Arlen Specter is one of the most liberal Republicans in the U.S. Senate who previously supported card check, the effort to end secret ballots in union organizing drives to make it easier to form a union at a company.
But Specter recently reversed his position, dealing a blow to the prospect of card check passing since it now is much harder to get to the 60 votes needed to overcome Republican opposition.
Why the flip-flop? Specter has an election next year and because of his liberal record, has attracted vigorous primary challenges from more conservative candidates. In particular, Pat Toomey nearly defeated Specter in 2004 and may run again. With Toomey running the Club for Growth, a pro-economic growth group that has become a force in politics by promoting its favored candidates that will no doubt support Toomey, Specter faces another tough primary fight.
So he has decided to appease conservatives with his change of heart on card check.
This is good for the country, and shows the power of principled opposition.
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