McCain introduced earmark reform in the Senate, and look who the Republicans are who opposed it:
Nine Republicans voted with Democrats against Mr. McCain’s amendment: Senators Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Robert Bennett of Utah, Christopher Bond of Missouri, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Richard Shelby of Alabama, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. More here. (Via Tennessee Free)
It gores my goat that I’m going to have to help Specter out in 2010, in my capacity as EVC, because he’s likely to carry an NRA endorsement. But given that NRA stays out of primary fights, I will absolutely back any actual Republican who wants to run against Specter in the primary. Seriously, we might as well have a Democrat. First the stimulus, now this.
Hat Tip Instapundit
He could move to California and become a California Republican – indistinguishable from a Democrat except by lapel pin, they’re all feeding at the Fat-Cat Trough.
Remember, Arlen needs earmarks to pull off a little pro-life cred. He earmarks the hell out of budgets on behalf of abstinence education.
Dang it, Senator Shelby… now I am gonna have to ask that republicrat for an explanation… after I better understand the reform. Although, I rarely (read never) get correspondence back from Senator Shelby… Senator Sessions on the other hand has always responded. Sometimes I don’t like what he has to say, but then I am picky that way…
Sebastian, thanks for pointing it out. I have been fairly lax at the national level this year.
I live in Arizona where two members of congress loudly proclaim (and work to reform) earmarks (Mr. Jeff Flake and Mr. John McCain). After listening to both of them for many years I still want to say -I could care less about a tiny slice of spending-. The problem is that the spending pie gets bigger every year, not that taxpayers or elected officials have some minor or major objection to one small piece of the pie.
http://LibertarianSolution.com/
Any movement on the issue of booting him from the party?
While I am no fan of Specter, and will support Toomey in the 2010 primary, were Specter to win the Republican nomination, I would probably (minimally) support his campaign. Having Specter as an R rather than a D does have advantages for caucusing and eventually reclamation of the majority and with it the committee chairs.