According to Sen. Arlen Specter's official Web site, the moderate Republican owes a great deal of gratitude to his boyhood home of Russell, Kan. In his biographical information, Specter touts the "rugged individualism and fierce independence learned from his youth on the Kansas plains" to explain his success in national politics.

The Republican Party received a rather abrupt reminder of what Specter means by individualism and independence -- Specter defected from the GOP and became a Democrat on Tuesday. In the process, the American people were reminded that politicians are in the business of getting elected or re-elected far more than they are committed to either a party's ideology or the public's work.

Specter made no bones about it. His partisan switch was motivated by a formidable opponent, Republican Pat Toomey. Toomey almost beat Specter in the 2004 primary election; polling numbers currently show Specter running far behind as the 2010 primary contest already is in full-swing. Specter believes he has a better chance of retaining the seat he's held since 1980 by running against Toomey in a general election since Democrats outnumber Republicans in the Keystone State.

Of course, there is the small matter of conservatives seizing control of the GOP. Moderates such as Specter have become increasingly marginalized as the party has continued moving to the far right.

This leads us to speculate whether it is time for a legitimate third party to emerge on the national landscape. Let the GOP revel in its conservativeness while ultra-liberals lay claim to the Democratic name. There are far greater numbers of centrists in this country unmoved by either extreme. Similarly, the majority has not gravitated toward any of the specialty parties such as the Libertarians, Greens, Socialists, Labor, etc. because of too narrow a focus.

We will not hold our breath. It will take some sort of national calamity or constitutional crisis before either of the so-called major parties ever relinquish the status quo.

For now, we're at least gratified Sen. Specter chose to switch prior to the election itself. It strikes us as outright betrayal to voters when politicians do so after being elected.

And we share the curiosity of at least one reader who wants to know whether Specter's boyhood home will tear down the billboard on Interstate 70 proudly proclaiming the Russell connection. We hope that doesn't happen.

Editorial by Patrick Lowry

plowry@dailynews.net