Benedict Arlen?

The political world is abuzz today with the news that Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania has decided to switch parties and become a Democrat ahead of his reelection bid next year.

In recent years, Specter has become increasingly well known nationwide due to his reputation as an independent-minded moderate and his courageous fight against cancer. He has now added to those identifying factors a decision which, in all likelihood, will give the Democrats that magic filibuster-proof number of 60 seats in the U.S. Senate (assuming Norm Coleman ever gives it up, or is forced to do so, in the never-ending Minnesota Senate race against Al Franken).

But is this truly all great news for the Democrats? And what are the implications of Specter's defection for the already reeling Republican party?

I'll admit, as someone who identifies as a Democrat, I've always had a certain admiration for Arlen Specter, perhaps not too unlike that which many Democrats had for, say, the John McCain of 2000. I was proud and relieved to see him break ranks as one of only three Republicans to vote for President Obama's stimulus bill in February. It was an act of political bravery that undoubtedly led him to do what he did today, given the certainty of the impossible fight he would face in next year's GOP primary race. Still, as big as it was, it was just one vote. He has since given mixed signals regarding how he might vote on the Obama budget and has proclaimed his opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, an issue of critical importance to organized labor, a major Democratic constituency. In other words, while he has been largely welcomed into the Democratic caucus, Specter can hardly be expected to become as reliable an ally as Ted Kennedy. That being said, by becoming a member of the caucus, Specter will be under much more pressure on a regular basis to support Democratic initiatives, especially when they require that magic number to block a GOP filibuster. It is also very important to note that, while he may have avoided near certain defeat in a Republican primary contest, he will now have to compete on the Democratic side, which means he must be careful not to anger the more progressive voters who will decide his fate in early 2010. All in all, though, I think this is news that the Democratic party can and should celebrate.

The main reason for this is that Specter's abandonment of the Republican party summarizes quite nicely the fine job that the GOP has done over the last several years of alienating moderates and traditional conservatives with its shameless pandering to those in the extreme right wing of the party. Such patterns left them unable to become genuinely enthusiastic about Sen. McCain, their presidential nominee in 2008, and caused them to choose the utterly unqualified but bona fide conservative hockey mom Sarah Palin as his running mate. Earlier this year, they allowed conservative comedian Rush Limbaugh to take the mantle of de facto leader of their party, and those that dared challenge his credentials soon found themselves groveling at his feet seeking forgiveness. (For a sampling of more recent stances taken by the GOP and their allies, consider that their congressional leaders just weeks ago sought to enact a completely illogical federal spending freeze in the midst of a deep recession, or that their beloved mouthpieces have started using the current swine flu scare to ratchet up xenophobic rhetoric.) The bottom line: Republicans continue shooting themselves in the foot and shrinking their base in an attempt to find their voice, and Democrats are loving it.

It remains to be seen if Sen. Specter will be able to play ball in a Democratic primary and how willing he will be to help advance President Obama's ambitious agenda. For now, though, this progressive says "Welcome home, Senator."