The Loneliness of Political Expediency

Last week, Senator Arlen Spector, from Pennsylvania, changed from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party.  It doesn't take a lot of political sophistication to understand that Spector read the polling data telling him voters in Pennsylvania self identify either with a Republican far more conservative than him or with a Democrat, name unknown.  So, Spector, switched, probably thinking he could get elected if he was a moderate  Democrat rather than a moderate Republican.

Then, within the week, he failed to follow his new party's voting recommendations.  Among other things, he was against the modifications to the Bankruptcy Act, allowing for borrowers to seek court ordered modifications of their mortgages.  I am not sure if he said this, but some Senator who voted against the legislation apparently said: "a contract is a contract, a deal is a deal."  Okay, and since when has any politician followed through on their word much less a contract?  

So now the Democrats in the Senate "stripped" Spector of his seniority.  In other words, he has become a freshman Senator.  Ironically, the reason he switched was so he could be re-elected, to hold onto power.  Power.

Maybe, maybe, just once these ya-hoos should listen to their constituents.  If they are not re-elected for who they are, stop trying to bend and contort themselves into something they are not.  Rather, exit stage left, gracefully.