An article in the BBC today discusses the potential political impact of President Bush's stem cell veto research bill yesterday. According to the BBC, "A number of lawmakers suggested Mr Bush's stance could hurt Republicans in congressional elections in November," given that the American public is "certainly against its president on this highly emotive issue."For instance:
One example is Republican and committed Christian Debi Martin from Cincinnati."This is a vote-breaker for me," she said.
"I tell people I'm becoming a Republi-crat at this point - because there are just things wrong in the Republican Party where people's voices are not being heard any more."
Ms Martin feels strongly because her nine-year-old daughter, Jessi, has diabetes. She hopes stem cell research could one day find a cure.
I wonder, though, whether this veto and failed override attempt in the House of Representatives will actually HELP Republican Representatives this fall. On the one hand, Republicans in relatively "moderate" districts (e.g., Christopher Shays in Connecticut; Tom Davis in Fairfax County) who voted to override Bush's veto can tell their constituents that they stood up to the President on this one, that they are independent voices in Washington, etc.
On the other hand, Republicans in socially conservative districts (e.g., Eric Cantor, Thelma Drake, Bob Goodlatte, and Jo Ann Davis) can argue that they stood up for "life" (just not the life of people suffering from Alzheimers, Juvenile Diabetes, Parkinsons, paralysis, etc.). We'll see.
The ones I really wonder about are people like Frank Wolf, who voted to sustain the President's veto of the embryonic stem cell research bill, despite the fact that they represent "moderate," increasingly Democratic-leaning districts. In my opinion, this vote is going to be a HUGE issue in November for the Frank Wolfs of the world. I'll be very interested to hear what health care expert Judy Feder, for instance, has to say about Wolf's vote on this issue.
How about Jim Webb? He sided with Sen. John Warner, sufferers of terrible diseases, and the American public, and against George Rubber Stamp Allen on this one:
+óGé¼+ôOnce again, we find George Allen trailing alongside George Bush, who he has voted with 97% of the time, instead of standing up for Virginians,+óGé¼-¥ said Webb spokesperson Kristian Denny Todd. +óGé¼+ôStem cell research is an important, potentially life-saving science supported by a wide array of leaders, including Nancy Reagan and John Warner, as well as a vast majority Americans.+óGé¼-¥[...]
"As Nancy Reagan has so eloquently reminded us, we cannot turn our back on this issue,+óGé¼-¥ said Jim Webb. +óGé¼+ôResponsible stem cell research holds too much potential for too many people to be obstructed by politicians. The President should immediately sign this legislation into law and give new hope to the victims of disease and their families.+óGé¼-¥
This is EXACTLY why we need Jim Webb, not George Allen, in the U.S. Senate next year. Personally, I want to see a veto-proof majority in Congress next January for stem cell research, so that work can proceed on cures for my grandfather (Alzheimers), my sister (Juvenile Diabetes), and millions of other Americans with terrible - but potentially curable, using stem cells - afflictions. If you care about curing any of these diseases, please donate generously to Jim Webb and join his campaign team right now. Thanks, and go Webb!
Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not necessarily represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.
Since the Senators and Representatives all knew that Bush would veto they were free to vote what was best for their re-election. Who cares what they really think or if the bill would be an important part of medical progress. It's all about winning again and the past six years are turning into a lead ballon for Republicans. What a perfect opportunity to kiss up to their own constituents without alienating themselves from the party.
It's so perfect you'd almost think that the whole thing was orchestrated by Rove. From pushing a hard fought battle that eventually produced a stemcell bill to the convincing Bush he had to veto it. Bush is down in the polls anyway, so why not make him look like the bad guy while giving all the desperate House and Senate candidates much needed flexibility to vote in a way that helps thier re-election? And if ever pushed on the issue, it's easy to say "Bush is a man of principles and he is really against stem cell research. blah, blah, blah...". As long as the Republicans retain power all would be forgiven and they can get back to screwing the country for another 2 years.
They wouldn't sink that low, would they?
When the hell are we going to start connecting with voters and getting their asses out of the house and into the voting booth???