The more things change, the more they stay the same

I was listening to my MP3 player at work yesterday and was looking forward to hearing some classic Joe Cocker when, to my horror, the not so dulcet, to my ears, tones of Celine Dion rattled through my headphones. While Ms. Dion is quite popular with the non-discriminating music listener and gay community, she doesn't do much to float my auditory Titanic. I checked the display and, sure enough, the files were tagged with Joe Cocker's name, album info and song titles but what was contained therein was still digital Ones and Zeros of My Heart Will Go On. The label didn't matter, the song was what it was no matter what it was called.

Talk Radio and the 24 hour news channels are going wall to wall with coverage of Benedict Arlen Specter announcing he is changing parties. The Senator will take his nearly 30 years of seniority along with him as he jumps borders to join the Democratic party where he will be rewarded with Committee positions, flowers and probably rooms full of hookers and booze (he is becoming a Democrat after all) as though he is a returning war hero who charged the Filibuster bunker and blew it all to hell paving the way for an unfettered advance of left leaning programs at the hands of General Harry.

To anyone who bases their vote on the worthiness of the candidate and not the little initial by his or her name, this should be "ho hum" coverage and a big deal being made out of nothing. Mr. Specter has been more Democrat than Republican for some time now. Much of the coverage is quick to point out that his voting record is that of one not beholden to party affiliation. No shit Sherlock, tell us something we didn't know. Specter was one of three Republicans responsible for passing the Stimulus Package. Specter joined with the unions in support of the secret ballot suppressing Card Check initiative until he saw a challenge on the GOP primary front and changed his opinion. Specter was very critical of James Jeffords of Vermont when he switched parties a few years ago. S.P.E.C.T.R.E. is the fictional global terrorist organization featured in Ian Fleming's James Bond novels. There is no such thing as coincidence.

As recently as March 17th, the Pennsylvania RINO denied he was switching parties. I guess he wasn't all that serious, huh?
The news angle seems to be that, with the nearly certain victory of never really that funny Al Franken in Minnesota, the Democrats will now have their filibuster proof majority in the Senate. Again, ho hum. There was a posting by my favorite blogger last December regarding this exact issue that is still relevant today. You can review it here.

If Pennsylvania can do the right thing in 2010 and elect the heir apparent to the Republican nomination, Pat Toomey, the GOP might have a real Republican's butt in the seat on their side of the aisle for the first time in 28 years. Maine could do with a changing of the guard as well.

Fear not Republican faithful, don't look at it as losing a Senate seat. Think of it as finally putting that funny uncle where he belongs.

S2