Pro-life Democrats help win majority and gain clout

WASHINGTON, DC – Democrats For Life of America applauded the Democratic leadership today for recruiting pro-life Democrats to run for key Congressional races in this week’s history making elections.

“Right after John Kerry’s loss in 2004, the Democratic Party finally started talking about including pro-life Democrats in the big tent of the Democratic Party. They put their money where their mouths are and assisted pro-life Democrats. Their inclusion helped pro-life Democrats win and played a significant role in handing over control of the US Senate and House. In addition to adding Bob Casey to the Senate, Democrats will see 6 new pro-life Democrats in the House,” said DFLA’s Executive Director Kristen Day.

The new pro-life faces in the US House include: Heath Shuler of North Carolina, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Brad Ellsworth of Indiana, Charlie Wilson of Ohio, Chris Carney and Jason Altmire both of Pennsylvania.“We’ve said for years that when we expand the big tent of the Democratic Party, Democrats win. Tuesday night is proof. Now Democrats need to continue to allow pro-life Democrats to help set the agenda in the 110th Congress,” said Kristen Day, Executive Director of Democrats For Life of America. “We look forward to working with Congresswomen Nancy Pelosi and the new leaders of the House to promote an agenda that will dramatically reduce the abortion rate in America. We applaud Congresswoman Pelosi understanding that Democrats need to govern from the center and that we must put our words into action by promoting common ground as a way to solve the problems we face.”

Democrats For Life of America’s top priorities for the 110th Congress are: passing the Pregnant Women Support Act, introduced by Congressman Lincoln Davis and received bipartisan support, fully funding the National Cord Blood Inventory Act which will save lives and passing the Child Custody Protection Act.

Several pro-life democrats will assume leadership positions in the new Democratic majority in the House. Rep. Jim Oberstar will chair the Transportation Committee, Rep. Collin Peterson will chair the Agriculture Committee and Rep Ike Skelton will head the Armed Services Committee. Several other pro-life democrats will chair House subcommittees.

Democrats For Life of America was founded in 1999 to mobilize Democrats at the local, state, and national levels. Their primary mission has been to elect pro-life Democrats, support pro-life elected officials, promote a pro-life plank in the Democratic Party platform and achieve legislation that fosters respect for human life. Democrats For Life of America currently has 41 state chapters with plans to expand the group into additional states by the end of the year. In addition to the grassroots support across America, the group has several Members of Congress who are actively promoting the group’s mission.

http://www.democratsforlife.org/

* BAYH CALLS FOR DEMOCRATS TO TAKE MODERATE APPROACH

U.S. Senator Evan Bayh, who also served 10 years as Governor of Indiana, has emerged a leading possibility for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. Bayh recently received a major boost to his campaign with the withdrawal of former Virginia Governor Mark Warner. Many political observers expect that Bayh will pick up much of Warner's support base among moderate to conservative Democrats.

USA Today www.usatoday.com reported on Bayh's likely Presidential campaign and his strategy suggestions for the new Democratic majority in their November 9 edition:

"It's up to us to prove that we're something better than just a mirror image of the people they voted against," Bayh said. "And if we serve up a highly partisan, ideologically extreme, Democratic version of what they just voted against, we're not going to do very well."
"Bayh said Democrats must focus on middle-class concerns, including affordability of health care and college, as well as pension and job security. But they also have to prove Democrats can be trusted with national security and should implement all the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission."

"He singled out reducing the nation's dependence on imported oil as an area where Democrats could immediately prove their willingness to work with Republicans. Bayh is part of a bipartisan coalition of senators backing a bill to promote energy independence through the increased use of alternative fuels and technologies."

Bayh served as Governor of Indiana from 1988 (elected as George Bush I carried the state by a wide margin) to 1998 and left office with a record approval rating. He won election to the U.S. Senate in 1998 with 64% of the vote and was re-elected in 2004 receiving 62% support despite a landslide victory by George Bush II who led the state by 20 percentage points.

Evan Bayh is a former Chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council but is not really the typical DLC type. For one thing, he far more pro-labor than many DLC pols with a 93 percent rating (and a 91 percent lifetime score) from the AFL-CIO in 2005. Like many Democrats during the Clinton era, Bayh was conned by the free traders and is now taking a more worker friendly approach to trade issues. Bayh stood up to the big business interests and voted against the Central American Free Trade Agreement. See link to an informative article on Bayh and labor. http://tinyurl.com/pjqfl Bayh looks like a strong candidate who can uphold the traditions of Democrats while expanding the party's base.

www.allamericapac.com