This is an open thread about Arlen Specter. Is his defection a good or bad sign for the GOP?
Update: Here’s an article discussing it.
A Long Term Problem for Republicans
President Obama probably didn’t need any more good news to end his first 100 days. Yet he got it anyway, with a hefty assist from the Republican right. Senator Arlen Specter announced that he would join the ranks of the Democrats. This has several important ramifications in the short term. First, it means that Democrats will likely have 60 members once Al Franken is certified as the winner in Minnesota. The importance of this is somewhat overblown, since this doesn’t necessarily mean that Democrats will have 60 votes on all issues, but more on this later. Second, it contributes to the Democrats’ already-hefty momentum, and to the short-term marginalization of the beltway Republicans.
In the long term, the switch is a symptom of a deepening problem for the Republican party. First, it likely moves the center of the Senate further leftward. Some on the Republican party’s right will ignore this, and declare “good riddance” to Specter. After all, he cast the “wrong” vote on the stimulus bill, is pro-choice, and has cast a number of votes that fly in the face of modern conservative orthodoxy.
I think the GOP needs a broader base but not turn coats like Arlen Specter. It needs to be an alliance of Conservatives. Libertarians, Populists and Security Moderates.
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Tags: Arlen Specter, GOP
