Good riddance: Arlen Specter is changing political parties? Oh well.

It is one thing to have an ideological change of heart and to decide that you want to switch political parties because the other better-serves your viewpoint.

It is a whole other thing to switch parties -- when you have been elected as a Republican in a district that has traditionally been Republican -- because your viewpoints do not represent the clientele you were elected to represent and you are worried about keeping your job.

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania) made no bones about the fact that the reason he is switching parties is that he does not think he will survive a Republican primary battle.

The reason? His vote in support of the billions in bailout money being handed out like water to whomever seems to have a pulse -- as long as it is not a taxpayer.

It seems that decision is not sitting too well with the constituents who elected him.

Specter seems to have missed the point of being elected -- it is not merely to make sure he has a job for six years. He is supposed to be reflecting the views and interests he presented to the people who cast their votes for him.

Of course the pundits are already predicting the doom and gloom scenario for the Republicans -- now there are not enough votes to stop any Democrat initiative.

So what. Maybe the best thing to do is to let the people see what they elected -- and the policies they now support.

In the meantime, the GOP should feel lucky. They got rid of one whose loyalties lay elsewhere, and whose principles are for sale.

That can't be anything but a good thing.

Published in Editorials on April 29, 2009 10:50 AM