During the last election, Robert Dold was recommended by the Illinois Right to Life Committee. Dold claimed to be pro-choice when it suited his interests, but NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood vigorously opposed his candidacy.
Last month, Dold and his Republican colleague from Illinois, Judy Biggert, voted against defunding Planned Parenthood. Dold even gave a speech about it.
Here’s what Bill Beckman, executive director of the Illinois Right to Life Committee, said a few days ago about Dold and Biggert:
“The irony is that when they had the final bill passage, they flipped. Both voted for it. We’re playing games here in reality,” Beckman said.
“Which is better: that they voted against the amendment and for the final bill, or vice versa? I’ll tolerate those Republicans if they vote the final bill the right way, even if they want to throw a bone to Planned Parenthood that doesn’t count.”
http://www.rollcall.com/issues/56_89/-203763-1.html?zkMobileView=true
We don’t usually agree with Beckman, but he makes a good point. The bill that finally passed, the bill that actually defunds Planned Parenthood, passed with Dold’s support.
So where does Robert Dold really stand? With us or with Illinois Right to Life? As residents of the 10th district, we call on Dold to take a stand: Do you or do you not agree with Beckman? Did you “throw a bone to Planned Parenthood” with a meaningless vote in their defense? If not, how do you explain your subsequent vote to defund Planned Parenthood?”
Don’t hold your breath waiting for an answer. That’s the way Bob Dold will do it in the year-plus that remains in his two-year term as a congressman. He will throw bones to the pro-choice crowd. He will throw an occasional bone to the environmental crowd. He will toss a bone every now and then to keep the gun-control crowd happy. But if you support choice, the environment or gun control, don’t expect him to be there for you when a vote really counts.
You see, Bob Dold has been schooled in “10th District Politics 101″ or “How to be a Republican and survive in the 10th District” by the master himself. Mark Kirk did this for years. He would vote one way on an amendment, when he knew his vote wouldn’t make a difference in the measure passing or failing, and then vote the other way on final passage of the bill. That way, he would point to his votes on amendments and keep the choice, environmental and gun-control crowds happy, and then point to his votes on the final passage of bills to keep the anti-choice, anti-environment and pro-gun crowds happy.
So, how does Dold sell himself to the overall public after his votes for and against Planned Parenthood?
“Illinois’ 10th District has a long history of being represented by socially moderate Republican Congressmen going back 30 years with former Reps. John Porter and Mark Kirk,” Dold said in a statement provided to Roll Call. “I am a social moderate and fiscal conservative and fit that mold as well.”
Sound familiar? Same lines used by Mark Kirk in his ten years as our congressman. Then, when he ran for the U.S. Senate, Kirk said, as he did about his vote in favor of cap-and-trade, that he really doesn’t support cap-and-trade, he just had to vote that way to keep getting re-elected in the 10th.
It’s kind of sad. Here we sit, in what Mark Kirk frequently called the most educated congressional district in the country, and the best we can get to represent us in Congress are men who “play games” to deceive us, and “throw us bones” to keep us happy.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be represented by someone who really believes in something instead of another hack who only believes in one thing . . . his re-election campaign?
– Tenth Dems