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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums The Nation: Why Was Heath Mello Thrown Under the Bus?
Was the candidate for mayor of Omaha held to a different standard than other Democrats?
By D.D. Guttenplan Twitter YESTERDAY 8:25 PM
Heath Mello of Omaha, April 20, 2016. (AP Photo / Nati Harnik)
OmahaOn my first morning here in Nebraska, I walked right into a glass wall. Wow! Didnt see that coming, I thought, as the blood poured down my nose. So I have some sense of what it must have been like for Heath Mello, the young Democrat trying to get elected mayor of the biggest city in one of the countrys deepest-red states, when Tom Perez and the Democratic National Committee threw him under the bus last week.
Mello, who finished three points behind Republican incumbent Jean Stothert in the five-way, nonpartisan primary on April 4, has been attracting national attentionand supportfrom progressives for months now. Our Revolution first endorsed Mello on March 9 as one of two dozen candidates the group is backing in 2017. Daily Kos jumped in after the primary, pointing out that in addition to offering the chance to flip City Hall (Omaha makes up most of Nebraskas Second Congressional District, which the Democrats lost by just over one point), a good showing in the race will energize progressives and encourage strong candidates to run in 2018.
An Omaha native first elected to Nebraskas unicameral legislature in 2008 at the age of 29, Mello successfully led the fight to overturn Republican Governor Pete Rickettss veto of a bill permitting young people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to obtain a drivers license. Last year, he again put together a coalition that managed to reverse another of Rickettss vetoesthis time of a bill allowing young undocumented immigrants to apply for professional or commercial licenses. In Nebraska, which resettled more refugees per capita in 2016 than any other state, that kind of leadership stands out. As does Mellos outspoken emphasisunusual in a state dominated by Big Agriculture, and which still gets most of its energy from coalon fighting climate change and protecting the environment. Likewise his record on LGBTQ issues, including a call for a law to ban discrimination in housing and employment. With strong union support from firefighters, teachers, and city workers, the Sierra Clubs enthusiastic endorsement, and the backing of an array of Democratic heavyweights, from former senator Ben Nelson to former Maryland governor Martin OMalley, Mello was beginning to look like the partys best chance for a win after disappointments in Kansas and Georgia.
Especially since his opponent, Stothert, ousted her Democratic predecessor in 2013 by promising to repeal an unpopular restaurant taxand never kept her promise. With registered Democrats in the city actually outnumbering Republicanswhile Donald Trump won nearly 60 percent of the vote in Nebraska, Hillary Clinton carried Douglas County, which includes Omaha, by over 5,000 votesthe arrival of the Democratic Unity Tour on Friday was supposed to provide a final burst of enthusiasm to carry Mello across the finish line on May 9.
FULL story: https://www.thenation.com/article/why-was-heath-mello-thrown-under-the-bus/
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)That this is a concern in the context of withholding an endorsement for that much more important seat in GA?
Or is it lacking context like most articles about this man?
Omaha Steve
(99,737 posts)Snip: That was followed by a petulant second thought: Sanders shouldnt endorse Ossoff. He should just remain silent and not hurt the efforts of those of us helping in #GA06. Sanders actually did endorse Ossoff. But Nir has yet to apologize to Mellos campaignor to admit that his actions were based on what its hard to avoid calling fake news.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)You know the silly game reporters do when they get him to make pronouncements over who is or isn't progressive enough? It's a shame he's still allowing the press to use him as a wedge like that- but we all know that's exactly what's going on.
boston bean
(36,223 posts)I'm wondering what that means. I didnt feel disappointed did you?
Same thing about Kansas. I wasn't disappointed about that either.
Article definitely has a bias.
pnwmom
(108,995 posts)killbotfactory
(13,566 posts)musette_sf
(10,206 posts)WRONG.
Heath Mello's Regressive Record:
LB 1103 Prohibiting Abortions After 20 Weeks of Pregnancy Bill Passed - Senate (44 - 5) Yea
LB 594 Abortion Screening Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 9) Yea
LB 22 Prohibits Insurance Coverage of Abortion Bill Passed - Senate (37 - 7) Yea
LB 521 Requires Physician Presence During Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (38 - 9) Yea
LB 675 Establishes Procedures for Ultrasounds Performed Prior to Abortions Bill Passed - Senate (40 - 5) Yea
Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)
Post removed
ms liberty
(8,600 posts)Demsrule86
(68,696 posts)20-Week Abortion Ban
This bill bans abortion at 20 weeks post-fertilization except an abortion is permitted if it is necessary to avert death of the pregnant woman or to avert serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function or it is necessary to preserve the life of an unborn child.
1103 LB 1103
LEGISLATIVE BILL 1103
Approved by the Governor April 13, 2010
Introduced by Flood, 19; McCoy, 39; Langemeier, 23; Pirsch, 4; Fulton, 29;
Coash, 27; Krist, 10; Schilz, 47; Heidemann, 1; Utter, 33;
Stuthman, 22; Wallman, 30; Dubas, 34; Sullivan, 41; Fischer,
43; Janssen, 15; Price, 3; Harms, 48; Cornett, 45; Gay, 14;
Nordquist, 7; [font color="red" size="4" face="face"]Mello[/font] , 5; Lautenbaugh, 18.
http://www.legislature.ne.gov/FloorDocs/101/PDF/Slip/LB1103.pdf
https://rewire.news/legislative-tracker/law/nebraska-pain-capable-unborn-child-protection-act/
BainsBane
(53,072 posts)Jesus. The Nation has really gone to hell under the heiress and her Putinista husband.
musette_sf
(10,206 posts)Agreed 100%.
Omaha Steve
(99,737 posts)https://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/53279/joe-biden-jr#.WPqT4lPyve0
https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/abortion/20-week-bans
Nearly 99 percent of abortions occur before 21 weeks, but when they are needed later in pregnancy, its often in very complex circumstances the kind of situations where a woman and her doctor need every medical option available.
bettyellen
(47,209 posts)I'm getting a little disgusted being lectured to people who don't know or care as much as I do. It's not a good look for DU.
ProfessorPlum
(11,277 posts)"Whats more interesting is what happened nextand what didnt. In 2012, Mello voted with Planned Parenthood on two out of three bills tracked by the groupand was excused from voting on the third. After that, Mello, who had become the influential chair of the state legislatures budget committee, voted with Planned Parenthood 100 percent of the time. By 2015, the group was celebrating a fourth straight year without enacting any new abortion restrictions in Nebraska, thanks largely to committed womens health advocates engaged in the legislative process."
tammywammy
(26,582 posts)ProfessorPlum
(11,277 posts)musette_sf
(10,206 posts)Planned Parenthood Voters of Nebraska has never endorsed Heath Mello for public office nor has Planned Parenthood Voters of Nebraska given Heath Mello a 100% rating, as some media outlets have erroneously reported, the group said in a statement.
ProfessorPlum
(11,277 posts)panader0
(25,816 posts)Do you know her views on this subject?
Omaha Steve
(99,737 posts)She is a concealed carry in her purse anti-abortion hack. Hangs out with billionaire Gov Ricketts that is trying to pass tax breaks for the rich.
BainsBane
(53,072 posts)You must have been thrilled.
Omaha Steve
(99,737 posts)BainsBane
(53,072 posts)Omaha Steve
(99,737 posts)boston bean
(36,223 posts)LexVegas
(6,101 posts)Kentonio
(4,377 posts)Who will likely now end up with a savagely anti-choice GOP mayor thanks to this crap?
killbotfactory
(13,566 posts)I'm sure the women of Omaha will be better served by a republican, rather than a democrat backed by the state and national democratic parties who has pledged to not restrict their reproductive rights.
ProfessorPlum
(11,277 posts)it is gross
musette_sf
(10,206 posts)Health Mello does NOT have the support of PPVN:
Planned Parenthood Voters of Nebraska has never endorsed Heath Mello for public office nor has Planned Parenthood Voters of Nebraska given Heath Mello a 100% rating, as some media outlets have erroneously reported, the group said in a statement.
ProfessorPlum
(11,277 posts)it seems like the whole thing - his misrepresented position on abortion, Sanders endorsement, everything - was deliberately set up as a smear job. Against him and Sanders.
Really shitty.
Kentonio
(4,377 posts)ProfessorPlum
(11,277 posts)And he was beschmirched as well.
Chathamization
(1,638 posts)...
BAIER: "Just to be clear, there's no -- without any exceptions?"
CLINTON: "No -- I have been on record in favor of a late pregnancy regulation that would have exceptions for the life and health of the mother.
"I object to the recent effort in Congress to pass a law saying after 20 weeks, you know, no such exceptions, because although these are rare, Bret, they sometimes arise in the most complex, difficult medical situation."
Kind of odd that people are upset with Mello for having once supported a late-term abortion ban (with exceptions for the life of the mother), but were OK supporting Clinton who also supports a late-term ban (with exceptions for the life of the mother) and who picked Kaine (who said he was in favor of the Hyde amendment even after getting the VP pick). Particularly strange since Mello is running against a Republican who is worse on the issue, while Clinton was running in the primary against someone who opposed restrictions, and Clinton picked Kaine as the VP over pro-choice Democrats.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)musette_sf
(10,206 posts)All Sec'y Clinton did was reiterate the parameters of Roe v Wade.
Chathamization
(1,638 posts)As well as: "I have been on record in favor of a late pregnancy regulation that would have exceptions for the life and health of the mother."
It seemed pretty clear to Politifact too:
musette_sf
(10,206 posts)simply reiterates the parameters of Roe v Wade. Period.