“Moderate” Republican Senator from Pennsylvania Arlen Specter has announced that he is switching parties and will run for re-election in 2010 as a Democrat.
Whatever his party label was, Specter has long been a R.I.N.O. (Republican In Name Only), most recently showing his colors as one of only three senators to break ranks with the Republicans in voting for President Obama’s stimulus bill (Maine Senators Olympia Snowe & Susan Collins also voted for Porkulus).
Specter was probably finally scared away from the party by the writing on the wall. Former Pennsylvania Congressman Pat Toomey was polling extremely well with conservatives in Pennsylvania, and Specter probably wouldn’t have made it out of the Republican primaries. He acknowledged as much in his switch statement comment, ”I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate,”
This is potentially a double edged sword. The down side is that for the next two years (at least) Senate Republicans are probably going to face a filibuster proof Democratic majority (Al Franken is ahead in a seemingly eternal battle for Minnesota’s Senate seat against Norm Coleman and is expected to be seated). That means that Republican potential to influence policy is greatly diminished. The reality, however, is that Specter was hardly a Republican at all. As chairman of the judiciary committee under Dubya, he was as much of a hindrance as a help. His support of Porkulus was a big deal. The only change is who will be paying for Specter to support Democratic legislation. The RNC won’t have to fund his left of center legislative agenda and can instead move on to better qualified (conservative) candidates.
The good side of the switch is that finally Specter has acknowledged what he is… a Democrat. When he inevitably votes with the Democrats on the most important legislation, it keeps them from being able to bellow about “bipartisanship.” It also lets Pat Toomey begin to focus his campaign message and begin the charge to unseat Specter.
Personally, I say good riddance. I wish he’d take the rest of the RINO caucus with him (here’s a list of a few that I’d like to see go). The problem isn’t a lack of Republicans in the caucus, the problem is a lack of conservative ideals in the seats. Conservatism that works focuses on limiting the scope of the federal government so that the private sector, the American citizen/worker/entrepreneur, can thrive, innovate, and lead the way in the 21st century. It focuses on helping America’s greatest resource (Americans) do what they do best… which is always to be the best.
Senator Specter was eventually going to have to go away anyway. Having now shown his colors to the voters, my only hope is that the people of Pennsylvania will see him for the self-interested opportunist he is. On second thought, that may be all the qualification he needs.
