Party Switching Must Be Stopped!

Before I go off on my rant let me just say, philosophically, I understand Mr. Specter’s decision to leave the Republican Party. I officially left the Republican Party a little over a year ago and mentally left much earlier. But to be completely honest, I feel I didn’t leave the Republican Party but it decided to push me out. There is no room in today’s Republican Party for any moderate perspective or idea. That is why it is quickly becoming a minor-party and why existing Republicans should be concerned – extremism plagues Libertarian and Green party membership and that is why they don’t have much of a voice in our politic. I personally think it is unhealthy for the Republican Party to lose those who might help provide some moderate perspective. This is just another sign that the Republican Party is less about accomplishing something and more about extremist ideology.

With that said . . .

U.S. Senator Arlen Specter should not be allowed to change his party affiliation during his current senate term. Sen. Specter made a commitment to the Pennsylvania Republican party and its members when he decided to run as a Republican in 2004. The Republican Party made a good faith effort to vote the person they felt most accurately represented their perspective and platform through their primary election system and gave Arlen Specter the privilege to represent the Republican Party as its candidate for U.S. Senate against a Democratic candidate. Upon that win, all of Pennsylvania’s voters voted for or against him upon his platform and his party affiliation as Republican representative of his state. His ability to switch parties during his term disenfranchises all Republican and Democratic voters in the state that voted for him. If he wants to officially switch parties, the appropriate time to do so is during the election season when he declares his incumbent candidacy for the office.

Some of you may say, “Wait a second! Didn’t you vote for Obama? Don’t you want the Dems to have a majority in the Senate?” Honestly I don’t care. Sen. Specter voted the way he wanted, which was rarely along party lines. His designation means nothing to me on how he votes. He can be a Republican and still vote with Democrats. My problem is that he made a commitment to the voters of Pennsylvania to be a Republican Senator for the state of Pennsylvania, today he is reneging on that commitment.

I would say the same for any Democrat interested in switching parties. A public office holder should not be allowed to switch party designation while in office.

Arlen Specter felt the same way I do in 2001 when Jim Jeffords decided to renounce his Republican designation and become an Independent. Jeffords shouldn’t have been able to do switch but his offense isn’t nearly as condemning. Jeffords didn’t switch to the other side of the isle. Specter did.

Will this be a good thing for the Democrats? Time will tell. Strengthening their stranglehold on congress may ultimately hurt the party as overconfidence and overreaching may become the norm. It didn’t work out too well for the Republicans during the early part of this decade. As for Specter, it was the right political play. He wasn’t going to win his primary against Toomey and I’m sure he made a very good campaign funding deal with the Democratic National Committee to ensure he has the money to hold on to his seat. Was it the correct political play? No doubt! Should it have been allowed? Never.