As if we didn't see this coming.
The ability of the Senate to pass the health care bill could well come down to one issue: abortion.
Let me give you the advance preview of how this will play out. The Senate will reach a compromise on the Public Option. Then, Sen. Reid and Speaker Pelosi will continue their appeal of this moment in history (e.g. so suck it up ladies).
In fact, Reid already greased the wheels for this today when he made his impassioned speech comparing those who oppose this historic bill to folks who are pro-slavery.
But this piece is not about abortion. This piece is about who is speaking out on women's issues -- including the Mammogram Amendment passed earlier this week: it's our female politicians of both parties.
So to all of you who assume that the Democrats are the savior of women's rights or even of the right to choice, think again. Today's amendment to ban abortion funding comes courtesy of a Democrat from Nebraska with a very bad hair piece. And joining him is another Democrat and dear friend of our President, Sen. Casey of Pennsylvania. And the President has this to say in defense of an issue on which so many women voted for him: " " (yes, there's nothing between those quotes).
The best hope for women once again are women of both parties.
In the House:
Abortion rights supporters in the House were circulating a letter to Pelosi, threatening to vote against a final bill that restricts access to abortion coverage. At least 40 lawmakers had signed by early Monday.
"I, along with the other pro-choice members in the House, intend to push very hard to ensure that language is not included in the final conference product," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla.
In the Senate:
They're likely to have help in the Senate from two Republican women who support abortion rights, Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine. Collins indicated Monday that she thinks the House went too far."I think the Senate Finance Committee did a good job of putting up a firewall that would prevent federal funds from being used for abortion," she said. "Generally, I prefer the Senate approach."
And of course also in the Senate we've featured the tireless work of Senator Gillibrand, who today again wrote a piece featured on HuffPost called "Stopping Stupak in the Senate".
I'd like to add that not a single male politician is taking the lead in the House or the Senate. And, as we've stated in prior pieces here, even men who women would have considered allies, like Nicholas Kristof, have tried to tell us to get in line.
So expect the full court press tomorrow ladies. It's women last. C'mon ladies, you're not going to get in the way of making history now are you? Damn straight!