House Dem Switches Party; Sites Health Care Reform for Reason

A Democrat Congressman has switched sides to join the Republican party. He says the health care “reform” is one of the main reasons for the move:

[Peter Parker] Griffith, who captured his seat in a close 2008 open seat contest, will become the first Republican to hold the historically Democratic, Huntsville-based district. A radiation oncologist who founded a cancer treatment center, Griffith cited the Democratic health care bill as a major reason for his switch.

“I want to make it perfectly clear that his bill is bad for our doctors, our patients and will have unintended consequences far beyond what we know today,” he said. “As a doctor and as a Republican, I plan to once again oppose this measure and hope that we can defeat this bill that is a major threat to our nation.”

While the timing of his announcement was unexpected, Griffith’s party switch will not come as a surprise to those familiar with his voting record, which is one of the most conservative among Democrats. “He has bucked the Democratic leadership on nearly all of its major domestic initiatives, including the stimulus package, health care legislation, the cap-and trade energy bill and financial regulatory reform. “He was one of only 11 House Democrats to vote against the stimulus.

There are Democrats retiring, some having to fight for their seats (cough, cough, Harry Reid, cough, cough) and now they are just jumping ship for the Republican party. You know, the party that is on its death bed.

Looking at the way things are going, 2010 is going to be a very interesting year.