I’m really starting to think that the public option is to democrats, what abortion is to republicans. It’s an empty promise that fires supporters up to open their wallets.
It should be obvious to any thinking person by now, that republicans are NEVER going to move to upend Roe v Wade. They’ve had plenty of opportunities to try. When the Bush administration controlled all three branches of government, they didn’t do a fucking thing about abortion. They have a stacked court that just demonstrated (with the Citizens United case) that they can do any damned thing they please. They fast tracked Citizen’s United up to the supreme court with astonishing speed. Think about it, have you ever seen a case make it up to the supreme court in one year? That’s almost unheard of. And when the Supreme Court got the case, they made a ruling that had only a tenuous connection to the issue at hand. They were obviously looking for a case that would fit a ruling that they intended to make all along. My point in bringing up Citizens United is that they have the means when they have the will.
So why haven’t they moved to overturn, or at least severely diminish Roe? Because the will isn’t there. Abortion is the carrot that they can dangle in front of their supporters to raise money for as long as Roe is in effect. Once Roe is eliminated, republicans lose a BIG revenue stream. Think about it, they’ve been railing against Roe for nearly 40 years now and yet, the most significant move that we’ve seen to kill abortion is coming from a democrat. Bart Stupak has done more to nullify Roe than any republican ever has. Roe v Wade is a money making machine for republicans, which is why abolishing abortion will always be a republican unicorn.
I’m starting to suspect that the public option is going to become the democrats’ unicorn. We now have 40 senators that have signed on to support the public option if it’s proposed in reconciliation and yet, I’m hearing no indication that anyone is actually making a move to write it into the bill. With a headcount of 40 senators, a public option should be likely. If we get 45, it should be a foregone conclusion. My prediction is that we’re never going to see it materialize.
My suggestion? Call your senator and let them know that a contribution will be forthcoming AFTER a vote to pass the public option.
There are too many unicorns in our politics. I’m keeping my wallet firmly shut until I see some results.
