First DemocRAT Jumps Off Sinking Ship

Parker Griffith ran for and was elected (in 2008) to office as a Blue Dog Democrat.  Which is to say as a moderate.

Unfortunately, nobody else in his party was a moderate.  And poor Rep.
Griffith – who is a medical doctor – got very frustrated trying to be a sane voice in a crazy party.

Dr. Griffith blamed Nancy Pelosi and the rest of his Stalinist party leadership for his party switch.  I blame it on his recognizing the handwriting on the wall.

In his own words, Dr. Griffith is

saying he can no longer align himself “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.”

“Unfortunately there are those in the Democratic Leadership that continue to push an agenda focused on massive new spending, tax increases, bailouts and a health care bill that is bad for our healthcare system,” Griffith said in a statement. “I have always considered myself to be an independent voice and I have tried to be that voice in Congress – but after watching this agenda firsthand I now believe that the differences in the two parties could not be more clear and that for me to be true to my core beliefs and values I must align myself with the Republican party and speak out clearly on these issues.”

“I want to make it perfectly clear that his bill is bad for our doctors, our patients and will have unintended consequences far beyond what we know today,” he said. “As a doctor and as a Republican, I plan to once again oppose this measure and hope that we can defeat this bill that is a major threat to our nation.”

I hope that Parker Griffith is the first of many moderate to conservative Democrats to abandon ship.  These Blue Dogs have got to realize that they are NOT going to be re-elected running as Democrats.  And they will be welcome to the Republican Party as long as they don’t embrace the “R.I.N.O.” philosophy.

From NPR, of all places:

Hours After Congressman Switches To GOP, Obama Talks Of ‘Major Disaster’ In Alabama

The big political news of the day is the party-switch by Alabama Rep. Parker Griffith. Elected to his first term in 2008 as a Democrat, today he announced he has become a Republican.

Meanwhile, a press release from the White House Office of the Press Secretary, which arrived only moments ago, reads as follows:

The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Alabama and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by Tropical Storm Ida during the period of November 9-10, 2009.

There was more to the release, but let’s face it, we all know what Obama is talking about. Personally, I think he was overreacting.

But here’s some fun stuff about the Griffith switch — stuff I’m NOT making up.

Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, was understandably thrilled with the news of Griffith joining the party:

I would like to sincerely welcome Congressman Parker Griffith to the Republican Party. On the eve of the Senate voting on President Obama’s and Harry Reid’s government-run health care experiment and in the wake of four House Democrats announcing their plans to retire, Dr. Griffith’s party switch sends a strong message to all Americans that there is no longer room in the Democrat Party for mainstream Americans. … Elected officials like Parker Griffith that faithfully represent their constituents and their own personal convictions even under the extreme political pressure are the kind of politicians Americans want and deserve.

John Boehner, the Republican leader in the House, was equally ebullient:

Parker Griffith is a dedicated public servant who has consistently put the best interests of his constituents first, and it is in that spirit that Republicans welcome him.

All year long, Alabamians have been well-served by Congressman Griffith’s support for conservative principles and his rejection of Washington Democrats’ wrong-headed, liberal policies. Whether it was the trillion-dollar ‘stimulus,’ the national energy tax, or a government takeover of health care, Congressman Griffith has consistently sided with Republicans and the American people to call for better solutions rooted in common sense. He has also stood up to Speaker Pelosi by joining efforts to advance ‘read the bill’ reform and to ensure that not a single taxpayer dollar is used to fund abortions.

Now, check out the ad the National Republican Congressional Committee ran against Griffith in 2008, when he faced GOP candidate Wayne Parker, who was strongly backed by the NRCC. Politics is politics, but this one is worth watching (courtesy the Daily Beast):

Meanwhile, President Obama is making the ultimate sacrifice: He says he’s not going to begin his Christmas vacation in Hawaii until the Senate passes the overhaul of health care. Here’s the president, earlier today:

My attitude is that if they’re making these sacrifices to provide health care to all Americans then the least I can do is to be around and provide them any encouragement and last-minute help where necessary.

I think the President sends a very strong signal. We should all delay our Christmas vacations in Hawaii until the Senate passes the bill.

Dr. Griffith will be the first Republican to serve the Democrat, Huntsville-based district in Alabama, according to Politico.

Which pretty much puts the kibosh on the Democrat spin that he was somehow actually a Republican all along.

We also find out that Dr. Griffith got a massive earful of anger when his historically Democrat district erupted in anger at his fellow Democrats’ socialist takeover of the health care system.

Politico also reports that:

Griffith’s party switch comes on the eve of a pivotal congressional health care vote and will send a jolt through a Democratic House Caucus that has already been unnerved by the recent retirements of a handful of members who, like Griffith, hail from districts that offer prime pickup opportunities for the GOP in 2010

Unlike Democrats, who have to literally pay out billions of dollars in bribes to get their people to vote for their very sick health bill, Republicans didn’t have to offer Parker Griffith anything.

Since 2008, there has been a 15 point swing from a country that favored Democrats by 7 points to a country that now favors Republicans by 8 points.

Tags: 2008, Alabama, bad for our country, bailouts, blue dogs, Boehner, Democrat, medical doctor, Parker Griffith, Repubilcan, RINO, spending, Steele