Not just the voters?

In the New York Times story Negotiators Add Abortion Clause to Spending Bill, we read: (excerpts, emp add)

House and Senate negotiators have tucked a potentially far-reaching anti-abortion provision into a $388 billion must-pass spending bill, complicating plans for Congress to wrap up its business and adjourn for the year.

The provision may be an early indication of the growing political muscle of social conservatives who provided crucial support for Republican candidates, including President Bush, in the election.

Some lawmakers and Congressional aides interpreted the House leaders' insistence as reflection of the new political strength of the anti-abortion movement and of Christian conservatives, who played an important role in re-electing Mr. Bush this month.

We're sure that Christian/social conservatives like the legislation, but we don't think it's a pure instance of catering to constituents. From our observation of the Republicans in Congress, it appears that they themselves are hostile to abortion. It's part of their character. Unlike other constituent concerns that can be negotiated or traded for something else (by an indifferent congressman), abortion is shaping up to be a non negotiable issue.

What does this mean? It probably means that pro-choice and moderate Republicans are going to get frustrated and maybe - maybe - bug out of the party in the next few years.

posted by Quiddity at 11/20/2004 09:33:00 AM