Up above, Rottdawg remarks about getting rid of the dust bunnies (unless he’s referring to a thorough laxative). And antisocial would like to sweep all the RINOS away.

Cleaning house is generally a good thing, but too often performed only to sell the house to new owners.

Here in Redstate, and elsewhere, there has been rightful indignation at Arlen Specter … but little mention that 80% of his votes (maybe more) have been with the majority of the Republican Party for almost thirty years.

Few consider that preserving Republicans in the Northeast often requires that successful candidates have to represent all their constituents.

In 2008, Obama won PA by 55 to 44 %. In the House, Democrats won 12 to 7, with Democrats averaging 65.6% majorities and Republicans averaging only 59.7%.

Specter last won in Pennsylvania in 2004 by 53 to 42 percent, while Kerry won the state by over 51 percent.

Pennsylvania hasn’t voted for a Republican President since George HW Bush barely won in 1988, with 50.70 % of the vote.

Pat Toomey must be a good guy … and it looks like he might win the Primary among a shrinking number of Republican voters. The PA General Election obviously will favor Democrats (it has, for twenty years).

This time, ideologically “pure” Republicans have likely given the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority. When the same treatment was afforded Jim Jeffords, it only created a numerical majority.

I suppose we didn’t learn any lessons when Senator Lieberman defeated the idealists of his own party, as an Independent, after they rigged a Primary against his apostasy to their Party Line.

Principals have won, but they will likely be heard only during Routine Morning Business and on FOX News. All else is subject to cloture, and the filibuster will have to sleep for a while.