Specter to switch parties

[The Mikado]

Didn't you recently yell at me Phil for alluding to Specter possibly running as an independent? And now he is a Democrat. When will you learn to stop disagreeing with me? It's no longer ironic, just boring.

To be fair, Specter is a machine guy.  He's switching from the R machine to the D machine.  Indy would be completely out of character for him.

[The Mikado]

Welcome to the Democratic Party, Mr. Specter.  You can check your cloak there on the left.  Things you need to know:

1.  The Democratic Party loves our friends across the Atlantic, but at present does not consider the USA as functioning under Scottish Common Law.

2.  To get the reputation of a "pro-labor Republican" all you need to do is not bash unions every time you mention them.  Pro-labor Democrat requires your voting with them occasionally.

3.  The Democratic Party admires the ingenuity of the firearms industry, but doubts that they are impressive enough to create a single bullet that will inflict three bullet wounds on two different people.

Thank you, and enjoy your stay.

[The Mikado]

Switching parties to survive politically is the pinnacle of being a loser. Sorry Arlen.

I could see that as a viable definition, but what would you say to Richard Shelby, Strom Thurmond, Phil Gramm, etc?  (Even Gramm would've gone down if he'd stayed a Dem into the 90s.)