Tuesday, April 28, 2009
An Arlen Spectacle...
Sen. Arlen Specter's decision to leave the Republican Party for the Democrats was greeted by shock, surprise, derision and finally some futile spin by the GOP today. One of the finest examples of the latter was Rep. Jim DeMint's appearence on CNN today. "The Tent of Freedom"? Excuse me while I concur with Rick Sanchez in saying WTF is that?
It is impossible to make the case that this is good news for the GOP. Specter along with the eventual seating of Al Franken will give the Democrats the 60 seats needed to virtually completely shut Republicans out of any significant decision making in Washington. It also is another step along the way of the growing marginalization of a party made up increasingly of conservative activists, old white men, southern evangelicals and little else.
The reality of Specter's move is about one thing and one thing only, political survival. Pat Toomey a noted conservative firebrand from Pennsylvania was gearing up to challenge Specter in the Republican primary. In 2004 Specter held off Toomey in the GOP primary by a scant 17,000 votes. Since then more than 200,000 moderate Republicans in Pennsylvania switched their registrations to the Democratic Party. Arlen has been left chasing those 200,000 voters, which are essentially his base. To get to them he has to be a Dem now. It's clear that even center-right doesn't play in the GOP any more. The Toomey crowd, the ascendent reactionary wing of the GOP, isn't going for "center-right". The Republican electorate in Pennsylvania, now has more in common with the voters of say, Alabama, than the rest of it's state now. They have no shot of their chosen scion of the right winning the general against Specter, because they are WAY out of step with what is now a solidly blue state.
So to Arlen, I say welcome. But remember if you are to be a Dem Senator in a blue state, you must act like one. No more wavering on EFCA, support real health care reform and no pandering on the torture issue. For in a blue state you are always in danger of losing to someone bluer.
True blue or your through.
It is impossible to make the case that this is good news for the GOP. Specter along with the eventual seating of Al Franken will give the Democrats the 60 seats needed to virtually completely shut Republicans out of any significant decision making in Washington. It also is another step along the way of the growing marginalization of a party made up increasingly of conservative activists, old white men, southern evangelicals and little else.
The reality of Specter's move is about one thing and one thing only, political survival. Pat Toomey a noted conservative firebrand from Pennsylvania was gearing up to challenge Specter in the Republican primary. In 2004 Specter held off Toomey in the GOP primary by a scant 17,000 votes. Since then more than 200,000 moderate Republicans in Pennsylvania switched their registrations to the Democratic Party. Arlen has been left chasing those 200,000 voters, which are essentially his base. To get to them he has to be a Dem now. It's clear that even center-right doesn't play in the GOP any more. The Toomey crowd, the ascendent reactionary wing of the GOP, isn't going for "center-right". The Republican electorate in Pennsylvania, now has more in common with the voters of say, Alabama, than the rest of it's state now. They have no shot of their chosen scion of the right winning the general against Specter, because they are WAY out of step with what is now a solidly blue state.
So to Arlen, I say welcome. But remember if you are to be a Dem Senator in a blue state, you must act like one. No more wavering on EFCA, support real health care reform and no pandering on the torture issue. For in a blue state you are always in danger of losing to someone bluer.
True blue or your through.
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