According to Americans for Tax Reform, Senator Arlen Specter has committed to voting against cloture and passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, better known as Card Check.  In a message to a conservative listserv, ATR announced Specter’s opposition, a switch from his declared position in previous sessions of Congress:

Senator Specter has confirmed to ATR that he will vote against both cloture and passage on the Employee Free Choice Act (also known as “card check” or the employee NO choice act).  His vote is critical and this a major victory for freedom, as well as a stunning defeat for the other side.

Thank you Senator Specter!

I’d guess that Specter understands the dilemma in which he finds himself after his vote on Porkulus.  He’s rumored to be thinking about a Joe Lieberman-like run as an independent, because his polling among Pennsylvania Republicans has plummeted ever since.  He wants to convince the state GOP to run an open primary, because Pat Toomey will clobber him if the primaries remain closed and independents and Democrats don’t get an opportunity to support him.

Without Specter, Card Check is toast.  They need at least two Republicans to get cloture, and that’s supposing that they can get all the Democrats to stick with them.  They’ve already lost a few, though, and Specter’s opposition won’t bring them back.