Arlen Specter, the Senior Republican Senator from Pennsylvania has decided to switch parties, moving from a republican to a democrat. The initial reaction from the blogosphere was typical. Progressives were excited at the chance for a 60 seat filibuster proof majority and the R's and their talking heads went on the attack (no suprise), calling him a long time RINO (republican in name only) and wishing him good riddance.David Frum a well respected conservative columnist I very much enjoy points out the folly in thinking of his own party vis-a-vis Specter's defection. Saying in essence they will remain an ever shrinking minority as long as they try to push the "ideologically impure" out of their party in favor for staunch social conservatives.
My thought as a progressive is that Specter's defection is NOT a good thing. I like balance and in truth I like negotiations and trade offs. The ability to push through whatever piece of legislation that you want without having a strong minority party to force you to tap the brakes is not a good thing. For some context I remember thinking how silly Tom Delay and Karl Rove were for thinking back in 2003 at the height of Bush's popularity that they could build a 50 year republican majority. Apparently they didn't realize the fickleness of the American electorate and the variability in things they couldn't realistically control (economy, war, peace, disease, natural disaster, etc). And so with that I offer a tepid "tap the brakes" to all the progressives giddy with the thought of a congressional majority and the chance to build a long term governing consensus. Yes, the R's aren't doing themselves any favor by kowtowing to the social conservatives in their own party but there is too much variability in a future of the unknown to begin planning for a long term governing consensus!
