Arlen Specter jumps ship

Senator Arlen Specter has announced that he will defect--I mean switch--to the Democratic party. This isn't the first time that a senator has changed parties in mid-term. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Colorado) did the same thing back in the nineties when he switched from being a Democrat to being a Republican. of course, we all cheered that one, but the truth is that regardless which way a senator decides so swing, it really is a slap in the face to those people who elected him.

I'd like to see a law passed that prevents politicians jumping across the aisle in mid-term. If they want to change, fine. But do it at election time by running as a candidate for the opposing party. They should not betray the trust of those who elected them. I'm not enthused about passing yet another law. It's been said that you can't legislate morality, but when our politicians don't behave honorably and put the will of the people before their own political gain, what else an we do?

At a time when the Democrats are about one senate seat away from the coveted sixty-vote super majority, it is highly irresponsible of Senator Specter to decide to switch. I believe that we have elections so that the final decision on how much power each party wields is left in the hands of the people, not one senator.