Ridley Parks Susan Byrd has an interesting letter in today's Daily Times concerning the reason Arlen Specter left the Republican party.

She writes:



People who say U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., changed political parties solely from political self-interest are wrong. He changed from Republican to Democrat for the same reasons so many of his constituents did. His critics are aware of these reasons, but they pretend not to understand.



As one of those critics, I think Ms. Byrd is wrong. Arlen didn' change parties for the same reason a few, not many, of his constituents did. They changed parties to vote for Ed Rendell in Democratic primary. I know a Republican who changed parties to vote for Hillary so that Barack Obama wouldn't win the nomination. Arlen changed parties not to vote for a particular candidate that suited his taste. He changed parties to BE THAT CANDIDATE. To hold on to his seat. He said as much himself.

Ms. Byrd continues:

I have admired Arlen Specter for many years. Although I am a Democrat, and he was a Republican, we are alike. We are neither liberals nor conservatives. We are moderates. Moderates are free to vote their conscience. They understand that some problems need a conservative solution while others need a more liberal one. They have not sold their souls to any political ideology.



Nevermind that "liberals" and "conservatives" in office are free to "vote their consciences" whenever they desire. Arlen hasn't sold his soul to a political ideology. He sold his soul for political viablity and survival. He's done it before, when he changed from Democrat to Republican to run for higher office decades ago. Who knows, he could do it again.

Ms Byrd credits Arlen with leaving the Repubican party because it moved so far "to the right."

If it keeps on turning right at this rate, it will end up more conservative than the Taliban!



Really. Does Ms. Byrd really think the GOP is interested in executing homosexuals and girls who seek an education? Weren't Republicans fairly vocal about and supportive of toppling the Taliban in Afghanistan? Republicans didn't lose in the last election because they were becoming "more like the Taliban." They lost because they drifted away from the principles voters elected them to uphold. They lost because they became as lazy and corrupt as the Democrats they replaced in power. They lost because the economy went south. Not because people feared they were about to impose Shariah law.

Because Specter voted his conscience instead of the Republican Party line, the party retaliated by withdrawing its support.

Wrong again. The "party" didn't withdraw its support, GOP voters did. The party establishment was perfectly willing to support Specter but the rank and file balked. Big difference.

It was clear that his political philosophy was now more Democratic than Republican. He made the correct choice at the correct time.

What political philosophy? Arlen made a gimlet-eyed political calculation. He was wooed by the Democratic establishment to change parties and he did so for his own political survival. If that's a philosophy, racoons have a philosophy too.