So how, technically, does a senator change parties?

[Duer 157099]

Is there an operation?

A form to fill out?

Anything at all?

Or just declare it so, and it is so?

Really, I don't know.

(and what if the party doesn't want them, then what?)

[Kittycat]

1. Declare it, Change their Registration, and file a notice with the receiving party.

[damntexdem]

10. And have their desk moved across the aisle in the Senate.

Nice little symbol, there.

[Ian David]

2. There's a town in Colorado that does it. n/t

[Warren DeMontague]

3. Click your heels together three times and say "There's no place like home".

Gotta be wearing the right shoes, tho.

[w4rma]

4. Make a speech and vote for the other party's Senate leadership. Run in the new party's primary.

Caucus with the new party. That's pretty much all.

[Duer 157099]

7. See, at first I thought he had to wait until the next election

but now I'm getting the impression that it just happened today and that it's a done deal.

So tomorrow on the news, he'll have a "D" after his name then?

[Nite Owl]

11. Changed already on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlen_Specter

Political party Democratic (c. 1948-1965,<1> 2009-present)
Republican (1966-2009)

[AnthemRoad]

5. ....

1. Yup, to go from Dem to GOP (or anything to GOP) - they remove the brain.

2. -->GOP: Just a Waiver of use of critical thinking skills

3. See above

4. Make it so, number two!

6. I would think it takes a lot of paper work, not just your official voting registration, but within the parties. Just as much red tape, just as much bureaucracy.

[valerief]

6. Secret ceremony in an airport tearoom. nt

[KamaAina]

8. To switch the other way, they use the men's room at Minneapolis-St. Paul.

tap, tap, tap...

[democraticinsurgent]

9. Magic Bullet

I believe that he created a Magic Bullet, which he shot from a gun aimed at his Republic self. Due to the meandering trajectory of the bullet, and the fact that it passed through his Republican self no less than four times, and yet, emerged intact and pristine, his Republican side was utterly destroyed, but miraculously, his Democratic self was untouched, alive and well.

A miracle, i tell ya.

[ThomWV]

12. I believe all it means is to vote the Party line on all procedural matters

On issues every member of Congress is on their own though one expects divergence and the need to accurately reflect each individual member's electorate might push the same member to move away from the Party's positioin on any individual issue.

That's how I see it.

[Bill McBlueState]

13. the 1812 overture starts playing over the PA system

Specter rips off his jacket to reveal a tank top with Nancy Pelosi's picture on it, and he flexes his biceps for the crowd.

At least, that's how it went when Jeffords did it.

[TimesSquareCowboy]

14. I'll never forget the Doonesbury cartoon when Schweiker agreed to be Reagan's running mate

in 1976 just before the Republican convention. A reporter ask Schweiker, so how long does it take to renounce everything you've believed your whole life? And Schweiker says, About 24 hours. The paperwork's terrible.

[Duer 157099]

15. LOL, can't wait to see what he does about Arlen! n/t