Turning the Right’s States’ Rights Crutch Into a Weapon for the Left
October 28th, 2009 by Jon Robinson
Well, we’ve seen what the right has wrought on what seems to be the Frankenstein health care bill coming out of the Senate. Its a concoction made from the blood sweat and tears of Finance Chairman Max Baucus with heavy influence of right wing states rights concerns. It seems the Republican party will go however far it takes to defend these things, even when it is clearly an issue that the Federal government can tackle successfully without trampling on the rights of states.
Case and point, the first amendment proposed by the new Senator from Minnesota Al Franken. Attached to HR 3326, a defense appropriations bill.
Its cryptic purpose:
To prohibit the use of funds for any Federal contract with Halliburton Company, KBR, Inc., any of their subsidiaries or affiliates, or any other contracting party if such contractor or a subcontractor at any tier under such contract requires that employees or independent contractors sign mandatory arbitration clauses regarding certain claims.
Those certain claims are contracts that include clauses that prevent employees from pursuing crimes like rape in courts of law.
30 Republican senators voted against the bill. For a list visit: http://www.republicansforrape.org/legislators/
They don’t want to take accountability, they don’t want to stand up for what is right.
Republicans think this is government intruding too much on the powers of the people and businesses and the states. No matter what avenue, if it isn’t defense, abortion, or gay marriage, the right refuses to remain accountable on the federal level.
Case in point this state opt out health care plan. Only time and Nate Silver can tell what the results of the upcoming vote for this healthcare bill in the Senate, but even harder to see into the future on is the future of the public options in the states. Will we see a resurrection of those godawful town hall meetings? Only time can tell. What I hope progressive leaders and strategists at the DNC jump on is the need to pour all sorts of resources in organizing not just increased advocacy for the implementation of the public options in as many states as possible. It is not even clear how the states will decide on the opt out public option, will it be by state house vote or popular referendum? Again, only time will tell. It’s time we turned the right’s state’s right crutch into a weapon for the progressive cause.
If the right wing of the Republican wants the people to have their say then let’s voice our opinion at the ballot box and delay much need health care reform as little as possible. I have something for the naysayers. Don’t tread on my health care reform.