April 13, 2010

Party Lockout

I think that Rep. Stupak's recent decision to retire is a partial fulfillment of my prediction that pro-life Democrats will become increasingly marginalized. As I mentioned in my March 26, 2010 article, it's difficult to see when another opportunity to influence a bill would come. There is another angle to it as well. Since the bill is considered abhorrent by many both on the right and the left, there will be further efforts to purify both parties, and since the Democratic leadership has clearly indicated by its recent actions that pro-life points of view are obstacles to be surmounted, pro-life Democrats will be targeted by their own parties in primaries. Where will pro-life Democratic representatives and constituents go when they are forced out of their party?