Third Way Dispatch

It’s unanimous. The four border state governors to the South have seen the House immigration field hearings and have given their verdict. In the words of Heidi Klum, “Mr. Hastert and Mr. Frist, you out!”

We haven’t had much occasion to cheer the Bush administration for anything lately, and when it comes to science, we have watched in dismay time and time again, as politics have dictated important outcomes. But yesterday, they finally got something right. After a nearly three year delay, the Food and Drug Administration approved over-the-counter sales of Plan B emergency contraception, otherwise known as the “morning after” pill. After six years of George Bush talking about his opposition to abortion and about the “culture of life,” this is actually the first significant step his administration has taken to reduce the number of abortions in America.

Winning the immigration debate depends upon reconciling two prevailing and contradictory positions. 83% of voters, according to Third Way’s own poll, support the Senate compromise bill that rewards rules-abiding, working illegal immigrants with a path to citizenship. 60% of voters, according to the same poll, think it would be a “good goal” to deport all 12 million illegal immigrants back to their home countries.

The Middle East is on fire, America is at war in Iraq, gas is over $3 per gallon, there are coast-to-coast heat waves and blackouts, the immigration debate has exploded, global trade talks have collapsed, the federal budget hasn’t been passed, and Congress has spent this summer debating – drum roll please—flag-burning, the Pledge of Allegiance, and gay marriage.

So could abortion be far behind?

Louisian Governor Kathleen Blanco is a Democrat in a very red state. And sometimes red state Democrats and blue state Republicans do things a little differently than others in their party or in their political movement. Often, such departures can be forgiven. Sometimes they cannot. Blanco’s decision to sign into law a ban on nearly all abortions – as she did last Friday – falls squarely into the latter category.

In a heartening show of common sense, the Senate voted today to fend off a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. And a number of Republicans deserve praise for their sensible – and in some cases courageous – vote against this idiotic amendment. So we’ll give out a shout out to Senators Chafee, Collins, Gregg, McCain, Snowe, Specter and Sununu.

But alas, the Senate vote doesn’t end the conservative movement’s attempt to amend the Constitution with what you might call a “Bill of Wrongs” – a series of bans on conduct that conservatives don’t like. Next up on the Senate docket: the constitutional ban on flag burning. After that, we can expect to see proposals for constitutional bans on latte sipping, Volvos driving, and listening to Bruce Springsteen (he endorsed Kerry).