By now everyone knows that the Democrat health care bill passed the House of Representatives mostly intact. One of the few changes made to it was the addition of the Stupak Amendment, which removed federal funding for abortion from the bill. That amendment was enough to calm the reservations of about 64 conservative Democrat representatives and get them to vote for and pass the bill.
The bill retains incredibly draconian and unconstitutional provisions, like a sentence of up to 5 years in jail for anyone who refuses to pay for health insurance, massive cuts in Medicare, substantial tax increases and an absolutely unsupportable cost in the trillions of dollars. The plan will increase health care costs for many and force them off of plans they would like to keep and even increase unemployment as small businesses face higher costs because of coverage mandates. None of that made these Congressmen think twice. They were willing to vote for it all so long as the bill didn't include a single penny for federally funded abortions.
Pinning our hopes of stopping this monstrosity which will destroy the quality of American health care and bankrupt the nation on a group of blue dog Democrats shows the basic folly of single-issue politics. If all they care about is abortion, then all it takes for them to sell out the rest of us is a concession on that issue. Since they have no greater principles and don't really care about anything but satisfying the fanaticism of a small group of overly active voters, all you have to do is push the right button to have them do whatever you want. They are no longer legislators; they're vending machines.
The truth is that they and the constituency they represent are not part of the great nationwide push to restore our liberties and get the government off our backs. That struggle is about great principles and restoring the basic values of our nation. It's not about a single issue which, no matter how important, is meaningless if we fail to win the larger war for liberty. So you've saved a few fetuses. Were you really doing them a favor when you bought them their lives at the cost of enslaving them, their parents and future generations to an out-of-control state which can take away our rights one by one and seize the fruits of our labor by force?
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Arch Conservative
I imagine that number of House Democrats signed their own pink slips last night.
It's not law yet. Hopefully it can still be stopped.
2 - Arch Conservative
Here's the list of those who have targeted themselves for unemployment next November.
3 - Ruvy
Dave,
While the specifics of this article, the so-called health care bill proposed by the Democrats, are not relevant to me personally, the over-all issue you write about here, single issue politics and how reliance on single issue politics can be disastrous for a polity, are relevant to affairs here.
To wit: the forced evacuation of Gush Qatif and expulsion of Jews from Gaza was a disaster in every way for us in Israel. In January, 2005, the government was dependent on a group of Haredí politicians to pass its budget (failure to pass a budget is a government busting issue in Israel) and the refusal of the Haredí parties to vote for the budget would have forced new elections in Israel, and would have possibly delayed or stopped the expulsion of Israelis from Gush Qatif. Here is the link to your article, Dave. You wrote, One of the few changes made to it [the health care bill] was the addition of the Stupak Amendment, which removed federal funding for abortion from the bill. That amendment was enough to calm the reservations of about 64 conservative Democrat representatives and get them to vote for and pass the bill.....Pinning our hopes of stopping this monstrosity which will destroy the quality of American health care and bankrupt the nation on a group of blue dog Democrats shows the basic folly of single-issue politics. If all they care about is abortion, then all it takes for them to sell out the rest of us is a concession on that issue. Since they have no greater principles and don't really care about anything but satisfying the fanaticism of a small group of overly active voters, all you have to do is push the right button to have them do whatever you want. They are no longer legislators; they're vending machines
The Haredí politicians showed themselves to be vending machnes in a similar way. Their only real issue is state funding for their schools. Sharon's finacial wizards had cut state funding for the Haredí schools, and now offered to restore the funding if the Haredí politicians would vote for the budget in toto, and thus keep this treasonous government in power. And like the proverbial Jew chasing a penny down the street, they did exactly that, their peyot flapping in the wind as they chased the $60 million "penny" in funding for their schools.
And 10,000 Jews were expelled from Gush Qatif, thousands of rockets have fallen on Israel, and now Hamas has the ability to hit Tel Aviv.
That is the kind of damage single-issue politics can do to a polity.
4 - Christine
Hey Dave: did you see the interaction with Boehner and Rangel? At the end of the day, I predict that they will not honor the Stupak Amendment. It was all a ploy to get the "pro-life" dems on board to pass this monstrosity...of government control!
Rangel Refuses To Guarantee Pelosi Health Bill Will Protect Sanctity of Life
5 - Arch Conservative
Even though I don't live in Connecticut I will be calling Joe Liberman's office daily over the next several weeks to see that he keeps his promise on helping to filibuster this peice of garbage.
[Edited]
Dave, Christine, seeing as you both give a damn about this nation, I suggest you do the same.
6 - Christine
OK Arch!
7 - Dave Nalle
Of course the Stupak Amendment will go away. It will probably get removed in the Senate, and once the whole thing gets implemented it will be whittled away by career bureaucrats. The blue dogs sold the whole nation out for a handful of magic beans.
Dave
8 - Baronius
Come on, Dave. There's a difference between religious right-wing conservatives and blue dog Democrats.
I count myself among the religious right. I'm happier with a lousy law than a lousy and bloody law. Ideally, I'd like to see the whole thing scrapped in favor of Mackey-type approach. That doesn't make me a Democrat. If I recall correctly, the blue dogs caved in on the stimulus package, but the religious right Republicans voted against it 100%. So what were you expecting?
9 - Dave Nalle
The religious right republicans in office demonstrate that they are not single issue voters by opposing the bill even when abortion was removed. It was the single-issue voting blue dogs who showed the problem with single issue voting so clearly.
Dave
10 - Silas Kain
All these Blue Doggies and other Conservatives who passionately fight abortion are beating swords into coat hangers. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it because that's the bottom line. I'm sick of single issue politics because they cloud the real issues confronting our society. I'm pro-choice and I don't liker abortion. I just don't believe that I have the right to stop a woman from having an abortion under the guidelines of Rowe v. Wade. I fear that we'll return to the days of back alley abortions and that is just unacceptable.
Hot button issues like abortion and gay rights are pulled out of the political hat to thwart any attempts to improve our society. After watching Milk yesterday I have become more determined than ever to do whatever I can to derail this ultra-Conservative train. And, in doing so, my actions and political philosophies will remain consistent with those of Barry Goldwater more so than any who maintain leadership in the Right today.
11 - Jeanne Browne
I too oppose the folly of single-issue politics, but have you noticed how often the single issue at hand is one that lessens the health and rights of women? You may think the Stupak (or should I say Stupid) Amendment will be killed in the Senate or never really implemented if it remains, but I don't believe that. I believe that, once again, cowardly [largely] male politicians are continuing to forge social change (or the lack of it) at the expense of women's health and rights. When is this country going to grow up and recognize that all women, "good" and "bad" have a right to reproductive freedom? When are we going to accept the fact that women are sexual beings? As the bumper-sticker says: "If you don't believe in abortion, don't have one." Exactly. What about women with different beliefs? I'm old enough to remember the back-alley/coat hanger years, and the thought of women being hurled back to that era makes me wail and wild. A very bad, very cruel, very dangerous thing happened last night. Shame on every Democrat who not only let this happen but made it happen. It's still very much a man's world -- like we needed the reminder!
12 - Silas Kain
Indeed, Jeanne. I'm disillusioned by both parties at this point. The Democrats, a bit right of center, are so desperate to maintain control of Congress and will stop at nothing to achieve that goal. Perhaps we need to m arch on Washington -- a Million Pissed Off Americans March. Screw the Tea Baggers. Tell the fiercer Progressive to stay home. Moderate, simple, down to Earth Americans should just join hands around the Capitol keeping OUR employees the members of Congress in while barring lobbyists access. Perhaps we can call in the Carmelingo at the College of Cardinals to host the event. Imagine a Conclave of Congress. Too delicious for words.
13 - Arch Conservative
that should have been failure to pass not passage...
I'll have to take a mulligan that one.
14 - John Wilson
The real villains are the republicans who formed a united front against Obama and REFUSED to contribute to a UHC (which we desperately need to remain competitive in international commerce and not just become a nation enslaved to Insurance Companies whether by confiscatory monopoly administered pricing or by government mandate) which would reflect the best values of reps and dems. That's the way the system is supposed to work. Instead, the reps bowed to the lowest and least worthy in their party who want only to destroy the impudent darky who got himself elected president.
Hopefully, this is the last gasp of those villains.
They may succeed in destroying the government and bring the temple down on everyones heads, but they shall suffer the most in the end.
15 - Matthew T. Sussman
"beating swords into coat hangers"
A sublime phrase.
16 - Silas Kain
...and I have absolutely no doubt who the victor would be if it came to that again...
And I have absolutely no doubt that if it comes to that those who remain will be the "immigrants" and "minorities". Why? because they know the struggles and how to survive while white trash America continues to shop at WalMart and eat McDonalds. Meanwhile on Wall Street they're hoarding all the cash because when your prophecy of Revolution comes they'll be financially able to escape the carnage.
On the sidebar: How do you turn an ultra right conservative male gay? Lock him in a room with Nancy Pelosi for 24 hours.
17 - Baronius
[edited]
Dave, the blue dogs aren't single-issue voters. They're "bipartisan". Best as I can figure, that means they're budget hawks who vote for increased government spending on defense and domestic issues.
18 - Jet Gardner
It's like AM Radio and Fox News had sex and Blogcritics Politics is its bastard child!
19 - Clavos
"beating swords into coat hangers"
A sublime phrase.
Second.
20 - Baronius
Jeanne, you've got it backwards. Women tend to be more pro-life; men, pro-choice.
21 - Dave Nalle
The real villains are the republicans who formed a united front against Obama and REFUSED to contribute to a UHC
Really? I saw at least 10 different Republican plans proposed all of which were completely ignored. I also saw Republican soluitions to every single major element in the Pelosi plan which were better and less coercive which were also ignored.
(which we desperately need to remain competitive in international commerce and not just become a nation enslaved to Insurance Companies whether by confiscatory monopoly administered pricing or by government mandate)
You're utterly delusional. This enslavement you describe IS the Pelosi plan. It was essentially written by and for the big insurance companies. Inform yourself, don't just listen to the propaganda.
Dave
22 - Dave Nalle
Dave, the blue dogs aren't single-issue voters. They're "bipartisan". Best as I can figure, that means they're budget hawks who vote for increased government spending on defense and domestic issues.
In this case they appear to be single issue voters, because they changed their votes based solely on one issue. They certainly aren't budget hawks, else they would have voted against the Pelosi plan on that basis.
Dave
23 - Jim
You have been checkmated by the Stupak amendment. Tough luck Republicans. The Democrats made a deal with the Bishops and cut you out.
24 - Dave Nalle
Jim, you do understand that the left of the Democratic party and most of the women are about ready to kill the leadership, right?
Dave
25 - zingzing
baronius: "Women tend to be more pro-life; men, pro-choice."
now wait a minute... do you mean "women tend to be more pro-life than men?" because that might be a truth. but i'm having surprising difficulty finding recent (later than 2003) stats on the issue...