Rod Hamilton – one of the six “Republican” legislators who stabbed Governor Pawlenty in the back last session – is learning the hard way; the DFL doesn’t make Republican friends; they just recruit stooges:
Six months ago, Rod Hamilton was center stage in the biggest drama at the State Capitol. And so was Hwy. 60, a crucial roadway splitting southern Minnesota that many believe is in need of expansion and improvements.
Today, the theatrics continue, with Hamilton in effect complaining that he was duped, and Hwy. 60 is no nearer to getting the attention he thinks it needs.
And so Hamilton – with five other Republicans In Name Only – joined with the DFL to ram through one of the most egregious tax hikes in Minnesota history.
Oh, he had his reasons…:
At the time Hamilton made things clear: If DFLers would provide funding for Hwy. 60, they would get his vote.
When Hamilton, a pork producer [Hahahahahahahaha! – Ed.] whose district relies heavily on the highway, cast his vote to override, the legislation contained 22 lines that appeared to instruct the Minnesota Department of Transportation to give Hwy. 60 a higher priority for funding.
…but that all depends on what the definition of the term “is” “funded” is.
But MnDOT now contends the language was never clear and is withholding any commitment to the Hwy. 60 project.
What’s more, the key DFL legislator who sponsored the transportation bill said Hamilton misunderstood the language concerning Hwy. 60.
Rod Hamilton: Traitor? Naive? Stupid? All the above?
I bet it all seemed like such a good idea back when Lori Sturdevant was offering to paint his toenails…
The Democrats didn’t hold up his funding, the Governor did. Republicans eat their own when they show any independence (which you call stepping out of line), that’s the one and only lesson here.
MNDOT is CHOOSING to interpret the funding he got in their own, punative, vindictive way.. some shock. Or not, but it’s not Democrats., get you facts straight.
Huh? Could we have some perspective, Snarky McPseudonym?
Republicans eat their own when they show any independence
Someone shoot an e-mail to Joe Leiberman.
Nice try penigma2. Read what Bernie Lieder said. He said Mr. Hamilton can go stuff himself. And besides there was no bribe. End of story. I hope this teaches all future traitors a lesson.
Lieder must be thinking that next time they won’t need to bribe anybody because they’ll have the veto-proof majority. This time, they got both Hamilton’s vote AND his DFL opponent gets to point out that H didn’t get the job done and bring home the bacon. Hardball politics at it’s finest. The funny thing is they often treat their own members as badly. You can’t keep playing that way forever without generating some internal cohesion problems.
This is a great strategy for long-term success: fight amongst yourself and keep moving further and further to the right.
Is a Republican allowed to vote against their party even once without being tarred and feathered? Or does the GOP caucus really show that little respect for individual differences of opinion?
“Is a Republican allowed to vote against their party even once without being tarred and feathered?”
Somewhere, Randy Kelly is laughing his ass off right now.
BTW Mitch, nice term, collaborator. I suppose you consider Democrats to be ‘the enemy’, talk about a word speaking volumes.
Oh, and Mitch – just a though, good thing your revered President looked int Putin’s eyes and saw the calibre of his soul.
Kermit – Joe Leiberman left the Democratic Party of his own free will. Despite being a maverick, he was also the DEMOCRATIC VP NOMINEE… that’s just a wee bit different. And given that Mitch, at times, has mocked Dems for not being able to get (or not requiring) strict adherence to party line, I feel pretty safe saying this IS one of the major differences in the parties. Repubs kill dissenters – Dems don’t. Nice fredom of thought you’ve got there.
JoelR – you’ve hit the nail on the head – the Republican party talks about ‘big tent’, but it DEMANDS loyalty, unquestioned, extremism at this point – loyalty. Loyalty to Bush’s failed fiscal and military policies. Loyalty to a lame duck of a Governor when real progress needs to be made. The Republican party has moved SO FAR to the right, it’s NOTHING like it was even 30 years ago. Gingrich had a take no prisoners attitude, and all the Repubs have done since Gingrich, is not be so vocal about it – there is NO comprimise on anything. As a result, we have a polar government, nearly incapable of fixing any problem.
Conservatism – once upon a time – meant being responsible for your conduct – a fine and laudable ideal.
Liberalism – once upon a time – meant having concern and compassion for your fellow man – and recognizing sometimes, it indeed does take a village – also fine and laudable.
These shouldn’t be diametrically opposed – but to guys like Mitch, Badda, Kermit, they are. Victory, total complete, savage, unforgiving victory, that’s the goal, not conservatism, not truth – look at the way they whitewashed and brushed aside the intell collapse around Iraq, the way they whitewash the 3.5 years of collosal screw ups in iraq – this isn’t about conservatism at it’s core, it’s about political victory, and little else. Hamilton merely tried to see to it he got something in return for sticking his neck WAY out to fund roads that have had stagnant funding for 20 years, and for it, the Governor chopped off his head. Some kinda class that took, I guess.
Badda – context is this – Dems didn’t leave Hamilton out to dry on funding, they gave him the funding, the Governor (and his cronies) just found a way to screw him anyway. Apparently, just deserts isn’t some backstabbing Democrat, it’s a backstabbing Governor who would rather push his own party member overboard, than get embarrassed for being the “President in charge of (just) saying ‘no.'” Is that adequete context oh, snipe and add nothing, master?
Sorry, that was Jeff R
Peevish Boy/Penigma1, 2, 3, 4, etc. said:
“…but to guys like Mitch, Badda, Kermit, they are. Victory, total complete, savage, unforgiving victory, that’s the goal, not conservatism, not truth…”
This statement comes from… where, exactly? Care to put words in any other mouths?
Back it up, Left Out… or whatever you’re calling yourself (and your lawyer friends) these days.
Ahem.
Badda,
First, I’m not obligated to reply to you, certainly not on your timeline – you witless ass, and it’s been backed up by the actions of your Repugnicant friends towards people like Hamilton, while gladly accepting back into the fold guys like Oliver North, G Gordon Liddy, and oh, the rep convicted of abusing his wife in Minnesota.
This is a pretty long and well-documented point Badda – that Bush (especially) and including GHWB, prise loyalty above all else. I think I backed it up fine in my first post however, Badda, the fact is Bush Jr. has wrecked this country’s finances, but guys like Mitch were ‘just fine’ with that publicly. He lied his way into war, certainly at least cherry-picked intel, again, just fine – He outed a covert operative and lied about it to the American people – again, just fine, politics is politics – he had a half-assed, nonexistent occupation plan, oh, just fine. He had a military leadership so hellbent on ‘teachin them arabs a lesson – vis a vis General Odierno” that Abu Ghraib and the illegal conduct at Gitmo came about, again, just fine.
He stood by while Habeaus Corpus and posse comitatus were violated, again, just fine –
So Badda, when exactly do you get to Enough is Enough? You all sit on your hands while the worst President since maybe Harding or James Buchanon screws over the country- and you ashcan guys like Hamilton or Chuck Hagel – but I’m supposed to think you have commitment to principals, and arent’ simply about winning, when you embrace guys like North and Rove.. give me a break.
When you have something meaningful to say – perhaps you’ll be worth paying any attention to.
If Hamilton was ignorant of how the legislation read, that’s on him, but pretending you Repugnicants aren’t looking for blood is a lie, and it’s not Dems who duped him, it’s you all looking for you pound of flesh, and nothing more.
Looks like Penigma 1,2,3 or whatever he’s calling himself these days has given up on attracting moonbats to his own blog already.
Why not just sign a sockpuppet contract, enema old boy? I’m sure that Flash has a spare copy laying around somewhere.
“when exactly do you get to Enough is Enough?”
Oh, usually after reading two or three words of one of your 10 page, tear stained screeds.
Peev, [Dan Aakroyd]you ignorant slut[/Dan Aakroyd], please tell me where, oh where, I am all about (as you suggest) victory.
You got personal and pointed your finger at me. (And Mitch and Kermit, and I suspect you have others in mind, but you simply “cannot quit” Mitch, much less me and Kermit.)
You know what happens when you point your finger (because your plans fell through)? You’ve got… “three more fingers pointing at you”.
Not only that, you’ve got a couple singles flying in your direction… flag formation.
You see what you’re doing (you giant jackass)? You’re taking actions and beliefs (as you see them) in guys on the world and national stage, and you apply them (in a smear, because you don’t like details) all over a bunch of local guys who type on keyboards.
Now, once again (unless you’re too much of an ass and an idiot to understand), tell me exactly where I’ve exhibited the characteristics you have (on a number of occasions) claimed.
Then you can substantiate the same claim in terms of Mitch and Kermit.
Speaking of lies, there is no credible evidence for most of Penigma’s claims, and five will get you ten he’s been informed of that by someone here.
Projection again, eh, Penigma?
Kinda like this issue. The left moved mountains to get a tax hike, including some promises they had absolutely no intention of keeping. But Penigma thinks that scorched earth is the major GOP tactic, instead of the Dem tactic that it is.
First, I’m not obligated to reply to you
When has that EVER stopped the literary diarrhea that gushes from Peev’s keyboard? The man probably gets out of his car and gives long, meandering speeches to STOP signs because he doesn’t agree with the overal message to halt.
Of course, I’ve attained the golden status of “He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Addressed” because I routinely call Peev out for the narcissistic obsessive-compulsive butt-muncher he so obviously is.
Badda
you got to remember that “precious”/penigma lives in a universe where Calvin Coolidge started the “Cold War” and where Richard Nixon was President in 1975 –
he got some windex for his mirrors so once again whatever direction he looks he sees a clear magnificent image of himself
Ahem.
Peev/Precious/LeftOut/Penigma1/2/3/4/5/PB/PeevishBoy/etc., sure you have no obligation to answer me… however, you keep looking like an ass when you don’t, or when you skirt the issue.
Is it because your skirt keeps billowing up over your head?
Try actually quoting me for a change. Again, it is pretty easy. Do you avoid it because you’re lazy, stupid, or because you don’t really care about the truth?
I’m glad Mitch is up for trashing these idiotic screeds of Peev. Seriously, dude, they make my brain hurt.
So you’re trashing Coolidge? Do you even know what century he served in? As for “loyalty” I have never in my life seen a group practice collective vindictiveness with the savagery that the Democrat party does.
As for the rest of Peev’s specious talking points (Valarie Plame? Are you serious?), they’ve been thoroughly answered to the satisfaction of all but the raving, paranoid schizophrenics of the Left. Like Peev.
More political thuggery by peev’s political allies in the democrat party:
T om Matzzie is mailing threatening letters this week to nearly 10,000 people with whom the liberal political operative vigorously disagrees.
If the recipients act in a way he disapproves of — namely, donating to certain conservative or Republican causes — Matzzie and his new nonprofit group, called Accountable America, will unleash what The New York Times describes as “a variety of potential dangers, including legal trouble, public exposure and watchdog groups digging through their lives.”