Betrayal On Capitol Hill

As Congress struggles to create a budget, I have a need to cite an instance where both the Democrats and the Republicans betray their constituents.

The Democrats have claimed to be the party that stands up for the poor and the oppressed, but as discussions on the new budget have unfolded, the Democrats found themselves under pressure from Planned Parenthood. This is a pro-choice organization that has lent strong support to Democratic candidates at election time, so it was no surprise that the Democrats demanded from the Republicans that funding for Planned Parenthood be kept in the upcoming budget. This the Republicans were reluctant to do, being under pressure from their pro-life constituency that had been prodded to oppose Planned Parenthood by Christian radio shows and Fox News.

Hoping that their pro-life constituents, mostly Evangelical Christians and Roman Catholics, would not find out about their betrayal, they went along with the Democrats and kept Planned Parenthood in the upcoming budget.

In exchange for getting support for Planned Parenthood from the Republicans, the Democrats were more than ready to betray the poor -- and especially poor women and children -- they claim to represent. The Democrats went along with the Republican proposal to cut funding for Community Health Centers by $600 million and for a program called Women, Infants and Children (a program that provides food assistance, counseling and a variety of other support systems for families that live below the poverty level) by $500 million.

There you have it! Planned Parenthood will get funding from supposedly pro-life Republicans, and in return the Democrats have made a decision to give up funding for two programs that serve the poor. No clearer picture can be given of the way in which "horse trading" goes on at Capitol Hill as these political parties betraying their constituencies in the hope that no one is going to read the fine print in the upcoming federal budget.

No wonder people are cynical about Washington. We have a right to ask whether there is any principled idealism left on Capitol Hill.

 

Follow Tony Campolo on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TonyCampolo

Comments

[fjg]

04:57 PM on 05/26/2011

An excellent article which highlights Democrats throwing the poor under the bus in order to satisfy the crowd braying for family planning...a constituency, unlike the poor, which can be relied on to write a check every election cycle. The fact that Republicans were happy to go along with cuts to community health centers deserves no mention. They're Republicans...they exist solely to afflict the afflicted and bring comfort to the comfortable.

The Democratic Party lost its soul when Bill Clinton signed off on (non-corporate) welfare reform. FDR would not recognize half the clowns with the D beside their names.

[Archimedes77]

01:40 PM on 05/26/2011

Well, this would have never even been an issue if it weren't for the Republicans and their constituents trying to insert religious ideology into politics. I am more worried about that and other disturbing events by Republicans and the Christian right to continue eroding our Constitution, especially the Seperation of Church and State clause. If they are allowed their way, and set that precedent, what next will they try to change in the Constitution, the Freedom of Religion altogether.

I will never understand what gives people the right to decide, based on some tenet of a particular religion, how others should live their lives. To me it is no different then how religious police in Saudi Arabia deny women the right to drive a car.

[mlaiuppa]

02:38 PM on 05/25/2011

And neither is willing to give up the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

[Michael Valentine]

12:37 PM on 05/25/2011

Single payer is the answer.

National health care is too important to leave to for profit corporations.

[mlaiuppa]

02:39 PM on 05/25/2011

Both parties betrayed the American people on this issue.

[Michael Valentine]

08:14 PM on 05/25/2011

Agreed.

[rlogtx]

12:05 PM on 05/25/2011

Are you serious? It's called compromising Mr. Campolo. It leaves a bad taste in people's mouths but it's the only way things get done. Do you have a realistic alternative? Or would you have preferred a government shutdown? I lament the shortsighted nature of much of our politics, and agree that the Democrats are all too often party to their own defeats, but to lambast them for saving one program and not another - because you think they should have saved BOTH - is not simply naive - it's dangerous. You sound like the Tea Party, and America cannot afford both of its political alternatives falling into such madness.

[almostlyniceguy]

08:23 PM on 05/26/2011

Excellent post. I am surprised that this is news to anyone. This is what politics is all about. I think that it is good news that this is happening, regardless of whether or not I would have made different decisions.

[lodazal]

11:44 AM on 05/25/2011

Neither party is concerned about women and children who don't can't or won't vote. With the Republicans it's policy. With the Democrats it's an expedient.

[rcballi46]

02:58 PM on 05/25/2011

Everyone refers to poor 'women' and children - what about poor men? ... You know, the ones pushing shopping carts filled with their crap, are there any government programs for them? I don't have a problem with helping women and children, but let's help the men as well - get them back on their feet to become productive members of society again, thereby reducing the need for government programs to help women and children. Just saying.

[pooka47401]

11:35 AM on 05/25/2011

"for a program called Women, Infants and Children (a program that provides food assistance, counseling and a variety of other support systems for families that live below the poverty level) by $500 million."

WIC is a long standing program for pregnant women and children under the age of 5. It provides milk and formula, baby check ups and vaccinations for those who are income eligible. It is a crucial program for low income women and babies. PP is necessary but so is WIC. Those who are "Pro Families" should have been screaming about this loss.

[waujvari1274]

11:02 AM on 05/25/2011

Why would this actually surprise anyone?

[martman1]

10:45 AM on 05/25/2011

Oops, forgot the link to The People's Budget:

http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/

[martman1]

10:44 AM on 05/25/2011

The Progressive "People's Budget" helps the poor and middle class, increases revenue from large corporations and those that have benefited the most over the last decade, creates jobs, cuts the military, and comes to surplus by 2021. Most politicians seem to pretend that it doesn't exist even though all polls show the people are very much for the specific ideas in the budget.