Don't let the door etc.

Now, it's no secret that I'm not exactly an optimist about the direction this country is headed. For every lurching step in the vague direction of "forward" we may take, it seems like a large portion of the population becomes just that much more psychotic. I'm not sure that this is a stable dynamic, to put it mildly.

So anyway, it is necessary for me to sometimes ignore the big picture and take my small pleasures where I can find them--and there are few small pleasures bigger than seeing the craven opportunist who was my senator for most of my life (I only reregistered in Ohio in '08, on the theory that my vote against McMaverick/Mooselini would mean more) given the boot. I mean, I totally believe in redemption narratives (remember that John Cole used to be a full-metal wingnut), but Specter made NO SECRET of the fact that he was switching parties for NO OTHER REASON than to avoid getting crushed in the republican primary. Although in retrospect, it looks like he would've been screwed either way, it's still quite rewarding to think that his greatest act of opportunism specifically led to his downfall.

Dude always annoyed the shit out of me: he was one of these alleged moderates who would occasionally emit faint bipartisan squeaks...and then, when push came to shove, would virtually always vote with his party, no matter how wingnutty. We don't need that crud. Sure, as a Democrat he was voting with the Democrats most of the time, but would it not be better to have someone who votes that way on principle, as opposed to because their political well-being depends on it? I don't know how you're supposed to trust someone like that.

Anyway, I'm feeling magnanimous here: Arlen, if you want to let the door hit you in the ass on your way out--go for it. Have a blast.