Outrage about the bankruptcy bill is growing, and not just among progressives. Tunesmith has proposed a “cross-blogosphere” coalition of progressives and conservatives opposed to the bill (and we’re thrilled to sign on). Instapundit and Redstate are on board as well.

The Democrats on the Credit Card Corps have come in for a lot of well-deserved abuse on this site. Their desertion of the middle class, the poor and the elderly was disgraceful. But I can see why conservatives are worried too: Republicans have at least as much to lose on this issue, and maybe more. Why?

First of all, pretty much everyone who doesn’t work in the Senate agrees that this bill is terrible (even if they don’t agree with Professor Warren’s description of the problem). Second, many Democrats are on record as opposing the bill, or at least trying to soften its harshest features. Republicans, on the other hand, have been in lock-step with the credit industry all the way. Third, the bill’s effects will fall disproportionately on red states; the ten states with the highest levels of bankruptcy all went for President Bush last year.

Still, Republican Senators seem hell-bent on punishing the decent, hard-working people who put them (and President Bush) in office. Exhibit A: Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT). He just won’t shut up about all the “deadbeats” using the bankruptcy system to avoid paying their debts.

Folks, Hatch’s very own Utah has the highest rate of bankruptcy in the nation—bankruptcies caused predominantly by illness, job loss and divorce. Hatch slanders his own constituents by implying that bankruptcy is the refuge of the dishonest, the immoral and the irresponsible.

Opposition to this bill is not a Democratic issue. Anyone who believes in free enterprise should oppose this bill. Anyone who wants to strengthen families should oppose this bill. And anyone who is disgusted by the corruption of our legislative process by special interests should oppose this bill.

I hope progressives, conservatives and everyone else will seize this opportunity to tell Congress that, partisan differences aside, we ALL want our representatives to represent us—not the narrow interests of their campaign donors.