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Senate Republicans about to become entirely irrelevant

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Fig

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Arlen Specter switched side today, bringing the totals to 59-40, to become 60-40 once the Minnessota results get confirmed.

At 60 Democrats, of course, the Republicans absolutely need at least one Democrat on their side to maintain a successful filibuster.

Meaning everything in the Senate becomes about the Blue Dogs Democrats; the Republicans just can't say "No" alone anymore.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/index.html

If the moderate Republicans begin jumping ship, there is a possibility Collins and Snowe may follow.
 
Probably, although the RINO-killers will still go after their heads anyway.
 
I just want to say Arlen Specter has the coolest name in all of government.
 
Republicans jumping ship becoming Democrats? Oh gee I wonder why...
 
I was going to post this. XD

Yay! For Filibustah proof Democratic Congress!
If only Minority Leader Mitch McConnel was thrown away in November. >.>



But yeah It's now on to the Blue Dog Dems. Obama's Centrist tack is a good thing to keep them in line. Yes the Deficit has ballooned to heck of a historic high. But can someone tell me how we're going to fix the economy without government intervention. (Don't give me the "Let them all fail" argument crap...Hoover did that and see what happened >.>)

A few articles to think about this development:

US Federal Judges Could Hinder Obama's Agenda (Yes the Conservatives have come to roost in the Judiciary. Yay for Checks and Balances! Soo many Franklin Roosevelt Parallels)

Poof goes the Purple Dream (Why the US Primary System caused Alan Specter to change sides. <.<)
 
Collins and Snowe are pretty much invincible. There's a good reason for this, and is why even Democrats vote for them- they are approachable and will not only talk to their constituents, but will listen. They may not do what a particular constituent may want, but you rarely get the impression that they cast their votes merely to toe the party line. I'd rather vote for somebody I sometimes disagree with but can respect than somebody I usually agree with but can't respect. (I'm from Maine, and I have voted for them- and I'm a moderate/liberal.)
 
This does really change the game. It's an easier job to unite the caucus than to pull in those of the opposite party. This switch puts a lot things on the table that weren't. Could we see a push for single payer?
 
The Big Al said:
This does really change the game. It's an easier job to unite the caucus than to pull in those of the opposite party. This switch puts a lot things on the table that weren't. Could we see a push for single payer?
Click to expand...

So will he go ahead and support Card-check again? :O

Yes. I really hope for Single-Payer.
It's the thing that really got me into the in-depth policy debates.

Edit: I understand that not all of them will vote in Party Line. The 60-40 thing is all psychological...
 
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A change in parties doesn't necessarily mean a change in votes. While some in each party vote with their party every single time, this doesn't mean every person is going to vote with the party.
As for the judges, it's common for the "pendulum" to swing the opposite way when an opposite party president to come in.
 
As a Democrat, Specter will be rubbing elbows with the Democratic caucus and those supporting Democratic policies. Although his support isn't a given, he'll be more approachable than as a Republican.
 
What this also means is that even if the Party of "No" cows all its members into saying "No"...

It doesn't do a thing.

There are two relevant political parties in the Senate - Conservative Democrats and Liberal Democrats.
 
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Sounds like this fellow just wants to be on the side that's winning which in my opinion is not cool at all. Regardless, Arlen Specter is an incredibly sexy name.
 
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More like he wants to be on the side that's not trying to show him the door. Which the Republicans have been.
 
From what I can tell, he switched parties because he didn't think he would survive the Republican primary. He did say he didn't want to give up his office after so many years.

If the Republicans called him a RINO, why should we think the Democrats won't call him a DINO?
 
Right now, the Democratic Party includes people ranging from very liberal to moderately conservative. There's effectively no such thing as a DINO because there's no one set of ideals held by all Democrats.

What we're probably seeing is the death of the Republican Party. They'll shrink into a fringe party like other conservative parties did before, and the conservative elements of the Democrats will break off and form a new conservative party. Specter probably has this in mind and wants to still have a seat if this happens while he can still serve in government.
 
Because the Democrats would have to call a *lot* of people a DINO to get at him.

Al may be a little optimistic (from his own particular viewpoint), but it's - quite - true that in effect America is effectively a three-party state in the Senate now - Democrats, Conservatives and Republicans. Where Democrats are effectively in favor of changing a lot of thigns about America, Conservatives are in favor of being careful about change and not trying to rush everything out at once, and Republicans are in favor of maintaining statu quo or reversing old changes to return to an older Statu Quo (ie, Immobilist/Reactionary)
 
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the gadfly said:
From what I can tell, he switched parties because he didn't think he would survive the Republican primary. He did say he didn't want to give up his office after so many years.

If the Republicans called him a RINO, why should we think the Democrats won't call him a DINO?
Click to expand...

the whole "RINO" concept is based on an obsessive Republican need to have everyone be alike. Democrats don't have this problem.
 
Misty said:
the whole "RINO" concept is based on an obsessive Republican need to have everyone be alike. Democrats don't have this problem.
Click to expand...

At least the Democrats debate all the time on issues. In the Republican Party it's either you're with them completely or you're the other guy. (Commie, Liberal, Gay, whatever.) >.>

It's sad since we need a practical and constructive opposition party here instead of being essentially the "NO" party. D:

Rush Limbaugh on Arlen Specter: Take John and Meghan McCain with You!

See what I mean. >.>
 
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