Arlen Specter Stays Republican on Card Check, But Polls Show He May Be Wrong

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As a former republican myself I applaud the message Senator Spector sends to his previous party. This is not a time of avarice and partisanship but a time of political cooperation.

Cru Chase of NY 9:40PM April 29, 2009

Arlen Specter will go down like a cheap hooker. He has been selling his vote to the highest bidder for years and people are tired of it.

Chuck of RI 5:59AM March 27, 2009

Any reagular worker union or not should support the EFCA. The reasons why republicans are againts it is not because they care about workers and their rights to a secret ballot, this is simply not true. The reasons why republicans are againts the EFCA is cause workers will finally have a chance to have a contract to work under just like the CEO's do. Republicans think CEO's can do no wrong, so why cant the reagular American worker have the same rights??? America needs to wake up and see how America was at its best, morally and economically when unions had their highest membership. A stable family, financially, have a better chance of staying together, and to achieve this, the workers need to make decent wages. The argument againts unions because of union dues, is totally stupid, my union dues are 1.3 percent, and I make 27 percent more in wages than the non union plant on the other side of town doing the same work as I do, and this isnt even counting the free healthcare and pension I have which they dont. When unions are strong, the middle class is strong, and when the middle class is strong, america is strong. Support the EFCA, for you, and your kids, and their kids, and most of all for America!

Chris of PA 12:16AM March 27, 2009

Spector could have continued to support EFCA and if he lost in the GOP primary, at least he would have, politically speaking, died on his feet. With his wimping out, politically, he is likely to die on his knees.

John Bryans Fontaine of CT 2:49PM March 26, 2009

is NOT to actually swell the ranks of union members---especially in small privately-held companies.
Employees do not like to pay dues with real money. Neither do they like a Hoffa-type union boss telling them how to "negotiate" with employers they already know well.
THE REASON YOU NEED EFCA IS TO MAKE EMPLOYERS RESPONSIVE. WHEN THEY ARE RESPONSIVE, THEY DO NOT NEED OR ACTUALLY GET UNIONS.
I worked over 20 years at a place that only had a union for less than two years. The employer got responsive, and the employees voted the union OUT. Everything was fine after that for decades.

Muser of NM 1:04PM March 26, 2009

Why does this haft to be a "stand alone" bill to pass? This legislation is so important to the Unions that the Dems will pass it one way or another. I expect to see a "suspension" of the filibuster rules and passage by a majority in the Senate. This gives all the "Blue Dogs" cover by voting with the Republicans against the rule change, and against EFCA on the merits but assures passage of the law. The Republican have already laid the ground work for this when they were in charge by asserting they only need a "simple majority" to change the rules. What works for the goose is good for the gander.
If the Dems do this they can get this bill passed in the Senate next week, they don't have to wait for Al Franken and they don't have to get a "60th" vote from someplace else. Considering the hundreds of millions of ADDITIONAL money the Unions would have to elect Dems if this bill passes, the Dems will think they can do this and get away with it. And they are probably right.
The other option is for the Dems to attach this to a budget bill or some other major bill that the Republicans can't vote against. But that would take time and this legislation needs quick action by the Dems to get it off the front pages, so I am putting my money on raw naked power and suspension of the filibuster rule.

Ron from Ohio of OH 5:23AM March 26, 2009

"So he thinks he can survive a Republican challenge. I'm skeptical: It seems unlikely that conservative voters will suddenly develop an affinity for him simply because he failed to do the wrong thing. He needs to affirmatively mend fences back home, not simply stop burning the ones still standing. So look for a more conservative Specter in coming months (and don't expect him again to join with the two other moderate Republicans and the moderate Democrats to help pass legislation
conservatives hate)."
What I found interesting about Specter coming out against the Employee Free Choice Act is that he proposed a list of changes he would agree with doing (which are friendly for labor) and even affirmed that if things didn't improve for labor, he would be up for EFCA again.
I think that he is trying to play the independent card. This may work in the regular political season but not if he doesn't survive the primary fight.
http://www.dailyhorserace.com/2009/03/24/employee-free-choice-act-is-specter-really-out/

Jay of NY 10:28PM March 25, 2009

Mr Specter, there is a movement in this country that is neither democrat nor republican. It is a movement of American citizens that are tired of politicians from both major parties raping the populace of their hard earned dollars to fund special interests, pork, and boondoggle projects. You see, Mr Specter, there are a lot of Americans out here that really do give a damn about the future of their children and look dimly on politicians who selfishly mortgage that future for personal gain. And Mr Specter, those politicians who are voting to bury this country under a mountain of debt will eventually answer to the voters when it comes time to pay the piper. But isn't it unfortunate that today's self absorbed generation of politicians will be long passed when our children have to pay back the debts that you so uncaringly heaped on their backs. Because, Mr Specter, you and your fellow "leaders" in Congress richly deserve to live with the miserable results.

dbc of GA 7:30PM March 25, 2009