The story of Bart Stupak is like that of the "Sorcerer's Apprentice". A tragedy of a person being overwhelmed and ultimately consumed by his own misguided devices.
I confess to feeling measures of amusement and schadenfreude as I watch the stories coming out about the venom and death threats Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) has been receiving since the HCR vote last week (such as this blog posting). He's been receiving the special kind of rage typically reserved by those who have felt betrayed by an ally. I'm amused at this level of outrage being directed at someone who - from my admittedly pro-choicer viewpoint - was nothing but a loyal anti-abortionist, esp. throughout this bill's process and debate. He fought for and got not only most of the language he wanted, but he even wrangled an executive order from the president stating that the bill would not/does not contain language permitting abortions to be funded. A needless and pointless act, but a gesture that won his vote in a manner far easier and less costly than other sweetheart deals. So now he's a traitor to the cause!?
When I was a kid shopping for halloween costumes, I was amused that the boxes of Superman capes included labels warning "This item will not enable wearer to fly." I also remember thinking that if you're the kind of person that thinks wearing a cape will enable you to fly, you're probably not the kind of person that would pay attention to the rational advice provided by that label. So now I look at this state of affairs, and I want to advise Rep. Stupak that if the kind of constituents you've courted are the kind of people who think your vote for this bill was a betrayal of anti-abortion ethics, they're probably not the kind of people who are going to look thoughtfully and rationally at a situation before they flame you.
Rep. Stupak has shined-on the anti-abortionists, has taken their support and money, then stood atop the power base he used them to create. Then, despite the unerring loyalty he shows them, is turned upon by them in a display that is startling as much for its ferocity as its irrationality. He's now a victim of the very fear-and-hate machine he has helped foster.
It's a kind of justice, really. I'll be very curious to see if this experience changes his attitudes about working with the lunatic fringe in the future. May it be so. And may he stand as an example to others that seek power that some alliances come with too high a price.