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.

[Thunder Smurf]

You kick serious @$$, Girl.

Outstanding Kung-Fu.

[b_sharp]

That was simply brilliant.

However, it is sad that yet another intelligent, well educated person is chased away from here.

[BP2]

To my FReeper friends, it's been fun ... Mr. Robinson, please close my account.

WOW! What a tirade!

I respect your opinion, but not once in that entire rant did you stand up for the person who has the LEAST amount of Civil Rights in our society — the unborn child, who lacks the ability to defend him or her self.

It's up to JimRob to grant your request.

But in the meantime, please accept this as a consolation prize:

[Admin Moderator]

Get out. Hate women elsewhere.

[SuzanneC]

I’ve been here for quite a while and find it a shame that the trolls have run off so many good folks.

[BillyA]

Trolls?

I’m starting to think the crazies are the new STANDARD!

[BillyA]

Sorry to see you go... but you lasted lots longer than the others who tried to tell these misogynists a thing or two.

All the best,

BADDetc.

[carolina71]

I don’t know who Jill Valentine is but I miss her already.

It’s a sad day when we narrow our world, person by person and for what? To hear what we want to hear, say what we want to say with nary a consideration and then expect everyone to agree.

Jill Valentine, I wish you the best.

[truthkeeper]

Please...never trust a rat.

[ohioWfan]

It's an indication to me, Faith, that it is indeed the Evil One who is controlling their moves.

May God protect this nation from this hideous, baby-killing bill.

[Daryl L.Hunter]

I think it may be possible to poison pill this legislation.

What Reid gave Nelson I would think would be a violation of The Fourteenth Amendment. If the republican Senators demanded equal protection (benefits) therefore it would make the bill so expensive it couldn't pass muster with the General accounting office.

[TNCMAXQ]

Hard to imagine the House defeating this bill, or some form of it. Now that they have built up so much momentum and the expectations are so high, I suspect they would pull every dirty trick they can. If they don’t it would be a huge blow to zer0’s presidency. I don’t think Grandma Nancy wants to hold the responsibility for that.

[BlueStateBlues]

Nelson pulled a fast one on everyone. Stupak, if he trusted him at all, should have either known better or will know better in the future.

[RobFromGa]

JillV.

You are an intelligent voice that will be missed... we need everyone who is against big liberal Government we can get...

We are in the fight of our lives, and we’re attacking each other... makes no sense to me.

RobFromGa

[BP2]

Nelson pulled a fast one on everyone. Stupak, if he trusted him at all, should have either known better or will know better in the future.

I have seen nothing but incompetence from this president and Congress. They're more out of touch than any group of politicians I've ever seen, and I doubt they'd recognize a sucker punch if they saw if coming.

The various special interests have — quite effectively — used their political influence to wedge out from the Libs:
1) cheap prescriptions
2) single payer
3) price controls on insurance plans
4) taxes on "Cadillac" insurance plans (for the Unions)
5) free abortions, ETC
They are as pissed and/or disillusioned as they ever were with Bush/Gore in 2000 or HillaryCare in 1993.

What a better way to stop cold a "reformist" President like Obama than to CRIPPLE him by making it IMPOSSIBLE to PLEASE all of the various self-service factions of the Left. It may not have been the original plan, but to me, it seems the Perfect Storm is about to break on ObamaCare.

Perhaps it's to early to put up the Admiral Ackbar graphic. But if true, Obama and the Progressives are marching to their doom, even though the polls AND the most-radical of their Base are screaming, "Don't do it!" Pray I'm right.

[DoughtyOne]

I’ll make my posts as I see fit, and you can disagree as you see fit. Take care.

[ari-freedom]

who cares about evolution? It has zero relevance to people’s lives today. Millions of babies are being killed, obama is taking over health care, the country is about to go broke, iran is close to getting nuclear weapons and you’re just running off like Little Green Footballs.

[DoughtyOne]

You have read this post, and may have been angered or upset by it.  I'm going to take the time to explain what I was trying to say and accomplish, realizing that you probably won't be happy anyway.  While that sounds like a put-down, it's not.  It's an acknowledgment that you and I can differ on the matter.  I merely accept that you may continue to disagree.

I still wanted to address the post with specifics to the misogynist overtones you perceived.  After that, there's not much more I can say.  In life you have to realize other people will not always understand or agree with you.  This is probably going to be one of those times.

I tried to ping everyone who obviously was or may have been offended by my comments.

Here goes.

I've been following the abortion debate for decades.  While I've followed it, I have been intrigued by the trail of little human body parts, leading to the feet of the leftists, their leaders, politicians, and judges.

Is there a word missing there?  Hmmm, what could that word be?  Oh yes.  WOMEN

Evidently, some people read this and thought all leftists, their leaders, politicians, and judges were women.

From the get-go, I was addressing the activists that pushed for and still push for abortion rights for all women.  From here on out (for the most part), I address the issue by lampooning the mindset of the Left, regarding this issue.

ALL WOMEN are supposed to have the right to an abortion according to the left.  All women are supposed to have won some big civil rights battle, championed by the Left.

Are you able to see that at all?  I'm not sure you are.

There's little arms and legs, hands and feet, heads and hearts.  Oh look, there's another one almost intact.  Oh God, is that one moving?  Aren't we proud.  I mean let's take a bow folks.  Women have the God given right to do this.  Body parts, big intelligent women.  Body parts, big intelligent women.

You are a leftist.  You have fought your whole life to make sure women can kill their fetuses.

I am not saying women are to blame here.  I am lampooning the Leftist mentality/argument that all women should be able to kill their fetuses at will.  I am lampooning the idea that we should respect women who chose to abort.  I am lampooning the idea, that the Left supports women's right to choose above the right of the fetus to live.

I am lampooning, the vision of the Left with regard to what women should be able to do.  I want the left to read something like this and say to themselves, my God, is that what I look like?  Am I a person who can actually have the little bits of a human being scraped out of me with no guilt, or regard for it's life?  Am I a person who cares nothing about the innocent child inside?

You know, it's just hard sometimes to deny the obvious.  Women have won out here.  They deserve our respect.  40 million dead fetuses and growing, women have proven who is the morally superior being.  Even more important, they have proven who is the more politically powerful being.  Kudos babes.

Folks, I know you see this as me trashing all women.  Who thinks all women have won out here?  Me?  No.

I think what takes place takes a terrible toll on women.  I think women have lost.  So what mindset am I addressing here?  Can't you see that I am miming the Left, making a statement here that expresses their mindset?  They think women have won something great.  They think women who abort should be respected.  My comment about 40 million and growing, was meant to lampoon the left for expressing a positive attitude about it.  Why women are morally superior if they support choice.  If you think women on college campuses that oppose abortion are respected, think again.  So yeah, I included the statement, "Kudos Babes."

Who really says that?  Me?  Do you really think I say kudos babes?  It's the Left that says that.  I want them to see that comment.  I want it to sink in, the congratulations for what is taking place.  Let them see their congratulations for women having 40 million abortions.  When it hits 50 million, we should have a day of celebration, lampooning the left.  Honestly, I can't think of a better way to trash the left for what they have accomplished.

We should celebrate by congratulating the left for facilitating the deaths of 50 million human beings.  I say we throw a party for them.  Tie this genocidal travesty around their necks.

There are movies made about the planet being destroyed by the acts of humans.  They're actually a hoot when you realize how absurd they are.  I know a movie that wouldn't be absurd.  It would show the trail of little human body parts.  It would involve a person alien to this planet.  It would involve Him condemning parts of the human race for what they have participated in.  Oh wait.

It's not a movie.  God will have His vengeance on this.  You mark my word.

Were those two paragraphs directed at women?  Did I even use the word WOMEN once in there?  Folks, you need to understand that I am condemning people who advocate for abortion.  I am doing so by adopting their mindset, and making audacious comments that will reveal what they are doing for what it is.  In these two paragraphs, I drop out of that for a moment, to address abortion for what it is.  It's a sin that will be addressed by God.  And I think that God will be very angry at what has been done to the innocent fetuses that have been aborted.

While each woman will have to answer for what they have done, it is the advocates on the Left that will answer for every abortion.  It is the advocates on the left that have facilitated what is taking place.  They will have to answer for every one of the tens of millions of lives that were snuffed out.

Individual women, will not, unless they were one of the activists who pushed for abortion on demand.

Members of our government elite, you have given women the right to destroy human life at will.  You have acted as if this was a right gifted from on high.  Well, I think you have sold women short.  Why should this right be limited?

Okay, here I address who made it possible for women to have abortions at will.   I also set the stage for the next paragraph where I am going to equate ending of some human life, with the ending other human life.

I call for all women to be able to end life any time they like.  Today, as of this moment on, women should have the right kill anyone they like.  They should be able to kill their children, their husbands, their other family members, their friends, their boss, and even government office holders.  It is a matter of choice, and women should have it.

Is anyone still thinking I'm trashing women here?  Am I not trashing the stupidity of the premise that women should be able to kill the unborn?  Am I not lampooning the Leftists who claim women should have choice.  Am I not suggesting an absurdity to reflect another absurdity?

Killing human life is killing human life.  I've been on the wrong side for decades.  Women deserves choice.  I agree.

Once again, isn't it obvious here, I'm trashing the people who claim women should be able to kill at will?

Women of the human race, I bow to your superior intellect.

This is a lampoon of the activist Leftist mindset.  It says, women are superior because they have a right to kill at will.  Do you think they are superior because they have a right to kill at will?  Do I think they are superior because they have a right to kill?  No.  Once again, the Leftists think women should be able to kill at will.  And so they grant them the power to do as they please with their fetuses.  Here I state that we should be bowing, because I want to point out how absurd it is, that leftists think women who want to kill their fetuses, are superior beings.  I include all women here, because the Left thinks every women wants the right to abort, and they should have that right.

Men are not allowed to make this choice.  For the record they are not allowed to stop abortions either.  I am not slamming women.  I am slamming the absurdity of the leftist mindset that gifts women with a choice men are not capable (in their estimation) of making.

At least one of you brought up this point, as if men were making abortion decisions also.  I'm not here to argue that point pro or con, but I think we can safely say that the leftists do not recognize a man's right to be involved in this choice.  A guy doesn't have to give permission for an abortion to take place, and there's no amount of energy a man can expend to block one.  So lets leave that debate for the Leftists.

If any of you have seen the leftists champion the right of men to abort, please let me know.

You fought for equal rights.  You stood your ground.  You won.  And this is what you did with it.

I'm not sure if folks remember the civil rights activities of N.O.W. and other groups.  Along with work-place demands, there were other demands.  These groups wanted women to be free from having to bear an unwanted child in the interest of equality.  Men didn't have to be tied down to kids they didn't want.  These groups thought women shouldn't have to either..

No, not all women fought for this right.  I agree, but those who professed to hold the superior intellect, did.  They demanded women have access to certain types of medical care that facilitated the abortion mills we have today.  And so I lampooned them.

Were those of you who were upset with me here, under the impression that Conservative women were involved with pushing for equal rights, standing their ground, and winning access to abortions?  Did I really need to explain in detail who I was talking about here?

I am so proud of you.

Well, I'm not proud of women who pushed the envelope so that women could have abortion on demand.  I'm being sarcastic here much the same as I was during most of this post.  The Left is proud of them.  I want people to read the absurdity of that comment, and realize there actually are people out there WHO ARE PROUD OF THEM.

Be still little ones who still writhe in pain.  Yours is such a small price to pay.  Sorry women, I didn't mean to ignore you for a moment there...

Folks, I'm just coming off addressing the demand of the Leftists to give women the right to abort on demand.  Early on I touched on the idea of contrasting little body parts with grown women.  And here I slam that thought home one more time.  Be still little aborted fetuses, writhing in pain.  Yours was such a small price to pay, so women could realize their full potential according to leftists.  Did I really need to explain that I wasn't talking about Conservative women here?  You didn't know that?

I addressed being sorry that I took my mind off women's (those who demand their needs be served above that of the fetus) needs for even a moment, because they demand their needs be met RIGHT NOW damn it.  These of course were leftist women, who scream bloody murder when they think they might not be able to commit bloody murder.

Were any of you under the impression I was referencing Conservative women with that comment?

They were women.  We heard them roar.  How appropriate.

We're Conservative women a part of the N.O.W. movement?  Were Conservative women out there fighting to get abortion rights?  Were Conservative women out there roaring?

Who knew...

Yes, who did know that leftist women's roars, would come to be so appropriate and symbolic?

Folks, do you really think I was a addressing all women here?  Do you really think I was talking about Conservative women too?  My comments about all women, were made to contrast what the left thinks all women should have access to, and what that says about them.

It's the leftists that address all women, and state they are morally superior enough to be able to end life.

I think that is genocidal mentality.  I have tried to address it as forcefully as I could.

One of you criticized me for posting this because there are no leftists here.  Not infrequently I post things as if addressing the left.  If a leftist happens by, they can read it.  If someone likes it, they can link in a friend.  If someone wants, they can copy it and post it elsewhere.  People can also copy it an email it around.

If there's a chance a young woman might read this and see things in a different light, great.  And if it just works out to that I was blowing off steam, then that's okay too.

If after reading my commentary on the matter, you are still upset with me, I am sorry.  I don't retract a single word.

I don't say that because I'm thumbing my nose at you.  This commentary meant a lot to me, and it still does.

I believe that if people read it in the light in which it was intended, they will be able to see value in it.

[DoughtyOne]

Wow, Jill...

I thought I might have contributed to your mindset here, but you’ve been festering for some time.

Good luck to you. Sorry you’ve been so offended by some many of us here.

Well, I’m not actually sorry that Conservatives bother you. I just hope you’ll be happy at D.U., Huffington Post, or wherever you wind up.

[RushLake]

The GOP organization in Michigan is basically neutered and has been ineffective for years, especially during the time that Saul Anuszis was in charge of it. The unions are strong and can get almost any democrat elected they choose thus in large part, the continued longevity of Stabusall. A strong Republican can make the case that Cherry is Granholm with a 5:00 shadow.