The writing on the wall is one of political expediency.
For Specter of Pennsylvania, this is a statement of character or lack thereof.
I suspect some citizens of Pennsylvania may take issue with the vernacular in which I write this view of the senior Senator’s switch to the Democratic Party. I have listened to some of the view of long time admirers of the man over the years who say that his position as a politician has always been one taking actions that was in the best interest of his fellow citizens from his home state as he saw their interest being the same as his. Before I can proceed with the rest of the praise heaped upon the gentleman from my neighboring state of Pennsylvania, I get stuck right there; ‘he always made political decisions in the best interest of his fellow Pennsylvanians’.
First, I respect that Michael Smerconish, Governor Edward Rendell, Mayor Nutter and Vice President Joe Biden and even the President are open to a man’s change of heart about his political affiliations. Second, I am cognizant of what it means to the Democrats to have a filibuster proof vote in the Senate, especially with some of the major projects on the President’s agenda during this particularly disconcerting period in which we find ourselves. I was told as a young man growing up that life is basically; what you see is that which you will receive, the large leopard is incapable of changing its spots. This man who took part in a party which for at least the last thirty years of my lifetime of following politics, has sought to play mean, disparage women and minorities, use differences in a individual’s culture as weapon to maintain advantage when seeking all ends as a political party. This party has sought to maintain if not strengthen even more than previously existed the white male’s position of dominance in this country to the detriment of every other ethnic group, women, children and even the overall financial and fiscal health of the country. This party has purposely held back so many diverse groups who may have offered untold advancements and or inventions to the American cause just to maintain the status quo of the white male.
This man opens up with what might be considered a political sin of sorts by stating indirectly that he knew what the political outcome would be had he stayed in his party of choice for over 30 years. He refused to allow a legitimate process of an election to stop him from being Senator, so he would circumvent that process of all those who supported who he said he previously was. People who donated who knows what part of their financial well being to his continued support over the years and now feel betrayed as loyal members of the Republican Party he represented. Are they just to continue their support when all of a sudden for them, an open mind that just follows the man versus the party’s principles as they have done up until this time? What about all of the things that you believed you shared with this man, now with sudden change of perspective that suggest in order for the party now accepting him with open arms, they will have at least some expectations of toning down opposition of previously held positions not in line with his new associations. There has to be some left feeling betrayed with the move made clearly to prolong one individual’s personal ambition over the chosen interest of the citizens of that district by fair competition for the opportunity to be that representative of Pennsylvania. The writing on the wall for the Republican Party should be one of concern, but for those previously invested in this man and that position; the writing on the wall is one of political expediency.
