GOP lawmaker joins Democrats

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   IslandBitesposted 5 years ago

   Why is this relevant?
   
   The move narrows the GOP's hold on the state House to 53 seats to Democrats' 47.
   
   Iowa is also a swing state -- former President Barack Obama won it twice -- that had shifted rapidly in Republicans' favor in recent years. Trump won there in 2016 by nearly 10 percentage points.

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      wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      The bigger question is why he isn't running as an Independent?  Both parties are about as corrupt as they can be; why not go independent?
      
      Because our system has deteriorated to the point where it is almost impossible to be elected to an important position (such as a swing state) without paying obeisance to one party or the other?  After all, one person, even a president, does not set party platforms - that he disapproves of the President seems grossly insufficient to switch loyalties.
      
      And make no mistake, for that is exactly what he is doing - changing his loyalty, and votes, to the other party.  Any votes he makes will not follow the Democratic party line rather than the Republican.
      
      Somehow we need to put a stop to this intense loyalty and adherence to a single party and teach our "leaders" that leading means voting for what is needed by the country (state, city, whatever) rather than what the party VIP's think will help the party.

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         promisemposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Parties aren't corrupt. Individuals within parties are corrupt.
         
         I have met enough politicians in my lifetime to know that some are good and some are bad, like any other profession.

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            wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            "Parties aren't corrupt. Individuals within parties are corrupt."
            
            I cannot agree with this.  While a few individuals in each party are honest, well meaning citizens, the parties themselves show very clear signs that what matters to the party is power.  Not what America or it's people need; instead it is pure, simple power.  And that can be nothing but corrupt.
            
            Were it different we wouldn't see such long term efforts to disarm us or prevent any abortions.  We would have had a solution to immigration decades ago, and we would not have the massive pork barrel spending we see.  We would not be building chains out of welfare checks but instead helping people improve and support themselves.  There are tremendous needs in our country, but almost none of them are ever addressed...because they cannot add to the power of the party handlers.

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      MizBejabbersposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      At least he is switching parties because of conscience. I can condone this because I dislike seeing a politician switch parties because he thinks he has a better chance of being elected to a higher office if he switches to the majority party in that state. I would never vote for any candidate who did that.

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         GA Andersonposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         I would like to echo Wilerness' point. Why switch to a party that he has indicated for years is against his personal and political philosophies?
         
         If he wants us to believe his sincerity, he should have gone Independent. As it stands, I believe his reasoning, but doubt his sincerity because he just switched horses, he didn't change course.
         
         GA

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            IslandBitesposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            While I agree with the general point of someone changing, he did make other arguments on why. But his sincerity or lack of is beside the point of the thread.
            
            It's about
            
            -Trump control of the GOP (or not). Would others leave? Would some confront him?
            -Dem control of the House (again?)
            -2020 election and swing states

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               GA Andersonposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               You mean the trickle before the flood, the canary in the mine?
               
               Regarding the relevancy of it, and echoing the above comments about the parties being corrupt, I would say that as long as the economy is doing well, a trickle will be all we see.
               
               GA

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   IslandBitesposted 5 years ago

   Click to watch:
   
   Andy McKean remarks

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   IslandBitesposted 5 years ago

   So, to get out Rep. McKean sincerity (or lack of) in joining the Democratic Party out of the way. Here is the rest of his statement and some info.
   
   “I found myself increasingly uncomfortable with the stance of my party on the vast majority of high profiles issues and often sympathetic with concerns raised by the minority caucus,” McKean said.
   
   First elected to the Iowa House in 1978, McKean left the Legislature after several terms in the Iowa Senate in 2003. He made his return in the 2016 election.
   
   A moderate Republican, McKean split with his party on many key votes in recent years, including the 2017 collective bargaining and workers compensation bills. He was the only Republican earlier this year to side with Democrats on an amendment to a proposed constitutional amendment on gun rights. He also joined Democrats last week in voting against a bill that allowed stun guns on college campuses. And McKean also opposed the party’s push to change how the process of selecting judges in Iowa.
   
   So, sincere or not, the move still narrows the GOP's hold on the state House to 53 seats to Democrats' 47.

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      GA Andersonposted 5 years agoin reply to this

      That seems to put my comments to bed. Maybe sincerity wasn't an issue.
      
      GA

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         wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

         Same here.  It also makes the statement that "Andy McKean, Iowa's longest-serving Republican state lawmaker is ditching the party in a protest of what he called President Donald Trump's "unacceptable behavior"" seem a little out of line.

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            GA Andersonposted 5 years agoin reply to this

            It was a CNN headline; I wonder what a Fox of WSJ headline would say?
            
            Folks beat-up on Fox, and many times rightly so, but the pass that CNN gets is as obviously telling as CNN's bias is.
            
            I have CNN on almost all the time. However, as I have stated before, it is not to get the news, it is to hear what is in the news.
            
            Whether deserved or not, if there is any possible negative anti-Trump aspect to any story you can count on CNN to note it. Their headline on this story is an excellent example.
            
            GA

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               wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               You getting cynical in your old age, GA?  Maybe we could start a new party - "The Disenchanted", with GA for President!  Bet the AARP would contribute, big time!

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                  GA Andersonposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                  I am not disenchanted at all wilderness. The "old age" you mention has reinforced my optimism.
                  
                  What we are experiencing with Pres. Trump ain't nothing compared to what we have been through in the past. The vitriol against him is in too many instances legitimate, he is his own worst enemy. But we will survive it, and in my opinion, we will benefit from it.
                  
                  Now, about that new party ... instead of the Disenchanted, let's call it the "America" party. Our logo colors would be red, white, blue, and purple.
                  
                  
                  
                  
                  GA

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                     GA Andersonposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                     Wait ... I have another.
                     
                     
                     
                     
                     GA

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                        wildernessposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                        I like this one.  All Americans, working for America rather than a party, are welcome.

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               IslandBitesposted 5 years agoin reply to this

               First, it was the main reason HE GAVE for changing parties. Second, every headline I read basically said the same.
               
               (Not defending CNN, but if you change the channel you'll be surprised.) 
               
               So, Fox for you guys.
               
               Iowa’s longest-serving Republican lawmaker says he’s becoming a Democrat because of Trump
               
               The longest-serving Republican in the Iowa Legislature announced Tuesday that he’s becoming a Democrat, saying he didn’t want to remain in a party led by President Trump.
               
               Rep. Andy Mckean, 69, a retired attorney from eastern Iowa city of Anamosa, said he made his decision after returning to the Legislature after years away from politics and finding the Republican Party had changed. He was a registered Republican for nearly a half-century, The Washington Post reported.
               
               During a news conference at the Iowa Statehouse in Des Moines on Tuesday, McKean said if the president’s behavior and leadership is the new normal, “I want no part of it.”
               
               “Unacceptable behavior should be called out for what it is and Americans of all parties should insist on something far better in the leader of their country and the free world,” McKean said.
               
               https://www.foxnews.com/politics/iowa-r … crat-trump

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                  PrettyPantherposted 5 years agoin reply to this

                  Oh, you're so mean, swattin' at that thread of bias they've managed to swing on.

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   IslandBitesposted 5 years ago

   (And because I can't remember the thread...
   
   He also said:
   
   McKean described himself as a moderate, which he says is increasingly rare in the GOP.
   
   “I think the party has veered very sharply to the right,” McKean said. “That concerns me.”

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