These story is based on two articles posted on the internet yesterday--one from the New York Times and one from Fox News. You really need to read both to get the full picture of what is going on.
Bart Stupak announced Friday that he would not seek another term in the House of Representatives. The New York Times article cited the reason that he had achieved his goal of reforming healthcare and was ready to step down. The New York Times reminds us that Representative Stupak, who portrayed himself as a pro-life Democrat, only supported the healthcare reform act after President Obama agreed to an Executive Order prohibiting the use of federal money to fund abortions. The article failed to mention that an Executive Order does not overrule laws passed by Congress and signed by the President.
The New York Times article concludes:
"Still, some Democrats insisted that the whole health care discussion would play little role in this race in the end. "I've talked to members of Congress, and the numbers of calls are down," said Mark Brewer, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party. "That issue is quickly fading." "
Fox News reports some other aspects of the story. The Tea Party Express has been in Representative Stupak's district this week, calling for his defeat. The non-partisan Cook Political Report has moved Representative Stupak's seat from "Solid Democratic" to "Toss Up."
I have no idea what the man's actual reason was for retiring, but I have an observation. I don't believe that healthcare reform will fade as an issue--the way it was passed is an much of an issue as what was in it. There is also the matter of many Democrats who voted for it admitting that they did not know exactly what was in it and had not read it. But I also have another theory on why Democrats in the House are resigning. I just don't think it's all that much fun to be in the majority in Congress right now. The programs that President Obama is attempting to push through are not popular with most of the American people, and thuggish tactics are being used to push them through. I suspect many Representatives in the House feel that they have somehow begun working for Nancy Pelosi rather than working for the American people. I also suspect that when you disagree with her, Nancy Pelosi is not a joy to work for. I believe a political line was crossed in the way that healthcare reform was passed, and I suspect that the people who crossed that line may pay a high political price for doing so.
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