Arlen Specter Jumps to Democrat Party

Turned on by Ultra-Conservative Republicans, Specter Abandons His 40-Year Affiliation with Party

Patricia Sicilia, Yahoo! Contributor Network
May 1, 2009 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

Now I won't have to temporarily change parties so I can vote for Arlen Specter in next year's primary.

A lifelong Democrat, I've always seen Arlen Specter as an island of reason in a sea of increasingly conservative ideology. In other words, it tickled me when he threw a monkey wrench into the Republican machine. I didn't always agree with him, but voted for him in all his senatorial races because he was a buffer between the ultra-conservative Republicans and far-left Democrats. My political philosophy leans toward entitlement to affordable health care, quality education and decent wages and benefits for an honest day's work. When NAFTA devastated the industry in this country, however, I felt betrayed and became a jaded Democrat. Voting for Specter now became my revenge on both parties.

Groups like "Club for Growth" have turned the republican party into an ultra-conservative caricature. Specter found himself a target of this organization, which backed Sen. Patrick Toomey against him. Their philosophy, as put forth by Specter, is that they would risk losing a general election in order to "purify the party." After unseating several moderate republicans to run conservatives, this group only succeeded in forcing Democratic wins across the country, to the detriment of their own party. With Norm Coleman still appealing his loss to Al Franken in Minnesota's senatorial race, the desperation of the Republican Party is obvious.

Pennsylvania has been traditionally split into urban Democrats and rural Republicans, but in the last presidential election, many traditionally red counties turned blue. There is still, however, a hard-core conservative base that could indeed overturn Specter's run in a primary as a republican.

I truly do not believe Arlen Specter has jumped ship merely for personal political gain. I do not believe he will rubber-stamp Democrat bills. I believe Specter has realized that the Republican Party in America has lost its way and turned its back on ordinary Americans, and he has made a brave, inevitable decision. I know I will disagree with Mr. Specter in the future, just as I have in the past, but I also know that he is approachable. My hope is that he can be a cog in the wheel that takes Pennsylvania, and the country, back to a "government by the people and for the people," instead of a government "by the politicians, lobbyists and wealthy and for the politicians, lobbyists and wealthy."

Published by Patricia Sicilia - Featured Contributor in Travel

A Domestic Travel Featured Contributor, Patricia Sicilia's wordsmithing began at age 9 when, after reading a book way too old for her, she told her mother "I'm retiring to my boudoir." Freelancing for over... View profile

Arlen Specter Jumps to Democrat Party

Turned on by Ultra-Conservative Republicans, Specter Abandons His 40-Year Affiliation with Party

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