Elderly Man Falls for Scam

A desperate elderly man wanting to believe in a get get rich quick scheme, falls for the scheme and suddenly finds himself both stripped of all his hard earned equity from 29 years on the job and the object of derision from his co-workers who find it amusing that a person who prides himself on being so smart could be made to look so stupid.

An old man duped by a Nigerian email scam? No - Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.

Good look at the situation Specter now finds himself in. The get rich scheme is Specter switching parties to avoid his tough Republican primary challenge while getting the full support of the White House and Senate leadership but still retaining his Senate seniority. Oops - sorry! There really isn't $10 million in a Nigerian bank account and now you've lost your 29 years worth of seniority Senator Specter. Respected public servant one moment - punchline the next.

I'm reminded of some lines from the song Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits:

When you can fall for chains of silver - you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything - you promised me thick and thin
Now you just says "Oh Romeo - yeah you know I used to have a scene with him"

Emphasis added. Even though the song I'm reminded of is Romeo and Juliet - Arlen Specter's situation is definitely playing out more like King Lear.