Posted on 05/14/2009 9:11:57 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
How appropriate that U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter finds himself at the back of the Democratic Party bus. Did he really expect a hero's welcome and continuance in chairman positions after renouncing his own party at a time of crisis?
History shows that nobody trusts or respects a turncoat and a traitor. Arlen should have learned that from the treatment Benedict Arnold received from the British after changing sides in the midst of a fight. Arnold joined with the British but was never accepted or respected by his peers, many officers despised him and his military career was relegated to the scrap heap of history.
In England he was shunned and lived the life of an outcast. The Brits did not want a turncoat in their midst, for they realized his true character. He betrayed his side once and would do it again to them if it suited his ego-driven desires, for like Arlen, self was his only concern.
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
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Short but worthy.
I don’t like what Specter did, much less his motives, but we didn’t bitch when Richard Shelby, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Phil Gramm and others went from D to R. Specter supported D causes for a long time and one has to wonder what he stayed in the R column as long as he did.
Great Read...so much for pragmatism!
Elections have consequences!
Phil Gramm resigned and ran as a Republican.
“but we didn’t bitch when Richard Shelby, Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Phil Gramm and others went from D to R”
Wrong to right...right to wrong...yep no difference.
Yes, but, if you will recall, Gramm did not switch after being elected as a dem. He ran again as a Republican.
It’s a betrayal of your voters to switch after being elected as a pub.. go back and run as what you want to be.
He voted with the dems but counted as a pub with committee stuff etc.
Whatever. I’m glad he’s gone.
Because going from D to R is coming to your senses, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Gramm resigned his house seat and stood for elction under his new party and won. Not the same thing.
I believe only two members ever resigned while switching parties, and both were elected as Republicans, Albert Watson (SC) in 1965 and Phil Gramm (TX) in 1983. Watson on to lose his governorship in 1970, and Gramm went to the Senate in 1984.
House terms are only 2 years ... Senate terms are 6 years. Specter was actually slightly closer to his Senate election (regarless of party) than Gramm was when he made the switch. There’s a world of difference between campaigns for the different chambers.
What Gramm did in resigning and running again was honorable. Specter’s switch was merely self-serving, not ideological as was Gramm’s .. he looked at the primary terrain and knew it was hopeless, and at the trends recently in PA toward the D’s and did what he thought best for HIM, not for party or the Commonwealth. Frankly, given his health, I’m surprised he’s running at all.
I agree with everything you just said. I have never been a fan of Specter.
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