Sen. Chuck Hagel: Republicans have "lost our way"
By: Lowell
Published On: 8/21/2006 6:24:58 AM
As you all know, Jim Webb is an independent-minded Democrat with good friends on both sides of the political fence. And one of those good friends is Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE). Today, we can see more than ever why Webb and Hagel are friends. Like Jim Webb, Chuck Hagel is an independent thinker who speaks his mind and calls 'em like he sees 'em. Well, Sen. Hagel has now "called 'em" for the current Republican Party, and it's not a pretty picture.
From today's Washington Post, here's Senator Hagel:
First time I voted was in 1968 on top of a tank in the Mekong Delta. I voted a straight Republican ticket. The reason I did is because I believe in the Republican philosophy of governance. It's not what it used to be. I don't think it's the same today.
You can say that again, Senator. Today, sad to say, the Republican Party is the Party of Big Government. It's the Party of Big Debt. It's the Party of Big Foreign Policy Dreams (aka, building Democracy at the point of a gun, as Jim Webb says). It's the Party of Big Corruption (see Halliburton, Abramoff, Virgil Goode, etc.). It's the Party of Big Mistakes (see New Orleans). It's the Party of Big Oil (see the Cheney Energy Task Force). And it's the Party of BIG Lies (see the case for war in Iraq, "Mission Accomplished," etc.).
To quote Senator Hagel once again:
Where is the fiscal responsibility of the party I joined in '68? Where is the international engagement of the party I joined - fair, free trade, individual responsibility, not building a bigger government, but building a smaller government?"
Great questions, Senator! Now, here's a question for you: have you thought about joining your good friend and fellow Vietnam vet, Jim Webb, in leaving the Party that has so obviously left you. If so, come on over to the Democratic Party and help strengthen its status as THE Party of fiscal responsibility, competence, smart international engagement, fair trade, individual responsibility, and smarter-not-bigger government! By the way, I have noticed recently that several Republicans from the state to Nebraska's south - Kansas - have switched over recently. How about you, Senator? We'd love to have you in the Democratic Party. So come on in, the water's fine! Thanks.
Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not necessarily represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.
Comments
I doubt Hagel would ever switch-- (summercat - 8/21/2006 7:36:12 AM)
he is capitalizing on the McCain crowd. (Not that he is wrong, of course). Hagel had some questionable interludes with electronic voting machines, I seem to remember. But, it is certainly good for Republicans to realize that they are no long the party of Teddy Roosevelt--who nailed the big business magnates of his day. Imagine that!
Questionable indeed (Zee - 8/21/2006 11:03:20 AM)
Hagel "won" in a "historic" landslide victory over a long-time Democratic incumbent...with electronic voting machines he has part ownership in.
I think it was claimed he got over 80 or 90 percent of the Black vote, too. Someone should ask him how he accomplished that feat. What was the big appeal over the Dem incumbent?
Never let him forget. He's a fraud and a traitor, period.
Hagel votes with Bush something like 95% of the time. (va.walter - 8/21/2006 8:45:16 AM)
Webb's love of Hagel is actually one of things about Webb I DO NOT like. I realize Hagel has spoken out recently in a high profile fashion but the reality is that Hagel is as far from independent as possible. He is a party line partisan who votes almost exactly with George Allen. Everytime I hear Webb talk about Allen voting with Bush 97% of the time I wonder why he loves Hagel so much.
Webb and Hagel are FRIENDS (Lowell - 8/21/2006 9:05:34 AM)
That doesn't mean they agree on policy, necessarily.
Certainly. However, they're more than friends (va.walter - 8/21/2006 9:24:58 AM)
Webb has cited Hagel, above every other Senator, as the "type of Senator" he'd be. He does while quoting the BS that Hagel is "independent." I've actually wondered whether Webb has any idea of Hagel's voting record or if he's just allowed his friendship to cause him to make assumptions that aren't true.
In the end, it's no big deal. It's just be a little annoyance to me since I heard Webb speak about 6 months ago and he cited Reagan and Hagel as the politicians he'd most like to emulate. They may be nice guys but I can't think of 2 worse political role models.
Pride of Chuckie (DukieDem - 8/21/2006 9:15:28 AM)
Hagel is actually one of my favorite Republicans, not because he is moderate, but because he is principled. He votes the part line +90% of the time, but you would never see him play Rove style politics. My greatest hope for the midterms is that the Delay-Allen-Santorum wing of the party gets purged and the Hagel-McCain wing takes charge so we at least have conservatives who beleive in evolution. Plus, he hates Ben Nelson.
Hagel Inteview by Mike Wallace Sunday (d'moore - 8/21/2006 1:08:22 PM)
Mike Wallace was grilling Chuck Hagel just yesterday on "aren't you really a Democrat." Hagel proudly told him that was not even close to true and that he votes with George Bush 90% of the time.
I admit when ever I think of Hagel I think of someone who isn't totally descpicable but I'm sure that's just because I only hear about him when he DISagrees with Bush. In reality he's only a little less bad than most other Republicans. But at least he's not completely braindead.