Arlen Specter's move from the Republican Party is welcome in many quarters. It is welcomed by many in the Republican Party who think he is not "ideologically pure". It is welcome by many in the Democratic Party who think it will help them push their agenda more easily. It is welcome by many who think "moderates" should assert themselves more. It was not welcome by at least one remaining moderate Republican. Sen. Olympia Snowe wrote an eloquent essay for the New York Times: "We Didn't Have to Lose Arlen Specter".
However, his move to the Democratic Party should sadden those who don't want to see a "one-party" state. As long as the Republican Party marginalizes itself with an agenda that appeals to a dwindling portion of the voters and with an attitude that opposes anything the Democratic Party or "liberals" propose, it will have a dwindling number of government positions. It could dwindle to the point where it gets less votes than so-called "third parties", parties which too many voters think are "spoilers". Maybe we should start considering the Republican Party as the spoiler, like Dean Barkley didn't "take" votes from Coleman and Franken, but Coleman took votes from Barkley and Franken.
I would have hoped that Sen. Specter had become an "independent", but this would reduce his chance of reelection. Reelection is also probably why he didn't join one of the existing moderate parties. Too few people are not ready to vote for "third party" candidates.
This is too bad because we are long overdue for a new major party. The Republican Party was started in 1854 by disenchanted Whigs. Now if enough disenchanted moderate Republicans would start or join a "third party" they might pull in some moderate Democrats.
For a list of parties, see Minor Party Links. Interestingly, this list includes both the Democratic and Republican Parties.
Two interesting possibilities are The Reform Party of the United States of America and The Independence Party of America. Be sure to look at the simple platform of The Independence Party of America.
See also my blog entry “The time for a moderate party is now” and my Reader Weekly article “The Moderate Manifesto”.
