As I see this, he is switching back over morals. The Republicans showed us that they were not sincere about running the country the way we the people wanted it run, and we tossed them out on their rears. Now the Democrats are demonstrating they can do no better, and in many cases, not as well. Expect that to lead to another turnover in the Congress in 2010, at least from the South.

As for Parker... I think he is responding to the direction the Democratic party is moving in DC. He has his name recognition now, and that will make him the popular choice to get re-elected regardless of party. After all, "The Dud" managed to serve until he retired by choice, and Parker is much more popular than he ever was.

TheRedneck

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 07:22 AM by thisguyrighthere

Sad and disturbing how so many apparently vote for the party affiliation rather than the individual and that individuals record. NH is on the precipice of ruin because of this very problem.

Why do we even bother voting anymore? The moronic mass has already decided the fate of us all.

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 12:20 PM by Sestias

Parker is very conservative and pretty much votes with the Republicans on most issues anyway. He might as well come out and state his true loyalties.

IMO he may have a hard time running for re-election as a Republican, though. What happened in NY State might happen to him -- i.e. the tea-partiers, who are more conservative still, might run a candidate that's even further right than Parker. If his district is as conservative as the news portrays it, then he could lose.

He could be "Scozzafava'd" by the Tea Party.

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 12:21 PM by Detailed Perfection

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Sad and disturbing how so many apparently vote for the party affiliation rather than the individual and that individuals record. NH is on the precipice of ruin because of this very problem.

Why do we even bother voting anymore? The moronic mass has already decided the fate of us all.

Yes, you're exactly right. Straight party voting has always been an issue with me. In all of my years as a voter, I've never voted straight party. I've always voted for the candidate whom I felt was the best choice, regardless of affiliation.

I will be facing the same challenge during my run for office in my county. It is a Democratic majority county, so as a Republican running against 2 Democrats on the ballot, I'm going to have a lot of hand kissing and baby shaking to do in order to get my name and my ideas out to the public inhopes of persuading voters to think outside the box.

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 12:32 PM by marg6043

reply to post by Detailed Perfection

He sure doesn't look good doing this, but from the political game stand point he is been actually honest while coming forward and telling publicly why he is switching sides.

After all we all know the mess that our nations government has become in the short time that Democrats has taken hold.

reply posted on 23-12-2009 @ 12:49 PM by Uniceft17

Originally posted by marg6043
reply to post by Detailed Perfection

After all we all know the mess that our nations government has become in the short time that Democrats has taken hold.