Screw these Democrats for Life (DFL)

89 Comments

1. 

   Parker on August 24, 2005 at 7:58 am

   That is some scary shit!!!!

   • 

     CabinGirl on August 24, 2005 at 8:19 am

     And why are so many of them from Pennsylvania?

     • 

       Knoxville Progressive on August 24, 2005 at 9:34 am

       A: Heavily Catholic state, and culturally conservative once you get out of the big cities and their suburbs.

     • 

       bayprairie on August 24, 2005 at 1:40 pm

       Thats the next step for me. I want to make an overlay map that somehow shows the intensity based by state. There’s an interesting page at the DFL site at which they  recognize the democrats who “walk their way” but which also includes local state-house reps. I’d post the link, but silly me, I can’t find it and will have to root it out again.

       • 

         moiv on August 24, 2005 at 2:00 pm

         do please come back and post it here. It would be a big help to anyone needing to figure out who their local DFL collaborators might be.

       • 

         Madman in the Marketplace on August 24, 2005 at 3:01 pm

         hey Bay …

         I don’t know if you’ve seen THIS yet:

         Map Hacks on Crack

         SAN FRANCISCO — The internet’s two largest search engines are begging to get hacked.

         On Wednesday, Google opened a set of programming interfaces for its popular Google Maps service, in the hope hackers will overlay the maps with data from outside sources — such as wireless cafes.

         Just one day later, Yahoo announced its own set of programming tools for its map service, Yahoo Maps.

         Both companies are hoping the new mapping APIs, or application programming interfaces, will excite developers, help the companies find new employees and, perhaps most importantly, result in free product prototyping.

         But the search giants were also reacting in no small part to web hackers who had already started to reverse-engineer the two mapping services in ways neither had expected.

         Before Google opened the Maps API, several “mashups” had been created, including Paul Rademacher’s housing map, which layers craigslist housing ads onto Google maps, and an anti-gridlock site that marries Yahoo traffic data with Google maps. There’s also Adrian Holovaty’s ingenious Chicago crime map, which lets users create custom views of crimes from auto theft to bribery on maps as tiny as individual police beats.

         Other hacks include a small-town walking tour with annotations, a map with clickable London traffic cameras and a map for finding cheap gasoline that’s no longer online.

         Rademacher’s Google-craigslist hack earned him a star role at Where 2.0. Tim O’Reilly, the web-trend predictor at the helm of the O’Reilly publishing company, sees the future of the internet in these innovative, unpaid hacks.

         “Google Maps with craigslist is the first Web 2.0 application,” O’Reilly said, referring to his belief that the future of the internet will be created from interlocking connections of open data services that will be constantly improved and tweaked.

         The story includes links to the apps.

   • 

     keirdubois on August 24, 2005 at 1:55 pm

     There are a few brown guys in there too.

2. 

   scribe on August 24, 2005 at 8:39 am

   It just never seems to change much.  Men continue to assume the right to control womens lives, because they can.

   They can, because, (suppported and taken care of by the women in their lives,)  they get free reign to pursue political careers, gaining power and office, while women spin in endless circles trying to balance homemaking, child care AND work. Neat deal for the male gender: I am not suprised that so many of both parties don’t want to see it changed.  Controlling womens reproductive rights is one damned sure way to make sure it never does, isn’t it?

   I am still trying to absorb the miserable, unmistakable  reality that so many liberal men are eagerly jumping on the anti abortion  bandwagon like this, or are otherwise abandoning the civil liberties of women by being so willing to barter them away, for political gain. THEN try to tell us they still support womens rights.

   Yeah, right.  Peddle that BS elswhere, bros. My vote you will NEVER see.
      

   • 

     bayprairie on August 25, 2005 at 6:40 am

     yes hard to absorb isnt it.

     i feel the same way.

3. 

   xxxxxxxxxxxx on August 24, 2005 at 8:41 am

   Chick hating Democrats.  Bayprarie, putting the photos of the enemy up is inspired.

   • 

     ubikkibu on August 24, 2005 at 12:13 pm

     the title meant “To Hell with the Democratic Party” in general.  A sentiment I often entertain.

   • 

     bayprairie on August 24, 2005 at 3:14 pm

     I see a fork in the road, up ahead, in regards to women’s reproductive rights within the democratic party.

     Should we return the party to the ideals of Woodie Guthrie?

     

     Or should we learn to goose step?

     

     Please do not feel obligated to vote for these men, who’s pictures i’ve posted, simply because they call themselves democrats.

     A slave should never vote for a slave holder.

     One bright sunny morning
     in the shadow of the steeple
     By the Relief Office
     I saw my people —
     As they stood hungry,
      I stood there wondering if
     This land was made for you and me

     • 

       eodell on August 24, 2005 at 5:25 pm

       There’s definitely a large faction in the Democratic Party willing to lose the fight just as long as they get the trophy. And, unfortunately, there are an awful lot of Democratic voters who seem to be content to go along with this, operating on the naive theory that conservative Dems are going to be somehow different than conservative Republicans.

       Oh wait, there is a difference: conservative Republicans are honest about being regressive troglodytes.

       I hate to say it, but maybe we’ll have to spoil a few more elections by voting for third parties before they take the hint.

       • 

         anna in philly on August 25, 2005 at 9:11 am

         im disgusted

         with every single fucking democrat who is going along with this bullshit….and that includes dean (YES DEAN!!!), rendell, shumer, my union brothers who think casey being a pro union guy is somehow more important than the fact that he is anti female reproductive rights….and every single so called progressive who is bending over for these morons just because they want to win.

         Santorum in 06 – Because it hurts more when a Democrat assrapes you.

4. 

   glitterscale on August 24, 2005 at 8:45 am

   Women can have good hair too!

   • 

     ejmw on August 24, 2005 at 9:13 am

     maybe they need to have bad hair to get elected…

   • 

     moiv on August 24, 2005 at 11:16 am

     Marcy Kaptur.  

     And she’s not the only woman carrying water for these goons.

5. 

   AndiF on August 24, 2005 at 9:22 am

   but of course we are just being stubborn, simple-minded women who, blinded by our unreasonable concern with our pet issue of women’s rights, naively refuse to understand that voting in anti-choice democrats who don’t support women’s rights is the best way to protect those rights.

   • 

     the other colleen on August 24, 2005 at 10:59 am

     Ya I find that particular blog-spin so insulting. The folks making it know it’s spin, they think that if they lie and then insult when someone presents evidence to the contrary that that will do the trick. And, in the background, I can hear them starting up the ‘blame the feminists’ machine for after they lose another election by being stupid.

     Anti-choice Democrats will vote for anti-choice legislation. Anti-choice Democrats will sponsor anti-choice legislation. Their party affiliation does not matter one whit. Pass it on.

6. 

   wilfred on August 24, 2005 at 9:34 am

   My conclusion: In general the Straight white men elected today are not your friend in political office… if anyone doesn’t see a pattern here, get glasses.

   And beware of many of the straight white bloggers too, getting some very weird vibes from them lately, like even the lefties amongst them are willing to trade your uterus for any victory.

   • 

     Parker on August 24, 2005 at 9:46 am

     

     Sanatorum is too obsessed with gays to be straight..

   • 

     Madman in the Marketplace on August 24, 2005 at 9:49 am

     so does that make me an honorary chick, or an honorary gay guy?

     • 

       wilfred on August 24, 2005 at 9:53 am

       that makes you both, you deserve both honors!

       • 

         Madman in the Marketplace on August 24, 2005 at 11:13 am

         wow, thanks man <dabs tear from cheek>

     • 

       scribe on August 24, 2005 at 11:58 am

       >>so does that make me an honorary chick, or an honorary gay guy?

       Neither. It put you among a rare breed of creatures: a straight white male who has somehow been able to integrate his feminine and masculine aspects so as to not be blinded my male privilege or unconscious sexisism. It makes you one of the rare males who do not need to feel superior to women in order to feel “manly” , and one whose thinking aparatus is actually top of his neck, not in his trousers.  

       • 

         ubikkibu on August 24, 2005 at 12:06 pm

         [Said in my best Arnold Horshack voice]

         Me too, I’m one of them too!  Really I am.

         Although I’m sure there’s some of that unconscious sexism stuff still in here.  Kinda hard to tell.

         But I’m definitely going to be one of those white males up against the wall when the revolution comes…when I help start that revolution…or something.

         • 

           Madman in the Marketplace on August 24, 2005 at 1:18 pm

           oh, sure, that’s still in there … hard to escape, the trick is to not ACT on it.

         • 

           keirdubois on August 24, 2005 at 1:57 pm

           Ah, that’s easy.  Just don’t be an asshole.

           😉

         • 

           Egarwaen on August 24, 2005 at 2:46 pm

           It’s really remarkable how many people that doesn’t occur to, and how they try to hide their fundamental assholeness behind things like “morality” or “pragmatism”.

         • 

           OrdinaryVanity on August 25, 2005 at 11:20 am

           I used to believe that men should have absolutely no say in the abortion debate whatsoever.  That they could have whatever opinion they wanted, but belonged totally outside of any decision-making process.

           It’s heroic abortion providers, significant others who have gone through abortion with their loved ones, and guys like you that made me rethink that stance.  Thank you for your empathy.

     • 

       MAJeff on August 24, 2005 at 3:29 pm

       Why choose?  I call all my guy friends “girl” from time to time…and I think we’ve had a conversation about your “queerness” if not “gayness.”  C’mon in girlfriend!

       • 

         MAJeff on August 24, 2005 at 3:30 pm

         oops…i think that queerness thing was a conversation with someone else…sorry…but what they hey, If you think gender and sexual boundaries are fluid and you like to play with them, join the queer club.

         • 

           Madman in the Marketplace on August 24, 2005 at 4:07 pm

           silly girl!

           😉

         • 

           Jeffersonian Democrat on August 25, 2005 at 3:38 am

           So when do I get my card, t-shirt and newsletter, hmmmm?

         • 

           MAJeff on August 25, 2005 at 7:04 am

           The central office must be behind yet again.  (They make the newbies work there, and they aren’t terribly efficient….i’m still waiting for a couple toaster ovens.)

     • 

       anna in philly on August 25, 2005 at 9:14 am

       it makes you someone who knows how to mind your own business

       this concept doesnt seem to compute much in america

       bunch of assraping busybodies who cant keep their nose out of my panties, out of my uterus, out of my bedroom, and out of my dungeon.

       • 

         The Ticked Off Ohioan on August 25, 2005 at 11:08 am

         I just wanted to say I loved your diary after the pie fight!

   • 

     Angelama on August 25, 2005 at 7:59 am

     willing to trade our collective uterus. They don’t have one so they don’t have to worry about the consequences!

7. 

   Madman in the Marketplace on August 24, 2005 at 9:48 am

   wow, stunning how much alike they all look, the same bad hair helmets, same “gee, I wish it was still the ’50s” vacant looks on their faces.

   • 

     Egarwaen on August 24, 2005 at 10:17 am

     Glad to see I wasn’t the only one that skimmed that list of photos and went “When’d I time-travel back fifty years?”.

   • 

     tauri on August 24, 2005 at 1:25 pm

     Yes, the hair is a dead giveaway — pod people all! Trying to fit in, but just not quite able to pull it off. What happened to the real democrats they are attempting to imitate?

     • 

       Parker on August 24, 2005 at 1:32 pm

       LOL!!!

       You just reminded me of the movie “Attack from Mars” when the Martians masqueraded as humans…

8. 

   alohaleezy on August 24, 2005 at 10:13 am

   This is why it is acceptable to them that the iraqi Constitution is based in Islamic Law first and foremost. They don’t believe in women’s rights. If they can’t keep us barefoot and pregnant at home they can at least do it over there and continue to chip away at our rights here. Disgusting.

9. 

   Rick B2 on August 24, 2005 at 10:33 am

   I find it interesting that they are largely from the Old South and Pennsylvania, with a smattering of the rest of the East Coast.

   No Californians or West Coasters. Why?

   This is in the Democratic Party. The strictist traditionalists are Republicans.

   The problem is that America and the world in general are changing rapidly, and social values are being faced with new problems every day. Where are the solutions going to be found? In the dead and dying past, or in rational consideration of the future and adaptation to modernism?

   This country seems to have one and one-half parties scrapping for holding on to the past and maybe half a party trying to go forward into the future.

   I don’t like the conservative label for Democrats – “Liberal.” I am not a Liberal. I am a modernist. I look for social solutions in the future, not in the dead past of tradition.

   I also have no idea what to do about these idiotic Democrats who want to legally enforce their traditional religious beliefs on women.

   • 

     bayprairie on August 24, 2005 at 1:56 pm

     I find the distribution interesting also, and wonder about it. As I mentioned above I’m going to follow this down to the state-house level as much as I can.

     • 

       Rick B2 on August 24, 2005 at 5:15 pm

       Keep us informed.

     • 

       Rick B2 on August 24, 2005 at 5:22 pm

       Just thinking.

       Here in Texas the “christian” right took over the Republican party about two decades ago. It is easy if you have a committed group and the state party is operated based on the caucus system.

       I am reasonably sure that all the bible belt states have such caucus systems, and the Republican Party has been taken over that way. But I haven’t been able to find any information on the systems nor the parties so taken over.

       If anyone has any suggestions regarding how I could find this out, or information about their own state parties, I’d really appreciate it.

10. 

    moiv on August 24, 2005 at 11:14 am

    Let me count the ways …

    Excellent
    Superlative
    Comprehensive
    Wonderful
    Marvelous
    Splendid
    Beautiful
    Terrific
    Fabulous
    Astounding

    … I’m beginning to get lightheaded here, and having a little trouble remembering whether I’m supposed to be describing your diary (which every one of us should hotlist for later reference) or just YOU — but hey, it works either way. 🙂

    Back to work . . . . .

    • 

      artemisia on August 24, 2005 at 11:53 am

      n/t

    • 

      bayprairie on August 24, 2005 at 2:01 pm

      Truebluedem posted the news pieces at our Word and she was the one who linked the story to the “crowing” post at the DFL site. To me that’s the real eye-opener. In essence this is her blog posting. I saw the last names of the supporters at the DFL site and spent a few hours looking up the contact information. I hope anyone who’s in the same state as one of these chuckleheads uses the info and contacts them and also works for their “unelection”.

    • 

      bayprairie on August 24, 2005 at 3:59 pm

      :::blushing::::

11. 

    scribe on August 24, 2005 at 12:03 pm

    This diary is what clear and clean, essential  anger looks like when tightly focused and well directed. Congratulations. I’m proud to share writing space with the likes of you both amd so many other women and the men who have had a belly full of deception and are ready to call it as it is, loudly and clearly.      

12. 

    ubikkibu on August 24, 2005 at 12:11 pm

    was a disappointment even before he began his campaign.  His slightly less stupid younger brother Ken gets more attention, which isn’t surprising given Ken stood up in his first week in the Senate to kiss torture Gonzales’ ass.

    But John’s voting record is abysmal.  He’s no Democrat, and he certainly has done nothing to help the citizens of his rural Colorado district.

13. 

    moiv on August 24, 2005 at 12:18 pm

    Today’s Dallas Morning News reports that 35,000 low income women just in Dallas County alone are about to lose access to all state-funded family planning.

    Why are all these women about to become breeding stock for the state?

    Because of a “pro-life” attack on Planned Parenthood, a law passed in the 2003 TX legislative session that forbids any state money going to clinics that provide abortion. PP’s legal team swung into action and beat back the attempt to take away its own funding, but this new threat is trickle-down collateral damage from that attempted anti bushwhack.

    Of course, none of the three hospitals associated with these family planning clinics do abortions (this is still Texas) but some doctors who are on the UT Southwestern Medical School or hospital faculties — or who provide Pap smears in the medical school birth control clinics — possibly could be provide abortion care in their own private practices.  

    Just the possibility of the medical school being sued under the anti-PP law is enough to shut down its family planning clinics, because funding for all its programs is already so limited under this slash-and-burn regime that if UTSW lost a court case, it couldn’t afford to repay the money that it had already frittered away on helping desperately poor women avoid unwanted pregnancies.

    Because UTSW anticipates being targeted under this TRAP law (and you know somebody made some phone calls here) 35,000 women lose their birth control. 35,000 women who can’t afford to see a private physician are being forced by the state into risking pregnancy against their will — and, if they become pregnant and cannot afford an abortion, as many cannot, will be forced into compulsory childbearing.

    As always, who gets screwed?

     

    • 

      artemisia on August 24, 2005 at 12:54 pm

      that’s horrible!  what can we do?  any ideas?

      • 

        moiv on August 24, 2005 at 1:15 pm

        I’m still too mad to think straight. But the DMN gets an LTE from me tonight, and it’s a good thing I can email it, because I don’t have any asbestos paper.

        Parkland Hospital says it will bid on the family planning contract only if there’s enough available funding to cover their costs in supplying this care. And I can’t fault them for that, because they’re already underfunded and about to be stuck with the cost of providing health care to all Dallas County jail inmates, too.

        So it makes me all the more furious that the state has just siphoned off $5,000,000 from its family planning budget, and funneled it into funding CPCs.

        • 

          Parker on August 24, 2005 at 1:25 pm

          When you write your LTE please post it here.

          • 

            moiv on August 25, 2005 at 1:51 am

            In 2003, Senators Tommy Williams and Steve Ogden authored an appropriations rider to stop vitally needed public funding of Planned Parenthood clinics whose operations were totally separate from any abortion-providing facilities. Planned Parenthood prevailed in court, but Williams’ and Ogden’s rider, effective last June, now threatens to deprive 35,000 low income women in Dallas County of their only access to birth control.  Even though none of the hospitals affiliated with UTSW or its clinics performs abortions, the medical school is still so afraid of the GOP “pro-life” lobby that it is shutting down its family planning clinics.

            When Planned Parenthood sued the state, Williams said it was “just grubbing for money.”  But this year he funneled $5,000,000 of our state’s scarce health care funds into non-medical crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), stripping 17,000 Texas women of health screening, well woman exams and other legitimate medical care.

            The anti-choice agenda of influential Texas lawmakers is harming women who want desperately to be responsible about contraception and never have to make the choice about whether to have an abortion. Their irresponsible zeal is condemning low-income women to unwanted pregnancies – and despite what CPCs will tell you, it isn’t birth control that causes abortions.

            We’ll see.

    • 

      catte nappe on August 24, 2005 at 1:57 pm

      From Victoria Loe Hicks on DMN Editorial Blog
      “This morning’s story about UT Southwestern wanting to drop its family planning program illustrates why laws that try to use money (or the withholding thereof) to restrict abortion are so ill-advised. It’s not that the medical school or any of the hospitals it contracts with perform elective abortions (which would make it ineligible under state law to receive money to counsel low-income women about family planning).

      But some of the doctors in other cities who supervise UT Southwestern residents might perform elective abortions, and some faculty members may practice at hospitals that perform elective abortions. So the med school is afraid the state will use that as grounds to cut off the family planning money, or perhaps even to levy penalties.

      So what can we expect if the program goes away? More unintended pregnancies and more abortions. This is insanity.”
      http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/blogs/opinion//

    • 

      bayprairie on August 25, 2005 at 5:16 am

      death by a 1000 cuts isnt it.

      10 million dollars

      35000 women spread out over 7 clinics

      135 patients a day

      So where does the 10 million go now?

      Some church groups out in Bum Fuck Egypt use the money to show abstinence slides?

      • 

        moiv on August 25, 2005 at 12:35 pm

        Yes, 135 patients a day. Those UTSW clinics are so packed that the phones are always busy, they stay booked 3-4 weeks ahead and even getting an appointment can be an ordeal.  But I guess that won’t be a problem anymore.  🙁

        And hey, those church-sponsored CPCs push more than just abstinence. They peddle fear over being maimed and killed by abortion and guilt over “murdering your baby” with birth control pills as lighting the path to “God’s plan for your life.”  I’ve got a drawer full of brochures from those places that would make you sick.

14. 

    The Ticked Off Ohioan on August 24, 2005 at 12:26 pm

    bayprairie, I invite you to post this over at Ohio Watch, since lots of idiots are trying to get <strike>Democrats for Life</strike&gt Democrats for Control Over Womens Lives member Tim Ryan to run for senate.

15. 

    tauri on August 24, 2005 at 1:23 pm

    We need these “democrats” like we need Zell Miller. And the really sad thing is that these Republican posers can hide out in the Democratic party and get away with it. Not only get away with it, but be pandered to and begged to stay.  It’s time to root out these imposters and get some real democrats in.

16. 

    Alice on August 24, 2005 at 3:17 pm

    I am already hard at work knitting the shrouds for their political careers.

    They will soon be hearing about this from some of their constituents.

    – Madame DeFarge

    • 

      bayprairie on August 24, 2005 at 3:56 pm

      what a lovely metaphor alice. knitting their shrouds!

17. 

    Billy Shears on August 24, 2005 at 3:30 pm

    I am very dissapointed to see my representative on this list.  I have listened to him speak many times on the local NPR affiliate, and my overall opinion of him has been mostly positive (with a few minor exceptions).  He usually is quite vocal in his criticisms of the Bush adminsitration, especially the USDA, and has set up a few gatherings of seniors and doctors to discuss options for receiving prescription meds at reduced prices.  

    I had no idea that he was anti-choice, and he will therefore be receiving a highly critical letter from this constituent later today.  

    Thanks for bringing this to our attention.  

    • 

      bayprairie on August 24, 2005 at 4:04 pm

      Democrats for Life All Stars

      • 

        Parker on August 24, 2005 at 4:19 pm

        BRAVO

        • 

          xxxxxxxxxxxx on August 25, 2005 at 12:13 am

          There is a feminist email group that many of us belong to .  We would love you to join, but your email isn’t listed, so this is the only way I could think of to invite you.  If you are interested go to
          http://groups.yahoo.com/group/femworkgroup/
          and request membership.  NYCO at LSF is incharge of the gate.  I will give her a heads up that you might be intersted.

          • 

            bayprairie on August 25, 2005 at 5:28 am

            seriously,

            most of the people posting in this thread should think about joining this email list. all of you.

          • 

            OrdinaryVanity on August 25, 2005 at 11:32 am

            I asked to join 🙂

      • 

        caliberal on August 24, 2005 at 4:34 pm

        Bay, we need to remember the Democratic leadership that has endorsed and aligned themselves with the DFL, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelois and Harry Reid.   They have tried to recruit Howard Dean into the fold but I haven’t heard if they’ve been successful.

        You’re absolutely right, they have to all be held accountable for their obvious sell out of the Democratic  pro-choice women.  

        Most people don’t have a clue about DFL, diaries like this are so important to get word out.  Kudos to you for all that you do.

        • 

          bayprairie on August 25, 2005 at 4:43 am

          Yes, next time I revise this I’ll add another section at the bottom with the minority leadership contact info. I agree that it’s important to get the word out too and I don’t want to take credit for this piece either. That’s not what this is about.  We had the first half of this story posted at http://OurWord.org by one of our members, TrueBlueDem. She made the connection between the SF Chron story and what I refer to as the “crowing” on the DFL site. I was just furious after I read her post and went to work and dug up all the contact info for the democrats who voted against the Davis amendment and as i familiarized myself with the DFL website I just knew this had to be shared.   I mailed the list about doing something with it but I think everyone’s busy so I just put it up as I feel it’s important. If anyone wishes to use any of this post to further our cause please feel free to do so. If you want the html text, mail me. I plan on continuing to add to the list and learn more about the DFL. I’ll update when I can and if I can’t someone else will.

        • 

          anna in philly on August 25, 2005 at 9:22 am

          dean may not invite the dfl into the dem party outright…but he already sold us down the road by allowing this bullshit non competitive primary in pa to go on….his silence, his lack of support for pennachio, his complicity in allowing shumer and rendell to pressure everyone else who could have also beaten santorum out of that race in favor of a republican lite candidate sucks…..i love howard dean on many levels but make no mistake…on this he is a traitor and i take every opportunity to tell him so.

          • 

            Egarwaen on August 25, 2005 at 10:31 am

            Okay, then let me ask you this. What the hell do you expect Dean to do? He can’t tell the PA Republican… Er… Democratic party “You guys are being a bunch of corrupt wankers. Now step aside or I kick your ass.” The instant he does that, the state party support he needs for his 50-state strategy dries up overnight. I’m willing to bet that the PA party knows this and is taking advantage of it to try and get their “golden boy” the nomination, even though they know he’ll probably lose the general.

            The best he can do is work on keeping the national party pro-choice (the only thing he has any kind of direct control over) and encouraging the grassroots to take control of their state parties.

      • 

        the other colleen on August 24, 2005 at 5:56 pm

        Wow, that was quite a find, Bayprairie. I bookmarked it under RW think tanks. They’re forming state chapters. I looked up WA and they had 4 people plus the board show up at their first meeting. All male and all white and all old.
        They’re also claiming that 55% of all women in WA voted for Bush which I believe to be a lie and that this was due to the Democrats support of reproductive choice which I know to be a lie.

        • 

          moiv on August 24, 2005 at 8:26 pm

          This from the August 18 Catholic Sentinel.

          The founder of Democrats for Life was in Oregon last week trying to organize and energize members, about half of whom are Catholic. Meetings took place in Portland, Salem and Eugene.

          <snip>

          “People know the abortion issue is sinking the party,” says Carol Crossed, a longtime peace-and-justice activist who helped revitalize Democrats for Life two years ago. “I was going into the voting booth and having trouble voting for Democrats. I asked myself, `What is wrong with this picture?'”

          A member of Queen of Peace Parish in Rochester, N.Y., Crossed says she agrees with the Democrats on almost everything except life issues and disagrees with Republicans on almost everything except life issues.

          She has no comfortable political home.

          As the 2004 elections neared, she and others feared and predicted just what happened. The Democrats would lose, in large part because of the loss of pro-lifers whose consciences were on alert.

          Crossed and many other longtime Democrats say their party has been “bought out” by the pro-choice lobby over the past 30 years.

          “I think we are the Democratic party’s best friend,” Crossed said last week, just after arriving in Portland by train. “Our message is going to help the party recover.”

          <snip>

          The group’s polls say 47 percent of Democrats believe there should be restrictions on abortion. With that critical mass, a team of eight congressional Democrats have proposed legislation for reducing the number of abortions by 95 percent in 10 years.

          The package includes family planning, regulating abortion, economic security, child care and adoption support.

          Democrats for Life of America is one of more than 200 member organizations of Consistent Life, an international network promoting peace, justice and life.

          There are only about 20,000 registered members of Democrats for Life, but they say they represent 47 percent of the party. Forty-one states have formed organizations of pro-life Democrats.

          <snip>

          “I don’t like to vote for pro-choice candidates,” says the Columbia County Democratic precinct committee chairman.

          “First, we want to reduce the number of abortions in Oregon,” Bachman says. “We’ll work to find and elect pro-life Democrats for public office.”

          Bachman is glad that some Democratic leaders are opening the door to pro-lifers.

          “Before, they didn’t even acknowledge us,” he says. “There are people in their own party who think this has gone way too far. The Democratic party in general has cared about common people. The abortion thing has taken over so much that people don’t see the good things the Democratic party still does.”

          <snip>

          Leaders among the Democrats aren’t sure what to make of their pro-life peers. Kelly Steele, spokesman for the Oregon Democratic Party, had not heard of the group before. After doing some research, Steele said, “The Democratic party is a big tent party. There is room for other voices.”

          Pressed on whether the party would support a pro-life candidate in Oregon, Steele said the discussion would be welcome, but Democratic leaders will “continue to support a woman’s right to make her own reproductive health decisions.” People in line with the Bush administration on abortion would not be likely to get support from the Oregon Democratic Party, Steele said.

          Steele made the claim that Republicans have used abortion as a “wedge issue” to draw off voters.

          “Democrats are interested in discussing ways to reduce abortion,” Steele says.

          Steele calls the Catholic vote “critically important” and says that Democrats can rightfully make a claim for it.

          “Inasmuch as Catholics stand for social justice and in helping folks in poverty and living by the teachings of the Bible, the Democratic Party is the one that stands for that,” he says.

        • 

          bayprairie on August 25, 2005 at 5:25 am

          here’s another find on their site. It’s their 108th congressional voting scorecard.

          Careful though, the link leads to a PDF file.

          I’ve only skimmed it, as I’ve been super busy. But their site is a rich place to “reverse engineer”.

          108th Congressional Scorecard (WARNING: PDF LINK)

          • 

            the other colleen on August 25, 2005 at 9:26 am

            I’ve only skimmed it, as I’ve been super busy. But their site is a rich place to “reverse engineer”.

            Yes, I’m super busy too. Great PDF. There are no Democratic women on their ‘all stars’ list although Harry (spit) Reid is on it and that great Democrat, Zell Miller. This pdf is an excellent response to many of the erroneous ‘trust us’ claims made by so many folks on the blogs, starting with Kos. Thanks.

18. 

    Andrew C White on August 24, 2005 at 4:54 pm

    I like Mike McNulty personally as a friend and he often votes in line with my own views but on the subject of women’s rights he and I disagree strongly and I am not surprised to see him here on this list.

    Mike, buddy, you are on the wrong side if this issue.

    I respect your views as a Roman Catholic to oppose abortion but this isn’t about that. This is about the right of women to determine their own lives and make their own medical decisions. You and the rest of government have no right to take that away from them or make those decisions for them. No right whatsoever.

    You are on the wrong side of this issue.

    • 

      Yaright on August 24, 2005 at 8:47 pm

      Crazy question:

      Why do Roman Catholics need the government to enforce their religious laws?

      I mean, I don’t recall Jesus enlisting Cesar’s armies to enforce Judaic/Christian law.  And I hear Jesus is a bigwig in Christianity.  Supposedly the Roman Catholic Church is a Christian church, too.

      Anyhow, if Roman Catholics want people to follow Roman Catholic religious laws, shouldn’t they work on making those people, I dunno, Roman Catholic instead?

      • 

        the other colleen on August 24, 2005 at 10:13 pm

        Why do Roman Catholics need the government to enforce their religious laws?

        They don’t want the government to enforce all their laws. Otherwise they would be making a stink about the invasion and occupation of Iraq and screaming about GOP economic policies. they, like so many others, are focused on the laws controlling women.
        Here’s the deal though, the RC laity does not follow their laws. When I look at the opinions about birth control and abortion on pollingreport the distribution of opinion mirrors fairly closely the opinions of the country as a whole. Indeed, Catholics for a Free Choice are medium weight hitters in what right-wing Democrats so fondly think of as the ‘NARAL’ crowd. And yet the professional strategists are appealing only to the anti-choice Catholics. At least they’re not coming up with an economic agenda which benefits the poor or, you know, even mentions them.

        • 

          Yaright on August 25, 2005 at 12:54 am

          Right, so what’s in common with all of the “religious laws” that they do want the government to enforce?

          They are “moral high ground” ?  Um, well…  its a nice story, but I think there is more to it.

          They are the laws that don’t require any sacrifice on the part of the supporter, designate groups of people as legitimate “enemies” worthy of persecution and scorn and hatred, and make people feel that by taking no positive action of their own, and with no effect on themselves, they can stand on the side of “good” and cheer on their politicians and religious leaders as they oppose “evil”.

          I’m sure there are people who from the bottom of their heart are convinced that 1 nanosecond before sperm and egg unite, there is no human life, and 1 nanosecond afterwards there is, complete with soul, and every single bit as worthy of equal treatment with people who are 1 month, 1 year, 10 years, 100 years post-birth.

          Now, why they think that is the primary, if not only, real purpose of our government, to the point they will not imagine working cooperatively with anyone who disagrees, nor demand any action of their leaders other than forcing other people by the might of the govt to live their lives as if they agree with…

          If nothing else, I wish these sort of “Christians” would take ten minutes to flip through the New Testament and determine if of all the lessons in the Bible, treating gays as “an abomination” and opposing abortion are the two top priorities Jesus Christ would assign them today if he spoke directly to them.

          I really don’t think so, given that Jesus in all his teachings reported throughout the entire New Testament never once spoke about either one.  However, he was pretty clear on how people should take care of each other and how they should treat others — even and especially “sinners” and those who were not devout believers.

          I suspect the reason Catholic parishoners are no different than Americans in general on these issues is because they are Catholic to worship Christ, not blindly follow a philosophical position the Church painted itself into a corner on many hundreds of years after the death of Christ.

      • 

        Egarwaen on August 25, 2005 at 1:07 am

        In fact, that whacky Jesus fellow said exactly the opposite. “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s” and all that.

19. 

    Andrew C White on August 24, 2005 at 5:00 pm

    Oh… and by the way… I would personally appreciate it if your title read “Screw these Democrats for Life” instead of the cuz I’m a Democrat and I’m on your side… as are many, many Democrats.

    These Democrats on the other hand are on the wrong side of this issue and the wrong side of history.

    • 

      bayprairie on August 25, 2005 at 4:54 am

      Andrew,

      The change is made. To tell you the truth I didn’t even “see” screw the democrats for life (as in a time duration, like screw the democrats for eternity, screw the democrats for 500 years etc etc). I’m speaking strictly of the DFL organization and their fellow travellers.

      Ever since I’ve been old enough to vote I’ve been voting democrat. It’s sad now, to know that in the next election, I have to apply a personal litmus test and that I must not donate money to the national or state party because there’s a danger they’ll use it to fund politiciand who think they know more about health care than my friggin doctor.

      I will apply it though.

      I will not support monetarily, nor will I vote for any pro-life politicians regardless of party.

      • 

        Andrew C White on August 27, 2005 at 1:25 am

        And I didn’t realize until reading further that there was an actual group called “Democrats for life”. LOL

        Is McNulty a formal member?

        I generally donate directly to candidates of my chosing for much the same reason. Organizationally I give monthly to Democracy for America and since I am the chair of my town party and a member of my county parties executive committee I give regularly to both of those too… but then I also get a strong say in who we support and who we don’t so that’s kinda nice.

        I’m also willing to give to the national party in the belief that Howard Dean needs all the support he can get from us to turn this thing around.

        Despite my desire to win the senate and the house I am not giving to the DSCC or the DCCC until such time as I can feel comfortable that they are on-board with the progressive movement and the completely off the wall radical idea of civil rights, civil liberties, and equal protection under the law for ALL citizens.

        However, as strongly as I feel about a handful of issues I do not apply a single issue litmus test to candidates. The flip side of that though is that I don’t think that means we compromise our core beliefs though either.

        I am unlikely to support a candidate that crosses any of my own core issues but my own approach is focused on the dual edged sword of defeating the even worse Republicans and taking back the Democratic Party from the inside in a manner that redefines the core Democratic agenda and essentially requires would be Democratic candidates to adhere to that basic platform.

        It will take time to right the ship but I am very pleased with the advancements we have made already and the momentum we are building. I expect to see us be very successful in the next few election cycles and really turn this thing around.

        Civil Rights is for all people.

        Civil Liberties is for all people.

        Equal protection under the law is for all people.

        Privacy, dignity, respect is for all people.

        Freedom from tyranny of a minority… freedom in general… is for all people.

20. 

    observer393 on August 25, 2005 at 12:54 am

    to just state we will not under any circumstances vote for any democrat who is not pro-choice.
    The big tent brigade would not like it, but then again big tent equals republican lite. Isnt it time the Democrats actually stood for something instead of just standing as not being them?

21. 

    mole333 on August 25, 2005 at 11:31 am

    Make a donation to their state’s NARAL affiliate in their honor. You can even make it a gift subscription to their office.