On Tuesday, Senator Arlen Specter decided to cross the aisle and become a Democrat. We asked you to write him a note telling him what you think, and what you expect of him as your senator now that he's a Democrat.

Here are some of your letters to him:

B. C.:

"Just like you signed a form switching parties, you need to give workers the right to sign a card saying they want to belong to a union. There is a time and place for a secret ballot and a time and place to simply sign a card. This is the time for you to change your position. Think of your legacy."

R. S.:

"Last week, I met a woman who campaigned to bring a voice at work to her workplace. After 17 years at her job, she makes $10.00 an hour. Nearing retirement, this woman wanted to make her workplace fairer for herself and her coworkers. Two years after electing union representation, they still do not have a contract. In the Jewish tradition, social justice is a driving force. Employee Free Choice is sound and needed social policy. It will bring equality and balance to the one-up/one-down power dynamic in the workplace. Please support EFCA."

T. M.:

"First off, I think it's great you are now a Democrat! When I heard this I started to cry, because now I believe change is really going to happening and I'm so proud that you are my senator! If only I could get you to support the EFCA, it would be even better! I going through to much at work, I am on the verge of losing my job because I am fighting for a union. Without a union, we hard working people have no representation and there's too much favoritism! I need your help, and I am asking you from the bottom of my heart: PLEASE Support the Employee Free Choice Act. I have faith in you, and so do a lot of others!"

P. L., Allegheny County:

"Welcome to my party, Senator Specter. I write today with a plea to you. Living today in the U.S. as a working class citizen is not financially easy. The only hope we have is that unions can help lift everyone up from wages which have been truly stagnant since the eighties and have not matched the increases in cost-of-living. Food, transportation, and housing have all shown to have had very large increases since the early eighties; however, wages have had minor increases and do not allow workers to afford even minimum essentials. Before President Reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers, we had hopes, dreams and good jobs. I lived in NYC and Pittsburgh with positive hopes for the future back then. Crime was minimal because people had decent jobs.

A horrible transition has taken place in our country since the eighties because some of our leaders have been unduly basing their votes on bills to assist big business--and we all are now aware of the damage that the fealty to the rich and the powerful has caused. Please reconsider your present stance on unions and help us to build a better future for all. Thank you, Senator Specter, for your work and independence."

T.F., Allegheny County:

"Dear Senator Specter: I'm glad to have you as a fellow PA Democrat -- be assured your hallmark of independent thinking will always be appreciated among us. Please review the Free Choice Act and see if there are ways in which you can support this legislation from a conservative democratic point of view. As a Democrat, I have voted for you since the 80s and believe you are one of the best independent minds in the Senate and as a state leader of thoughtful compromise. Best Wishes to you and your family during this repositioning period."

S. H., Philadelphia

"Oh Mr. Specter, it is a blessing to have you join the Democratic party! I wish that you would support working families such as myself, who work hard to survive. I maintain my home and support my son who is autistic. I pray that your judgment be for good cause in supporting the issues that are right, supporting people such as myself that aren't looking for government to do everything--just to keep an open mind with assistance and do what's right by us, the working middle class."

J. R., Erie:

"The U.S. needs more better-paying jobs for workers and unions are a good way to obtain them. Unfortunately, many businesses in the last decade have been very aggressive in their efforts to defeat unionization efforts and break unions. They have even violated national labor relations laws to do this with very modest, if any, penalties being imposed. The Employee Free Choice Act counter-balances business efforts and restores a more level playing field in business-labor relations. Please support it."

These are just a few of the hundreds of letters that we've gotten; there are many, many more. We're delivering many of these to Sen. Specter's office today, and we'll continue to do so as the days go on.

Please, take a moment and write Senator Specter today -- he needs to hear from you. As Senator Specter knows, putting Pennsylvania's families ahead of partisanship is a priority. Thanks for taking the time to write to him. We'll let you know how our delivery goes next week.