Long time GOP senator Arlin Specter, now a Democrat.
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34%72 Votes
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18%39 Votes
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I'm mixed on this. The only reason he did it is because he knows he has no shot at being reelected as a Republican in 2010. This is all about getting attention.
He's a very independent guy, which has pissed off the GOP greatly over the years. I think now he'll piss off the Dems just as much. He certainly can't be counted on to vote the party line.
Once Franken is seated, Specter will be the 60th vote, which means he'll have both parties by the balls.
Maybe they can talk him into retiring and we can elect a real Democrat in 2010.
[0 points]327 days ago by translateReplyEdited 327 days ago by translate
Bottom line is, it's debatable whether this is a good thing for Democrats. But one thing is for sure, it's all bad for the GOP. They continue to shrink, marginalize, and regionalize.
Now if we can just get the ladies from Maine to follow Specter's lead...
[2 points]327 days ago by translateReplyEdited 327 days ago by translate
Yes, it's similar in a sense to Joe Lieberman. One difference is Lieberman still caucuses with the Democrats. Specter could have done the same, ran as independent, but then he would have lost out of a lot of fund raising opportunities.
[2 points]327 days ago by translateReplyEdited 327 days ago by translate
Well, you may be right there, and I said as much above. I don't think there's much that the Dems can accomplish with Spector on board that they couldn't have done otherwise.
But one thing it certainly helps is to further marginalize the GOP, in more ways that it seems at first. Spector crossing the aisle calls immediate attention to the Republican party's "misguided ideological rigidity", as I read one columnist put it today, and how long-standing GOP stalwarts are being driven away from that. There's nothing good there for the GOP, certainly nothing to stem the exodus.
21% of respondents in the ABC/WashPo poll self-identified as Republicans this week. Historically low. I would think you'd want that number to go higher. But you're not prepared to do anything about it. "misguided ideological rigidity" - remember that phrase. That's the thing I keep telling you about, that you guys need to fix before you shrink into a regional southern party with no national influence whatsoever.
[0 points]327 days ago by translateReplyEdited 327 days ago by translate
This comment has been moderated down. (Show Comment)
Awesome! I just won a $20 bet that you'd attack the source and not address the comments. Thanks!
But hey, at least you looked it up!
This is almost the best comment so far. So far the best is Kristol, saying this was good for Republicans because now they don't have to do anything for the next 18 months.
Marked inappropriate. No usable answers provided, just more opinion spouting. Too bad you have no intention of using this site for its intended purpose
WTF--it gives very good to very bad as answer choices--what the hell ya looking for, get the chip off your shoulder--I didn't mark your lousy question inappropriate, but if I did, I would have told you why---cry baby..LOLLOLLOLLOL BTW--a forty day old question doesn't care if you or anyone doesn't like it!!!
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
I'm mixed on this. The only reason he did it is because he knows he has no shot at being reelected as a Republican in 2010. This is all about getting attention.
He's a very independent guy, which has pissed off the GOP greatly over the years. I think now he'll piss off the Dems just as much. He certainly can't be counted on to vote the party line.
Once Franken is seated, Specter will be the 60th vote, which means he'll have both parties by the balls.
Maybe they can talk him into retiring and we can elect a real Democrat in 2010.
This comment was deleted by BEC44 .
[1 point] 327 days ago byI rather think this is the Dems getting one back for Lieberman.
Good point.
I'm not sure what you mean, sorry.
Bottom line is, it's debatable whether this is a good thing for Democrats. But one thing is for sure, it's all bad for the GOP. They continue to shrink, marginalize, and regionalize.
Now if we can just get the ladies from Maine to follow Specter's lead...
Sorry for the misspeak-- I meant Lieberman.
Yes, it's similar in a sense to Joe Lieberman. One difference is Lieberman still caucuses with the Democrats. Specter could have done the same, ran as independent, but then he would have lost out of a lot of fund raising opportunities.
This comment was deleted.
[0 points] 327 days ago by deleted user ReplyThis comment was deleted.
[2 points] 327 days ago by deleted user Replyhaha Awesome, just as predicted. Celebrate your irrelevance!
What does the "h" stand for?
This comment was deleted.
[1 point] 327 days ago by deleted user ReplyYour welcome hahahah!
He switched merely for his own personal political gain. He will be missed by the Republicans as much as the Continental Army missed Benedict Arnold.
Very good. Who else do you want to get rid of?
Maybe we can winnow the party down to 20 or so Republicans in the Senate, but boy will they be loyal!
HAAAAAA!!
His contribution will help the dems as much as Benedict Arnold helped the British Empire win the Revolutionary War. :-)
Well, you may be right there, and I said as much above. I don't think there's much that the Dems can accomplish with Spector on board that they couldn't have done otherwise.
But one thing it certainly helps is to further marginalize the GOP, in more ways that it seems at first. Spector crossing the aisle calls immediate attention to the Republican party's "misguided ideological rigidity", as I read one columnist put it today, and how long-standing GOP stalwarts are being driven away from that. There's nothing good there for the GOP, certainly nothing to stem the exodus.
21% of respondents in the ABC/WashPo poll self-identified as Republicans this week. Historically low. I would think you'd want that number to go higher. But you're not prepared to do anything about it. "misguided ideological rigidity" - remember that phrase. That's the thing I keep telling you about, that you guys need to fix before you shrink into a regional southern party with no national influence whatsoever.
Sounds like BS one might find in the Washington Monthly -- liberal crap!
This comment has been moderated down. (Show Comment)
Awesome! I just won a $20 bet that you'd attack the source and not address the comments. Thanks!
But hey, at least you looked it up!
This is almost the best comment so far. So far the best is Kristol, saying this was good for Republicans because now they don't have to do anything for the next 18 months.
I learned that from YOU! :-)
You should give me half. :-)
This comment was deleted.
[1 point] 327 days ago by deleted user ReplyThis comment was deleted.
[1 point] 326 days ago by deleted user ReplyI am also mixed on this. Glad he is a dem again, but I don't trust his motives. He is also to old.
Marked inappropriate. No usable answers provided, just more opinion spouting. Too bad you have no intention of using this site for its intended purpose
WTF--it gives very good to very bad as answer choices--what the hell ya looking for, get the chip off your shoulder--I didn't mark your lousy question inappropriate, but if I did, I would have told you why---cry baby..LOLLOLLOLLOL BTW--a forty day old question doesn't care if you or anyone doesn't like it!!!