Get ready for another government shutdown that will be triggered by Republicans, who’ll take to the conservative political media and internet to blame it on the Democrats. If past history is any indication, the public will blame it on — the Republicans. But, hey, it’ll help politicos endear themselves to the base with the dramatic speeches and writings that are now almost required groundwork to stage such a political drama.
The White House confirmed that President Obama would veto any budget legislation that included a Planned Parenthood defund measure, setting the stage for a government shutdown fight if Republicans decide to attach such a provision in a government spending proposal set to be debated this fall.
“What we have indicated in the past continues to be true today, that we have routinely opposed the inclusion of ideologically-driven riders in the budget process,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters Friday. “And certainly a rider that would on a wholesale basis defund Planned Parenthood, which is the proposal of some Republicans in the House, is certainly something that would draw a presidential veto.”
The Senate is expected to vote Monday on a standalone bill to prohibit federal funding of Planned Parenthood in response to a series of undercover videos released by an anti-abortion group that purport to showing the reproductive health organization is illegally profiting the sale of tissue of aborted fetuses. That bill is unlikely to overcome a Democratic filibuster, let alone a presidential veto. So some conservative lawmakers, particularly a group of 18 Republicans in the House who wrote a letter to leaders this week, are now floating tying the effort to the must-pass budget package they will be considering when they return from their August recess. There is support for the strategy among Senate Republicans as well, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who led the effort to shut down the government in 2013 over Obamacare.
Washington Monthly’s Ed Kilgore:
The fury of antichoicers that their long-planned video stings aimed at Planned Parenthood did not instantly shut down the “abortion industry” (and more importantly, all that birth control and health services dispensing that is actually Planned Parenthood’s main preoccupation) is getting a little out of control. In one of his strange middle-of-the-night ukases, Pope Erick Erickson has announced that no one is allowed to think differently than he does about the videos:
We have passed the point where Nazi comparisons are inappropriate. In the latest video about Planned Parenthood, if you want to watch it, you will see an admission that some of the children are born alive before being killed and carved up — their bodies being sold essentially for scrap.
Well, no, no and no, but let’s let Pope Erick continue with his tirade:
If Republicans are not willing to make this their hill to die on and even see the government shutdown to stop this, the Republican Party needs to be shut down.
The Party of Lincoln that rose from the ashes of a whig Party that would not stand up to slavery must stand up to this evil. The American public is staring evil in the face and it looks a lot like them. It must end.If Abraham Lincoln’s party will not fight to stop a practice that defends itself with the same arguments used by proponents of slavery, it is time for a new party….
You will be made to care about this. You will not be allowed to sit by and make excuses. You will be not be allowed to say it is tissue, goo, or innocent. These are human beings. These are the future of this country harvested for their organs. They are being killed. The arguments in support of it are the arguments in support of slavery. This is evil and you must care.And people accuse liberals of trying to exercise mind control.
And so a new litmus test for being a “real” Republican has now been added.
A vote has been scheduled for next week on a bill that would cut all federal funds from Planned Parenthood. That vote will fail. Republicans will be honor-bound to continue their quixotic freakout. More votes will be forced. They will all fail. Uber-conservative Republicans — some of whom aren’t even in Congress — will write impassioned emails to their constituents asking them to send $5 to help them continue the fight for the unborn. Many people will send $5. Republicans will keep fighting. And so on.
In other words, get ready for another shutdown fight over a non-issue in what was supposed to be a congressional session in which Republicans proved that they could govern like big kids.
As I wrote when the first Planned Parenthood sting video was released, it’s fairly obvious that Congressional Republicans have coordinated their efforts around the release of the videos to score as many political points as they can. But given how clearly doomed this push to defund the organization is, and how few political points they have scored — the public still opposes pulling federal funding from Planned Parenthood by a wide margin — it’s clear that this is a fundraising issue for the Republicans and nothing more.
But they’re going to play around with the government’s basic functions for a while before they’re done. Because that’s how the big kids govern.
I have long contended — and contend — that a main reason for the 24/7 confrontation style of 21st century politics we now see is due to the growth and profitability of the conservative political entertainment media.
Two articles today bolster that view:
1. ONE: The Daily Beast’s How Fox News Made My Dad Crazy details a new film that will chronicle the power of parts of the message machine.
2. TWO: And this MUST READ from Harvard University’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy: a long paper/study by Jackie Calmes titled: ““THEY DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT GOVERNING”
CONSERVATIVE MEDIA’S INFLUENCE ON THE REPUBLICAN PARTY”
Much of the machine is starting to whir on this issue and it’ll be in full gear — most likely leading to a government shut down (again).
But there are votes to be garnered, hits to be gained, ratings to be had and activists to be mobilized when the conservative media and all of its parts are up and running.
Republicans threatening to shut down government over doctored Planned Parenthood videos http://t.co/EWilmQwhmf
— Cindy Teigland (@teigland_cindy) July 31, 2015
Republicans threaten to shut down the government by taking aim at women’s health care ? http://t.co/GaPS2QVIgA
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) July 31, 2015
The Republicans hate Planned Parenthood so much, they may be willing to shut down the government AGAIN over it. http://t.co/ZzY2m1JBjU
— Craven Lovelace (@CravenLovelace) July 30, 2015
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@politico Every conceivable issue Republicans don't like is their reason to shut down government. Shutting down government isn't governing
— David Lucier (@davidflucier) July 29, 2015
Now GOP threatens a Gov Shutdown if they are not able to defund Planned Parenthood. GOP helping women – Hello NO. GOP helping USA – NO Way.
— It Matters (@Earnest_One) July 31, 2015
Hell yes, let's have a shutdown fight over Planned Parenthood http://t.co/8eXmfYgJ7o
— Daily Kos (@dailykos) July 31, 2015
Ted Cruz Hands Democrats 2016 Victory With Government Shut Down Threat Over Planned Parenthood
http://t.co/dzg8Lol2zI
#NEVERTrustARepublican
— Eileen Left™ (@EileenLeft) July 31, 2015
I already know which Republicans I follow on twitter who will be on the side of funding Planned Parenthood in the face of a gov’t shutdown.
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 31, 2015
Deja Vu All Over Again…
Republicans are on a path to shut down the government: http://t.co/N2ChpypBcQ pic.twitter.com/S88OyunKJD
— Senate Democrats (@SenateDems) July 30, 2015
Do liberals not care about all the black children killed by Planned Parenthood because of white privilege?
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 23, 2015
That idiotic lion is trending because of Planned Parenthood criminal videos.
Cave creatures (liberals) are trying to distract humans
— ektrit kris (@ektrit) July 31, 2015
How to get liberals to rethink their support for Planned Parenthood … pic.twitter.com/i4gIVE38BY
— Tony A. Phyrillas (@TonyPhyrillas) July 31, 2015
@RWSurferGirl I agree…this is the evil in our world taking physical form thru liberals via #PlannedParenthood. pic.twitter.com/G1p0kQ7IJn
— David (@daviddavid0901) July 31, 2015
The Democrats are willing to shut down the government in order to keep subsidizing Planned Parenthood? #priorities
— Lilac Sunday (@LilacSundayBlog) July 31, 2015
Republicans in Congress would rather shut down the gov't than fund contraception & cancer screenings. http://t.co/8xkh4bkx4x #StandwithPP
— Brad Lander (@bradlander) July 31, 2015
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Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.