Democrat Gets Support from Pro-Life PAC....

Wow, aren't we a bit prejudiced... (0.00 / 0)

You're actively supporting a Republican over a Democrat just because you disagree on the abortion issue?  Are you SERIOUS!  Is there, in your mind, NO room for a pro-life Democrat (particularly in a VERY VERY VERY conservative district!!!).

So much for a big tent party.  So much for "good people can disagree."  It's opinions like this that lead the majority of Americans (who believe in choice) to still also believe that Democrats are "pro-abortion" and take it WAY too far.  It's opinions like this that push SO many swing voters away from our party.  It's opinions like this that make people think Democrats are hostile to religion! (Did you REALLY just attack her for being Church of Christ!). 

This is disgusting, absolutely disgusting!  I say GO MEL HAILEY!  You are a DEMOCRAT!  You're running in a tough district and are taking a tough stand on a tough issue. 

I ask the netroots, let's actually get behind Mel Hailey as a candidate.  Let's show her that WE love her just as much as the pro-life movement does.  Let's prove WRONG the religious right!

Who's with me?

---

by: David O. @ Fri Sep 08, 2006 at 14:54:49 PM UTC

ditto (0.00 / 0)

---

by: Joe @ Fri Sep 08, 2006 at 18:57:29 PM UTC

with what David said (0.00 / 0)

---

by: Joe @ Fri Sep 08, 2006 at 18:58:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

abortion issue knows no party affiliation (0.00 / 0)

I know for a fact the abortion issue is not set on one party or the other. So some Democrats are anti-abortion and will take that side's money. Some Republicans favor a woman's right to choose.

As in the case of my very pro-abortion rights candidate Amy Manuel, she had received a contribution from real estate devlopment mogul Trammel Crow for the simple fact he also supports a woman's right to choose, even though he is usually aligned with Republicans and she is a Democrat.

---

by: John McClelland @ Fri Sep 08, 2006 at 23:47:27 PM UTC

Re (0.00 / 0)

And Democrats wonder why people think they are anti-religion...

I guess Harry Reid hasn't done shit for Democrats, either.  Stinking pro-lifer.

XT

Christian Liberal is NOT an oxymoron.

---

by: Xpatriated Texan @ Sat Sep 09, 2006 at 18:36:03 PM UTC

What about Bob Casey?.... (0.00 / 0)

And what were your positions on Charlie Stenholm, who once interviewed with Pat Robertson on the 700 Club about his affiliation with Democrats for Life?

www.completethewar.com

---

by: sfagrad02 @ Sun Sep 10, 2006 at 09:48:16 AM UTC

Pro life Democrats (0.00 / 0)

Our party should not be defined by single issues and a focus on a few divisive social issues is detrimental to building a governing Democratic majority. I think that we should welcome pro-lifers in the Democratic Party.

We need to be  a big tent party. The notion that a party limited to socially liberal secular types can win in Texas and many other states is just unrealistic. Democrats must tolerate diverse opinions within the party on issues like abortion.

I am a Democrat because of a belief in activist government to provide a safety net and protect workers and consumers. It is imperative that Democrats focus on pocketbook issues and become the party of working families again.

---

by: Right Democrat @ Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 05:20:41 AM UTC

"a few divisive social issues" (0.00 / 0)

We used to have Texas Democrats argue about whether or not we should let a few divisive social issues hurt the party.  In the past they were talking about race and whether or not we should support the full inclusion of African-Americans into society.  Fortunately, for the good of the country, not the party, they chose to support the full inclusion of African Americans, even though it did a large amount of damage to the Democratic party.

You may feel that abortion, stem cell research and sex-education are worth sacrificing in order to better build a social safety net.  I disagree, but am always open to an honest discussion.

---

by: pdr @ Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 14:06:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Wow (0.00 / 0)

What a close-minded post.

Now, a very great man once said that some people rob you with a fountain pen.

---

by: Phillip Martin, Progress Texas @ Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 05:51:03 AM UTC

"Big Tent Party" (0.00 / 0)

Texas Right to Life opposes sex-education, women's rights and potentially life saving stem cell research, and they support Mel Hailey. Not anticipating the number of responses I received I am sorry it took me so long to reply.

Lost in all of the rhetoric of the "big tent party" is that we support Democratic candidates and belong to the party because of our beliefs and support for ideas, not to further an organization independant of them.

Mel Hailey got in bed with a group that offends me and actively works against many of the things that cause me to support Democratic candidates.

On top of that the Republican, took efforts to distance herself from the far right in the Republican party and has the support of many good groups, including TSTA.

There is no question that Susan King will beat Mel Hailey in November. If it was a competitive seat my thinking would be different, but its not.

When people are in bed with organizations that disgust me I am generally happy when they lose.

My question for y'all is since when did having a D next to your name prevent you from thinking critically about their candidacy?

---

by: pdr @ Mon Sep 11, 2006 at 13:51:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Re: Big Tent Party (0.00 / 0)

The result of being the party known more for social liberalism than economic populism has been a virtual lockout for Democrats in most of the South, the Great Plains and areas of the West.

I have no problem personally with responsible sex education programs, stem cell research or even legal abortion in some instances. In my view though, these issues are minor in comparison to expanding access to health care, protecting the rights of workers and saving Social Security. And I'm not sure that we actually have to sacrifice anything by allowing diversity of opinion within the party. We definitely lose whenever a Republican is elected because we Democrats lack broad appeal. A moderate big-business Republican is no better than a religious right or across the board right-wing Republican. Almost none of them are going to do anything for working people.

One thing that is often overlooked in these days of party ideological polarization is that politics sometimes requires compromise. That is especially true for Democrats since liberals are a small minority in red states. We simply cannot be ideologically pure on every issue and ever hope to win a governing majority or even be competitive.

The reality is that we are losing elections because our candidates have no flexibility on the social issues. If you have to run as a Democrat carrying the albatross of supporting gay marriage and absolute abortion rights then you are writing off a lot of districts. I don't see the African American civil rights struggle as morally equivalent to abortion rights or gay marriage. In fact, many African Americans oppose both abortion and gay marriage.

I don't know Mel Hailey personally but looked at his website and he seems like a sincere man. Hailey is a political science professor at a Christian college. I would imagine that Hailey has probably taken a lot of flak from his fellow evangelical Christians over being a Democrat.

My guess is that while Hailey may be sincerely pro-life that he is closer to the Sojourners brand of social justice Christianity than the rabid religious right elements. I did a web search for Hailey and noticed that a Mel Hailey of Abeliene was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1980 so he is probably someone who has consistently supported the party over the years.

A pro-choice Democrat could never win or even come remotely close in such a conservative district. Hailey will no doubt face an uphill battle due to widespead perceptions about all Democrats being liberal on all issues.
If Hailey indeed has no chance, he should be congratulated for carrying the party banner in a race that otherwise might have gone uncontested.

The bottom line is that in conservative districts, our party should encourage candidates like Mel Hailey.

---

by: Right Democrat @ Tue Sep 12, 2006 at 02:11:08 AM UTC