Specter Chooses Re-election Over Party Affiliation

Senator Specter is more to be pitied than condemned.

More interested in re-election, he has taken the ultimate political dive by switching party affiliation. Another perfidious example of political self-aggrandizement taking precedence over any semblance of principle.

Incredibly, even at 79 the ‘ole boy still wants one thing and one thing only, i..e. to be re-elected even if it means openly shattering the myth of his conservatism and exposing himself for what he really is—a self-indulgent divine right politician who values power over principle.

Being a thorough political pragmatist, he knows he stands little chance of coming out ahead in the Republican primary against conservative Pat Toomey, so he is doing what any self-serving politician would do—he is taking the path of least resistance and shamelessly succumbing to political expediency.

As of Wednesday, he will officially come out of the closet and openly rally with his philosophical counterparts across the aisle. And with Franken’s probable election to the Senate in the weeks ahead, the Senate will, indeed, be filibuster-proof, allowing any manner of progressive tyranny to be more easily perpetrated on the republic. But poor 'ole Specter will finally have found his political niche on the Hill by comfortably settling in with his liberal me-first-country-last political colleagues on the Left.

Seems to me it’s only a matter of time before Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins opt to cross the aisle into the socialist/progressive camp as well. The determining factor, of course, will be whether or not they too foresee a difficult re-election campaign for themselves ahead. Isn't lofty political purpose inspiring!

Though our country is definitely in trouble when its leaders so willingly and cavalierly co-opt leftist tyranny merely to stay in power, there's also a silver lining here. This could be the beginning of a long-overdue conservative house cleaning. Thus, only in the short term might Specter's perfidy pose a serious legislative challenge for the country. In the longer term, knowing who you can count on in a legislative clinch has its benefits as well.

It goes without saying that it’s going to be a very tough 3 years 9 months ahead of us. Let us pray the country can survive the progressive onslaught on our way of life during that time. But, let's each of us also do what we can to foster a resurgence of American exceptionalism and conservative dominance. If we are to survive as a free enterprise republic, much will need to be undone in the years ahead, and that will only be possible if our elected representatives in the future accurately and intrepidly reflect American traditions and values. If conservative Americans get their act together--at long last--the mid-term elections in 2010 could start turning things around. We've got our work cut out for us, America, but I think we can do it. We have to do it.