Holy Cow Arlen Spector!

Well.  What a news day.  Between the swine flu epidemic and real estate prices continuing to fall (I keep thinking about my realtor friend who sincerely believed values would not fall in Seattle because "there is no place left to build" and I wonder what he thinks now) I thought we had enough news for one "cycle," but along comes US Senator Arlen Spector from Pennsylvania, formerly a Republican, now a Democrat.  Holy cow!

As I was driving around noon, I heard the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, somberly intone that Spector's "treason" is cause of great concern for all Americans because it inches the Democrats closer to becoming filibuster proof in the US Senate.  "The majority party will get everything they want, there are no checks, no balances," he said.  I had to laugh thinking that was never his concern when the Republicans had a filibuster proof majority in the US Senate and a huge majority in the House.  But life on Capital Hill ebbs and flows.  Someday the Republicans will be in the majority, again.

But in the meantime, perhaps Senator McConnell and his party should do a bit of self-reflection rather than a large dose of verbal non-sense.  Senator Spector leapt ship because of the rather large leaks in the Republican Party boat.  Their failures to suggest positive solutions to the depression (oops, here I go again) and to, in fact, any other domestic issues, much less their cranky hypocritical pronouncements on life choices, have finally made them seem out of touch with most Americans.  Heck, even gays are getting married in Iowa today.  And attitudes over wedge issues are changing rapidly.

I am a big proponent of diversity.  I really believe a healthy democracy consists of vibrant give and take between different views and values.  I am, frankly, saddened that the Republican Party can not seem to find it's way.  Losing one of it's best and most articulate Senators will not help this hapless party find a course that is closer to what Americans need and want right now.  So, while I seem to echo Senator McConnell in concerns about democracy, it isn't for the same reasons.  My concern is not about gaining power or preventing the use of power. It's about ensuring a robust democracy.

Senator Spector is by no means a "liberal."  I would suggest he will remain true to his past record and vote accordingly.  But his switch certainly is an indication that there are more serious problems for the Republican Party than we imagine.  But it is my hope that Senator Spector does remain true to his moderate leanings, encouraging other members of his new party to examine the critical issues of the day from all sides.

Holy cow!