Thank You, Arlen Specter

Many things have not been lost in Senator Specter's decision to defect last week, but it's again worth noting that somewhere between 70 and 80 percent of the U.S. political spectrum now resides in the Democratic Party. This is not insignificant. Everything, especially the broader public's political preferences, is cyclical, but now that politicians ranging from Specter to Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, live in the same house, policy debates will only happen in that house.

Republican Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina can say he'd rather have 30 pure conservatives' votes than those of 60 GOP moderates, which is noble-sounding. But that doesn't do much when those numbers mean he's blocked from accomplishing anything, even compromising, on federal legislation. (Peggy Noonan uses DeMint's comments against him well, in her most recent WSJ op-ed column, to prove why Republicans' preference to cannabilize is not a good long-term strategy.) And since when is DeMint and his political bretheren so concerned about staying punk and not selling out?

Not that I really care. If the Republican Party wants to continue to advocate for expanded income inequality, the deregulation of industries that can cripple the financial system when they're deregulated, the persecution of gays, Hispanics and other minorities, and the dismissal of science on evolution and climate change, it can go right ahead. That approach has led to its marginalization and I'd be very happy if it only became more exaggerated.

Sure, Specter is still center-right, meaning he'll confound the Democratic caucus on many votes that it wants secured. The majority is not fillibuster-proof through 2010 -- and that's, on occasion, a good thing. But if he wants to run as a Democrat in his next election, it means he'll have to establish a Democratic voting record. He may be an opportunist, but opportunists can't only hang out with the in-crowd; they have to start acting like them. Sometimes, it'll be forced on Specter's part and other times, it will be genuine. Either way, it's a very good thing.

Update: If further proof of the GOP's follies is needed, see former Vice President Cheney's comments last weekend that he'd rather have Rush Limbaugh than Colin Powell as the Republican Party's standard bearer. Sure, Powell endorsed Obama in last year's presidential race, but one deviation from the norm shouldn't lead to exile. Powell likely still believes the U.S.'s guiding principles should be a strong military, low tax rates and small government, aka the GOP's calling card. He might not like the offensive, demeaning rhetoric that now characterizes the party, but that's no reason to throw him out with the trash.

Unfortunately, Republican politicians haven't realized the severe problem with making Limbaugh their leader. Limbaugh would surely like to see a country governed by his political principles, but he's an entertainer, not a politician. He makes his money by being provocative, not winning elections, and he'll earn his money, fame and influence whether the GOP is the majority or minority. In the end, his core motivation is different from the party's. Somehow, the party misses this crucial point.