Arlen Specter

I've always liked Arlen Specter. Once again, conservatives far enough to the right to find Specter unacceptable are attempting to derail him. Those conservatives don't have the votes or the public support to govern. Nominating Federal judges that don't get confirmed is a form of fetishism. Todd Zywicki, over at The Volokh Conspiracy, argues that these nominations are a zero sum game, and that moderate appointments don't change the calculus. Maybe, but continuing to nominate very conservative judges won't change that, but probabaly reinforces the zero sum mentality. As Infidel Cowboy argues, the difference between the two parties' vote totals are too close, and the strength of the hard right too small to try and govern from the right.

I am glad to see Hugh Hewitt takes a similar line.