Stupak, working with GOP, trying to sink Nelson's abortion compromise

Politico ^ | 12/19/09 1:51 PM EST | Ben Smith

[BP2]

An aide to Rep. Bart Stupak (D. Mich.) coordinated opposition to a Senate compromise on the place of abortion in health care legislation this morning with the Republican Senate leadership, the Conference Catholic Bishops, and other anti-abortion groups, according to a chain of frantic emails obtained this morning by POLITICO.

The emails show that Stupak — who has so far remained silent on language accepted by Senator Ben Nelson (D. Neb.) and faces intense pressure from the White House to accept it — is already working behind the scenes to oppose the compromise.

They also demonstrate a previously unseen degree of coordination between Stupak and the office of Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

Stupak is the leader of a group of pro-life Democrats who say they’ll oppose the sweeping legislation if it uses government money to pay for abortion, while McConnell is firmly committed to killing the legislation. The fact that the two have made common cause against the Senates health care compromise will likely further infuriate Stupak’s Democratic colleagues in the House, and demonstrates his willingness to stop any bill that doesn’t pass his test.

“Guys - when will we see your letters of opposition to the managers amendment?? We need them ASAP!” wrote Erika Smith, a Stupak aide, at 9:23 this morning, less than an hour after the amendment had become available.

The email’s recipients included key staffers for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, National Right to Life, the Family Research Council, as well as Autumn Fredericks Christensen, aide to a top pro-life Republican Joe Pitts, and Lanier Swann, a McConnell aide.

A minute after Smith sent out her plea, Lanier reiterated it to the list.

“Nelson is telling people in the building he will vote yes. If there was any time to weigh in against this deal —- THIS IS IT,” Swann wrote at 9:24 a.m.

As of early Saturday afternoon, the groups had not released statements on the compromise.

Stupak, too, has remained silent, and Stupak aides, including Smith, did not immediately respond to questions about the email chain.

The manager’s amendment, which emerged after hours of negotiations between Nelson and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, stops short of the total ban on health insurance plans that participate in a new exchange system offering abortion coverage. Instead, it includes a provision that allows states to prohibit abortion coverage in the exchanges.

The amendment also requires that health plans that provide abortion services separate, for accounting purposes, private premiums and federal funds, and ensure that the federal funds don't pay for abortion services, a maneuver derided in the past by anti-abortion groups as a shell game.

The compromise paved the way for a Senate vote on President Obamas top priority, but the frantic emails this morning suggest the House may remain an obstacle.

[Brytani]

Sarcastic post or not how DARE YOU put ALL women into the catagory of supporting abortion?

There would not be a single person born in this country if all these women, as you claim, were pro-abortion.

The fact is that a radical group of feminists were able to change the culture of this country with help of both MEN and women.

Do you realize how many women have never, would never and work to end the ability of other women to have an abortion?

You have called EVERY female Freeper a murderer, you have called every single pro-life woman a murderer and you owe these “babes” as you call them an apology.

A non-sarcastic one at that.

[tallyhoe]

If he votes no on Cloture then Health Care bill is dead it only takes one Democrat to vote with the Republicans!!! it is the cloture vote that matters!!!!!!!

[redstateconfidential]

Maybe the Arabs are right about women after all......

[RushLake]

I have heard Stupak's virtues extolled by various commentators ever since the "Stupak Amendment" made the news cycle. IMO, Stupak is late to the pro-life game and I think, and so do other Michiganians, that he has ulterior motives.

Stupak was a rabid supporter/campaigner for b. hussein obama in his run for the presidency. As most people know who come to FR and in the world in general, when Zer0 was an Illinois state senator he supported legislation that mandated that babies born alive during a botched abortion were to be left to die without any medical help. Maobama is nothing but a barbarian, and anyone who supports him knowing about his legislative agenda is a barbarian. Ergo....

Stupak is in a safe district in Michigan and enjoys kool aid sipper support from people who normally vote Republican, the media in his area and in the state are also sycophantic. I have often heard people who ought to know better state prior to voting for his reelection, "He does a good job." Or words to that effect.

Clueless Jenny Granholm is an abject failure as governor. She and her union goon supporters have anointed her lieutenant governor, John Cherry as her successor in Lansing. Cherry will continue the Granholm tradition of taxing the pennies on our eyes and everything that moves or doesn't. There is a school of thought in Michigan that Stupak will seek the nomination next year. Perhaps he decided to be more loudly rabid anti-abortion in preparation for that gubernatorial run. Stupak is young enough to do two tours as governor then move on to the US Senate to replace, perhaps, (She's hardly Li'l) Debbie Stabusall. Just sayin'...

[DoughtyOne]

Brytani, this little ode was written to the left.

If you’ll give this a moment’s thought, you’ll realize that they have fought this battle for ALL women. Therefore I have to address this in terms they can identify with.

Good grief, the ability for some people to overlook the mountain to find a spec of sand they find objectionable.

[DoughtyOne]

Isn’t it interesting the lack of Leftist criticism for how Arab women are treated?

[StAnDeliver]

"I so thoroughly resent the fact that these godless socialists are attempting to do all of this during the week of Christmas. At a time when we all should be focused on the Savior's birth, we are being devastated by our country's death. I find it despicable beyond measure."

And therein lies the way to defeat the whole thing.

[Josephat]

Please elaborate.

[Desdemona]

Is it really the women who've won? After all they fell for the line that all they have to do is "get rid of the baby." Now, women are the ones that have to live with PTSD, depression, flashbacks, guilt - and that's just the mental issues. There's far more devastating physical ones.

No, Satan put a stamp on this one and convinced women to betray themselves.

[jesseam]

This is a no brainer. Stupak is a democrat and will be bought off when the price is right. There are NO pro life democraps.

[Friendofgeorge]

Pick up arms and revolt you say???

If Obama is reelected in 2012 that will be the only option. He will remake the Supreme Court in his own warped image. Churches will be forced to take crosses off the outside of buildings because it will be ruled offensive to non believers. The right to own a gun will be quickly over turned, it will be terrible any way you slice it.

But on the other hand if Sarah Palin is elected in 2012, anything is possible.

[jersey117]

If Obama is reelected in 2012

If that POS is reelected in 2012, as much as I love my country, I'm outta here. They'll not get another dime from me.

[jersey117]

If he votes no on Cloture then Health Care bill is dead it only takes one Democrat to vote with the Republicans!!!

Does one man have the guts to go against the WH and the entire rat congress? I doubt it. They'll use the same threats and bribes on him as they used on the others. They are evil snakes and I wish nothing but evil on all of them.

[StAnDeliver]

"There is a school of thought in Michigan that Stupak will seek the nomination next year. Perhaps he decided to be more loudly rabid anti-abortion in preparation for that gubernatorial run. Stupak is young enough to do two tours as governor then move on to the US Senate to replace, perhaps, (She's hardly Li'l) Debbie Stabusall."

Interesting analysis, given Cherry is beatable (and so's Lil' Debbie), but his war chest has to be overcome -- not impossible. Bruising primary leaves it open for a conservative in the general.

[littleharbour]

More false hope. They’ll work the numbers so that the most vulnerable Dems in Republican-majority districts will be permitted to vote against the compromise, which will pass by two votes. The few on the brink will be bribed and/or threatened to get onside. This one’s in the bag. Your only hope is a 2012 trifecta, which would permit the Republicans to repeal the bill. By no means a slam dunk, considering you Yanks re-elected the Pervert in Chief in the face of clear evidence of perjury, sleaze and corruption.

[DoughtyOne]

I don’t disagree with that at all.

[DoughtyOne]

Of course that’s the Conservative’s view of this. It’s certainly not the Left’s view of it.

[mad_as_he$$]

It's that pesky critical thinking thing that many lack.

[Brytani]

Then make your address to liberal women, not to all.

Sarcasm or not, those of us who’ve fought against those that believe the wholesale murder of 50 million babies is nothing but wonderful do not deserve to be nor wish to be lumped in with those who worship at the altar of abortion.

I didn’t ask them to “battle” for me anymore then I asked you to lump all women into your sarcastic screed.

[JillValentine]

Maybe the Arabs are right about women after all......

That did it.

Rampant woman-bashing, with women being blamed for everything from abortion (which was legalized by five male Supreme Court justices) to 9/11.

Vicious bigotry against Hispanics, with ignorant asswipes unable (or unwilling) to tell the difference between ILLEGAL ALIEN and U.S. CITIZEN WHO HAPPENS TO BE HISPANIC.

Calling every sensible, mainstream Republican from Palin to Reagan a RINO and flaming anyone who doesn't support kooks like Tom Tancredo, Alex Jones, and Chuck Baldwin.

A stifling atmosphere of populist anti-intellectualism and knee-jerk hatred of science, with posters proudly wallowing in their ignorance and attacking anyone who has an actual education from an accredited university. Gore-bull warming is not BS because it's science, it's BS because it ISN'T science. Science is not the enemy.

Rabid attacks on anyone who recognizes the basic truth of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, the baiting and banning of posters who support said theory, and now the same crap against anyone who simply believes that the earth is billions of years old.

Glorifying idiots who stoop to tactics normally used by the Far Left, such as Ben Stein and his Michael Moore-like propaganda movie, the jerkoffs in the Schiavo case who sent their ten-year-old kid to be arrested, and the pro-death extremists who bomb abortion clinics and shoot doctors.

Militant rants against homosexuals that go far beyond a healthy skepticism of the liberal gay agenda and into true bigotry and hatred, with routine calls for pogroms against gay people.

A growing tolerance for increasingly vile anti-Semitism and 9/11 Troofery.

Screeds against capitalism and free trade from idiots who don't know enough economics to run a lemonade stand.

People putting their own personal, petty causes ahead of supporting our troops.

Religious bigotry from the Talibornagain against Catholics, Jews, atheists, agnostics, moderate Protestants, and especially Mormons.

The banning of an ever-growing number of thoughtful, intelligent posters who have been here for years, and their replacement with a bunch of drone-like, unthinking n00bs who love Lyin' for the Lord (TM).

Simple policy debates and even prayer requests turning into circular firing squads - and creationist BS threads started by GodGunsGuts (AKA GotsNoGuts) turning into circle jerks when he calls his stupid little ping list over because he's not enough of a man to take a stand on his own.

To my FReeper friends, it's been fun. To the others...I will no longer take orders from inmates who have been handed control of the asylum. Mr. Robinson, please close my account.