All that being said, I hope he loses the primary by a lot. I’ll take his switch for the next year and change, but I don’t want him in the Senate after 2010.

Unfortunately, big name Democrats (including Obama) have already indicated willingness to help him get re-elected. That’s fine, IF AND ONLY IF HE WINS THE PRIMARY.

While I, too, don’t trust the Republican Party to ever do the right thing, (at least, not with the dickholes comprising it today) Specter has always seemed to me like a misfit who didn’t belong in their caucus. Yeah, on some issues he’s toed the party line, but more often than not he’s earned the coveted “R.I.N.O.” (Republican In Name Only) title from his more primitive brethren.

Also, don’t forget that this was first and foremost an act of political expediency. He knew he couldn’t win over his ultra-conservative, stimulus-response far-right constituents in the primary, so he simply made a tactical decision. Sure, he can probably easily win the general election, but the point is moot if you’re not even on the ballot to begin with. If he truly feels that the Democrats align more closely with his own views, then I compliment his honesty. I doubt, however, that Pennsylvanians will be so generous next year. I don’t know who will be vying for the seat from the Democrats, but it’ll probably have to be a big name to have a realistic shot of upending Specter.

One other thing: the fundies HATE him for being reasonable on social issues, so perhaps that tidbit might ease your concerns.

I also had those suspicions of infiltration after I heard that — Mr. Specter, yes, that’s right, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, switched to the Democrat Party.

What have they got up their sleeves?

It’s dirty.

I can feel it in my toenails — IT’S DIRTY.

but because he also appears to be on track to be America’s worst President.

On the other hand, Bush II set that bar REALLY FUCKING HIGH…

I don’t care of Specter never votes with his fellow Democrats (wtf? that just feels weird to type). Him switching sides shows how absolutely batshit insane the party is becoming. I don’t see this as an end of the Republican exodus. Although, quite frankly, I don’t want to see any more join the Dems unless they are going to vote more like a Dem. Doing so just waters down the party. More should join the libertarians or something, and make a play for the “not insane” major right-wing party.

Part of the reason the Republicans are so crazy now is that they kept letting in insane radicals, like the Dixiecrats and the religious right. I don’t want to see that happen to the Dems because they let in too many moderate Republicans, effectively pulling the party further to the right.

Besides, two (or more!) parties is a good damn thing. Single party states always tend to reach a pretty extreme level of corruption.

Until now, I thought being a conservative douchebag didn’t require any real talent. It was just something that some people managed to do without thinking (since thinking, by definition, makes it impossible to be a conservative douchebag).

Precisely. Despite conservatism’s aimless bumbling of late, there are still a frightening number of people who identify themselves with these asshats. It comes as absolutely no surprise to me that virtually all of these same people are fervent, mouth-breathing Christians for whom the act of thinking rationally is akin to kicking Jesus in the balls.

In a broad sense, I don’t think its unlikely that we’re on the verge of a national swing toward the progressive end of the spectrum that ought to last for several decades, at least. Really, what alternative do we have? Republicans have nothing to offer in terms of ideas or proposals, and only their most rabid constituents can’t see it. If Republicans are to regain the country’s trust at any point in the foreseeable future, they will, by necessity, have to be very different from the current crop of conservatives that excel so brilliantly at being so tone-deaf, out of touch and incompetent.

This clown’s feeble screed against President Obama (I still really like the sound of that) is comedy gold. In fact, one might be tempted to call “Poe” on him. Its that good.

Someone’s getting desperate.

Then, on the other hand, they were ridiculous BEFORE they dominated American political life for thirty years…