Let's Talk Endgame

By Zamboni

What did we cats say about governing being complicated and difficult? The House version of the health care overhaul is not even 48 hours old, and an urgent fund raising appeal from the National Abortion Rights Action League has landed in our e-mail.

"The House passage of the Stupak-Pitts amendment is an outrageous blow to women’s freedom and privacy," the message says. "If this gets through the Senate, it will be tantamount to a FULL BAN on abortion access in the new system."

Sigh. We cats are not sure that Stupak-Pitts is what NARAL goes on to call it: "the greatest restriction on abortion in a generation." But let's not split hairs. Our point is, while we almost always agree with NARAL on the issues, we're going to let this one go.

Why? Because governing is complicated and difficult.

We need to give cover to all those Democrats who represent Republican-leaning Congressional districts and who voted for health care reform. It's more important to us cats to hold the House with a healthy 258-seat majority comprised of Democrats like Congressmen like Brad Ellsworth (D-IN). Because a lot of stuff has to get done.

In our view, it's not only important to get health care reform passed — it's crucial for abortion rights that we Democrats continue to control the White House and the Congress. The folks on the Supreme Court aren't getting any younger.

In the end, House members like Rosa DeLauro agreed, and voted for the bill. “I stood my ground,” the pro-choice Connecticut Democrat told Politico. “We all stand our ground. We also know, we all know, that you must focus on the endgame, and that’s to pass health care.”

So — sorry, NARAL. We cats won't be sending you any money today. We're too busy focusing on the endgame — not just health care, but Roe v. Wade. Try us again later.