A specter is haunting the US Senate--the Specter of communism!

Arlen Specter switched party and immediately and his choice was spinned as political gamesmanship by his former colleagues. But I cannot wonder what were they thinking? One would think the party that not so long ago was on the verge of obliterating filibuster, and now, the table turned, was very much inclined to use the very same tool should have been striving to keep it within reach. Instead, they kept taking Specter (and other moderates) for granted and unleashed Patrick J. Toomey to undermine him in the primaries. It seems the GOP functions with an efficiency similar to the goverment it so much vilifies. Perhaps, they are applying the same philosophy of laissez-faire they think appropriate for the automakers to themselves, a stronger and smaller party, or perhaps no party at all, subject to political market forces. But in the short term I seem to already hear the Rush Limbaughs of the world screaming "Specter of communism!"