FirmhandKY
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Joined: 9/21/2004
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FR:
You leftist are just so funny.
I think it's a good thing he switched, for several reasons:
1. It removes much doubt as to the liability (or credit) of the Democratic Party, for whatever will happen over the next 2 or 4 years.
This will make it much clearer where the credit or blame lies, and will give a lot of ammo in the next couple of elections.
2. Specter has always been a weak horse in the party, and as a member of the Judiciary Committee, where he has done no favors for the Republicans. Basically, he is out in the open now, and the Republicans won't have to be as "accommodating" to his wishes within the party when it comes to judicial appointments.
Some information about his career, taken from Wikipedia (this is selected sentences and paragraphs, not the entire article):
quote:
Specter became an assistant district attorney under District Attorney James Crumlish, and was a Democrat.
In 1965, Specter ran for District Attorney, on the Republican ticket as a registered Democrat. He handily beat incumbent Jim Crumlish, and subsequently changed his registration to Republican.
In 1976, Specter ran in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate and was defeated by John Heinz. In 1978, he was defeated in the primary for Governor of Pennsylvania by Dick Thornburgh.
Specter has a higher approval rating among Democrats in Pennsylvania than Republicans, 62-55 respectively
Specter voted in favor of the Senate's version of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 on February 10, 2009; he was one of only three Republicans to break ranks with the party and support the bill, which was favored by President Barack Obama and was unanimously supported by the Democratic senators.[22] As a result of his support, many in the Republican mainstream have begun to set up attack ads calling for his removal from office.
In 2004, Specter faced a challenge in the Republican primary election from conservative Congressman Pat Toomey. Toomey's campaign theme was that Specter, a moderate, was not fiscally conservative enough. The match-up was closely watched nationally, being seen as a symbolic clash between the conservative and moderate wings of the Republican Party. However, most of the state and national Republican establishment, including the state's other senator at the time, Rick Santorum, (who was widely seen as only slightly less conservative than Toomey), closed ranks behind Specter. Specter was strongly supported by President George W. Bush. Specter narrowly avoided a major upset with 51 percent of the primary vote. Once Specter defeated the challenge from the right, he was able to enjoy great support from independents and some Democrats in his race against Hoeffe
Specter is up for re-election to the Senate in 2010, and he has expressed his plans to run again. On March 18, 2009, Specter said that he was not considering running as an independent, and that he planned to run for re-election "as a Republican on the Republican ticket".[28] Subsequently Specter's 2004 conservative GOP primary challenger Pat Toomey announced he will again run for the Republican nomination in the Republican senatorial primary.[29] On April 28, 2009, Specter stated that "As the Republican Party has moved farther and farther to the right, I have found myself increasingly at odds with the Republican philosophy and more in line with the philosophy of the Democratic Party",[8] and he said that is switching party affiliation and will run as a Democrat in the 2010 election.
It's obvious that Specter has never been what you would call a "party loyalist". He does have a pretty good insight into what it takes to get elected, and it obvious that he is very much aware that the chances of pulling out another "squeaker" election are pretty dim for him in the Republican primary.
But, because his electorate is more liberal than the Republican party, he would likely be able to win in a general election - but won't be able to get to one, if he doesn't win the Republican primary.
He's changed parties before to win elections. Nothing new with this change. I suspect his current talk about how the "Republican Party has left me." is camouflaging rhetoric, not actually fact. We heard the same thing in reverse in the 1980s and 1990s.
I will say, I have to respect the fact that while he has always been a RINO, he has generally never equivocated on his generally liberal stances and principles.
But I'm certainly not sorry to see him gone, either.
And, finally ... while all you lefties are jumping up and down with joy over the "destruction" of the Republican Party, as evidenced by this switch, check out these stats:
Party Switching.
Enjoy.
Firm
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Some people are just idiots.
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RE: Sen. Arlen Specter Switches Parties - Becomes Democrat - 
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