Stupak: If no Pro-Life Amendment, ‘About 40 Likeminded Democrats’ Will Vote to Kill Health Bill

CNSNews ^ | October 23, 2009 | Terence P. Jeffrey

[Mrs. Don-o]

Rep. Bart Stupak (D.-Mich.) told CNSNews.com yesterday that he has organized a group of “about 40 likeminded Democrats” who will vote to kill the health-care bill if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) does not allow a floor vote on his amendment to prohibit federal funds from going to insurance plans that cover abortion.

Under Stupak’s plan, the approximately 40 Democrats in his camp would join with all House Republicans in voting to defeat the special House “rule” that would set the terms for debating and amending the health-care bill on the House floor when it is brought up for a final vote. If a majority of the House does not first vote to approve this rule, the health-care bill itself cannot be brought to the floor.

“We will try to—we, there’s about 40 likeminded Democrats like myself—we’ll try to take down the rule,” Stupak told CNSNews.com. “If all 40 of us vote in a bloc against the rule—because we think the Republicans will join us—we can defeat the rule. The magic number is 218. If we can have 218 votes against the rule, we win.”

“If you hold all 40 of your guys, how many votes do you have?” asked CNSNews.com.

“About 220,” said Stupak.

“So, you’ve got a two-vote margin there?” asked CNSNews.com

“Correct,” said Stupak.

If Stupak’s bloc of Democrats holds together against a rule, Stupak said, “They cannot bring the bill to the floor.”

[Mrs. Don-o]

Prolife DEMOCRATS may block the Healthcare Bill from Hell. Let's give them the support they need!

[Mrs. Don-o]

ACTION: Contact Rep. Louise Slaughter and members of the House rules Committee and ask them to allow a vote on the Stupak-Pitts amendment to stop abortion funding in health care. Email Slaughter here and go to this link to find a list of the members of the committee. (The link has the names in clickable format so you can then click on through to their web pages.)

You can also call any member of Congress at 202-224-3121.

And please...

PERSONAL-MESSAGE ME IF YOU WANT TO BE TAKEN OFF OF MY LIST.

I'm asking for "Personal Message" so I see it and act on it promptly. Thank you for your consideration.

[Cicero]

Good for him. Pro-life is the bottom line for me. I support small government, constitutional freedoms, and all the rest, but for me killing millions of innocent babies is the worst political crime our country has involved itself in.

Nothing is more important than that. And the voters should hold these Democrats to it.

In fact, they would, if they knew what was going on. Good for Stupak for coming out and saying what needs to be said.

[DarthVader]

They are feeling the heat from the voters.

[EternalVigilance]

BUMP.

[ArrogantBustard]

If they’re feeling the heat .. turn it up.

A pro-life provision is the bare minimum ... really, I’d rather see the whole so-called “health care reform” idea go down in flames.

[DarthVader]

I want the whole enchilada dead to and my congressman does too.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Agreed. But pushing Stupak's amendment is the best (maybe only) way we have right now to build up a head of steam and take back the momentum. Assuming Madame Pelosi blocks it, as expected, then we (and the blessed, blessed, blessed pro-life Dem allies) are in a position to kill the whole damned bill.

[ArrogantBustard]

quite ... it’s a good tactic. I’m convinced that Pelosi et al. are unalterably dedicated to their unholy sacrament of abortion.

[1raider1]

I didn’t see my congressman on the list of members. Can I still write to that committee?

[Cyber Liberty]

He’s lying.

[oh8eleven]

If no Pro-Life Amendment ...
What about the no Illegal Alien Amendment?

[Blood of Tyrants]

If that is all they need to pass the biggest federal power grab in history, then I bet that Pelosi caves.

[Mrs. Don-o]

YES!

[Mrs. Don-o]

"He’s lying."

Stupak? No way. What possesses you to say such a thing?

• Stupak wrote the Weldon-Stupak Bill to Ban Human Cloning (a bill strongly supproted by Bush)
• Voted NO on allowing human embryonic stem cell research.
• Voted YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions.
• Voted YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime.
• Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortion
• Voted YES to support health providers who don't provide abortion info
• Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in foreign aid
• Has a 100% National Right to Life voting record.
• Rated 0% by NARAL (ABORTION RIGHTS GROUP)

Stupak's the real deal, and I give credit where credit is due.

[wagglebee]

Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee or DirtyHarryY2K to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.

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[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

[Cyber Liberty]

He’s not lying because of how he will vote. He’s lying when he says he has 40 friends. He does not.

[katiekins1]

Prolife DEMOCRATS may block the Healthcare Bill from Hell. Let's give them the support they need!

*Profile* is key. Don't be fooled. I promise, I won't be.
I am not sorry to say, I don't trust any Profile DEMORATS. (Period!). Be cautious.

[MHGinTN]

Presently, there is not one democrat who shopuld be trusted. None! They lie and theyu try an means to manipulate. It is a well known fatc that Nazi Pelosi and Stinky Hoyer get a count of votes to pass one of their slug bills, then give some dems cover to vote against to fool their back home constituencies. Trust no democrat at this stage because they are in a last ditch effort to institute the Cloward-Piven startegy and end the old republic while sweeping into effect the federal oligarchy they’ve had wet dreams over for decades. Trust no democrat, believ nothing any democrat asserts. Wait to see what they do, never accept what they say.

[OneWingedShark]

>Wait to see what they do, never accept what they say.

The same could, and should, be said with regard to Republicans.

[SunkenCiv]

Hey!

[Mrs. Don-o]

Well, there's no justification for calling him a liar, and I defend him as an honorable man. He thinks he has the support. It's never a mathematical certainty: all politics is a matter of guesstimation and calculation. And I'm betting he has more relevant and timely information about that than you do.

[Mrs. Don-o]

That's to say, keep the heat on.

Democrats AND Republicans.

I'll take a Stupak over tem thousand Snowes any day.

[potlatch]

Thanks for the ping. I pray these 40 Democrats stick with it and maybe more!

[grellis]

If you would like to be added or dropped from the Michigan ping list, please freepmail me.

[grellis]

Oh you! Got me LOLing, you did

[Republic of Texas]

Hell, I doubt we could get 40 Republicans to do that. Either way, it has to die.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

Now comes the “cordinated excuse” wagon when this doesn’t pass. Like demoRATS bailing from a sinking ship.

(Joker voice) “And here we.........go!!!”

[Mrs. Don-o]

Kee-rect. Keep the heat on every blasted one of them.

And if Pelosi, for instance, is a tyrannical twit for saying she can pass it without Republicans, then we are worse than imbeciles if we think we can block it without Democrats.

[Salvation]

Good news bump.

[Darren McCarty]

Stupak isn't my favorite and he's a bit of a chameleon, but he's great on the life issue and he's good when it comes to constituent service. That's why he wins his swing district.

Most democrats in his district are yellow dog, social conservative retirees, government workers, Chippewa, or in the paper industry.

[GlennBeck08]

The abortion issue is one I actually appreciate Rep. Stupak on. I don’t think he’ll ever vote in a pro-death way.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[SuziQ]

I guess this will be ‘put up, or shut up’ time for all those supposedly pro-life Democrats who were elected in 2006 and 2008.

[albie]

They’re not feeling enough heat because they’re still messin’ with this POS bill! None of it should be considered! We’re lowering the bar of our standards if we think it’s a victory to get the paid abortion portion removed. Big f’n deal.

[albie]

“Stupak: If no Pro-Life Amendment, ‘About 40 Likeminded Democrats’ Will Vote to Kill Health Bill”

...yaaaay for Stupak!~sarc He’s here to save the day!!!~sarc My hero!~sarc...this a%%hole sure thinks a lot of himself! Believes his constituents will vote him back in because he’s here to “save the babies”, “save the taxpayer”, whatever other horse squeeze he wants us to believe. Vote Stupak OUT!!!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[DarthVader]

Listen here buttface! You are presumptuous in your posts to both myself and Mrs. D-ono in thinking that we are “happy” and accepting of this result. How dare you imply that? We want no government run health care period!

[BenKenobi]

Wow, good for Stupak. Can we exchange her for Snowe and a ham sandwich?

[DarthVader]

Stupak is a he not a she. There are no women named Bart!

[stephenjohnbanker]

Thank YOU for the post.

[albie]

“You are presumptuous in your posts to both myself and Mrs. D-ono in thinking that we are “happy” and accepting of this result. How dare you imply that?”

...since you posed this as a question, I’ll answer. Simply typing a rant doesn’t “imply” anything, nor was it meant to. Your use of the word “buttface” does imply that I’m dealing with a 3rd grade mentality.

[Mrs. Don-o]

You’re welcome :o)

[trisham]

bump!

[BenKenobi]

Typo! Meant to type in he. My apologies!

[ConservativeStLouisGuy]

Next day BUMP!

[ConservativeStLouisGuy]

One for the FR archives...

Congressman Says He Now Has ‘About 40 Likeminded Democrats’ Who Will Vote to Kill Health Bill if He Doesn’t Get Floor Vote on Pro-Life Amendment

Rep. Bart Stupak (D.-Mich.) told CNSNews.com yesterday that he has organized a group of “about 40 likeminded Democrats” who will vote to kill the health-care bill if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) does not allow a floor vote on his amendment to prohibit federal funds from going to insurance plans that cover abortion.

Under Stupak’s plan, the approximately 40 Democrats in his camp would join with all House Republicans in voting to defeat the special House “rule” that would set the terms for debating and amending the health-care bill on the House floor when it is brought up for a final vote. If a majority of the House does not first vote to approve this rule, the health-care bill itself cannot be brought to the floor.

“We will try to—we, there’s about 40 likeminded Democrats like myself—we’ll try to take down the rule,” Stupak told CNSNews.com. “If all 40 of us vote in a bloc against the rule—because we think the Republicans will join us—we can defeat the rule. The magic number is 218. If we can have 218 votes against the rule, we win.”

“If you hold all 40 of your guys, how many votes do you have?” asked CNSNews.com.
 
“About 220,” said Stupak.
 
“So, you’ve got a two-vote margin there?” asked CNSNews.com
 
“Correct,” said Stupak.

If Stupak’s bloc of Democrats holds together against a rule, Stupak said, “They cannot bring the bill to the floor.”
 
Stupak’s amendment was defeated by a vote of 28 to 30 in the House Energy and Commerce Committee, when that committee was drafting its version of the health-care bill. Stupak’s serves on the committee and is chairman of its Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.

Stupak said that House Rules Committee Chairman Louise Slaughter (D.-N.Y.) has told him there is “no way” her committee will write a rule that allows a floor vote on his amendment.  The Democratic majority on the Rules Committee, Stupak said, acts on the direction of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The health care bill approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee creates health insurance “exchanges” in each state. These “exchanges” would sell government-approved health insurance plans. The bill would also provide federal subsidies to people making up to 400 percent of the poverty level to use when buying insurance plans in the exchange.
 
The committee approved an amendment sponsored by Rep. Lois Capps (D.-Calif.) that would require that there be at least one health care plan in each exchange that covers abortions. People would be able to buy these abortion-covering insurance plans with federal subsidies, although they would also be required to pay an extra premium of at least $1 to theoretically pay for the abortion part of their coverage.  Stupak and other pro-lifers—including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops--argue that money is fungible and that any federal funds going to an insurance plan that covers abortions is in fact a federal subsidy of abortion. 

Stupak’s amendment--which mirrors the language of the Hyde amendment that is incorporated each year into various appropriations bills including the Health and Human Services appropriation--would prohibit federal funds from paying for any part of a health plan that covers abortions.
 
Stupak told CNSNews.com that although he has about 40 votes now to kill the rule for the health-care bill if Speaker Pelosi does not allow a floor vote on his amendment, he said that situation could change when the rule is brought to the floor and the voting on it actually takes place.
 
When the vote is going on, Stupak said, the Democratic leadership will “twist arms” and try to persuade the 40 would-be defectors to fall back in line with the party.

There are 435 seats in the House of Representatives. The Democrats hold 256 of these seats, the Republicans hold 177, and there are two vacancies--which will be filled in special elections held on Tuesday, Nov. 3. One of those vacancies is in the California district that was represented by Democrat Ellen Tauscher before she was appointed undersecretary of state for arms control and international security by President Obama. The other is in the upstate New York district that was represented by Republican Rep. John McHugh, who was named by President Obama as secretary of the army.
 
CNSNews.com asked Speaker Pelosi on Friday whether she would allow a vote on Stupak’s amendment when the health care bill comes up on the floor. 

“We’re just finishing our conferencing on this legislation,” said Pelosi. “We haven’t even gone through the procedure as to what we’ll do on the floor, if there even are any amendments on the floor.”
 
“We will have legislation that will be, I think, compatible with the thinking of our members who have this concern,” she said. Here is a video of the complete interview with Rep. Bart Stupak (D.-Mich):

Here is a partial transcript of CNSNews.com interview with Rep. Bart Stupak (D.-Mich.):
 
Jeffrey: Assuming that the course we’re on now continues and Congresswomen Slaughter does not allow a vote on your amendment [in] the rule—the rule [that must be approved] before the actual health-care bill that Speaker Pelosi presents to the House can be voted on--the House will have to vote on the rule itself setting the terms of debate--
 
Stupak: Correct.
 
Jeffrey: What are you going to do then?
 
Stupak: We will try to—we, there’s about 40 likeminded Democrats like myself—we’ll try to take down the rule. If all 40 of us vote in a bloc against the rule—because we think the Republicans will join us—we can defeat the rule. The magic number is 218. If we can have 218 votes against the rule, we win.
 
Jeffrey: If you hold all 40 of your guys how many votes do you have?
 
Stupak: About 220.
 
Jeffrey: So, you’ve got a two-vote margin there.
 
Stupak: Correct.

Jeffrey: So, you hold those 40, the rule comes up, they have a vote on the rule itself, 220 congressman vote against it, and 215 vote for it, then you win, and they cannot move forward to the health care bill.
 
Stupak: They cannot bring the bill to the floor

[DarthVader]

No problemo! :0)

[DarthVader]

It does matter and makes you come across as condescending which is what provokes a negative response rather than agreement on the issue which we do.

[ZULU]

Lets hope the abortion issue puts a stake into the heart of the Health Plan.

It is also genocidal by targeting senior citizens by limiting their health care.

Not for ONE MINUTE do I believe Obama’s “grandparents” in Hawaii were REALLY his grandparents, nor do I believe the long dead flakey flower child he claims as a mother really produced him.

He is a true Manchurian Candidate - an enigma created by George Soros and the Saudis to destroy America.