EDITORIAL: Manufactured outrage

When Democrats don’t have a grievance to fret, you can be sure they’ll find something to fill the void. Such is the case right now in central Florida.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that the Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County are upset over a county official’s decision to hold voter registration drives at nine Chick-fil-A locations. The fast-food chain — known for putting faith ahead of profits — backs conservative causes.

Susan McGrath, leader of the Stonewall Democrats, termed it partisan to hold such drives at Chick-fil-A and said it might be more transparent to move the location to Republican Party headquarters.

Ms. McGrath added that the decision to use Chick-fil-A would be similar to a Democratic supervisor of elections holding the event at Planned Parenthood.

Oops.

The Huffington Post reported in August that Planned Parenthood will start registering voters at its clinics, on college campuses, online and at other locations in 45 states, “regardless of their background, beliefs or political ideology,” in an effort to get disenfranchised populations more involved in the political process.

So these Florida Democrats have their BVDs in a bunch because a voter registration drive will be held at a business associated with conservative values. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood — an organization fully aligned with the Democratic Party — is holding such events at its clinics, among a variety of sites.

Furthermore, keep in mind that Planned Parenthood receives $500 million a year in government funding — read: half-a-billion of your taxpayer dollars. You couldn’t even buy so much as a waffle fry or sip of sweet tea with Chick-fil-A’s federal handouts, let alone a chicken sandwich.

HotAir.com’s Jazz Shaw pointed out that Chick-fil-A is hosting a voter registration drive, not serving as a polling place. “You can argue that the eatery attracts more conservatives, so the percentage of Republicans filling out forms might be higher, but so what? Nobody is barred from participating.” Just like Planned Parenthood’s drive to register voters “regardless of ... political ideology.”

Mr. Shaw added. “Let’s all join in with Susan McGrath and the Pinellas County Democrats and demand that there be an immediate halt to voter registration at all Planned Parenthood clinics around the nation. ... It’s only fair, right?”

Of course, neither drive should be shut down. But to steal a line from “Spaceballs,” the “Star Wars” spoof from the 1980s: “What’s the matter, Ms. McGrath? Chikin?” Democrats should move on to their next manufactured grievance.