Specter to switch parties

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I don't see how anyone could view this as a positive for the Republican Party. It only decreases our big tent even further.

This was clearly a survival move for Specter anyway. He knew he was not going to win a primary with the current PA GOP electorate, and it would have been humiliating to lose in a primary. He'll be reelected in 2010 barring another economic collapse.

[Lief 🗽]

lololol

[Holmes]

Eh. You can't spell filibuster-proof with S-p-e-c-t-e-r, imo.

[Lunar]

I don't see how anyone could view this as a positive for the Republican Party. It only decreases our big tent even further.

Regardless of who one wants to win the primary, it would have been better for the GOP to have Arlen casting conservative votes instead of liberal ones over the next two years.

Potentially damaging too reinforcing the GOP's image as a Southern conservative regional one...

[memphis]

When's this GOP primary anyway?

[Wiz in Wis]

Switching parties seems to have an affect:

ADA Scores
Shelby (D):
1992 - 30
1993 - 35
1994 - 30
Shelby (R)
1995 - 5
1996 - 5
1997 - 5

Jeffords (R)
1998 - 55
1999 - 45
2000 - 55
Jeffords (I) though switched mid term 2001
2001 - 40
2002 - 95
2003 - 85

[Rob]

Switching parties seems to have an affect

yeah, I'm giving Specter a chance on the grounds that he may simply start voting like a liberal Dem across the line.

[You kip if you want to...]

lololol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2q7hei3T3E lol, what would Bush43 say now then?

[Holmes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2q7hei3T3E lol, what would Bush43 say now then?

Opponents don't need to go far to find their attack ads.

[Lunar]

Indeed, Arlen's Democratic opponent, should there even be one, can just rerun Arlen's old ads:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3HOb0NEJ1E

[Ban my account ffs!]

I just read about this... I thought it was a joke at first.  I'm sure Norm Coleman has all sorts of pressure on him to keep Al Franken from being seated now!

This makes me really happy, though.  Since the Republicans have basically become "the party of no" under the leadership of people like Newt Gingrich and Rush Limaugh, it'll be very nice to have one less hurtle in actually getting things done in this country.

Then when the Republicans quit their slide to the irrelevant right and actually have some ideas for the country, they'll start winning some of those seats back.

[Eraserhead]

I'm glad I don't live in PA. I don't think I could bring myself to vote for Specter, even in the general.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Some clips from the news conference for those that haven't seen it,

Specter's opening statement, he says that he finds himself "more in line" with the Democrats and refuses to let the Republican Primary electorate judge his record: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVRuNK43qFo

Specter goes after the Club for Growth and the "far right" and says there "ought to be an uprising" against that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1eAZD8RVG0

[Frodo]

Looks as if the EFCA now has a new lease on life if it comes up again next year, since Specter (now that he is a Democrat) no longer has any reason to continue to oppose it. 

[Nym90]

Switching parties seems to have an affect:

ADA Scores
Shelby (D):
1992 - 30
1993 - 35
1994 - 30
Shelby (R)
1995 - 5
1996 - 5
1997 - 5

Jeffords (R)
1998 - 55
1999 - 45
2000 - 55
Jeffords (I) though switched mid term 2001
2001 - 40
2002 - 95
2003 - 85

What about Ben Nighthorse Campbell from Colorado?

[Nym90]

Looks as if the EFCA now has a new lease on life if it comes up again next year, since Specter (now that he is a Democrat) no longer has any reason to continue to oppose it. 

If we assume that either his opposition then or his presumed support now were done out of political expediency as opposed to principle, then yes.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Looks as if the EFCA now has a new lease on life if it comes up again next year, since Specter (now that he is a Democrat) no longer has any reason to continue to oppose it. 

If we assume that either his opposition then or his presumed support now were done out of political expediency as opposed to principle, then yes.

Let's hope so.

[Sam Spade]

So far, she said, she's staying put. "I believe in the traditional tenets of the Republican Party: strong national defense, fiscal responsibility, individual opportunity. I haven't abandoned those principles that have been the essence of the Republican Party. I think the Republican Party has abandoned those principles.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Funny thing is - the only way the Republican party stands a chance of getting back to those principles - is to get rid of people like Specter.

Right now, neither party, in general, represents the above-stated principles, and certainly the "moderates" of either party don't, including Snowe herself.  There is a reasonable argument that maybe "strong national defense" is a principle that one or the other party represents, but I would say no.  As for the other two, certainly not. 

If you want to try and argue otherwise, think about what has been passed over the past few years and then shut your mouth.  I also haven't forgotten that Snowe herself is a sponsor of the bill essentially giving the government the power to control the Internet during "crisis" times, whatever that means.

[Sam Spade]

Obviously as a crazy liberal, I am not too pleased.

Crazy liberals prefer not to have health care reform get past a filibuster?

They were going to pass it without putting it to vote on the floor. Republicans wouldn't have been able to filibuster anyway.

I can't wait for the health care reform to come up and get analyzed properly.  The bond market had a complete sh!t back in 1994 with health care, so much so it pretty much destroyed any chance of it getting passed (it's perhaps the most important reason no one knows about).

A bond market sh!t is going to happen eventually, and the sooner it happens, the better for our future.

[Ronnie]

Holy shit.

When Franken is seated, the Dems will have a filibuster proof majority.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

The Facebook and Conservative website comments are amazing.  Our own activists want to give away Snowe, Collins, McCain, Alexander, Gov. Schwarzenegger, to the Dems.

This is insanity.

You mean Lamar Alexander??

Yeah - listening to the radio now and callers are calling in saying that they "wouldn't shed a tear if RINO Lamar Alexander joined Specter with the Democrats...and McCain too"

[Marokai Backbeat]

Holy shit.

When Franken is seated, the Dems will have a filibuster proof majority.

Key word now is 'when.' The opposition to Franken was slowing, I fully expect them to pick up and try to delay him even more than they already are.

[Psychic Octopus]

What a douchebag.

[Lunar]

Sam:

Health care reform is happening differently this time... to lazy to list all the differences and how Obama is avoiding making the same massive mistakes [he'll make new ones but probably not as behemoth as Hillary did in '94]

Ironically for your economic doomsday predictions Sam, I recently went to a talk by one of the key vote-counters on health care reform in DC, and they are worried that the economy is going to recover too quickly to the point that people won't want it anymore.  If people can easily pay for their own health care and are satisfied with their coverage, they are going to be far more afraid of upsetting the status quo.  If the recession keeps people's incomes and employment down, the public is going to be a lot more receptive to some sort of massive reform.

[Ronnie]

I didn't really want to say this but:

Keystone, you were right.  Specter is a spineless, opportunistic, scumbag.  I apologize for doubting you.