Specter the Defector

In the end, he feared for his re-election

Democrats express joy, Republicans express anger or a feeling of “good riddance” but, in the end, it may be Obama and Specter himself who will have the most angst.  The Financial Times makes  a few great points about the change in the Senate:

But in practice, the coup may be more symbolic than substantial. Many centrist Democrats, to whom the 79-year-old Mr Specter will now add his name, are already baulking at large elements of Barack Obama’s agenda, including his spending plans and the goal of enacting a cap and trade system for carbon emissions this year.

Mr Specter’s defection is unlikely to change any of that. In some respects, it could make life harder for Mr Obama, who on Wednesday described his new colleague as “one tough hombre”. Mr Specter himself has warned Democrats not to treat his support as automatic.

Meanwhile, the move has strengthened the hand of centrist Democratic senators, such as Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu, Evan Bayh and Kent Conrad, who have already been making difficulties for the White House.

“Now all of a sudden every Democratic senator will be pivotal – each has a lever to negotiate what they want with the White House,” says Jim Lindsay, a professor at Texas University.

Joe Biden, the vice-president, who helped engineer Mr Specter’s defection, on Wednesday made it clear he believed the Pennsylvania senator would not hesitate to use that negotiating lever for his own purposes.

“Anyone who thinks that Arlen is going to cash in his independence politically has another think coming,” said Mr Biden.

On some issues, such as healthcare, where Mr Specter, a survivor of Hodgkin’s Disease, is supportive, Mr Obama’s hand has been strengthened.

On others, such as cap and trade, Mr Specter’s defection will change nothing. Democrats from the Midwest remain sceptical if not hostile to global warming legislation.

On crucial issues such as Card Check and the “Assault Weapons” ban, Democrats have come up short of doing anything.  Cap-and-trade looks dead and, with it, any chance for socialized medicine because there will be no way to pay for it.  All of these issues which Democrats cherish as being part of their “core values” such as climate change, gun control, health care, and unions they have thus far backed away from a fight.  True, we’re only 100 days and change away from Obama’s inauguration but as we saw with the massive $787 billion “stimulus” bill (which Obama says contained no pork) the best time to move on your agenda is when the coals are still hot.

The Liberal media might try and paint the losers as being the Republicans.  Expect ideas like Card Check to be issues that Specter defies Democrats on in the Senate:

Mr Specter cautioned that he would not vote automatically for the Democratic party line, particularly on issues such as his opposition to legislation empowering trade unions.

After all, can you really trust a guy who switched parties just so he wouldn’t have to face a tough primary election?  The answer is “I think not.”

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