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Monday, September 11, 2017

Dent Will Advocate For "Sensible Center"

On Sunday, US Congressman Charlie Dent (R - Pa.15) hosted what was supposed to be a "formal announcement" concerning his intentions next year at the swanky Renaissance Hotel in downtown Allentown. But that story leaked out on Thursday. Dent revealed his intentions to a few of his Congressional colleagues, and they spilled the beans. "They're wonderful friends, but they have big mouths," Dent joked.

"I just wanted to say thank you to everybody in this room," said Dent, who apologized for interrupting one of the biggest sports weekends of the year. .

Instead of a sad announcement, the atmosphere was festive as many of Dent's long-time supporters began to trickle in. So did most of his current and former staffers in an homage to their boss. This included Evil Genius Shawn Millan, Charlie's long-time campaign maven. His very name strikes fear in the hearts of Democrats. And Republicans. Shawn reluctantly gave up an afternoon of burning ants with his magnifying glass. While waiting for Charlie, Shawn and I instead began prank-calling Fed Ed.

Some wanted to watch the Eagles while waiting for Charlie. I warned this would only jinx the Birds. I can listen to them on the radio. I can watch them in person  But they lose every game I watch on TV.

The TV stayed off.

The Eagles won.

Looking more relaxed and cheerful than has in a long time, Charlie eventually arrived with his wife, Pam, as well as his son and daughter. He almost forgot to mention his mother-in-law, but recovered nicely.  

He was among friends and needed no introduction. But he's a Republican, and that's how they are. State Senator Pat Browne had the honor.




"I've been so proud of him," said Browne. "I gotta' tell you. Over the last term - several terms - what he's done to stand up for governance and good public service - being a man who stood up nationally for those principles - is something we all should be proud of."

Browne is hopeful that whomever follows Charlie will also follow in his footsteps.

Charlie said that when he leaves office, he will continue to be a voice for what he calls the "sensible center."  He is currently considering his options, but told his supporters not to cry for him.

"There's no crying in baseball ... or in politics," he joked.

He made no reference to the specific attacks lobbed by Congressional candidate Justin Simmons or NorCo GOP Chair Lee Snover. Both have attacked Dent for refusing to blindly follow President Donald Trump. But Dent did speak in general terms.




"The country's in a pretty tough spot right now  It's in a very difficult spot. I think there's a trend locally, which I won't get into, we are where we are. But I do believe that this country is a center right country, it's a center right country, and I do think we need to give a stronger voice to the center at the moment. The sensible center is being left behind in too many cases. I tend to bring that voice outside of Congress as well as inside.  

"The most basic fundamental tasks of governing in Washington - and I think Pat will tell you in Harrisburg - are becoming far too difficult. It shouldn't be this difficult. This is something we're going to have to correct, sooner or later. It will correct.

"Also, this country is going through a very difficult political realignment right now. The political ground is shifting underneath all of our feet. Nobody is quite sure how this will sort itself out. It will take a couple of [election] cycles.

"We go through these political realignments every so often. They affect both parties, and I think both parties are in a pretty tough spot. ...

"Perhaps the most troubling thing I see in this country right now is this growing trend towards nativism, isolationism, protectionism and at times, nihilism. These are not attributes of a great nation. I do believe they will be corrected at some point, but we'll deal with it.

"By the way, those attributes - not good attributes - affect both political parties. It's not specific to one party.

"That's the bad news.  The good news is, as Churchill said, Americans will always do the right thing, but not 'till they exhaust every other possible alternative."

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

He is not a modern republican. He turned his back on our President. Of course loyal republicans would desert him. We cannot have someone who is on the other side representing us. President Trump needs all the help he can get in his fight to drain the swamp and restore greatness.

Unknown said...

OMG....a true believer?

Ray Nemeth Sr said...

What is happening in the political parties is not about Trump. It is very simplistic for pundits to believe that those that support Trump are just into some personality cult and if Trump goes away all will be back to the status quo.

Fiscally the country has been living on its past reputation. We are on a collision course with insolvency.

Unlimited and unregulated immigration is threatening to change the character of the country. Some believe that it has been unjust and should be changed , but to what.

The threat of the country adopting a totally socialist system is stronger than ever before. The consequences will end up like Venezuela.

This country has been the policeman of the world since World war 2, we cannot afford nor can we expect our youth to die for the rest of the world.

Many are comfortable and at ease with the situation, everything is good, why change anything, but many see the future of the country in another light and believe they need to advocate a change in direction.

We are in an unsustainable situation on many fronts and to advocate for change in a fiscally and socially responsible way has been attacked by those who are very happy with the present direction.

Charlie Dent is a good man with nice family, but he believes things should always be the same, but it is time for a change of direction.

Many just believe we need to advocate for responsibility, fiscally and socially and to make decisions that are in the best long term interest of the country. Not just what is in our own best interest or the best interest of the many special interest groups.

Anonymous said...

This is short and simple... Dent is passe, old establishment, good old boys club network kind of guy! THOSE attributes no longer work in DC! All this guy had to do was be respectful to the President and not appear on national TV bashing him at every turn! I'm highly disappointed and embarrassed! Looking forward to Justin Simmons filling the seat!

Anonymous said...

One more establishment proponent gone. The swamp is getting a little clearer. He is not a centrist; he is a politician who has gone off the reservation, for his own psychological needs, and can't survive in this populist world.

Anonymous said...

I liken the extremism of the modern Repubmican to Timothy McVeigh and Dylan Roof. The ones that dispise many things good about the Country and blame the governement and are easily influenced by a tweet or FB meme. We need more Charlie Dents in Congress not Steve Bannons.

Btw, leaving Wegmans at Tilghman and saw a Osborne sign. Isn't it a little early to start trashing our landscape?

Anonymous said...

When have Democrats ever compromised on anything ?

Anonymous said...

Welfare reform. Tort reform. Fema Aid.

Anonymous said...

8:49 I mean in post turn of the century, 21st century politics.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Ray, Your fear of socialism is just that - fear. It has nothing to do with Dent. I would argue that you are no Republican. You are instead a modern Know-Nothing or worse, an authoritarian. And you have a nice family, too.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"He is not a modern republican. He turned his back on our President."

This is precisely what I said last week. There is no longer any ideology. It is instead a personality cult of blind loyalty or worse, authoritarianism.

Bernie O'Hare said...

" Looking forward to Justin Simmons filling the seat!"

Simmons is a snake who showed his true colors with Dent after pretending to be his friend. Simmons has jumped on the Trump train only bc he is a political opportunist, as is demonstrated by his text messages to Charlie. He will be dumped by voters. His career is over.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Btw, leaving Wegmans at Tilghman and saw a Osborne sign. Isn't it a little early to start trashing our landscape? "

No, it is campaign sign season.

Anonymous said...

As if the pictures of Obama with a halo weren't worshiping an Authoritarian, who ruled by Executive Order ?

Bernie O'Hare said...

As I've responded several times, Obama's abuse of Executive Orders are an abuse, but not authoritarian. An authoritarian believes in strong central power at the expense of personal liberty. Obama's exec orders increased personal liberty and therefore are not authoritarian. As I have made this distinction several times, I can only conclude that you are purposely posting disinformation and I will be deleting you from this point.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, I love your antics of trashin some one and than commenting that they have a nice family. One day we will sit down and you will have to teach me that generational tecniq taught to you by the original.

Canary_In_Coalmine said...

Have admired Dent for years, but what does being a centrist voice outside Washington mean? Are all the MSNBC appearances groundwork for a presidential run?

Curious whether Charlie will work as a lobbyist as nearly all former politicos do.



Bernie O'Hare said...

Canary, Not hard to understand. I am a centrist voice outside of Washington.

Anonymous said...

Bernie, it is sad but many local pols in both parties may be in trouble. I know both Dems and Redubs that are more or less centrists. They may now be shunned by their own parties. I know of one Dem candidate you know whom is concerned with the push to the extremes of both parties.

Anonymous said...

Makes me laugh - all these reasons for Charlie stepping down. We all know the real reason is that it is his time to cash in for some really big bucks. He has stayed long enough to become valuable and now his $180,000 a year will look like chump change. It has nothing to do with Trump or his ability to get along with anybody. Charlie will be jumping in head first right into the swamp.

Anonymous said...

Heard Dent might get a job with MSNBC! Wouldn't that be sweet? Then he can give Trump a harder time then Megyn Kelly at the debates... and look where THAT got her! Let's face it Dent's polls were way down which is the truth as to why he got out. He'd rather go out on his own than lose a race of any kind... his head is too big to lose!

Anonymous said...

Simmons cartel....Justin will regret giving up the only job he's ever known...and the cushy state rep salary and luxury of doing nothing and having no accountability whatsoever to keep the dream alive that his merry band of smalltown, small mind followers will get a turn in the Lincoln bedroom...as long as he keeps trying to snow ball people. Tick tock team....fill that resume full of bullshit rhetoric for the private sector...answer is....not interested junior, show me what you've accomplished....nada in 6 years....no can do, the real world is for doers....we do need banquet servers at Desales though, remember, the place where you used to hold your big victory parties??

Anonymous said...

"and look where THAT got her!"

Actually Roger Ailes sex shows got her a huge payout along with quite a few other women. You know they motto at Fox, "Read the bible and grab the panties"

Oh Yeah!!!

Anonymous said...

Ding dong, the merry, oh sing it high and sing it low
Let them know the wicked RINO's dead

Ovem Lupo Commitere said...

While all you RINO hunters are gloating, an interesting reality is ( http://www.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx ) that "In politics, as of today, do you consider yourself a Republican, a Democrat or an independent?" the result in a national Gallup poll were 28% D, 28% R, and 41% independents. So be happy in your 28% "Americaness" and RINO hunting to make the Republican party all the more extreme, but the reality in America is centerist. Center-Right, as Dent claims, or Center-Left; regardless "center" is the common denominator. If not for gerrymandering (for BOTH parties), American politics would look much different than the talking heads of mass media, or the electoral reality in the House, would like to project.

Another non-shocking reality: Trump doesn't fit the typical L-R/D-R spectrum. In a more diamond shaped spectrum, he taps more into the bottom "populist" quadrant. However, as both parties become more polarized in the name of purity eventually the center will re-exert itself, whether C-R or C-L. Local Republican leadership will eventually find that boxing itself into such a Trump-specific corner will work against them. To modify an old expression: "the Center is dead, long live the center." Or, the difference between winning the battle versus winning the war. In the long run the GOP is dying a slow death, but doesn't realize it because of short term victories.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I'd like to see a Centrist party established, led by some who are currently in both major parties.

Anonymous said...

Bernie you know pols in this area. Don't you get the sense that there are a lot of centrist-moderates in both parties that have more in common with each other than the extremes of their own parties?

Bernie O'Hare said...

In most cases, yes. There are some flamers on both sides, but most are centrist.

Canary_In_Coalmine said...

Bernie:

I could have been more clear. I was wondering what Charlie plans to do with his time. Being an "independent voice outside Washington" could mean anything. Will he be a talking head? Lobbyist? Presidential candidate? Bottom-feeding blogger?

Bernie O'Hare said...

He said he has not given much thought to that at this point.

Canary_In_Coalmine said...

Hard to believe he would make the decision to call it quits without a plan, but ok.

Whatever the case, you are safe because he is too nice to be a bottom-feeding blogger.

Bernie O'Hare said...

True, but evil Shawn Millan is not.