Specter's Spectacular Jump Overboard

It’s no use trying to hide or change the fact that many people have jumped off the Republican ship over the last few years. It’s a fact and if it wasn’t then the party would have won the last major election (you know, the one for President). So, a lot of folks are jumping overboard. That’s life. I figure that once those fine new taxes start to hit people, around 2011, that a lot of those people will be yelling for a Republican life vest.

So, this Specter person made a spectacular jump from the Republican boat also. I have a problem with that. I don’t have a problem that he now wants to be Democrat, that’s fine more than half the country wants to be Democrat. I do, however, have a problem with any politician who takes party money, runs on the party lines, gets elected, and then jumps ship after he has been elected. The fact of the matter is, Specter owes the Republicans his seat and he owes them a great deal of money. Furthermore, if he is such an independent thinker and voter that he doesn’t stick to party lines, why would he want to jump off the ship at all?

Okay, get ready for this. He jumped ship to have a “spectacular” publicity stunt and draw media attention to himself. He also jumped ship because over 200,000 registered Republicans in his area changed to the Democratic party. He jumped ship to have the publicity and to ensure those 200,000 new Democrats vote for him. That’s it. It was all about survival. Specter doesn’t want to be booted out.

Now I’m sure some people are reading this saying, “but it’s his right to leave,” and I agree, if he was a private citizen. A private citizen should be able to change parties as often as he or she likes. She should be able to contribute money to the Democrats or the Republicans anytime she feels like it. That’s part of what makes American great. You can be in any party you want and it’s free! However, Specter is an elected official and as such he should remain true to his party at least until he leaves office. It doesn’t matter whether Republicans or Democrats put the person in office, that person was elected on a party ticket. I don’t feel that anyone, while holding office, should be allowed to simply switch parties. If he or she wants to switch parties, leave during the next election, and then come back and run again under the party you want to represent. When you are elected as a Democrat or Republican, you are elected with the backing of the people from that party. Turning after you have the office is as good as slapping people in the face. For crying out loud, next they’ll be giving their first interviews after being elected to office to some foreign news agency. I mean, can you imagine the audacity of that?