May 01 2009
Arlen Specter – Rino or Dino – Low Expectations
For thirty years Senator Specter has represented the State of Pennsylvania as a Republican. Specter has always been a moderate voice for his party. Now he discovered that the lunatic fringe of the GOP has taken over and they want him out. Senator Specter made the cardinal sin of voting for legislation that his party opposed. This immediately brought on the wrath of the likes of Hannity and Limpballs. His bipartisan stand will not be tolerated in the party of NO. The GOP is galvanized against him and he stands no chance of winning the Pennsylvania primary in the party he has represented for years.
Realizing he didn’t stand a chance of winning in Pennsylvania as a Republican again Specter announced he was changing parties and joining the Democrats. This was an act of rank opportunism reminiscent of Senator Joe Liberman. When the voters of Connecticut got tired of old Joe’s hawkish support of the Bush administration it became clear he could not carry his party again. So he formed the Joe Lieberman party and became an Independent. Senator Specter should have done the same thing. He is not a Democrat and made clear the party could not count on him as the 60th vote in the senate.
Arlen has been welcomed into the party by the leadership. But then remember, the leadership of the Democratic Party is sorely out of touch with the people. Not as badly as the GOP, but still blind to the will of the people. Senator Specter was exactly where he belonged. He did the country more good as a moderate influence in the Republican party than he ever will as a conservative voice in the Democratic Party. Don’t expect any stellar ideas to come from this newly minted Democrat.
It will be an enormous mistake on the part of the Democratic Party if they throw their support behind Specter in a race against another Democrat from Pennsylvania. He is not really a Democrat and he can not be counted on in a fight on the floor. He is in it for his own self interests, not those of either party. He should stand down, accept defeat and retire. He’s been in Washington long enough. He may be a senior senator, but he is no statesman.
