Stupak Is Back! Threatening To Derail HCR Unless Anti-Abortion Language Added

video

by Glynnis MacNicol | 9:50 am, March 4th, 2010

» 10 comments

You remember Congressman Bart Stupak, he took a starring role in the health care debate back in November when he strong-armed his Stupak amendment into the House version of the Health Care bill. The amendment imposed “tight restrictions on abortions that could be offered through a new government-run insurance plan and through private insurance that is bought using government subsidies.” At the time Rachel Maddow described it as the “biggest restriction on abortion rights in a generation.” The Senate basically did away with the amendment in their version, but it may not matter. Stupak is back. Big time.

Stupack appeared on Good Morning America today (video below) and announced that he, and 11 other Democrats in the House would not vote for the HCR bill unless it included stricter language preventing federal fund from going towards abortion services.

“I want to see health care pass. I agree… people are being priced out of the market. We must have health care but, boy, there are some principles and beliefs that some of us are not going to pass…We’re prepared to take the responsibility. I mean, I’ve been catching it ever since last fall. Let’s face it, I want to see health care. But we’re not going to bypass some principles and beliefs that we feel strongly about.”

Obama, you may recall, noted numerous times that this is not an abortion bill and that he intends to maintain the current national status quo on abortion, which says, no public funding for abortion. The question, of course, is does Stupak have the power to make a difference? The answer appears to be possibly. While Obama may be able to get the bill through the Senate with his up and down vote, the House is more tricky and it’s not clear he has the votes he needs. Meaning, that in many ways we are back to where we were last fall: Will Obama loose the Health Care Bill over Stupak?

Related: Mediaite on Stupak

George Stephanpoulos, Good Morning America, Health Care Reform, Rachel Maddow, Stupak, Stupak Amendment

same2u

Stupid Stinking Stupak.
The Real Royal King

I agree with the characterization, Same2, but I think this has more to do with his incessant posturing than the legislation itself.
Olby Sucks

Everybody knows that the Rebublicans are the “obstructionists.” Wait, stupak is a dem……
nwjw

God forbid that a politician actually votes on his beliefs…can’t have that…
The Real Royal King

Jeff, don’t be such a simpleton. All Republicans are obstructionists, but not all obstructionists are Republicans? Why is that so hard to grasp? Go ask Oma and Ceci for help trying to understand this.
The Real Royal King

Jeff, Koldys is giving away mini bags of Lorna Doones to the next ten (10) posters over at the Klub. You need to hurry. One pack was already given at about 6:00 a.m. You probably only have another six (6) or eight (8) hours to go.
MichelleF

How are Repulicans being obstructionists when they aren’t needed to pass HC? As long as all Dems are on board, they are fine. The problem is not all Dems are on board.
ImNotBlue

This brings up a very interesting issue… although, not one that Glynnis is capable of speaking about unless a blue blog is able to do the thinking for her first. I mean really… is her bias managing to get even worse? Yeesh.

Anyway… the interesting part of this is the risk Obama (not to mention Pelosi and Reid) have taken. They’ve come out saying they’re going to pass HCR with or without Republicans. Ignoring the lies and inconsistency from the left over that particular issue (something that Mediaite continually ignores, while fluffing Maddow… luckily there are enough posters armed with facts and evidence, that even the usual lefty-haters seem to ignore the topic)… what happens if they fail?

They were determined that this would simply be an inevitability without the Republicans… however, they seem to be having significantly more trouble than they expected. If Obama can’t get 51 votes OUT OF THE DEMOCRATS to pass HRC, he will become a lame duck just barely into his second year! It will be obvious that he does not control the Democrats and doesn’t have enough of his own parties support. He will come out looking weak and unprepared.

This is a big risk… and if it fails, the Democrats will give the Republicans a bigger gift than if it manages to pass.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Stephen-Hilton/1334543387 Stephen Hilton

How are the repubs obstructing anything??? I mean I am a dem and even I can see that it is dems blocking progressives from passing this bill…. There are not enough repubs to block anything…
pyrope

same2u is the quintessential liberal/progressive/communist/fascist/idiot; if they cannot argue specifics, they always resort to name calling and demonization. It must really suck to be like that.