Lipinski hates women; they're probably not fond of him eitherThis week, only 4 Democrats voted to further restrict women's right to Choice, reactionary Blue Dogs, Dan Lipinski (IL), Henry Cuellar (TX) and Collin Peterson (MN) plus bizarre religious fanatic James Langevin (RI). There were also 4 Republicans who crossed the aisle in the other direction and voted with 180 Democrats to protect women's choice-- Charlie Dent (PA), Richard Hanna (NY), Bob Dold (IL) and Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ). Right after the vote, Alan Grayson told us, "We should not criminalize the very personal and very private decision about whether to have a child." It's pretty much what you would expect every Democrat to say, isn't it?The DCCC may go on a tear about the Republican War Against Women, but they just gloss over Lipinski, Cuellar and Peterson. The DCCC says they fear they could lose the seats to Republicans if they make a fuss, but Cuellar's seat is solidly Democratic (D+7, 78.4% Hispanic), as are Langevin's (D+8) and Lipinski's (D+5). In fact, Lipinski, one of the worst, most reactionary Democrats in the House, is locked in a heavy-duty primary battle with progressive Oren Jacobson. The DCCC should be backing his bid instead of backing the guy who consistently gives Boehner the opportunity to call his reactionary agenda "bipartisan."Oren, who has the backing of Chicagoland progressives and has been endorsed by Blue America, points out: "In 2010 the GOP, carried by the Tea Party wave, promised to focus on jobs and growing the economy. Instead they used their majority in the House to obstruct. The real story, however, came at the state level where the GOP wave led to record numbers of bills restricting a woman's right to choose. In 2014 the GOP gained control of both chambers in Washington promising to bring back normal order and a functioning government. Instead, they show their true colors by passing another bill aimed at attacking women's rights. When will they focus on the thing most Americans want them to work on? When will they work on expanding opportunity rather than restricting access? What makes it worse is that it's not just the GOP. Several members of the Democratic Party, including Congressman Dan Lipinski, voted for it as well. The unemployment rate in his district is still over 10%. Maybe he needs to focus more on creating jobs?" What many Democrats in IL-03 want to know is why Lipinski is on the Republicans' side instead of protecting Choice and equality for women in the Bungalow Belt and the suburbs west of Chicago.The Congressional Progressive Caucus promptly condemned Wednesday's vote. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) wrote: "The bill passed by Republicans today is an attack on women’s reproductive health. Young women, women of color, and low-income women already struggle to get the health care they need. But Republicans continue working to restrict health care options for American women. H.R. 36 jeopardizes the well-being of women and punishes physicians who provide compassionate care. Americans overwhelmingly trust women to make their own health decisions. They support upholding Roe v. Wade, but H.R. 36 violates that Supreme Court decision. Republicans should stop passing bills that violate women’s constitutional rights. Rather than focusing on limiting a woman’s right to choose, we should pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would ensure women do not face significant barriers to the care they deserve.”Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-MD) has been part of this battle for her entire life. Today she is running for the open Maryland Senate seat. "Republicans," she told us right after she voted NO, "are once again trying to dismantle women's access to comprehensive healthcare. This vote is another in a series of attempts by this Tea Party, Republican Congress to roll back the clock on women's rights, from allowing D.C. employers to fire women for purchasing birth control to restricting how women can spend their own private money on their own healthcare. Republicans should stop playing partisan games, and focus on an agenda that works for America's women: paid sick leave, affordable childcare, and equal pay for equal work."
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