Brownback made his own problems

It's sad to say but the mess Sen. Browback finds himself in is mostly of his own making.

When Kathleen Sebelius was announced as a candidate for HHS, all Sen. Brownback had to do was stay quiet. Either that or talk up what an honor it was to have someone from Kansas considered for the post and stay quiet on his opinion of Sebelius. After all, isn't that what Senate hearings and floor debate is for? Why go through the motions if everyone has already made up their minds about who should and shouldn't be confirmed into the Presidents cabinet? Who could have predicted the tax problems that arose? Or the lies about donations from Tiller? Had Brownback just kept quiet, he would have been handed the right ammo to justify a no vote. Coming out so quickly with a statement of support was just plain stupid.

And the icing on the cake was the explanation of vote. A yet to be seen pandemic flu is not a reason to vote to confirm. Conservatives aren't about to buy that.

In short, Sen. Brownback decided to play politics. I'm not going to say that he played politics rather than stand by his principles, because I don't believe that's true. I do however think his political strategy was misguided. Sebelius was out of the US Senate race before she ever got in. While everyone talked up the DailyKos poll that showed her way ahead of Tiahrt or Moran, she was also at 48%, against two Republicans with worse name recognition statewide than her. After over six years in office she should have been well over 50%.

No one in the media or the party wanted to say it, but 48% isn't exactly a glowing endorsement. I think Sebelius saw the writing on the wall. She knew with a properly funded Republican on the other side that her record would be drug out into the open and getting above 50% would be difficult. After all, she's a calculating politician, one that is certainly not going to take a chance on a Senate seat when she can get a confirmed reservation to Washington two years early.

I voted for Brownback each time he ran for US Senate. I still support the good Senator and I will not only vote for him, but work on his gubernatorial campaign. There are elements of the pro-life movement that now say he can't be trusted and is as worthless as Sebelius herself. It's a lie that couldn't be further from the truth.

Sam Brownback has done more for the pro-life movement during his time in the Senate than nearly all other politicians combined. Anyone who says they will not support Sen. Brownback for Governor over this one vote is completely misguided and has become so enthralled with themselves and their holier than thou I'm pro-life ego that they have lost sight of viable, reasonable steps that can be taken during this next election to shut down Tiller and Planned Parenthood. Anyone breaking from Sen. Brownback because he's not "pro-life enough" has broken from reality itself.

Thank you Sen. Brownback for all you have done. Please though, rethink the counsel that you've been receiving. I think you could genuinely benefit from some new ideas in your office.