In recent weeks, Mr. Specter has made numerous statements about how important it is to deny Democrats the 60th seat in the U.S. Senate and how he intended to remain a Republican to prevent one-party dominance in Washington. What Pennsylvanians have to ask themselves now is whether Mr. Specter is, in fact, devoted to any principle other than his own re-election.

On that question, there is much evidence. Mr. Specter began his political career as a Democrat, switched to the Republican side out of political convenience and has switched back for the same reason. On issue after issue, he has changed his position over the years to benefit his political calculations…

Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung much too far in the other direction, with record-shattering wasteful spending increases. Now, the Specter-empowered Democratic supermajority will go even further.

In 2010, voters will say “Enough is enough.” In the parlance of economics, there will be a “market correction.” Americans who voted for the nice-sounding but content-free notion of “change” in 2008 will vote again to say “not so fast; even more power in the hands of Washington politicians is not the change we had in mind.” And when Pennsylvanians look at Arlen Specter’s role in this political power grab, they will reject him, too.