Posted on 11/11/2009 1:01:33 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
For the first time, in a long time, there is actually some tangibility to the abortion debate in this country. Yes, after years of Democrats dodging around the issue by saying they don't approve of abortions, but favor a woman's right to choose (the same way they supported the troops but still were rooting against them in Iraq and Afghanistan) Democrats in the House were forced to vote whether they would support government-subsidized abortions as part of the new health care bill.
In an amendment to the House's health care bill, Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) proposed an amendment which essentially prohibits abortion coverage in the public insurance option included in the House bill and prevent private plans from offering coverage for abortion services if they accept people who are receiving government subsidies.
Sixty-four Democrats supported the amendment, and in turn the entire health care bill, which gave Speaker Nancy Pelosi the votes it needed to pass (220-215).
While some can chalk the Stupak amendment up as a victory to pro-life Republicans, ultimately it means nothing.
In an article from The Hill, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the Democrats’ chief deputy whip in the House, said that she and other pro-abortion rights lawmakers would work to strip the amendment included in the House health bill that bars federal funding from subsidizing abortions.
Pelosi has also insinuated that the amendment will be thrown out of committee, while President Obama said he'd like the language of the bill adjusted so that "neither side feels that it's being betrayed." Gee, why would anyone feel betrayed, just because they voted for the bill based on this amendment, and then watched as it was discarded like a blob of unwanted...paper? What would ever give them that idea?
Going even further, let's remove reality from the situation and say the Senate version of the bill has a similar anti-abortion stipulation, and the amendment isn't stripped out of the final version. The health care bill passes to much fanfare, with a stipulation against government coverage of abortions. Well, eventually someone on the public plan is going to be denied coverage for her abortion, sue, find a sympathetic liberal judge and have the amendment overruled anyway. If Democrats can find the right to abortion hidden somewhere in the text of the Constitution, they'll have no trouble finding a loophole in this 2,000-page behemoth of a health care bill.
Still, in the end, at least all but 64 Democratic representatives will have to go back home and campaign next fall with this vote hanging around their necks. You can imagine how many TV commercials will prominently feature "Democrat X supported government-funded abortions." They can try to twist their words as much as they want, but this vote is tangible evidence to be used for or against Democrats in the voting booths.
So maybe, eventually, this vote will make a difference after all.
Does this then constitute a fraudulent vote?
“You Lie!” - Joe Wilson
....only to have it reworded, disguised, and placed back in during conference.
I’d like to see commercials that spoke about the Rats being obsessed with expanding government control over all of our lives, while ignoring all of the jobs being lost.
Something like a family at the dinner table talking about how they get to have health care insurance now - but can’t afford to eat - and are being evicted from their house since they have no jobs. Thanks for having your priorities straight Rats!!!
I never thought I would be against an anti-Abortion amendment, but in this case, striking it from the bill would kill the bill, thus contributing to the greater good.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus
The ultimate purpose of the Constitution, according to the Constitution:
"...to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves AND OUR POSTERITY."
Trusting a Democrat is like trusting an Arab. You just can’t. Their “word” means nothing.
Just give Planned Parenthood a bigger cut and they’ll take it from there. We’re not stupid.
Once they're in our pocketbooks with this bill, they'll do whatever they like with the money. Oh, they might disguise the funding by routing it to other "non-abortion" uses - so that the existing funding for *those* programs (condoms for Africa, etc., etc., etc.) can be redirected to U.S. abortions.
Stupak's amendment may have done more harm than good.
Once they're in our pocketbooks with this bill, they'll do whatever they like with the money. Oh, they might disguise the funding by routing it to other "non-abortion" uses - so that the existing funding for *those* programs (condoms for Africa, etc., etc., etc.) can be redirected to U.S. abortions.
Stupak's amendment may have done more harm than good.
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