Tue
Apr 28 2009
12:24 pm

He's now a Democrat. Developing...

UPDATE: msnbc.com

'Political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans,' he says

If (when?) Al Franken gets seated President Obama will have a filibuster proof Congress.

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Bbeanster's picture

That makes 59-- Without

That makes 59--

Without Franken.

Healthcare coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bizgrrl's picture

Healthcare

Healthcare coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes!

Virgil Proudfoot's picture

Don't get too excited

Let's see if Arlen changes his mind on card check.

gonzone's picture

reports

News reports say no, he will not change his mind on EFCA.

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

Bbeanster's picture

I've loathed Specter since

I've loathed Specter since he screwed over Anita Hill to jack up his "conservative" bona fides, and it's obvious that he's doing this primarily out of self preservation. But he's always been a mixed bag, and over the years has trended increasingly to the left of the rightward-marching GOP.
.
I guess, back in the day, that I didn't realize that the Republicans' Southern Strategy would end up doing them in. They've swapped the vote-rich Northeast for chump change in Dixie.
Eat it, Zell!

citizenX's picture

Wasn't it Arlen Spector who

Wasn't it Arlen Spector who came up with the "magic bullet" theory when Kennedy was assassinated? He's never been one of my favorite Republicans but I welcome him to our party....I think.

JWB's picture

Yes dear,

that and Anita Hill too, but now he is a Democrat, as you acknowledge.

Factchecker's picture

HuffPo's

R. Neal's picture

"I will not be an automatic

"I will not be an automatic 60th vote for cloture. For example, my position on Employees Free Choice (Card Check) will not change."

Elrod's picture

Watch what he does

He says he won't be an automatic 60th vote on cloture or supporter of EFCA. But I bet he changes on that. Can he really fend off a Democratic challenger in PA by opposing EFCA? Doubtful. PA is a union state - especially the Dems.

As for cloture, he won't be as reliable as, say, Dick Durbin. But he'll be no harder than Lieberman or Ben Nelson - which requires minimal work.

ANGRYWOLF's picture

wow...

Rush will be yelling for Specter's obit as soon as the public announcement is made..
Sorry to say that but it's true..
The repubs will consider him a traitor...

I still don't feel Specter is a dem though..He's just doing this to keep his seat in the Senate...

sugarfatpie's picture

I thank Rush for this

I thank Rush for this amazing gift. Without his howling the GOP would be moving to the center now and we wouldn't have Arlen.

-Sugarfatpie (AKA Alex Pulsipher)

"X-Rays are a hoax."-Lord Kelvin

Brian A.'s picture

This is good news for Republicans

So says comedian Limbaugh.

Brian A.
I'd rather be cycling.

gonzone's picture

Thanks

Thanks Club For Growth and Toomey.

Sounds like good news for McCain and the GOP!

But seriously, I hear that Specter's committee seats may be held and not released to Republicans until they talk turkey about Franken. After all, that stalling stuff can go two ways.

"The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice."

Rachel's picture

Of course Specter did this

Of course Specter did this mostly for self-preservation; he was in serious danger of losing the Republican primary to that nut Pat Toomey (which kind of tells you who's left in the Pennsylvania Republican party).

But I also think he's probably tired of trying to be a voice of, if not reason, at least non-crazy, in the R party.

Like, Bean, I'm not a big far of Arlen's. But I'll take another D in the Senate however I can get it. And frankly, I think Specter is to the left of Ben Nelson.

Brian A.'s picture

As a practical matter, how

As a practical matter, how much of a difference will this really make? Yes, in theory, it could mean 60 votes on some bills. But which ones? What, if any, issues will Specter be changing his vote on?

Brian A.
I'd rather be cycling.

Rachel's picture

I think it makes more of a

I think it makes more of a symbolic difference than a practical one, although it will make Specter free not to be scared of retribution from the Rs if he steps out of line.

But this guy is nationally known, and he's on tee vee saying that the Republican party has become too extreme and left him. That just piles on to the country's current perception of the Rs anyway.

StaceyDiamond's picture

Specter

Supposedly he was having trouble over his vote on the card check for unions and had recently switched from supporting that to keep his seat. he's always seemed more in line with Dems to me.

KC's picture

I think it makes more of a

I think it makes more of a symbolic difference than a practical one

But in politics where perception is often, if not mostly, reality, it's really what matters.

R. Neal's picture

The NRCC responds: Today,

The NRCC responds:

Today, Senator Arlen Specter switched his party affiliation to the Democrat Party. I hope you will join me in saying “Good Riddance.”

Don’t give Democrats a blank check, support the NRCC

While today’s party switch underscores how well Specter will fit in with his new Democrat colleagues, this act of political self-interest comes at a very serious cost. If Democrats succeed in stealing the election in Minnesota they will have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate. This would amount to a blank check for Democrats to continue spending trillions of your tax dollars with ZERO accountability.

This supposedly was a concern for Specter when last month he stated:

"I am staying a Republican because I think I have an important role, a more important role, to play there. The United States very desperately needs a two-party system. That's the basis of politics in America. I'm afraid we are becoming a one-party system... I think as a governmental matter, it is very important to have a check and balance." - Sen. Arlen Specter, 3/17/09

But like his principles, I guess this no longer applies.

Don’t give Democrats a blank check, support the NRCC

Now, your support for House Republicans matters more than ever. Since taking power in 2007, Democrats have worsened the culture in Washington, while strapping this country with trillions in new debt and crushing tax hikes on all Americans.

Remember, it was the House Republicans who stood in unison to oppose the so-called “stimulus” and the budget.

Don’t give Democrats a blank check, support the NRCC

Now more than ever, it is important to elect principled, fiscally responsible Republicans. Help us send Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Arlen Specter a message by supporting the NRCC as we work to elect Republicans like you and me.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Guy Harrison, Executive Director

P.S. Americans deserve Representatives who put principles first. Please support the NRCC as we work to rid Washington of self-interested Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and turncoats like Arlen Specter.

"crushing tax hikes on all Americans."

Huh? Sounds like they need better accountants.

RedDog's picture

OK - you have all the power

OK - you have all the power to proceed with CHANGE now. Lead, move-on, be progressive. It's your ballgame now so what becomes of our country is in your hands.

Don't fuck-up

Factchecker's picture

The elephant is slipping from life support

Wow, that was rich. They have the nerve to talk accuse Dems of stealing elections and getting a filibuster proof majority. Wasn't very long ago the GOP ran congress as if it had a filibuster majority and they actually got away with it most of the time. And while many in the party were even so arrogant as to call for rule changes to eliminate the filibuster for extra special votes like lifetime judicial appointments. The nuclear option (or newkular). How'd that 1000 years of dominance work out for them? Checks and balances my ass.

How could The Party not have seen this, if they endorsed unseating a senior Senator with a fringe extremist? How'd THAT work out for them?

Factchecker's picture

Well, thanks, Red Dog, if

Well, thanks, RedDog, if you're being sincere. True checks and balances are what brought us from Duhbya'a 90% approvals to this point today (but with SO much collateral damage to the world). It's true that if Dems fuck up bad enough, we see today what could happen to them too.

However, I can't help but remind the state of the country (and world) Dems have inherited. It's pretty damn bleak, and the minority party is digging in further to use the filibuster every inch of the way to prevent us from effecting the CHANGE that you state is in Dem hands. If only.

redmondkr's picture

Something else that's rich,

Something else that's rich, Mitch McConnell is saying this switch is a 'threat to the country'.

Toodlums, you obviously don't know a real threat to the country when one bites your backside.


Visit us at:

The Home

KC's picture

Mitch McConnell is saying

Mitch McConnell is saying this switch is a 'threat to the country'.

It's all they've got left to take a stand on, and they don't even have much of it left, thanks to Pres. Obama's deft use of the Spec Ops forces against the Somalia pirates.

James Calloway's picture

He was toast in the primary.

Good riddance. I haven't liked this guy since he voted against Bork .. and I honestly think I was the only 11 year old following that particular nomination. Keep the confidence up, overreach is nice to witness.

2010 promises to be sweet.

Andy Axel's picture

This is rich: Gingrich

This is rich: Gingrich claims that the Specter defection is good news.

Whee! There are no more rats on our sinking ship! Hey, wait... where's all this water coming from?

____________________________

Dirty deeds done dirt cheap! Special holidays, Sundays and rates!

Rachel's picture

2010 promises to be sweet. I

2010 promises to be sweet.

I hope you have some sugar around because if you want sweet you'll need it.

Rachel's picture

Hornback weighs

Hornback weighs in:

Political Opportunist Turncoat, Backstabbing Thug or Judas Iscariot?

KC's picture

I think the real break with

I think the real break with the GOP came with Pres. Bush's restrictions on the use of embryonic stem cells in research.

With Specter it was personal because of his cancer. With people like
Sen. Hatch, who also opposed the Bush restrictions, it was practical.

They saw Bush's position as being the political one, because they felt he was doing it to placate the evangelical wing of the GOP. And according to David Kuo, who wrote Tempting Faith, Bush was the one playing politics.

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