The editorial comment, the punch line, is actually the important part. No, really:

If memory serves, Republicans went into the 2012 elections working on restricting contraception; cutting off Planned Parenthood; requiring medically-unnecessary ultrasounds; fighting equal-pay laws; and making some deeply unfortunate comments about rape. Graham and his allies apparently believe Republicans can go into the 2014 elections saying, “We learned a valuable lesson losing the last round of elections, so we’ve decided to do more of the same.”

Indeed, this will be all the more pronounced when GOP lawmakers have no other legislative accomplishments about which they can boast. I can hear the speeches now, “Sure, we failed to pass any meaningful bills, but don’t worry – when we weren’t shutting down the governing, we spent some time on culture-war legislation we knew in advance wouldn’t pass.”

(Benen)

Sure, it’s a bit sarcastic, and definitely bears a partisan tang, but that can all fall away in the sense that this really is a possibility as we look ahead to the 2014 midterm.

If it seemed odd when Sen. Lindsey Graham emerged as the point man for a twenty-week abortion ban, perhaps it seems even stranger to think the Republican from South Carolina, a seasoned and generally saavy political hand, actually thinks this is a winning plan, telling Robert Costa of National Review:

“The goal is to have a vote in 2014, to make sure we vote on it …. It’s worth having this debate. The more people understand what we’re trying to do, the more public support will grow over time.”

In other words, taking a controversial, unscientific stance on the issue will do … what? Then again, while the conventional wisdom is that it would behoove Republicans to stop annoying so many female voters, the conventional wisdom is frequently wrong.

So, who knows? Perhaps Sen. Graham is onto something.

If anyone knows what that is, please don’t hesitate to let the rest of us in on the joke secret … er … um … right. Please enlighten us.

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Benen, Steve. “Graham eyes culture war, 2014 midterms”. MSNBC. November 7, 2013.

Dinan, Stephen. “Lindsey Graham will lead charge in Senate for abortion ban after 20 weeks”. The Washington Times. November 3, 2013.

Costa, Robert. “Graham Introduces Abortion Bill”. The Corner. November 7, 2013.