Snarlin' Arlen Switches Parties

Arlen Specter, senior senator from Pennsylvania, has announced he is changing his party affiliation from Republican, to Democrat. Surprise, surprise. Snarlin’ Arlen has been in conservative crosshairs virtually ever since he left the Democratic Party 44 years ago.

Most recently, he is facing Pennsylvania Republicans’ wrath over his vote in favor of the Obama “stimulus” package—one of only 3 Republicans to do so. He has been trailing Republican challenger Pat Toomey in GOP polls. Sensing defeat, Specter jumped ship to have a chance to salvage his 29 year liberal career in the Senate.

Writing for his organization’s blog, Lowman S. Henry, CEO of Pennsylvania’s Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion Research, said: “Arlen Specter has acted more like a Democrat than a Republican for years. He is a large part of the reason why the GOP's brand identity became so blurred voters have abandoned it in droves…Arlen Specter never was, is not today, and never will be an ideological conservative.”

I blogged over two years ago about Specter’s pro-death, anti-life views. Specter had said: “I want to take abortion out of politics. I want to keep the Republican Party focused on the vital economic and foreign policy issues -- and leave moral issues such as abortion to the conscience of the individual.” I’m sorry, but economics and foreign policy issues aren’t quite as “vital” as protecting innocent human life.

The real story takes us back to 2004 when President Bush and then Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum (who was very conservative) chose to back Specter in his primary run against Toomey in 2004. That was definitely a wrong decision. Now, Specter is showing his true, liberal colors at a time that could prove costly to conservatism.

Specter’s switch could give Democrats a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. If Al Franken prevails in his court case, Democrats will have 60 Senators.