The Specter Jump is Good, Very Good.

[Jackpine Radical]

The so-called "center" of American politics (as defined by the media and the politicians, not the people) has been pushed so far to the right that Specter can actually make a reasonable case for being a moderate in today's climate. Greenwald's list--"the war on Iraq, the Military Commissions Act, Patriot Act renewal, confirmation of virtually every controversial Bush appointee, retroactive telecom immunity, warrantless eavesdropping expansions, and Bush tax cuts--" is one on which a lot of Democrats soiled themselves every bit as much as Specter did. And no, the "talk left, vote right" thing was not lost on me either, but I could envision a case in which Specter was forced to vote against his articulated ideals by a Republican Party dominated by thugs who could have qualified for supporting roles in the Godfather movies.

Interesting things have happened in the past in the minds of people who jumped like Specter did. Suddenly, without the counterweight of Republicanism, they find their hearts and votes drifting steadily leftward.

And remember, too, that Specter was elected in '92 largely on the basis of talk about health care reform legislation. This may not be the worst time to have him on our side.

[spanone]

1. a m e n

[county worker]

2. If we demand that our leaders become ideologicaly pure to left ideas

or liberal ideas than we are as guilty of the same thing Specter is trying to get away from.

I remember 1994 when we lost congress, it can happen again if we demand litmus tests of our leaders just as the right is doing now.


We need to realize that the majority of voters conceder themselves centrists and independents or swing voters. We can't afford to take the country to the extreme left no more than we can afford to take it to the extreme right.

[leftstreet]

3. The Dems won Congress in 2006 on a 'liberal' idea

They pandered to the overwhelming ANTI-WAR sentiment among the populace.

[life_long_dem]

4. Not all Democrats are pure left, so the republicans have the

checks and balances that they claim don't exist anymore. For the time being, the republicans have become even more useless.