Tags
abortion, health care reform, Ike Skelton, Jeff Sharlet, missouri, Rachel Maddow, Stupak-PItts Amendment, The Family
Nobody was too surprised that Ike Skelton voted for the repressive Stupak-Pitts Amendment which, if it is retained, will do more to impede access to abortion than any other piece of legislation since Roe v. Wade made abortion legal. Nor was it surprising that Skelton also voted against the Health Care Reform Bill itself – although the Stupak-Pitts amendment was supposed to buy the votes of Republican-lite Democrats like Skelton.
However, Rachel Maddow, in a discussion of the roots of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment last night suggested a sinister influence that might have played a role in determining Skelton’s votes. In the video below (at point 2:09) Maddow states that Skelton is reported to be a member of The Family, a shadowy, elite, evangelical network that, according to author Jeff Sharlet, works through susceptible politicians to move our government closer to becoming a fundamentalist Christian state:
There’s nothing intrinsically evil about being conservative, moderate, or whatever Skelton calls himself, though one can argue that his policy positions are mistaken. Neither should one question his Christian faith per se. However, what does deserve to be examined in the light of full disclosure is the possibility that Skelton, an eleted official, is unduly influenced by a secretive religious organization that works to exert a sub rosa influence on the political life of the nation.
Notice something that wasn’t there? It’s called a source. Even a generalized source beats this “reportedly” stuff. Reportedly, all these people who oppose you on a vote are reportedly in a group that you dislike. And it’s a secret group too. It’s kind of eerily convenient, isn’t it?
Sharlet’s book and a World Magazine article have reported names. But before Maddow on Monday, I don’t think anybody rumored or reported Ike Skelton.
Rachel Maddow generally does pretty well in general, but it also seems too elaborate to be exactly true. There’s obviously influence from that group, but the secrecy of the membership gives a wide opening to reinterpret or exaggerate what is known about them.
Also, when it comes to Skelton’s vote. It was known a few days before the votes were held. The amendment vote is no shocker, when you look at his record over his 32 years and I believe he made his decision on the bill after it was known that Stupak was going to try to get that amendment passed.
I’m not exactly going to hold against against Ike for this entire thing. And that’ll be easier if a good health care bill is passed into law.
Ok lets be real here, I live in Ike’s District and I am mad as HELL that he vote against the health care bill. But a member of the “family”? If you look at his challengers they may be involved in some wild scheme, but Ike, give me a break. I still have hope that when the senate bill returns to the house Ike can vote for it. He needs to be aware that his prized chairmanship is a privilege of the majority party. If he can’t support his own party maybe its time the speaker moves his office to the basement.
With Ike’s eventual retirement will the B-2 also retire? See page 14 of the December 21, 2009 issue of Newsweek magazine. The Air Force is apparently willing to allow this expensive airplane to be used as a bargaining chip in arms talks with Russia. The title of the article by John Barry is “Bye-Bye Bomber.”