I was listening to Sue Henry at WILK radio this morning and learned quite a bit. Not only did Eachus not report this gift on his ethics forms, but no bills were voted upon that day. A listener sent Sue the House schedule for that day and the House was only in session for two minutes. Somebody familiar with aviation tracked the tail number of Powell's jet that day and found out the timing for the flight was wrong for Eachus getting back to Harrisburg in time for the two minute House session. It's looking like Eachus' excuse for the flight is a bald faced lie.

That's what's called down south "the bad seed". And for a good reason.

I forgot spending because there were so many things going on. Things that, at that time, resonated far more strongly with the American public ("moderates" and "independents") than spending issues. The "culture of corruption", for example. How did they affect the GOP base turnout? I don't know enough to even speculate on that.

There's no doubt that profligate spending hurt the GOP in 2006, but it's also beginning to look like fighting more profligate spending (unemployment benefits forever, a 2nd stimulus) might damage the GOP this November.

So it's not so much the spending but rather the perception of the spending. Manipulated, as always, by our buddies in the mainstream media.

I said nothing about the Disclose Act. [I never claimed you did] I spoke only of the crap that the GOP did when they held the White House, both houses of Congress, and had the majority on SCOTUS.

Had the "majority" on the SCOTUS? That's an odd concept. Who now has the "majority"?

They not only left us worse off, but acted so irresponsibly that they were thrown out of office and made it more difficult to regain power.

Made it more difficult to regain power? Have you looked at the polls lately?

But you go right on supporting anyone who puts an R after their name.

Damned straight I will. I don't always like it. Sometimes I choke on it. But I'll do it to save my country from a clear and present danger.

You did. You filled it with those wonderful RINOs who spent like drunken sailors and laid the groundwork for bailouts, expanded government health care, and the Patriot Act which Obama is using to spy on Americans in ways that Bush's opponents were accusing him of.

You're either intentionally conflating matters or totally delusional.

Graham, McCain, Collins and Snowe all voted against the Disclose Act. I don't like any of them. But in your perfect world of tilting against windmills the Democrats would've denied us that 1st Amendment right of freedom of speech.

I'm too old to let that kind of crap work its way through the courts.

I want my country back NOW!

The Mark Foley "scandal" (nothing in comparison to Gerry Studs' behavior but it resounded strongly with social conservatives and "moderates"), Jack Abramoff, bogus charges against Tom DeLay, real corruption by Randy Cunningham and a constant drumbeat by the mainstream media. That's just quick off the top of my head. Perhaps you can fill us in with the "real" reasons.

The funny thing about this nontroversy is that Santorum is a hopeless has-been.

It's all fueled by Santorum hate.

I'm disappointed in Santorum because of his fiscal irresponsibility more than his support for Specter. Politics at the U.S. Senate level is a team sport (for reasons I explain below), which explains why when push came to shove even crazy Arlen would usually vote GOP.

I'm disappointed in Toomey because he said he would have voted to confirm Sotomayor.

Being the minority party, however, is far worse than having a Santorum or a Toomey. The purists here whine that a Santorum or a Toomey is as as bad as having a Democrat because their votes aren't reliable.

Who determines whether legislation is introduced or bottled up? The majority party. Who determines what the oversight committees are going to oversee? The majority party. It's like the purists here know absolutely nothing about government. Or they just don't give a damn because they they're blinded by heir ideological rage.

Don't get me wrong -- I'd prefer Hayworth over McCain because Hayworth calls for repealing Obamacare while RINO McCain wants to "re-write" it. But if McCain does win the primary I'd support him over his Democrat opponent.

Look what one single Republican vote can do:

On a Senate vote of 57-41, Democrats fell short of the needed 60 to clear a procedural hurdle Republicans set up against The Disclose Act, likely killing the measure for the year.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/38433753

That rotten RINO squish Scott Brown ensured that the bill would fail. With a GOP Senate majority that bill never would've been introduced let alone gone to cloture.

Look at what has happened to America since Democrats took control of both houses in 2006. Look at what has happened to America since Obama was inaugurated 18 months ago.

I want my country back! And I'm not gonna piss and moan over why Toomey said he would have voted for Sotomayor but not Kagan. We no longer have the luxury to reject Republican candidates over esoteric woulda/shoulda arguments.

Six more years of an Obama presidency and Democrat majorities in Congress must be avoided.

That's far more important than the petty grievances of the purists here.

They hate Santorum because he baked Specter instead of Toomey in 2004.

Now they hate Toomey.

Yay! A new Santorum thread. Let's all hate on Santorum!!!!