Republican No More
Arlen Specter, the Republican Senator from Pennsylvania has decided to switch parties, which spells out huge changes in the way proceedings will take place in the Senate. If Al Franken finally takes the senate seat for Minnesota, which he most likely will, the Democrats will now have 60 seats in the Senate, meaning the power to fillibuster would dissappear. Giving total control to the Democrats.
Sure the Republicans will cry out against the “tyrrany of the majority” and how the Democrats are going to ruin the nation by taking it to the extreme left, while not at all acknowledging their extreme conservative agenda. However, the extreme conservatism is the entire reason why Specter has decided to switch parties. Specter always defined himself as a moderate, and has usually voted so. He is also one of the three Republican Senators who supported the Stimulus Package.
Here is an excerpt from his statement:
Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.
“Why doesn’t he just become an independent you ask, and not side with Democrats?” It’s because Mr. Specter is coming up for re-election in 2010, and would need both financial, and base support from one party or the other. So the new healthcare packages being discussed in Congress right now are going to be extremely hard for the Republicans to fight against.
Oh what a difference one man makes…
Good riddance to him, we don’t want liberals like Specter in the party anyway. I’ve never liked him, not because he’s a moderate, but because he’s been a liberal all along but only ran as a Republican for political expediency.
And Tab, I don’t know how much more damage a filibuster-proof majority could inflict: Obama’s already multiplied the federal deficit to such an extent that makes the Iraq War look like a drop in the bucket. In 2012, my primary consideration as I mull over the candidates will be who is truly committed to balancing the budget. So far, the only candidate I see with the potential to fulfill that requirement is Mark Sanford, but a lot can change between now and then. I’ll vote Democrat if it means balancing the budget, but I’m pretty sure no Democrats are actually concerned with that, it’s just not in their blood. Alas.