the specter of politics as usual 
(posted 4/28/09)
His journey to the 'dark side' is now complete. Arlen Specter, five-term senator from Pennsylvania, has finished his transformation to democrat operative in dramatic fashion by announcing his switch to the Democrat Party after a lifelong career of having the (R) behind his name. Senator Specter, what took you so long? If it weren't for the dire consequences this could spell for the Republic, in the form of a filibuster-proof majority for the democrats, many of us would sing a chorus of "good riddance!" Many of us do anyway.
Mr. Specter began his senatorial career ostensibly as a Republican in January of 1981. Riding the powerful coattails of one President Ronald W. Reagan, Specter assumed office after a fairly closely contested primary followed by a similarly close general election. By Specter's admission, he was part of the then "Big Tent of the Republican Party," imagining himself even then that he represented a more moderated, sensible side to a conservative movement. It didn't take long for the
good senator to reveal his voting
proclivities. In 1987 while serving on
the Senate Judiciary Committee he
saw fit to help derail the nomination
of one of the greatest legal scholars
and judicial defenders of the true
intent of the Constitution in the person
of Robert Bork. Caving to personal
opinions of a woman's "right to an
abortion," and allying himself with
Senator Joe Biden in propagating
the vicious falsehood of Bork's threat
to civil liberties, Specter chose -- even
helped lead the charge -- to defeat his
nomination for Supreme Court justice.
Bork, a strict "originalist" in his
interpretation of the Constitution,
understood the great dangers to our
republican form of government from
federal judges who did not invoke the
original intent of the document's
framers. This contrasted wildly with
Yale Law School graduate Specter's
notion that activist courts are useful
in 'correcting' social ills not addressed
in federal or state law. In a not-so-
veiled warning to President George Bush at a press conference in 2004, Specter said,
So what has motivated a five-term senator to do something so rash? The question almost answers itself. Specter wants to be re-elected. By his own admission, Specter faces a "bleak" G.O.P. primary prognosis due to the strong challenge from former representative Pat Toomey, a conservative challenger who almost wrested the nomination from him in 2004. Small wonder, since Specter's approval ratings in Pennsylvania are higher among democrats than they are republicans. Specter seeks what all career politicians seek -- another term. Now for as long as I can remember, I have been an ardent opponent of amending the Constitution to include an article for term limitation. The Constitution is so complete and thorough in its form, that any alteration must be considered only under the most dire of circumstances. Specter has helped solidify my belief that the Constitution must now be amended to do just that. Ironically, we the people already possess the power to limit the terms of office for those in Congress. It's called the ballot box. We can turn these professional legislators out every two or every six years if we so choose. However, "it is always the other guy's bum who spoils things -- not mine." Unable to extricate themselves from the power of incumbents, with all the media and special interest monies at their command, our fellow citizens re-elect the same congressional leeches election after election after election. It is unknown exactly when the notion of the 'citizen legislator' truly died, but it's been a long time nonetheless.
Specter, it is past your time to go. You have deceived the voters of Pennsylvania and the Nation for too long. Your damage to the American judicial system through siding with the likes of Kennedy and Biden is incalculable. You claim the Republican Party has become too rigid, too given to the 'far right-wing' for you to endure. In all actuality, the G.O.P. is more in line with you today, by far, than at any time since your first senate victory. Americans longed for the responsibility, restraint, and back-to-basics approach of the Reagan Revolution. The reason republicans are taking drubbings in recent elections is that they have forgotten their first principles, and like you, have become "Democrat Lite -- a third less socialist than our regular Democrat." When Republicans side with those who would not protect the lives of the unborn, allow amnesty for illegal aliens, support affirmative action, derail the best judicial talent this nation has to offer, and vote for an almost $800 billion boondoggle of an interventionist economic agenda, it is time they switch parties. Plus, you've simply been there too long! You've vowed to continue your opposition to the "Card Check" bill, a bill that if it becomes law, will effectively turn all American business over to organized labor and forever seal America's economic doom. You also pledged only six weeks ago that you would run, "... as a Republican on the Republican ticket." You can see we have a trust issue here. America is watching you, Arlen. America is also watching the voters of Pennsylvania.
