Taking a Break from the Swine Flu Panic for a Moment

Not to worry, cable news will keep us informed on how quickly and horribly we're all soon about to die, so you can break away from taking your temperature and buying Purell stock to think about something else.

Republican Senator Arlen Specter (Pennsylvania) has switched to the Democratic Party. According to the Senator he has been increasingly "at odds with the Republican philosophy." Ok, I'll give him the switch, but isn't he arguing here that there actually IS a Republican philosophy? I am not sure that fear and intimidation actually counts as a philosophy, but whatever. Good to have you on board Sen. Specter. Now, if Still-Hoping-to-be-Senator Franken manages to keep the Minnesota Supreme Court on his side, the Democrats will have their 60-seat mark (the magic "filibuster-proof majority" that all seek in politics).

Kudos to the Dems. Although if they do have their magic majority, I'm expecting to see more spine in the future.