Specter's Drift to the Left

Over the past 30 days, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) has been drifting noticeable left, both in proposed legislation and comments made in public. This leftward drift climaxed on April 28^th when Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) announced that he would 'run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary' giving the Democratic party a filibuster-proof 60 vote majority in the Senate. This move, however, comes as no surprise to those who have been following Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) recently.

During the month of April, Sen. Arlen Specter has increasingly touted the benefits of the stimulus bill, and its effects on the state of Pennsylvania. In addition, Sen. Arlen Specter has embraced the socialization of certain government sponsored health care programs. The Bush interrogation policy investigation was denounced by Sen. Arlen Specter. Still, further, Sen. Arlen Specter has called for a new governmental agency which will "turn discoveries in biomedical research into better health for the American people."

The timeline below clearly shows Sen. Arlen Specter steadily moving more in line with the current positions of the Obama White House on topics as varied as infrastructure spending, healthcare, and foreign policy.

04/09/09 Sen. Arlen Specter, Casey announce over $68.3 million award to Pennsylvania to help families with child care and immunizations

04/09/09 Sen. Arlen Specter and Sen. Casey announce DHS to award PA Emergency Food and Shelters over $3.7 million in Stimulus Funds

04/16/09 Sen. Arlen Specter and Sen. Casey announce EPA to award PA Superfund Sites up to $10 million in Stimulus Funds

04/21/09 Sen. Arlen Specter and Sen. Casey, and New York Senators call on Obama to create Scranton to NYC passenger rail

04/22/09 Sen. Arlen Specter voices opposition to Bush interrogation policy investigation

04/23/09 Sen. Arlen Specter urges support for high-speed rail in Erie

04/28/09 Sen. Arlen Specter proposes a new government funded agency to accelerate Cures for Diseases

This has caused much consternation on the part of the Republican base, who threatened to endorse primary challengers against Sen. Arlen Specter in the 2010 republican Primary.

Of course the best part of this timeline for the Democratic Party is the climax. 4/28/09 Sen. Arlen Specter announces that he will be running re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary.' The Democratic Party will have its filibuster-proof 60 vote majority in the Senate, long before the 2010 elections.

Whether this was an orchestrated transition to the left, or a simple case of the Republican Party over playing its hand may never be known.