Elected Democrat switches parties, becomes a Republican.

[Dhalgren]

I heard on the news this morning that the only Democratic, Morgan County, Ala. Commissioner switched parties. Jeff Clarke announced this morning that he was switching parties to become a Republican. He said that the "Democratic Party is out of touch with average American citizens and Democratic support has really dropped off over the past few years." The head of the Morgan County Democrats came on to say that "swing voters" had been going Republican recently, but they would "swing back" to the Democratic party soon.

What planet does Jeff Clark live on? Has he not been watching the news? Reading the papers? This just reinforces my belief that this is fascism, pure and simple. It makes no difference that the whole freaking Republican party is in shit up to their necks! It won't make any difference, at all. If elected Democrats can come out in public and make the statements this asshole made and switch parties at this point in time, then none of any of this shit will ever make a difference. Noting the ONE AND ONLY PARTY does makes any difference. It's one party rule - that's it...

[boobooday]

1. To me this should be grounds for a recall

When an elected official leaves his party to become an independent, that is making a statement.

When you switch mid-term to the other party, that is betrayal.

[Dhalgren]

8. I concur. But the problem is, the bastard's up for re-election this

year. We are going to have to vote this slime-ball out, but I don't have a lot of confidence in the Morgan Co. Democratic Party folks. We live way out in the boonies and we have quite a few Dems around (more Pubs, though), but we are completely ignored by the party. We tried to get a Party rep at the last community meeting we had, but no one from the party showed up...

[Crazy Dave]

2. Out of touch?

Saving and respecting the environment, wanting free or hell...even just affordable health care, wanting less corruption in government, not wanting our sons and daughters to die in a foreign land, caring for the less fortunate...shit! How far out of touch am I as those are some of my top priorities?

[bkcc]

3. Um...did you miss the part of the article that says "Alabama"?

I think that about sums it up.
(No offense to my friends in Alabama, but it's not exactly the most politically progressive state.)

[Dhalgren]

10. No offense taken.

I've lived here my whole life. It's like living in a second-world country; instead of an Iron Curtain, we have a Curtain of Stupidity...

[RufusEarl]

11. Also check this,

What type of voting machines do they have in his county? If it's E-voting system "Die Bold", that should explain why he switched parties.

[Dhalgren]

14. No, we have the "scanners", but who can be sure the scanners

are legit?

[CTLawGuy]

4. Its Alabama

Democrats and Repblicans are the same there anyway.

[Dhalgren]

13. You are correct.

And that is why so many progressives in the South want a third party. We see close up how difficult it is for any public Democrat to espouse any progressive idea. It just makes you want to shuck both parties once and for all...

[CTLawGuy]

16. well

many northerners are moving south, so maybe that will change.

[Nederland]

5. The South

What planet does Jeff Clark live on?

He lives on planet "South".

Make no mistake, his comments are code for: I don't like gay people.

[flordehinojos]

6. wolf in sheep's clothing.

[JuniperLea]

7. Maybe he is afraid of being spied on

n/t

[otohara]

9. Watching The News???

Not a good thing for democrats -

[RobertSeattle]

12. I goggled "Morgan County, Ala."

First hit was "The Political Graveyard: Morgan County, Ala." Chuckle.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Morgan+County%2C+Ala.&btnG=Search

County population is 110K.

[Lexingtonian]

15. yep, Alabama

Different parts of the country lead and lag each other socially and politically. I'd say the difference between the historical social leaders, say southern New England and coastal California, and the historical laggards, the Deep South, tends to run on the order of 25 to 50 years.

[LizW]

17. Happens a lot. Richard Shelby was originally elected as a Democrat.

When the Republicans took Congress in '94, he switched parties the next day.