Stupak to Retire; Teabaggers Take Credit

Today I met the news head on with the announcement that Bart Stupak D-MI-1 was going to either resign or retire after the end of his tenth term. Then I heard all of that was wrong.

Then I heard it wasn’t and that Stupak was taking the path to retirement. Here is the gist of his reasons given to the media, this from Examiner.com:

“Stupak cited long commutes between Michigan and Washington as well as a desire to spend more time with his family as the reasons for his retirement. Stupak shrugged off claims by conservative groups that their promise to challenge his reelection in November pushed him towards retirement.”

“‘I've struggled with this decision,’ Stupak said at a press conference on Marquette University's campus. "I wanted to leave a couple times. My main legislative goal was accomplished.’”

OK, well that was lame. That “he wants to spend more time with his family” is the single-most common excuse for resigning or retiring given when the reason is anything but that. The commute is tough, but really, “the commute” is the reason for giving up a congressional seat?

Now the far right wingnuts and Teabaggers have claimed credit for chasing Bart Stupak right out of Washington, DC.

And there may be some truth to that. After all, the right wing is singularly responsible for piling on vile hatespeech in Congerss (“Baby Killer”) and flooding his voicemail with such hateful language that it gives those of us on the left sure confirmation that Evangelical Conservatives are anything . . . anything . . . but Godly.

But you know, I want a piece of this action, too. The Democratic Party is a big tent party, but we sometimes have trouble with those of us in our number who claim to follow a higher calling, in their religious convictions, and vote their convictions over the wishes and will of their constituents.

I wanted Bart Stupak to just sit down and shut up when he nearly derailed the healthcare reform bill . . . twice. And in the version passed by the House, it contained language that I frankly, found offensive. It was blatantly discriminatory toward women.

No, if the truth were to come out, Bart Stupak may have lost his patience in dealing with the rabid fanatical rightwing fringe that has emerged in our country. Particularly because he dealt with them by being willing to sit down and listen to them. As if that was what these foaming, filth spewing people really wanted. But Bart Stupak was also facing a rather credible primary challenge in his home district.

From Examiner.com:

“‘Last month, before Stupak's decision to ultimately vote for health care overhaul legislation former Charlevoix County Commissioner Connie Saltonstall announced she would challenge Stupak due to his anti-abortion views. He "has a right to his personal, religious views, but to deprive his constituents of needed health care reform because of those views is reprehensible,’ Saltonstall said in a statement.”

Stupak, himself, doubts the viability of a Republican candidate to succeed him.

“‘I've seen the Republican field and obviously I'm not impressed,’ Stupak said. ‘I think it’s the weakest field I've seen in some time. I'm excited about the Democratic prospects.’”

So Teabaggers should go ahead and take all the credit they want to take on this. They should just take it all. It only makes them look even more vile, even more evil, and even more incredibly stupid than anyone has been able to hang on them to-date.

Anti-Choice Teabaggers just chased one of their own, an Anti-Choice congressman, right out of Washington DC.

And I am loving every minute of it.