Well, you gotta hand it to them. The Republican party’s base finally got rid of Republican-In-Name-Only Arlen Specter. The Pennsylvania Senator has had enough and isn’t going to take it anymore. He’s now a Democrat. And so, a heretic was cast into the wilderness and the conservative movement offered great hosannas of joy. Better to be small but pure than large and corrupted by moderation and squishy centrism. That this defection may ensure the Democrats have a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate matters less than enforcing ideological conformity. That’s how you win these days, right?
Granted, Al Franken still has to be confirmed as the winner in Minnesota and granted too Specter insists that he will be no more doctrinaire a Democrat than he was a Republican. But still. Even allowing for Democratic waverers such as Baucus and Nelson, on a number of issues Obama’s path to domestic legislative success just became a little easier.
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