Who would think that Arlen Specter, Republican Senator from Pennsylvania, could roll the Republican Party right off the political landscape. With a 59 to 41 vote cushion in the Senate, the conservative Republicans were still holding sway on every vote of any kind in the U.S. Congress. Sometimes they held up a bill because they were mad about something unrelated to the bill. Just because they could. As long as the 41 held firm together they could stymie all efforts by what the Republican media called the "Democrat congress." The Republicans have not gotten over their losses in the last election and their anger management has been weak at best. Mostly they have not managed anger at all but have run from side to side of the arena blaming everyone but themselves for their losses. McCain was too liberal so we lost. Palin too provincial. The media too . . . well too uncooperative for ourside. I have never heard a Republican say "We are out of touch with the American people in the majority of the districts in the country and if we don't find out what they want so we can represent them soon then we will go the way of the Whig Party." And it wasn't that long ago I heard them talking about a permanent Republican majority.

But in all their anger they have been attacking and killing their own too. Arlen's crime was that he broke ranks. By voting for the president's budget he broke their ability to threaten filibuster. Now he wasn't the only one who voted that way, but he was the only one who could be threatened by the party. The others who broke ranks have safe seats and will be re-elected no matter what. But because Arlen was weaker, the national party allowed him to be attacked. But when it looked like they would tear him to pieces in their frenzy, he simply stepped aside and called on the Democratic Party to accept him. Oddly, that's what the Democratic Party does. It accepts people. Anyone. Everyone. That's why you don't see the ability in that party to hold the line on voting for this or that bill. They have many different opinions and they voice them. And they accepted Arlen.

Stunned silence has come from the right. Oh there was a little name calling--good riddance, etc. But Arlen left and took them out of the game. I suppose they will put all their efforts into denying Al Franken his court contested seat in Minnesota. Perhaps the governor will defy the courts and refuse to sign an election certificate for Franken creating a constitutional crisis. But with a little patience, the Democrats should see the sixtieth seat on their side of the aisle filled soon. Republicans will ramp up their secession talk again for certain. The media however, except for Fox FauxNews, will no longer need to cover them. All the discussion for every bill will be on the Democratic side of the aisle.

The good that may come for this may be in finally breaking the logjam on nominations. Perhaps the government will get to work because people nominated by the President can actually take their places at work. Federal judgeships which have been backlogged since Gingrich began the tactic of stalling any of Clinton's appointees back in 1994, may finally be able to be appointed, allowing the federal court system to work once more.

The moral of the story is don't push a guy into a corner. He may hurt you.

All I have to say is "Thanks, Arlen."