Witness The Specter Of Change

By Akela Talamasca on April 28th, 2009

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When Barack Obama was elected president, we all knew we could expect some changes. Obama has been incredibly active during his first 100 days in office, as is unsurprising for a man who must feel as though he’s got a big target painted on his back. So far he’s given us the stimulus package, reversed stem-cell policy, planned the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, and gotten a new puppy. It’s anyone’s guess on which of those accomplishments is the most meaningful.

But more than that, he’s shone a huge light on just how large the gap is between political party policy and personal predilection, to the point that long-time Republican Arlen Specter has announced that he’s going to switch sides and run for re-election in 2010 as a Democrat.

What kind of crazy times are we living in where a Republican cites his conscience as motivation for changing his political party? Saying that he’s “deeply concerned about the future of our country” when that future has been in question for many years now as a direct result of Bush’s policies seems opportunistic. Or, to grant the benefit of the doubt, perhaps it took the conviction of America’s first black president to show what it means to truly stand up for one’s convictions. I have no doubt that there is huge pressure exerted on those of both parties to remain within the fold, regardless of personal beliefs. We should all want those representing us to vote with their heart and minds, even when that flies in the face of the party line.

We’ll keep an eye on Senator Specter and see how this all shakes out for him in the long run, but I applaud his decision and hope that everyone — Republicans and Democrats both — takes note of his example and makes the tough decisions that better their lives.