The grass is greener....

This is pretty big news in the world of politics. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), will be announcing that he is switching parties.

For those who do not know, Sen. Specter is one of the few republicans in congress, who actually merits the term 'moderate'. With fairly liberal stances on choice, gay-rights, worker's rights, and his personal support of the NIH has, at times earned my grudging respect and also his seat in Pennsylvania. But in this day and age, due to the shrinking, homogenization, and radicalization of the Republican Party there seems to be no place for the senator under their 'big tent'.

But I will let the Senator speak for himself:

"I have been a Republican since 1966. I have been working extremely hard for the Party, for its candidates and for the ideals of a Republican Party whose tent is big enough to welcome diverse points of view. While I have been comfortable being a Republican, my Party has not defined who I am. I have taken each issue one at a time and have exercised independent judgment to do what I thought was best for Pennsylvania and the nation.

Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans......

...Since then, I have traveled the State, talked to Republican leaders and office-holders and my supporters and I have carefully examined public opinion. It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable. On this state of the record, I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate. I have not represented the Republican Party. I have represented the people of Pennsylvania.

I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary.

Now this is not without its risk. He could lose the primary, he could win and be just as intransigence as he has been on the same issues as before.

But it does paint a stark picture of where the Republican Party is at this point.

-Cheers