Upping the Ante: Repeal Hyde
In one of skzb's books, a general inspires an army in a difficult position to greatness by tossing an artifact of the empire into the midst of the enemy camp and pointing out that the honor of the army stands or falls on whether they recover it. President Obama may realize it or not, but that's exactly what he's done with the despicable executive order he signed to secure Stupak and his followers.
His rationale is that Health Care Reform wasn't the vehicle to overturn Hyde. Well and good, but his honor -- his suitability to remain President -- stands or falls on whether he provides a proper vehicle to overturn Hyde.
There are no acceptable excuses. Democrats hold a majority of both houses. If the problem is that there are anti-choice Democrats, then each and every one of them need to face primary challengers. President Obama needs to be front and center stumping for each and every one of those primary challengers.
This isn't all on him: no President can act alone. Mr. Reid and Ms. Pelosi are on the spot as well. Between the tree of them, being an anti-choice Democrat must become a toxic position to hold in DC. The sort of position that no sane congrsscritter would hold because one simply can't get anything done if one bangs that drum.
The DNC is also on the hook: The party needs to behind pro-choice candidates.
I've said for three years now that the big reason to elect Obama over any Republican is that we're more likely to get somewhere pushing on him than pushing on any Republican. It's time to push. Write to him, write to your congesscritter:
Repeal Hyde.
His rationale is that Health Care Reform wasn't the vehicle to overturn Hyde. Well and good, but his honor -- his suitability to remain President -- stands or falls on whether he provides a proper vehicle to overturn Hyde.
There are no acceptable excuses. Democrats hold a majority of both houses. If the problem is that there are anti-choice Democrats, then each and every one of them need to face primary challengers. President Obama needs to be front and center stumping for each and every one of those primary challengers.
This isn't all on him: no President can act alone. Mr. Reid and Ms. Pelosi are on the spot as well. Between the tree of them, being an anti-choice Democrat must become a toxic position to hold in DC. The sort of position that no sane congrsscritter would hold because one simply can't get anything done if one bangs that drum.
The DNC is also on the hook: The party needs to behind pro-choice candidates.
I've said for three years now that the big reason to elect Obama over any Republican is that we're more likely to get somewhere pushing on him than pushing on any Republican. It's time to push. Write to him, write to your congesscritter:
Repeal Hyde.