In a live stand-up via satellite from the U.S. Capitol shortly after 11 a.m. EDT today, MSNBC's Luke Russert insisted that Senate Democrats were holding up approval of spending bills to fund the federal government through the rest of the fiscal year because they were pro-environment and for "women's health," the latter of course being code for the controversial issue of federal funding for Planned Parenthood.
"Two very partisan political issues are essentially what is holding up whether or not there will be a government shutdown," Russert told anchor Thomas Roberts (emphasis mine):
But when it comes to policy, these are things that both sides do not like to give an inch on, obviously because it caters to both their special interest groups. Democrats are for the environment, Republicans are for big business. Democrats are for women's health, Republicans are pro-life. These are the same arguments we've seen in Washington for years, and they're coming now right here in the eleventh hour in terms of this government shutdown and whether or not it's going to happen.
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Of course such loaded language skews the controversy in favor of Democrats. For example, conservative Republicans would argue they are not so much pro-big business as pro-economic growth and anti-onerous regulation.
What's more, tagging Democrats as pro-environment and pro-women's health suggests Republicans oppose environmental stewardship and women's health.
