Rep. Stupak: White House Pressuring Me to Keep Quiet on Abortion Language in Senate Health Bill

CNSNews.com ^ | 12-22-09 | Pete Winn

[FrdmLvr]

CNSNews.com) - Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) said the White House and the Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives have been pressuring him not to speak out on the "compromise" abortion language in the Senate version of the health care bill.

“They think I shouldn’t be expressing my views on this bill until they get a chance to try to sell me the language,” Stupak told CNSNews.com in an interview on Tuesday. “Well, I don’t need anyone to sell me the language. I can read it. I’ve seen it. I’ve worked with it. I know what it says. I don’t need to have a conference with the White House. I have the legislation in front of me here.”

The Michigan Democrat succeeded last month in getting 64 House Democrats to join him in attaching his pro-life amendment to the House version of the health-care bill. The “Stupak amendment,” as the provision is known, would prohibit the federal government from allocating taxpayer money to pay for any part of any health insurance plan that covers abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger.

[MozarkDawg]

If they have real convictions, the Senate language on abortion will be changed significantly, or Obamacare won't pass the House again.

They already did vote nay when that Senate *compromise* language was a part of the House bill, for these pro-life Dems, it is the Hyde language, now to be called Stupak I suppose, or it is an end to this bill. Those 64 are on record, there is no way they can weasel, they know it, more importantly, their constituents know it, and unlike Nelson, all 64 will be up for re-election come November.

[NTHockey]

Watching that townhall meeting on Youtube, I was struck with his matter-of-fact attitude. He forgets that We, the people did not send him to Versailles on the Potomac to vote the way he wants. He is there to do as he is told by We, the people. If he can’t perform that simple task, then he needs to find a new line of work.

Unfortunately, he is not well equipped for THAT profession, which he is most suited for.

[pnh102]

Don’t fall in love with this Stupak guy. He, like all the other Democrats who voted for this bill, are socialists. In the end I expect him to vote for a health care takeover whether or not it contains any language regarding abortion.

[Will88]

Those 64 are on record, there is no way they can weasel, they know it, more importantly, their constituents know it, and unlike Nelson, all 64 will be up for re-election come November.

I hope you're right. Yesterday, there was a thread where evidently there was video of Stupak saying if it came down to it, and his amendment was eliminated, that he might still vote for the bill. Didn't read that thread much, but that was the gist of it. But I hope most of the 64 will stick to their guns.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks grellis. Additional:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2413798/posts

[MozarkDawg]

Yesterday, there was a thread where evidently there was video of Stupak saying if it came down to it, and his amendment was eliminated, that he might still vote for the bill.

I just saw the video on this thread this morning: >> http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2414422/posts?page=2 <<

I don't hear any indecision, I hear him say quite clearly that even if the Hyde language is not included, he will indeed vote for the final report, "I tried ... isn't that how America works?" He is a LIAR, for I have heard him say multiple times earlier, his own words that unless the Hyde language is included in the final conference report, he and his pro-life colleagues would kill the bill. What a dupe he's made of me, I have been all over this site for weeks now, promoting him and his tout, the creep.

He has doomed his seat. Unemployment is so much higher in Michigan than it is in the rest of the country -- come November, another schlub is gonna be looking for a job.

[Will88]

“He is a LIAR, for I have heard him say multiple times earlier, his own words that unless the Hyde language is included in the final conference report, he and his pro-life colleagues would kill the bill.”

Yep, all too many liars in Congress. And he was still posturing yesterday. I guess you’ve seen this statement from Stupak and the FR thread this morning:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2414245/posts

He says the Senate language is “unacceptable”, but never says what he’ll do if that language isn’t improved. In the end, Stupak might prove to have been one of the keys to passing Obamacare (if it passes) because of the number of Yes votes his efforts brought together for the initial 220 - 215 House vote.