A GOP Sen. on Specture move: "We can’t continue to fold our philosophical tent into an umbrella under which only a select few are worthy to stand."

Maine GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe writes today about the departure of his friend Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania to the Democratic Party, and in the process shares the following quote from President Reagan:

“We should emphasize the things that unite us and make these the only ‘litmus test’ of what constitutes a Republican: our belief in restraining government spending, pro-growth policies, tax reduction, sound national defense, and maximum individual liberty. As to the other issues that draw on the deep springs of morality and emotion, let us decide that we can disagree among ourselves as Republicans and tolerate the disagreement.”

Democrats should read the second sentence and take heed.