A Question for Arlen Specter

During Super Bowl week, after ESPN’s Mike Fish and Gregg Easterbrook invented Matt Walsh and Senator Arlen Specter involved himself in affairs far below the stature of his office, I wrote to the senior senator from Pennsylvania and asked a simple question. Because politicians in the modern era respond only to their constituents, I did not receive a satisfactory answer. What I did get was a form letter advising me to contact my own senators, Ted Kennedy or John Kerry, for assistance. Unfortunately, neither Senator Kennedy nor Senator Kerry can answer my question. Only Arlen Specter can, and apparently only a resident of Pennsylvania can get that answer.

My question was this:

“Senator Specter, can you tell me how many Americans have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, fighting wars you voted to authorize, during this recent period in which you have wasted your time, and wasted our money, badgering the National Football League and abusing the powers of your office?”

It is a question that deserves an answer. When politicians involve themselves in these matters it is to grandstand, plain and simple, and to draw attention away from their own failures of leadership. Our nation is involved in multiple foreign wars, each signed off on by our Congress, and that they feel they can waste their time with this nonsense is not only an insult to every American. It is also a slap in the face to each and every family that has been shattered by the loss of a father or mother or daughter or son since the War on Terror began. In this crime Specter is not alone—as much as I enjoy reading of the many recent misfortunes of Roger Clemens, not a one is worthy of a congressional investigation.

However, whereas the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform launched an investigation into the use of steroids in Major League Baseball as a whole, Arlen Specter has acted entirely on his own. His is a one man crusade. He should be held accountable for his actions, and he should be made to answer my question.

It is up to you Pennsylvania. Ask the question. Stir the shit storm. Only you can get an answer.