# John Fetterman really needs to resign **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 4, 2025, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875 "2025-05-04T22:13:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/405 "2026-09-10T01:41:28Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Why must everything be divide and conquer? Why must it always be us vs. them? Perhaps he’s trying to build bridges, which would not be a bad thing. Because 3/5ths isn’t compromise, it’s capitulation. Or, do you think there’s an negotiable number of impoverished children that should be kicked off of SNAP so we can give the wealthy another tax cut? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/406 "2026-09-10T01:49:52Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Perhaps he’s trying to build bridges, which would not be a bad thing. In theory, yes, I am myself a moderate. I liked the Democrats who worked with Republicans to draft comprehensive immigration reforms proposals – even though the GOP mainstream made sure they went nowhere. Fetterman is not working with Republicans to get them to make their legislation acceptable to moderate liberals. Instead he appears to be positioning himself to change parties. Yes, I know, he says he won’t change parties. There are so few recent party changers that I do not recall how the process works, but I assume they all pledge undying allegiance to their old party until the minute they switch. Now what we need is some GOP - Democratic party changers. Those are the ones we should build bridges to. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/407 "2026-09-10T02:38:20Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Yes, I know, he says he won’t change parties. There are so few recent party changers that I do not recall how the process works, but I assume they all pledge undying allegiance to their old party until the minute they switch. If the Senate winds up 51-49 in the Democrats’ favor after the election, I could see him jumping ship if the committee assignments Democrats give him aren’t as good as what Thune is willing to offer. Otherwise, I think he stays. ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/408 "2026-09-10T03:12:38Z")
If it’s 51-49, he’d have a ton of personal leverage over the party by causing 50-50 ties (and then Vance killing the legislation as the tiebreaker.) I don’t know the guy or anything, but it doesn’t seem like he’s too interested in having assignments or working in general either. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/409 "2026-09-10T03:49:54Z")
Allow me to suggest a different POV. Given that Fetterman continues to vote in support of Democrats on most legislation, even if he sometimes enables some truly terrible legislation despite that majority, I’ll give him a rating of “better than Oz.” Showing up though at the RNC rally, because there’s little of _substance_ to the event other than that, is **100%** sanewashing what’s going on with the Republican/MAGA efforts to gut the Representative version of our government to replace it with a more authoritarian one. As such, he’s doing immense harm by that metric alone, in the same way one might bring “one of the good ones” to a bigot gathering of various flavors, who kowtows and sucks up to said bigots and shows them that they’re _correct_. If I were one of the voters who elected him, I would absolutely want to recall him, or at least, not vote to support him again. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/410 "2026-09-10T04:31:57Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > Allow me to suggest a different POV. Given that Fetterman continues to vote in support of Democrats on most legislation, even if he sometimes enables some truly terrible legislation despite that majority, I’ll give him a rating of “better than Oz.” > > Showing up though at the RNC rally, because there’s little of _substance_ to the event other than that, is **100%** sanewashing what’s going on with the Republican/MAGA efforts to gut the Representative version of our government to replace it with a more authoritarian one. The steel industry is critical for his state. Yeah, i agree that was a foolish gesture. > [@ParallelLines](#): > > If I were one of the voters who elected him, I would absolutely want to recall him, or at least, not vote to support him again. I would vote against him in the next Primary, but vote for him vs Maga mcBigot. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/411 "2026-09-10T14:50:35Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I would vote against him in the next Primary, but vote for him vs Maga mcBigot. That’s really the issue right now? I suspect he has little chance or winning another D nomination. But he likely win the GOP one in a walk. My guess is he flips before the next primary and if he wins as a Republican is an even shittier Rep Senator than he’s been a Democratic one. ETA that Trump and his tariffs are horrible for the steel industry. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/412 "2026-09-10T15:12:03Z")
I doubt he’d win a GOP primary. Who is his constituency within the Republican party? ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/413 "2026-09-10T16:01:39Z")
The ones who give him a job approval rating of [77](https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3962)% to 12%? The ones who give him job approval [10 points higher](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/maverick-democrat-surges-republicans-party-turns-stoking-talk-gop-switch) than the other, Republican, Senator of PA? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/414 "2026-09-10T16:06:47Z")
Are they gonna vote for a pro-LGBTQ, pro choice candidate in the primary? You don’t think other Republicans might run against him and use those positions to try and beat him? With this Republican electorate? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/415 "2026-09-10T16:13:40Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Who is his constituency within the Republican party? There’s certainly a contingent of Republicans who will vote for the rich angry white male blowhard with brain damage. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/416 "2026-09-10T16:13:50Z")
It’s almost like he’s trying to deliberately sabotage any chance at a political future of any sort. And doing so in such a way that he’ll be able to blame everyone else. Combined with reporting from former staffers that he’s completely abandoned any interest at all in actually doing any work it seems we may be witnessing the deliberate implosion of a political career. Likely brought on by brain damage. Curious. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/417 "2026-09-10T16:48:52Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Are they gonna vote for a pro-LGBTQ, pro choice candidate in the primary? Yes. Frankly the largest swath of voters, both sides really, don’t know voting records, don’t listen to debates, and would just vote based on “I liked him these last six years. He supported Trump some.” It is also a presidential year. I suspect national GOP would prefer to have him on their ballot in PA than a lesser known name. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/418 "2026-09-10T17:08:15Z")
I’m reminded of former Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, a moderate Republican. He famously switched parties in 2009 during the Bush Junior administration, infuriating Republican voters. When he ran for another term, this time as a Democrat, he was defeated in the primary. Turned out Democrats didn’t especially like him either. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/419 "2026-09-10T17:33:08Z")
I think you’re way off. Sure, they may like him as a Democrat. But as a Republican? Against actual die hard MAGA Republicans in the primary? With ads attacking him on gay and trans rights, abortion, and many other Democratic priorities? That’s very different. Maybe we’ll find out, but I think it’s a laughable proposition. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/420 "2026-09-10T17:44:57Z")
The fact that he’s skipping constituent services indicates he has no intention of running for office again. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/421 "2026-09-10T18:56:27Z")
I saw this morning Fetterman referred to as the first rat to jump _onto_ a sinking ship ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/422 "2026-09-10T20:46:30Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > The fact that he’s skipping constituent services indicates he has no intention of running for office again. This. I think he has been involved in what people these days call “quiet quitting”, except he’s not being particularly quiet about it. And people who “quietly quit” generally still do the minimum required by a job, and I’m not entirely sure Fetterman is even doing that much. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/423 "2026-09-10T20:54:26Z")
There are plenty of Congress people who really don’t like doing the job, but love being Congress people. I don’t know if Fetterman is one of those, but the fact he doesn’t want to work doesn’t say much about his likelihood of running again. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2026, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875/424 "2026-09-10T20:57:04Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > I don’t know if Fetterman is one of those, but the fact he doesn’t want to work doesn’t say much about his likelihood of running again. He doesn’t seem to want to really put in the effort to do much of anything, and certainly doesn’t seem to want to meet with people. None of that is conducive to running a political campaign, much the opposite. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-fetterman-really-needs-to-resign/1017875.md?page=22)