I agree with aspects of Ross Douthat’s piece today — the Republican party needs to explain better how they are actually the party of social justice, the party that doesn’t simply hand out help, and that the Democrats’ paternalism ultimately helps no one and will bankrupt the country. But I also don’t think Ross gives pro-lifers (including Bill McGurn, who he links to) the credit they deserve for supporting Bart Stupak over the course of months, nevermind the past weekend. One could easily argue, in fact, that the president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List bucked up Stupak at the expense of pro-life Republicans in the run-up to Stupak’s surrender.

Yes, it’s lonely to be a pro-life Democrat. Even lonelier today than a week ago. And I don’t pretend to think that it was remotely easy for Stupak (not to mention his family) to have been in the eye of the storm. But Bart Stupak was not alone. In fact, until Sunday night, Stupak was going to be celebrated at the Susan B. Anthony List’s annual dinner.

I was one of those who wrote an obituary for the pro-life Democrat. But it’s not something I’m happy about. There’s no room in the national Democratic party today for such a creature with any self-respect. But I like competition, and I don’t think the demise of the pro-life Democrat is a good thing at all for America or human life.