OpenLeft says women have been abandoned by DNC/OFA

It's sad. And infuriating. And depressing. In recent days I've heard women's advocates, economics experts, civil libertarians, gay rights advocates, and immigration rights advocates all tell the same story of being let down by the Obama administration. Whatever the constituency, whatever the promise, it's the same damn story of promises made and promises broken.

After Joe and I launched our Don't Ask Don't Give campaign against the DNC, OFA and Obama re-election campaign last Monday, I heard from numerous women, begging me to include women's rights in our campaign. And they're not alone. Each of the constituencies, and probably more that I'm forgetting (don't forget health care reform), have pretty much had it with the White House and the Democratic party, as represented by the DNC. It's as if our communities didn't exist. Or at best were severely embarrassing to the party.

And the groups. The national groups. The liberal advocacy groups. The ones who raise millions to represent us in Washington, to hold the politicians' feet to the fire. Same story all around. All too afraid to speak up (save, perhaps, the ACLU). All too worried about some other deal they have cooking with the administration, with the Congress. As if next time the same players who have abandoned their promises will suddenly keep their word.

I'm not sure what tell you. It's bad. Very bad. It's why many in the gay community have had it with the Democrats. It's really kind of amazing, when you think about it. All of us were so elated last November 4, after we bust our butts to put Barack Obama and a 60-seat majority in the Senate. And President Obama and the DNC have single-handedly turned the biggest Democratic victory in decades into the beginnings of a intra-party civil war.

After the jump, Natasha Chart from OpenLeft explains how women are the latest to be betrayed.

And now, Natasha Chart at OpenLeft reports, it's women being thrown overboard.

Nancy Keenan, head of the national NARAL group (and most obedient of the obedient losers) was apparently personally promised before the health care battle by the Obama administration that they would look after the organization's constituency interests in the health care bill and preserve the status quo. In return, NARAL was asked to stand down its activism.

They did. So with all their colleagues, they got caught with their pants down when a floor vote on the Stupak amendment was imminent.

Today, I got a press release from the DNC, and their Organizing For America project, on their plan to drum up more support for the health care reform bill: targeting Republicans.

It says nothing about women's healthcare. Nothing. Like it isn't even at issue. OFA is still watching NARAL's back, women's backs, as well as they always have.

Didn't see that one coming. Oh wait, yes we did. OFA pulled the same stunt on the gays during the election just one week ago. They asked everyone to help on other issues, but somehow forgot to mention that we were on the ballot too. Oops.

They're picking us off one by one. Rahm and Messina must be laughing their hearts out, watching the gays, the women, the Latinos, those who wanted to see real Wall Street reform, wanted real health care reform, wanted a real stimulus package, all get picked off one by one, with nary a word from the highly-paid advocacy groups representing us.

It's not going to get any better until our national organizations wake up. Until we all figure out how to join together and make the White House and the Democratic party to keep their promises.