With Sen. Arlen specter changing party's today, the Democrats now have 60 seats in the Senate.

While this is good news for the Democrats, it remains to be seen how good this news really is. Unlike Jeffords who switched parties because he could not put up with Republican ideology in the form he faced it, Specter's switch clearly reflects his recognition that he was going to lose the Republican primary for his seat (and unlike Lieberman, could not then run as an Independent owing to Pennsylvania's electoral laws).

Before switching parties, Specter tried out a move to the right-opposing the Employee Free Choice Act notwithstanding his previous strong support by and for unions--and when the polls indicated this did not work for him, he joined the Democrats. We will have to wait to see whether his voting record going forward will qualify him as a real Democrat, or instead, as a political hack and opportunist who is playing games with the electorate.

Nonetheless, as a Democrat I am happy, although with some skepticism thrown in.

I'm not sure Specter's health is going to allow him to tun for another term. We'll see. He is a slippery bastard, and a truly unpleasant person (have had my dealings with him).

Well, still 59 since Reps seem intent on keeping the MN seat vacant for as long as possible. But, by the end of spring, it will be 60 seats.

Can't wait for Franken to get in. The Senate needs the comedy and he will vote with the dems on real issues.

I can't wait for Franken to re-enact on the Senate floor his Saturday Night Live poking other people's eyeballs out skit, this time with actual long sharp sticks.

Watch out Mitch McConnell; don't let those protective eyeglasses slip off your face!

Right now I am still not convinced how good it will be for Dems. Definately bad for Republicans, but hard to say how good a Democrat he is going to be. Even with 60 (soon enough) Harry Reid is still such a pussy he will figure out a way to let the remaining 40 Republicans stop votes from occuring.

I'm not sure how reliable the 60 will be, though the help Obama and especially Biden have pledged (fundraising, etc.) for 2010 might keep Specter in line.

The symbolism is pretty significant though, I think. A three-decade Republican finds himself so out of step with his party that he has to change sides to avoid a primary challenge in a state that's drifting blue. The GOP has become the Christian White Party of the South, and we may live to see it evaporate before our eyes.

Dems don't need is vote on bills, they need his vote for cloture. I'm sure the deal is that he'll reliably vote to end debate, then can vote whichever way he likes on things. For a Senator, that's a great position to be in.

Specter was the great mind who came up with the single-bullet theory. Anyone would else would have been forced to take thorazine after spouting that one.
He was pissed off during the previous regime, Cheney pushed him out of the loop despite him being on nearly every damned committee, so I think the changeover is an act of spite. Maybe Lieberman will officially cross over to the GOP.

For the record. I am willing to switch to the Democratic party if you guys will make it worth my while. I am easily bought off with either cash or hookers.

IAS-

I've rounded up a bunch of hookers for you in Cuidad de Mexico. They're all feeling a little off now, but they're yours, all yours. Just get your ass down there right away.

Welcome to the Democratic Party!

Obama

Bendejo...Lieberman won't switch to the GOP. First off he would lose all the power he has by being stripped of his committee chairs. No deal the Repubs could give him would make that worth his while. He still has 3.5 years before re-election so election support is of no use and he proved he does not need a party affiliation to win in CT. And if you take 'national security' issues out of the equation he does vote with Dems most of the time.

Cat...Until I see Spector vote I am not convinced he will vote for cloture, that is my initial point. At his press conference when asked about Employee Free Choice he said he would not vote for cloture. Also that he would not vote in favor if some nominees. I would hope the leadership would sit him down and say if you want certain committee chairs then you better be voting to bring issues to the floor, but what I have seen from Reid over the last 2+ years makes me question that. However, if Obama and Rahm lay down what he has to do for full party support than I believe the Dems could be in for a good ride.

The best thing that could happen now is for Snowe to turn Democrat. That would provide a bigger cushion in the Senate and make Specter less important (which also would mean the Dems could control him more easily). Given her stated reaction to Specter's defection, I wouldn't be all that surprised if it happens, although probably not for a while.

Looks like this Specter thing hasn't exactly been going according to plan. OTOH, looks like Specter is in the place he deserves: discredited and with no real political party behind him.

Unfortunately there are plenty more problems than just Specter as we saw last week with the failure of Cramdown legislation to get to the floor (including a no vote by my Democrat appointed Senator). The Senate is still in the back pocket of the banking industry whatever party is in control. The upcoming Credit Card Bill of Rights will be an interesting vote. If the Dems cannot pull 60 on that, than it will show the supposed 60 vote senate majority to be meaningless.

Reid continues to prove his complete lack of ability to get a cloture vote on important legislation

The fight in Minnesota is over. Norm Coleman conceded the election to Al Franken after the Minnesota supreme court dismissed his challenge.

I can hear the Republicans saying.....Don't blame us, blame the Democrats!! After all they have a majority in the house, a super majority in the Senate, and a President in the White House.

I hope that Franken will get sworn in by the 6th of July.

RG.

"I can hear the Republicans saying.....Don't blame us, blame the Democrats!! After all they have a majority in the house, a super majority in the Senate, and a President in the White House."

Heh heh heh. You are on to our fiendish plan. In fact, it is hardly a coincidence that Franken gets in at this time. Up until now we could count on Nancy Pelosi or Barney Frank to get on TV and say something stupid every other day of the week. But apparently Obama's finely tuned PR machine has recently pressured them to shut-up and stop making him look bad, because they haven't been out there shooting off their mouths as much as of late. So we decided we needed to get Frankin in there in a hurry because he is someone we can count on to shoot his mouth off and saying something stupid every time a TV camera is around. ;-)

Hey, I smell stagflation, higher interest rates, malaise and a double dip recession coming. Us Republicans plan to blame out of control massive borrowing and spending increases along with anti business policies for these events. Glad my guys aren't there to take the blame.

;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

Okay, from the Franken win you smell stagflation, higher interest rates, malaise and a double dip recession. All I smell is sharp sticks and Mitch McConnell without eyeballs.

Incidentally, I am gratified that IAS finally confessed to being a Republican. I only hope he knows that one of his responsibilities now is to cry, look troubled, and quote the bible, every time he is caught having an affair.

No, I smell all that stuff anyway. Republicans are partly to blame. Democrats are expediting it and ramping it up big time.

Franken's role is only that he inherently likely to say stupid stuff on TV, which will make it easier for us to pin the blame on the Democrats down the road.

;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)