more to the point is the question 'how does a rancid turd like arlen specter keep getting elected to anything in the first place?'

Everybody really believes there was only one bullet is why.

The Economist: But Mr Specter’s decision nevertheless changes the dynamic on Capitol Hill. Hitting the magic 60 will change the psychology of life in the upper house, emboldening the Democrats and enfeebling the Republicans.

Happy Days are here again!

Ooops -- WASHINGTON (AP) — Amid fears that terror suspects could be brought to the U.S., House Democrats on Monday rebuffed the Obama administration's request for $50 million to relocate prisoners from the detention facility at Guantanamo, Cuba.

I know--but don't care--that it sounds paranoid, but I'm wondering if our "elections" aren't often decided,or at least influenced, by agreements in the back room. The repubs saw how Bush's star had fallen and put up an elderly warmonger with a vapid ex-beauty queen, knowing it wouldn't fly. Could they have made a pact with the dems to let them in for the next stretch? Look how easy it has been for the ruling class to get the "progressives" off their backs and look starry-eyed on everything O. does. And when Specter approached the dems, did he agree to follow the (new) party line on certain bills? I believe it.

What did you expect from The Economist, that perennial enthusiast for Empire, for mowing down the wogs, for licking the boot of Big Brother as he brings it down again and again on your face? As if witty, mildly transgressive cover art and column captions could have brightened up Der Sturmer.

Economics in their hands, that is, the hands of the bankers of the City, is always about crushing human aspirations, making humans into obedient and ever more efficient ciphers until, in the full fruition of their rotted, black dream, humans become machines which can, eventually, be replaced by real machines and allowed to die off, and with them all their pesky demands for food and housing, health care and pensions. If, of course, they didn't have the good manners to be killed in proxy resource wars. Bulldoze human diversity and aspirations into a uniform layer of grey machine conformity, with all profits flowing to the City, accompanied, if needs be, by a jolly laugh track. An efficient beehive of totalism. That is the "economy" the Economist yearns for. Huxley was a dreamer. Coffee, not Soma. Second jobs, not bumble-puppy.

As if Arlen Specter was anything but a useful puppet in their magic show.

Rosemary, I think you may be on to something ;}.

To the left? The left of who? Message from Earth to The Economist - EVERYBODY is to your left if you're John Fucking Birch.

Um, in defense of simple math, suppose we have 10 children and 10 adults. The heaviest child gains a little weight and, at the same time, is reclassified as an adult. Both groups get lighter (on average).

And yet the overall weight goes up! Paradox!

aram: precisely. Just like if all ATR trolls moved over to LGF then the IQ of both blogs would go up (but I'm afraid my joke is getting a little tired).

more to the point is the question 'how does a rancid turd like arlen specter keep getting elected to anything in the first place?'

Wow, I done just reelized this bacon of integritty is one of MY senaturs. Try to fuck wit PA now bitches!!

"The Economist: But Mr Specter’s decision nevertheless changes the dynamic on Capitol Hill. Hitting the magic 60 will change the psychology of life in the upper house, emboldening the Democrats and enfeebling the Republicans."

Twelve of those sainted Dems voted against the bankruptcy act (to help homeowners facing foreclosure), so why is a Dem-controlled senate so wonderful; please remind me, I keep forgetting.

And Tim, heh, good one.

Just what we needed, another useless blue dog "democrat".

Arlen Specter is a soul-less walking corpse.

Literally and figuratively.

The sooner cancer claims that jagoff, the better the world will be.

Bernard, don't think of it as a "tired" joke, think of it as a "heritage" or "legacy" joke. Years ago, I heard this called the "Okie" effect -
if the least bright residents of Oklahoma moved to California, the mean IQ in both places went up. I'm sure someone is offended by that.

so... we're not all keynesians?

Arlen = FAIL.

With Specter switching to Democrat he effectively eliminates the possibility for a moderate or better Dem running for that seat next year. A reactionary Repub will probably run and lose. Still, Specter has no political reason to move to the left.

The best hope would be that Specter dies between now and then. Let's all pray for a magic tumor.

Screw it! Why don't they just form one party and get it over with. They could call it the "FUCK YOU - WE'RE RICH" party and everyone from pwoggies to freepers would be happy.

No drama, no distraction.