Specter joins the Dems

[SteamWake]

Senator Arlan Spector to change to the Democrat party.

Democrats now have a fillibuster proof majority.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=31639

[Max2147]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/8023460.stm

30-year Senator Arlen Specter has left the Republican Party and joined the Democrats.

[Platapus]

Maybe they have better cookies on that side.

[SteamWake]

Merge please

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=151173

[Max2147]

Sheesh, I looked for a thread on this and couldn't find one. What does this place have against clear thread titles?

[Aramike]

Originally Posted by Max2147

Sheesh, I looked for a thread on this and couldn't find one. What does this place have against clear thread titles?

I was wondering that too. If you start a thread with a cryptic title, you shouldn't be surprised when another springs up.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Max2147

Sheesh, I looked for a thread on this and couldn't find one. What does this place have against clear thread titles?

That would make sense and we can't have that.

Cryptic titles bug me almost as much as when people make a new thread and only include a hyperlink... no comment.. no discussion, just a hyperlink

[Zachstar]

Originally Posted by SteamWake

Merge please

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=151173

SteamW if you make a title that is so confusing you ought to expect multiple threads.

Please be clear with the thread titles in the future.. Thanks.

[Enigma]

I love it. I've always had great respect for the man, despite our few differences. He's great at what he does. I for one am thankful for him becoming a Dem.

[Platapus]

Well before getting too excited about whether there will be 60 Democrats or no in the Senate, please remember that it takes 60 votes to invoke cloture in the Senate. Not 60 Democrats. Just 60 votes

Specifically, since 1975 three-fifths of those Senators "duly chosen and sworn"

All Democrats do not vote alike. There can be 60 Democrats in the Senate and they can still fail to invoke cloture if some of the Democrats disagree (Senators have a habit of doing that)

Likewise, if the Democrats do not have 60 members in the Senate, they still may be able to invoke cloture if some of the Republicans or Independents decide to vote in favour of cloture.

The fixation on the number 60 is sophistry as it presumes that all Senators always vote with their party all the time. And this just does not happen.

So the chances of the Democrats defeating a filibuster after Spector becomes a Democrat are pretty close to the chances the Democrats had of defeating a filibuster before Spector became a Democrat.

In the Senate there is no such thing as a "filibuster proof majority"

The best or worst that can be said is that party X is now more likely to be able to invoke cloture then they were before.

[SteamWake]

All true but it makes it much more likely. As of late both sides of the aisle have been more or less in lockstep with their own agendas.

Honestly Spector is not a great loss since he was a rino anyhow.

His main motive evidently was he dident have a chance of remaining in office as a republican.

[Platapus]

That can sometimes backfire. Sometimes the citizens don't like their representatives jumping parties like that.

There is a quality to commitment.

[Aramike]

Specter is the embodiment of everything that is wrong with American politics. A quote from him:

"I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate."

He's specifically dodging accountability to his constituents - and saying he's UNWILLING to be judged by his record.

Specter's been a RINO for years, so this isn't really going to impact anything. However, his statements and perception of the purpose of the Senate is a complete outrage.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Aramike

Specter is the embodiment of everything that is wrong with American politics. A quote from him:He's specifically dodging accountability to his constituents - and saying he's UNWILLING to be judged by his record.

Specter's been a RINO for years, so this isn't really going to impact anything. However, his statements and perception of the purpose of the Senate is a complete outrage.

Read what he said. He is actually saying that he is unwilling to be judged by the Penn Republican primary electorate

Republican does not equal everyone

Senators are supposed to represent their entire state, not just their political party.

That is the purpose of the Senate.