Meet the Lonely House Republican Defending Planned Parenthood

[babylonsister]

Last edited Thu May 10, 2012, 08:41 AM - Edit history (1)

Meet the Lonely House Republican Defending Planned Parenthood
By Marin Cogan


ttp://

While the entire political universe was buzzing about the endorsement of same sex marriage by the president Wednesday, there was another, quieter act of political courage taking place on the east end of the Capitol. Robert Dold, a moderate, boyish freshman Republican with wavy brown hair from the suburbs of Chicago, was introducing a bill to prevent members of his own party from stripping federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

Cutting off federal funding to Planned Parenthood because they also provide abortions is a favorite pastime of House Republicans. Last year, when the House voted to defund the organization, only seven Republicans voted against it. So watching Dold introduce a bill to prevent members of his own party from defunding it qualified for the unlikeliest Congressional press conference since Anthony Weiner invited reporters to a presser to answer questions about his underwear bulge.

snip//

After the press conference broke, I chased Dold down and asked him why he would bother stepping forward on an issue where he was so far out of step with his fellow Republicans. "I think we need to put people before politics and progress before partisanship," he said. "This is an opportunity that we've got to do the right thing."

When asked if he had any real hope that the bill could get bipartisan support, he said, "I'm certainly hopeful. We'll try to push forward to get bipartisan support. That's the only way we'll get things through in Congress."

http://www.gq.com/news-politics/blogs/death-race/2012/05/meet-the-lonely-house-republican-defending-planned-parenthood.html

[ejpoeta]

1. now that's courage in today's republican party.

good on him!

[madokie]

2. We may be reading in the near future that he is changing his party affiliation

[zbdent]

3. nah, more likely we'll be hearing about

a "recall" or how he's being asked to resign ...

[madokie]

8. LOL

In todays political climate you're probably more right than I am.

[YBR31]

4. Dold is not brave

I lived in his district. It is socially progressive and Democratic leaning--voted Democratic for President in last half dozen cycles or so. Dold knows he's in trouble so he is trying to distance himself (insincerely) from the War on Women. When he was running initially, he actually told a voter, he was more conservative than he let on. If you study his voting record, you'll see he's no champion of women's health or choice.

[gratuitous]

6. Perhaps more calculating than brave

However, looking at that photo of Dold making his contrarian statement, I thought about the usual practices of the popular media. While about 99.8% of Black people are supporters of the Democratic party and its platform, the only Black people that get on the talking chucklehead shows are Michael Steele, Ron Christie and Allen West. The usual excuse proffered is that "these guys show another side" as if there is some endless parade somewhere of Black commentators actually giving the majority views of Black people.

Well, here's a contrarian Republican voice, one speaking out in favor of funding Planned Parenthood. Look at the picture again, and marvel at the crush of reporters wanting to get a microphone in Dold's face to capture this rare moment. Oh, maybe when the photo was snapped, all those reporters had just left to file their stories with their librul media bosses. Yeah, that's it.

[CanonRay]

5. The last living sane Republican

Get a look folks, they're almost extinct.

[hifiguy]

7. I remember when there were lots of Republicans

like Rep. Dold. But that was before the purges of the last 20 years. It's a pity that there aren't many more like him.

[Scurrilous]

9. Good on him!