Arlen Specter a RINO no more

April 28, 10:29 PMFrisco Conservative ExaminerDavid Leach

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A label often assigned to Republicans who tend to be more liberal than the party base would like is the RINO label - Republican In Name Only. For years, this moniker has been used when discussing the senior Senator from Pennsylvania, Arlen Specter. But, that all changed today when he announced that he was switching to the Democratic Party.

While those on the Democratic side of the aisle would like to use this decision by Mr. Specter as "proof" of the Republican party's demise, it really serves as evidence of how desperate a politician will get to save his political backside.

In his press conference today, Senator Specter made the claim that he was making this decision due to the differences he was experiencing with a party that has moved "farther and farther to the right," and that he was putting "principle" above politics. 

But could it be that he was really dealing with the likelihood that he didn't have a snowball's chance in hades of winning the Republican nomination - or was it just a coincidence that he made this announcement just days after a new Rasmussen poll showed the Senator trailing 51% to 30% to Pat Toomey, the Republican he barely beat for the nomination in 2004?

In a written response, Republican National Chairman Michael Steele said of Specter, "Let's be honest -- Sen. Specter didn't leave the GOP based on principles of any kind. He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record."

Evidence supporting Chairman Steele's contention can be found in Senator Specter's voting record over the years, where he took positions often opposing the party he claimed to be a part of:

• Pro Abortion 
• Opposes Parental consent and limiting out of state abortions for minors
• Favors Affirmative Action
• Favors Same Sex Unions
• Favors Socialized Health Care
• Favors Amnesty for Illegals
• Supports US Civil Rights for Gitmo terrorists
• Supported Obama's massive bail out spending bill

Despite this voting history, the Republican leadership had expressed their intention to support Senator Specter in his bid for reelection in 2010, which makes Specter claims of Republican opposition suspect at best and begs the question, why?

Is it because he truly found the differences within the Republican party too much to bear? Was he really struggling with his principles? Or, is it simply because being Senator is more important than being loyal to the party that has supported you for years? 

Any way you look at it, Arlen Specter is a RINO no more.  

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