Women and children first

That's who's getting hucked over the side as the good ship Centrism takes on water. What digby sez:

NARAL is now in the business of giving cover to Democratic Leaders who are trying to bullshit pro-choice liberals into thinking they aren't selling them out. (We saw this same ploy in Connecticut earlier this year.) Apparently, it sees itself as an inside player helping the Democrats keep from having to go out on a limb on the abortion issue. They are allowing themselves to be used as a shield against their most ardent supporters.

That is, to say the least, a very unusual strategy. They have to know they have dramatically lost credibility with those of us who consider the right to choose a fundamental matter of personal liberty. And if NARAL doesn't represent us, it represents nobody.

On a purely political level I'm sympathetic to the Democrats' desire to finesse the issue of abortion. It would be just terrific if everyone would just leave it alone so we could deal with issues that don't make people feel all icky. If the right would respect the status quo, that might even be possible. But anyone who thinks that they can quiet them with a few compromises like this hasn't been paying attention. They will not rest until they have given the fetus full citizenship, repealed Roe vs Wade and outlawed abortion. It's not like they are hiding their agenda.

This vote [link] didn't matter all that much except to the extent it showed how this is going to play out in the future. If the Democrats need to sacrifice something on the alter of "bipartisanshipandcentrism" it's looking like they are prepared to negotiate away ever more pieces of the right to choose.They have decided that being pro-choice, despite being a majority position and one based on fundamental principles, is not "mainstream." It's now a bipartisan poker chip and NARAL is apparently willing to ante up.

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In the late 70's it was a matter faith among liberals that handguns would be outlawed and other guns would be strictly regulated. It was just a matter of time. Within 20 years the NRA had killed the issue. Gun control is no longer even on the menu outside the biggest cities and even then it's dicey.

The NRA said that Americans had a right to bear arms. Period. They didn't bargain or negotiate. And they were successful because when your raison d'etre is protecting a fundamental right, you have to be absolutist or you lose the moral authority of your argument.