Snarlin' Arlen Gets Ready For Another Scrap

(By the way, I also posted over here.)

It’s pretty much common knowledge in these parts that Arlen Specter is going to run for another term in the U.S. Senate starting two years from now (noted here). And given that, I’d like to point out some things before a Democrat decides to challenge him.

Any politician can be beaten, but to dethrone Specter is going to take the performance of a lifetime for a Senate contender. I’ve seen great candidates such as Bob Edgar and Joe Hoeffel try and fail, and I would only say that you’re going to have to try and pin him based on substantive issues. And that will be tough because, though Specter has voted a lot more conservatively than his rep would indicate, he has managed to escape the media spotlight by feinting towards moderation when it suits him.

Also (speaking of the media), this recent column by Michael Smerconish is pretty representative of the “Arlen love” by our corporate media in these parts (and I haven’t said much about Smerky because, like Specter a bit, he’s managed to avoid doing anything truly stupid lately). And that shouldn’t be underestimated; anyone gunning for Specter will have to beat both him as a candidate and his accompanying media narrative, which I have to admit is a powerful pair.

I can’t think of a reason why any Dem in this area would take a shot, because this person would have to substantially out-perform Specter in this area to offset losses across the state, and that’s not going to happen.

Here, though, are some of our senator’s lesser moments…

He voted against a bill to appropriate $96 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan over six months, $4.3 billion for veterans' care, and $19 billion for domestic programs. The bill (HR 1591) required the Bush administration to begin U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq within four months of enactment and set a nonbinding target of March 31, 2008, for redeploying all but a residual force (here).

He voted against the fiscal 2007 intelligence budget that would have required the CIA to tell Congress the locations of its secret prisons abroad and identify interrogation techniques; the bill failed, 50-45, to reach the 60 votes needed to end a GOP filibuster blocking action (here).

He voted against a bill mandating that we withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq within 120 days and finish the pullout of all but a residual force by April 30, 2008; the bill failed, 52-47, to get 60 votes to break the filibuster (here, a second time he voted against a troop withdrawal timeline).

He voted against an amendment that set longer periods between soldiers' tours in combat and time stateside; the amendment to the defense budget (HR 1585) would have required at least as much time back home as in the war theater (it failed to reach the 60 votes needed to break yet another filibuster here).

He voted against a bill that would put children of illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship if they first serve in the U.S. military or complete two years of higher education (failed to reach 60 votes; this is a recording – here).

He voted to confirm Michael Mukasey as attorney general (and yes, this is a bad thing – here).

He voted against a bill appropriating an additional $50 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan while setting a goal of pulling most troops out of Iraq by Dec. 15, 2008 (a third vote against an Iraq withdrawal timeline here).

He voted against the conference report sent to Dubya on the fiscal 2008 intelligence budget that required CIA personnel to obey the Army Field Manual's ban on torture of prisoners; the manual outlawed harsh techniques such as waterboarding (here).

He voted against a Democratic bill (HR 3221) enabling holders of shaky subprime mortgages to rework payment terms in bankruptcy court (failed to reach 60 votes, blah blah blah; God, I hope Chambliss, Coleman and “Tubes” Stevens all lose so I won’t have to say that any more!- here).

He basically blocked the attempt by Senate Dems to allow Dubya’s tax cuts for the rich to expire in two years here.

He voted to kill a measure that sought to give bankruptcy judges authority to change the terms of subprime mortgages on primary residences. The proposal, offered as an amendment to a House housing-related bill (HR 3221), would have given the judges power to cut interest rates and principal to help borrowers keep their homes (here).

He voted against a bill (S 3268) directing the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to curb "excessive speculation" in the oil-futures market, in part by setting higher margin requirements, requiring more public disclosure and working more closely with other countries' regulators in an attempt to hold down gas prices (couldn’t break yet another in a seemingly endless chain of filibusters here by falling short of 60 votes; at the time this was considered by the Senate, gas topped off at about $4 a gallon).

He voted against a bill to extend renewable-energy tax credits due to expire at year's end; the credits promoted fuel extraction from sources such as the sun, wind, earth and crops and promoted the manufacture of more energy-efficient homes, buildings and appliances (couldn’t get the 60 votes for the umpteenth time here).

He voted to increase National Missile Defense spending by $271 million over the $9.3 billion already included in the $601 billion 2009 military budget (S 3001 – fortunately, this boondoggle of a bill failed to pass here).

(And by the way, the 7/31 Specter post I noted at the beginning contained a reference to his Senate book deal, which apparently was legal given the looser rules for this sort of thing in that body of Congress as opposed to the U.S. House.)

So this is what I’ve been able to assemble against Specter, for the benefit of anyone choosing to oppose him. If anyone think this is enough to beat him, along with whatever else a candidate can come up with, be my guest. All I’m saying is that you should know what you’re up against before you try.