Dem Women: We Hate to Say “We Told You So” But….
November 8, 2009
by The New Agenda
|In 2008, millions of women voted along one single issue: choice. Well, we hate to say we told you so, but….
Women cannot count on a single party to protect their interests. Tonight as our Congress passed a historic healthcare bill, something missing? Yes, coverage for women who choose to have abortions.
Now as folks who follow The New Agenda well know, we have consciously chosen to leave this one issue aside, and tonight is another example of exactly why.
Despite the fact that 56% of women voted for Obama in 2008, many around the issue of choice, the DNC party leadership had no problem tonight, yet again, selling this constituency down the river. Politico reporting:
A last-minute abortion fight left a particularly bitter taste in the mouth of Democratic women who spent the early part of their careers fighting for reproductive rights.
“People are furious,” said Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette.
After hours of negotiations with a group of abortion opponents, led by Indiana Rep. Brad Ellsworth, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Pelosi made a final painful sacrifice to pick up crucial support, allowing a vote on an amendment sponsored by Ellsworth and Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak that would bar any insurance company participating in the exchange program from covering the procedure.
Ladies – it’s time that we make our case to BOTH parties, just as the US Conference of Catholic Bishops successfully did today. Democratic women can no longer blindly vote along one issue. And if they do continue to give away their vote for free, then women will continue to get crumbs in return.
An article on Huffpo by Jane Hamsher: NARAL and Planned Parenthood: Ineffective Anti-Choice Democrats Can Rely On:
Yet these women use their gender to give glowing testament to just how great this bill is for women across America. And they’ll pay no price.Why? Because helping the Democrats stay in power by giving them the Official Good Gyno Seal of Approval is what NARAL and Planned Parenthood do — even when those Democrats do things like voting for Samuel Alito and tell rape victims to take a cab to another hospital if they want to get Plan B contraception.
But Jane misses an important point – NARAL and Planned Parenthood have been negotiating with one side. Well, not negotiating actually – speaking to one side.
It’s time for a new agenda.
Couldn’t agree more. Currently, 87% of health insurance companies cover abortion services. That will change dramatically in 2013 thanks to this bill. Pro-choice women have no one to thank but themselves for being so short-sighted on this issue. I hope they remember this when they need one for themselves or their daughters and they aren’t able to get one because insurance won’t pay, and clinics are in short supply. This is a major victory for pro-life politicians and supporters, and they didn’t even have to work for it.
An anti-choice Republican? Let’s riot! An anti-choice Democrat? Eh. I blame no one but the democrats for this. They didn’t give a shit about Obama appointing Tim Kaine to head the DNC and they didn’t show any signs of giving a shit about all the anti-choice crap in the health care bill. I am INCREDIBLY pissed this morning and I am not going to sit quiet and let my friends celebrate. And yes, Anna Belle, you are correct. The biggest slap in the face is that the pro-life politicians and supporters didn’t even have to work (very hard) for this one!
Only one Republican voted for it, Alison. It was all pro-life Democrats this time. Quite a coup for a small group at the 11th hour. I don’t blame you one bit for being angry. I know I am.
This does bring up the point that voting for a party based on an issue is unwise. Women Voters need to quit voting agendas/issues and start voting gender. Once you have parity you will truly achieve power. Look how all those pro choice dem/ males treated you in this balloting. Voting “choice” over gender has gotten you nowhere.
What I find beyond belief that pro choice democrats, not a single one stood up and said then you don’t have my vote. and the bill goes in effect 2013, just after the next election. anybody thinks women voting for democrats in 2012 still remember what is coming next year and not vote democrat. because they know republicans aren’t better on issue. that is why the democrats can pull this.
the message needs to be preaching strategy. vote against the incumbant if they did not stood up. what does an angry voice of Dianna DeGette do, if she is not voting against the bill taking away the right to choose.
and who is talking that insurances should not pay for Viagra, we the women have to pay for that. but that is not a discussion point,not even on the agenda of catholic bishops.
I can’t help but wonder what NARAL thinks now about endorsing Obama over Hillary Clinton in the primaries. Sigh. I knew all along we’d be saying “I told you so…” but it still doesn’t feel good.
correction to above comment:
from the pro choice democrats in the house Betsy Markey from Oregon voted no. she is also fiscally conservative, but she hated the Stupak amendment.
Talk about a hot potato! First, the dems told women to vote for Obama because the Republicans would reverse Roe vs Wade. The dems wouldn’t listen to
Puma’s. Now you get what you deserve, because you opened the door for Obama to sell us out, and here we are in damn frying pan. You laid down and let him ride in on your backs, and now the women who will suffer will be the poor young women, who will resort to the back alley. You cannot peel that potato
any other way, it done.
Just makes me want to vomit!
Poor young women, and it must be said — overwhelmingly poor BLACK young women. Who couldn’t look their sons in the eye if they didn’t vote for Obama.
Now let them try to look their daughters in the eye.
A little harsh, but I’m sorry, I’m fucking pissed.
Cheers to Brian for nailing part of the problem. Choice is a misnomer and a slight of hand trick and it is high time for women to wake up and ask for more than the right to abort. Abortion as a political issue should be considered as dead as the democratic party to anyone other than Obama, crooks, and creeps (and yes I know that is redundant but it was fun).
Abortion is a medical solution to a private issue. Period. Whether you support it or not it is not a political issue and it is not something the government should have anything to do with one way or the other. Period.
I was not surprised in the least by the Democrats latest attack on women since they are being led by King “F..K Hillary and the rest of you girl” and are being propped up by a cadre of men (and women) who think ejaculating with the help of Playboy makes them progressive. I was surprised that many of you kept holding on to the dream that was the Democratic Party after Obama. I know that I was chased off more than one ‘liberal’ blog for warning that we must form a third party or at least pull back ALL support from the evil Democrats. I wonder if any apologies will be coming my way (not, but it feels good to say this too). Nothing good will ever come from this party of Obama that has morphed into Obama such that there is no DNC anymore, simply Obama headquarters in Chicago.
What should good women and men do? Fight, vote for Independents, forget about abortion as a political tool, and fuck the democrats and the republicans because neither party is of or for the people–at least not the good people.
Leave your Response Want an avatar? Get a gravatar!
Community Room
February 6, 2012 at 4:25 pm
January 30, 2012 at 2:36 pm
January 26, 2012 at 4:38 pm
January 23, 2012 at 1:04 pm
January 15, 2012 at 11:37 am
January 9, 2012 at 6:36 pm
January 7, 2012 at 10:10 pm
January 5, 2012 at 9:31 am
BUILD your NETWORK
Our Network of College Women
Protecting our Teenage Girls
We’re in the Media »
Click to see our latest stories in the media
More Stories »Recent Comments
The Latest from our Blog
Archives
Pioneer Mentors
Blogroll
Find us Online
Subscribe Entries (RSS) | Comments (RSS)
The New Agenda is a 501(c)(4) organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls by bringing about systemic change in the media, at the workplace, at school and at home. More...