Specter Saves the Day

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright February 11, 2009
All Rights Reserved.                    

        Breaking away from the pack, 78-year-old Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) put his career on the line to support President Barack Obama’s $780 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.   Treated as a traitor by his own Party, Specter rose above the GOP herd, endorsing Barack’s plan together with his moderate GOP colleagues Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine.) and Olympia Snow (R-Maine), also braving Republican wrath.   Unlike his GOP friends, bitterly opposing the president’s plan, Specter recognized the dire state of the economy, choosing most of the president’s plan.  “Failure to act would be devastating not just for Wall Street and Main Street but for much of the rest of the world, which look to our country for leadership in this crisis,” said Arlen, urging GOP senators to get onboard.  GOP opposition, especially from former standard-bearer Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), shows egregious sour grapes.

            McCain and his GOP colleagues gave unanimous support to former President George W. Bush’s Oct. 2, 2008 $700 billion bank bailout plan, known as the Toxic Assets Relief Plan [TARP].  GOP House and Senate members gave nearly unanimous approval to former Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson to save what looked like a crumbling U.S. financial system.  Those same elected officials gave Bush nearly unanimous backing to fund the $12 billion a month Iraq War for nearly six consecutive years, costing taxpayers nearly $1 trillion.  They supported rebuilding Iraq’s roads, schools, electrical grid, etc. and opposed spending the same money on infrastructure in the United States.  McCain and friends accuse the new president socialism but have no problem spending the funds on Iraq or Afghanistan.  Specter deviated from the pack for the good of the country.

            Specter faces a tough reelection in 2010.  His support for Baracks’ plan galvanized his Party’s right wing to defeat him in Pennsylvania’s Republican primary.  They ignore Specter’s distinguished service on the Senate Judiciary Committee, where he defended Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas much to the dismay of liberals supporting his accuser of sexual harassment, Atty. Anita Hill.  Specter, a recent survivor of Hodgkin’s disease, is the Senate’s sharpest prosecutor, recently cross-examining Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.  Voted by Time in 2006 as one of “America’s 10 best Senators,” his GOP colleagues are ready to throw him under the bus for voting his conscience and performing Constitutional duty.  Specter’s loyalty lays with his country and personal decision, not disgruntled GOP senators, still reeling from a stinging defeat on Nov. 4.

            Specter worked tirelessly with his Senate colleagues Susan Collins, Ben Nelson and Joseph Lieberman to fashion an acceptable compromise bill, eliminating $110 billion in pork and premature programs.  “Our $780 billion bill would save or create up to 4 million jobs, helping offset the loss of 3.6 million jobs since December 2007,” Specter wrote in the Washington Post.  “We can’t afford to posture and bicker and resort to the same failed ideas that got us into this mess in the first place,” said Obama, speaking to a receptive audience in Ft. Meyers, Fl.  Despite supporting McCain in the general election, Florida’s silver-haired Republican Gov. Charlie Christ—a rising star in the Republican Party—backed Barack’s plan.  “This is not about partisan politics,” said Christ.  “This is about rising about that, helping America and reigniting our economy,” urging the  Senate to back the plan.

            Specter broke with the vast majority of his GOP colleagues because he recognized extreme risks to the country.  Specter quoted President John F. Kennedy:  “In politics, nobody get everything, nobody gets nothing and everybody gets something,” asking GOP senators to back Barack’s plan.  McCain complains about a lack of bipartisanship but only because the GOP—unlike Specter—hasn’t seen the light.  You’d think after taking a drubbing Nov. 4 they’d be more willing to back constituents voting for Obama in the general election.  Specter recognized not only was the country best-served by Barack’s plan, voters were entitled to a change in policy.  Most GOP opposition stemmed from the old Supply Side idea that tax cuts can fix the broken economy.  Recent history has said just the opposite.  Specter could see that the country and new president deserved a chance to try a different approach.

            Specter showed the same kind of courage as his former Senate colleague Sen. Chuck Hagel (Rep.-Neb.), who vociferously opposed Bush on the Iraq War.  Instead of finding ways to defeat Specter next year, the GOP should venerate his distinguished service, but, more importantly, his wisdom pushing partisanship aside for the good of the country.  “My colleagues and I have tried to balance the concerns of both left and right with the need to act quickly for the sake of the country,” said Specter, saying best why he supported Barack’s recovery plan.  Instead of closing ranks, the GOP should follow Specter’s lead of putting country over petty partisanship.  Passing by one vote Feb. 11, Barack’s plan should win the blessings of GOP senators, praying the economy turns the corner.  Specter weathered the disapproval, endured the criticism and earned the respect of all Americans.

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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