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During the health care reform fight the women’s reproductive rights groups and legislators were basically sold out. President Obama decided to cut a deal with Bart Stupak’s Gang. He assumed that the pro-choice and women legislators in the House and pro-choice groups would just fall in line, and they did with very little fighting.
Passing the ACA required virtually every vote. Only a handful of pro-choice women rebelling could have stopped the new law, likely forcing a new deal, but none did. The pro-choice groups didn’t even seem prepared for the showdown that everyone paying attention saw coming.
That incident proved to the Obama administration that the President could treat women’s reproductive rights as a bargaining chip, without facing a rebellion from the pro-choice caucus or real retribution from pro-choice political groups. So that is exactly what Obama has been doing.
Earlier this year to get the budget deal done to avoid a government shutdown Obama again used choice as a bargaining chip by allowing the Republicans to include a policy rider to prevent the District of Columbia from using city money to pay for abortion. Obama got away with this and faced little repercussion or heat from pro-choice groups or elected officials.
Today Obama did it again. Obama’s Secretary of HHS, in a blatant, politically motivated move, took the almost unheard of step of going against FDA recommendations regarding Plan B. Science, common sense and women’s reproductive rights were all disregarded in what clearly appears to be an attempt to appease conservatives.
This is what happens when you don’t fight the first time. This is what happens when there is no political cost for crossing you. People learn that they can walk all over you, and they do so whenever possible.
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More like kicked to the curb and stomped on. Totally morally reprehensible.
Fuck I sure wish we had someone who would stand up to these Religious Zealots.. BO is a complete cop out Politician will to use anything and everyone of his constituents as a bargaining chip.. But we sure could never afford any of the Republicans.. Who just love to get their hands into a woman’s womb and tell her how to use it..
Try to explain this to my friends over and over again and all I ever hear back is — “but what choice (no pun intended) do we have?” June Cleaver had more hutzpah. I’m afraid women are getting exactly what they deserve for pulling a Rip Van Winkle for the last 20 years.
This is the kind of thing we should expect to see from him for the next 5 years.
He’s a bald-faced Republican masquerading as a Democrat and has the balls to talk like a progressive whenever it suits his ends.
What a two-faced, fork-tongued, hypocritical fuck.
Obama must have been a terrible community organizer because he can’t advocate for regular people. He’s all about appeasing those he deems to have power, cuz he’s got none internally. Very very sad. I sense the damage inside of him. Different than that of GWB, and just as lethal and hurtful to regular people.
I will not vote for Obama again. I will not donate time, energy, money, anything to him. And if Republicans get in again, so be it. Might make us fight harder/better for 2016. The lesson apparently has not been learned yet.
Last I heard, he’s been exploring his mancrush on the Catholic Bishops.
What a stupid and reprehensible act of political cowardice. I want to know what these political neophytes really expect to gain out of this flagrant pandering. They are trying to appease people who loathe them and most likely will never vote for him, while enraging his base of support at the same time.
Damn, this is so stupid. Who is this guy, Neville Chamberlain? And wake the fuck up—conservatives only take—they don’t give you anything in return.
Already sent my almost weekly rant to the WH re Plan B. This is truly outrageous.
Just got finished writing much the same, Jon. No need to post over here now..
As I posted earlier, this was a horrible political mistake for Obama. He’s already lost–at least as active supporters–a great many of those with progressive views on economics, workers rights and the environment. By this latest move, he has just trashed a new core constituency, namely, business and professional women (and some men) who can be quite conservative economically but are stalwart supporters of reproductive freedom. This group includes both moderate to conservative Democrats and non-fanatical Republicans. Many might tend to vote Republican if not for the reproductive rights issue. Now they will see little reason to vote for Obama. On the contrary, many will be absolutely enraged (justifiably) at the perfidy of his administration.
I’d have to think that Obama is assuming they’ll come around. Unless I read progressives really wrong, most will eventually.
More babies = more MIC Cannon Fodder = more suffering and domination of the 99 percent by the one percent. Also ADM and Cargill need more customers for GMO Frankenfoods. BP needs more gasoline burners.
Yes, indeed… (re: ObamaCare and Obama’s Hyde Amendment Executive Order)
They’ll have to read it here. It won’t be on tv.
And guys deserve the child support payments and condoms and the pullout method being all that’s available for protection for relegating choice to a fluffy little ladies auxiliary issue.
Too true, I’m afraid. One of the biggest reasons Obama got the nickname “Mr. Present” was his habit of standing to the side on any abortion-related legislation while he was in the Illinois senate.
It’s 2008 all over again. All good things to most people who vote, or might vote. 50.1% is VICTORY! (Yes, I know Obama got more than that in 2008).
What pathetic kabuki corporatist theater. Obama assumes the, er, staged, corporate puppet with the smiling face oh so full of hope, vs the champion of the Republican Empire of Evil, Whoever That May Be!, and Obama rides to victory to give his corporatist backers everything they wanted.
Just like the Evil Republican One would give HIS corporatist backers everything they wanted. And most of them are the same, though not all, and are hedging their bets in the same manner they did so on the bursting of the housing bubble.
There will be no change in the election of 2012 no matter who wins, because most Americans do not feel in their guts what I, and many other firedogs, feel in ours, that is, that the two party system simply must go because it can no longer frickin’ work.
Who knows what may happen by 2016? I have only guesses, some of them most unpleasant.
Like Oilbummer, Swebelius is a Blue Dog or New Democrat (same Diff). They’re the same thing as a Rethuglican – only worse because they mislead voters re: their true identity and their intent.
Though they are disgusting, her actions and Oilybomber’s should not be surprising.
138 times.
I predicted when Obama gave a speech in Kansas filled with progressive rhetoric that before the end of the week he’d do something to please the reactionaries and that the mainstream press would not make a big deal out of it.
I didn’t expect he’d do it the next day nor that he’d use the very woman from Kansas, whom he went to Kansas with to put on a progressive pose, to implement this slap in our face. Oh well.
It’s the Obama shuffle. He’s shuffles to the Left to please his tame liberals and then immediately shuffles to the right to do some hippy punching to let us know we don’t matter.
I think, as someone who knocked on doors for Obama, that he has done everything he can, except actually say the truth, that he does not want a second term. He has done everything he can to alienate those who supported him in 2008. He is puting on a good show as to rhetoric, but with everything he does he drive those who supported him away. He is not stupid, he knows what he is doing. He wants out. He has turned his candidacy and his personal fortunes into wealth and he does not want to keep doing the job, but he is too cowardly to actually say so. He may not get what he wants as the Republicans can still nominate someone unelectable, but he is not going to care about us, he does not need us if he really does not care about being reelected. A strange and scary situation we find ourselves in.
More like “fakes left, throws right”, I think…
On most issues, you would be correct. But reproductive rights, being so extremely personal, is a uniquely charged issue. I think there will be lasting damage to his campaign.
I liked hearing the Family Research Council (a SPLC-designated hate group) spokeswoman commend the Obama Administration for “following sound science” in this decision.
True. But O has just messed with a very wired constituency.
This isn’t just women’s groups Jon.
There’s a reason the Democratic Party as a whole feels comfortable not delivering ANYTHING in terms of progressive policies. Whether it’s women’s groups, unions, social safety net advocates, or any other progressive group, because they NEVER HAVE held the Democrats accountable for not delivering and walking all over them the D’s do just as you said, continue to walk all over them. Because they can. And they know it.
There’s only one way to change that. And it’s very simple. When the Democrats don’t deliver policies for you, you don’t deliver votes for them. But noooooooooo, not only are most progressives scaredy cats of the mean ‘ole Republicans, many of them are so ascared of them they actively chide any and all who entertain the notion of doing the right thing and holding them accountable.
Sorry to say it, but when progressives, women’s groups, whatever, refuse to hold the Democrats accountable, then they do in fact deserve getting walked on. Over and over and over and over again.
Pretty fucking stupid. Yet progressives are always quick to point out how stupid Republican voters are. HA! What a joke.
I heard all I need to of Obama’s lofty promising in 2008. And I’ve seen all I need to of Obama’s lowly policies once entrusted with office. I’ve already tuned him out this time around.
Barry lost my vote long ago; this latest cave-in to the Religious Right is the political equivalent of garbage time.
If there is a credible third party candidate on the ballot next year, I’ll vote for that person. If not, I plan to write in Ndamukong Suh (hey, I’m from Michigan).
The sooner the Democratic Party dies, the better for all of us.
I think the explanation is simpler: He’d love an extra term, but no one gets rich working for the poor or the middle class these days. He’s smart enough to figure that out. Of course, my opinions are colored by my belief that the guy is a con artist, but it’s an explanation that fits the facts. I think we’ll see that he has a very successful post-presidential career, monetarily speaking. I doubt a second term would change that meaningfully one way or the other.
Whether it’s destroyed or transformed, the first step is to rob it of any meaningful power.
All things considered, I disagree with this decision.
This is not simply about science. It has a significant social policy aspect. As such, poilitics will come into play. The issue is should young women under the age of 17 be able to buy this pill over the counter.
Yep, and once AGAIN, Obama has made clear which side of those politics he’s on. No way HHS takes this step without Obama’s approval less than a year before an election.
It’s time to mic check Obama on this issue. Why is he getting a pass, anyway?
Yes, it was a political decision. One I disagree with. But, I am not opposed to politics informing decisions involving significant social policy.
0 does the Right thing and no one here is suprised and we know all long 0 was the Right thing from hell.
This is really under covered. I was very surprised it was total crickets on Rachel Quisling tonight.
No mention on MSNBC. Cenk did make a point of it though and did a back and forth with Anna Kasparian
The Obama team, again acting to fully alienate their voter base as much as possible.
Yup. And how many Republican voters will Obama pick up because of this? Absolutely zero.
Stupid politics, stupid policy, which seems to be the theme of the Obama administration.
Exactly. If Rocky Anderson makes a good run, I’ll vote for him. Otherwise, I’ll write in the Count of Monte Cristo.
I haven’t had much luck convincing people at work of this, but I’ll have what you’re having.
Rachel Quisling? Aren’t we getting a little too purist?
Obama just gave the right wing a beautiful Christmas gift. He gave them a huge gift last Christmas. The Trojan horse is nothing but a damn lying coward.
And this is why everyone should vote AGAINST Obama.
If not now, when?
I am SO tired of this “lesser of two evils” and “think what the Republicans would do” bullshit.
It needs to be demonstrated that actions like these by Obama have CONSEQUENCES for him: no support from women, or from men who care about woman.
No truer words. Obama has the morals of a Chicago street pimp.
Then could he please get the fuck out of the way so a REAL Democrat could run?
Those most vulnerable and at the greatest risk are the youngest. They are most likely to have a miscarriage or still birth. They have no ability to raise a child in our society. So of course these are the ones Mr O will throw under his campaign bus.
He truly is competing with his buddy Lil’ Bush for worst President ever.
Occupy NOW?
You want to write in a thug for President?
Jake
Phoenix
Wisconsin-born Cheesehead
A toon about this.
Maybe this was a prearranged white hat / black hat event.
Something this controversial would have been floated through Headquarters, and the political costs/benefits analyzed first. It would have been ruminated upon long before any public announcement by FDA or reaction by HHS.
In this case absolutely not. Look, with every move to the right that the President takes to seem to placate the phanthom ‘independent’ vote he is closer to BEING a republican. Even blanche lincoln dissed this move.
This won’t be the last. Look for a cave on the pipeline next.
If you watched the entire show, HER ‘interview’ with gene sperling was one of the more gross displays of fawning supplication.
I had been a great fan of Rachel, but her servitude to ge/comcast is sickeningly corrosive to what was one of the most thoughtful, intellegent opinion messengers the left had.
The idea there was absolutely NO mention of the suffocation of Plan B last night from a person who had been a serious defender of reproductive rights, especially in the wake of the Tiller murder is inexcusable.
So, No. I’m not being ‘purist’.
I am sadly disappointed.
Amen, brother, amen.
in response to hackworth1 at thirteen
You know I have often wondered about the possibility of starting a STARVE THE BEAST MOVEMENT. Think about it JUST STOP REPRODUCING. The results would begin to show almost immediatly beginning with reproductive care then education then the military. It requires zero confrontation with the authorities ( until they start demanding that women breed). Eh probably a pipe dream but fun to think about.
From my reading, I get the impression the community organizer thing was a resume bullet point. Something to burnish his credentials for Harvard admission.
Some. I kinda think he’ll be a plurality president 2012. Only because the Republican, whoever s/he is, will be so odious. The stench of rot arising from the politics in this country will leave a lot of people gagging.
Seconded.
Point taken.
Who would that be?
well hey, at least they waited until after the big NYC Fundraiser so as not to embarrass Gloria Steinem, Cecile Richards, Stephanie Schrlock and all the other tribalist fucks who headlined
Damn straight Jon. This is why, love them or hate them, if you oppose the banks you’d better be fighting tooth and nail to support OWS. Not everyone needs to be in the trenches 24/7, but you gotta support those that are there (if you want to see them succeed.)
I’m sick of Ed, Rachel and Larry shilling for the national party. We need a media outlet that represents our side of he argument not just their side of K street.