How many House Republicans voted for Obamacare?
NRTL -— Evil, or just Stupid?
October/November 2009 and ObamaCare was stalled in the House, the main sticking point being government funded abortions. There were enough Dems opposed to abortion that refused to vote for the ObamaCare if it contained any abortion language that it would not pass.
Representative Stupak (D) MI introduced his amendment that prohibited any government money from ObamaCare bill being used to fund abortions. This essentially would end all abortions, as no medical procedures outside the ObamaCare System can be done. No going to a doctor and paying him directly for anything. Thus, with his amendment, ALL abortions would be illegal.
This amendment to the House bill, if it passed, would give the above ‘Pro-Life’ Democrats a green light to vote for the ObamaCare bill.
Not enough Democrats supported the Stupak Amendment for it to pass. Many Democrats were vociferously opposed to it. It could only pass with Republican votes.
National Right to Life favored the Stupak Amendment, and insisted that Republicans vote for it. Further, they threatened any Republican who didn’t vote for it with their active opposition to that Republican during the 2010 fall election.
The Republicans caved, even those who could see the eventual outcome, right down to the last man. One hundred percent voted for the Stupak Amendment, along with a bunch of Dems who were opposed to abortions. Stupak handily passed.
Nobody believed the Amendment would stick; eventually it would/will be overridden in some fashion and that Government funded abortion would become part of ObamaCare.
With a green light, the ’Pro-Life’ Dems could vote for ObamaCare, and although many hard-line Leftists were angry, enough of them also could see the end game, and agreed to vote pass ObamaCare.