Home > Alex Massie

Thursday 9 February 2012

Great GOP Victory! Arlen Specter Now Officially a Democrat!

Tuesday, 28th April 2009

Well, you gotta hand it to them. The Republican party's base finally got rid of Republican-In-Name-Only Arlen Specter. The Pennsylvania Senator has had enough and isn't going to take it anymore. He's now a Democrat. And so, a heretic was cast into the wilderness and the conservative movement offered great hosannas of joy. Better to be small but pure than large and corrupted by moderation and squishy centrism. That this defection may ensure the Democrats have a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate matters less than enforcing ideological conformity. That's how you win these days, right?

Granted, Al Franken still has to be confirmed as the winner in Minnesota and granted too Specter insists that he will be no more doctrinaire a Democrat than he was a Republican. But still. Even allowing for Democratic waverers such as Baucus and Nelson, on a number of issues Obama's path to domestic legislative success just became a little easier. True, the centre still commands the Senate, but that centre is now tipped a little more decisively in favour of the Donkey. Equally, logic demands that if Specter is to win Pennsylvania's Democratic primary next year, he may, on some issues anyway, have to advance the Democrats' agenda more swiftly than he might otherwise have felt inclined to.

From Specter's statement:

I have been a Republican since 1966. I have been working extremely hard for the Party, for its candidates and for the ideals of a Republican Party whose tent is big enough to welcome diverse points of view. While I have been comfortable being a Republican, my Party has not defined who I am. I have taken each issue one at a time and have exercised independent judgment to do what I thought was best for Pennsylvania and the nation.
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.

Well, yes. It's also true that if Specter believes he would lose the GOP primary, his best hope of remaining in the Senate might be to switch parties now, at a moment when it can more easily be swaddled in principle. But, again, still. Heckuva job, Club for Growth.

One other point: I suspect that Joe Biden played a big part in convincing Specter that this was his wisest course of action. If so, then Biden has done his boss no small service.

Previous Back to Alex Massie Next

Blogs: Martin Bright | Susan Hill | Melanie Phillips | Coffee House | Faith Based

Actions: Print this article | Email to a friend | Permalink | Comments (10)

Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit

Post comment

Conservative Cabbie

April 28th, 2009 5:46pm Report this comment

So Arlen Specter, fearing he will lose a primary or an election ("Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats") decides to switch sides. I'm sure the people of Pennsylvania will be delighted to be represented by such a man of principle. A politician who makes his descisions based upon electoral viability - sounds like a perfect Democrat.

David

April 28th, 2009 5:58pm Report this comment

"I'm sure the people of Pennsylvania will be delighted to be represented by such a man of principle"

I'm sure they will. He clearly puts his principles before his party. He's still the man they elected, his party isn't. The ideologues have driven out a man who has committed 40 years of his life to the party. Utter, utter idiots. What message does his treatment send to moderates? He won't be the last.

Conservative Cabbie

April 28th, 2009 6:33pm Report this comment

David

Actually, a point well made with some truth to it.

Conservative Cabbie

April 28th, 2009 6:40pm Report this comment

This made me laugh. When NRSC chairman endorsed Specter over Pat Toomey, he said "A vote for Arlen Specter is a vote for denying Harry Reid and the Democrats a filibuster-proof Senate."

Oops!

porkbelly

April 28th, 2009 9:42pm Report this comment

As if ideology has anything to do with it. Specter's record of unprincipled bending with the political winds coupled with his pompous high moral tone has as much to do with his electoral problems as his perceived "moderate" status. Voters just don't trust or respect him anymore. Pennsylvania has seen a gradual change from a Catholic socially-conservative blue collar state to one more closely resembling the politically liberal Northeast - Specter saw this happening and knew his precious Senate seat was in the balance. This was a classic backroom deal brokered by Biden and Axelrod in which Specter was guaranteed that he would have a clear run at the Democratic nomination (no leading Pennsylvania Democrat has declared for the Democratic Party primary race even well before Specter's public announcement) and plenty of campaign money. He saw a chance to save his hide and took it. This is the sort of craven weasel who is the future of the Republican Party? "Principles before party"? That's a good one!

pregethwr

April 29th, 2009 12:19am Report this comment

All the polls show Specter cruising the general election against any likely Democrat. It is the Republican primary he can't win against an opponent who could only win if the Dems nominated Rod Blagovitch, and then it would be close.

All this tells you is the Republicans are not serious about their ideals because they have no desire to see them implemented. They want to be a hobby not a political party.

Johnathan Pearce

April 29th, 2009 8:04am Report this comment

I would be more willing to respect his decision had he been a consistent opponent of massive government spending, etc. The truth is, Specter, like a lot of GOP "moderates" over the last decade or so, has done little to resist the advance of the state juggernaut. I honestly don't know why these people ever join conservative parties in the first place.

Sorry Alex, but you are writing nonsense on this issue.

Rhoda Klapp

April 29th, 2009 9:49am Report this comment

The presence in US politics of a number of thousand-year-old professional trimmers with a network of contacts, lobbyists and influence peddlers who make millions and never, ever retire, is not a good thing. The whole thing is about Specter saving his skin. It seems no party in this has behaved with honour or dignity. Oh, and the folks are getting screwed, but who cares about them?

libertarian

April 29th, 2009 1:40pm Report this comment

Note that this was a decision by a person NOT a party.....

Zelda

April 29th, 2009 2:03pm Report this comment

Spector is the symptom, but we're all the disease as long as we allow the Fed Gov't to keep growing...some people will continue to vote for the politician they believe will grab them the most goodies from the bag!

Post comment