Stupak Wears Scorn as a Medal in Abortion Fight

NYTimes ^ | January 06th 2010 | Jodi Kantor

[Steelfish]

Stupak Wears Scorn as a Medal in Abortion Fight

JODI KANTOR January 6, 2010

MENOMINEE, Mich. — Representative Bart Stupak often endures things others find unbearable. (snip)

After his younger son committed suicide in 2000, using the congressman’s gun, Mr. Stupak soon resumed his predawn commute to Washington and his solid voting record with the National Rifle Association.

Now he is enduring more hatred than perhaps any other member of Congress, much of it from fellow Democrats. His name has become a slogan: “Stop Stupak!”

Scott Schloegel, his chief of staff, said wearily, “I can’t tell you how many New Yorkers have called me up and yelled at me about this Stupak guy.”

With final negotiations on a health care overhaul beginning this week, complaints about “the evil Stupak amendment,” as the congressman dryly called it over dinner here recently, are likely to grow even louder. The amendment prevents women who receive federal insurance subsidies from buying abortion coverage — and the language, critics assert, could mean that even women who buy their own insurance could have difficulty obtaining coverage.

Mr. Stupak insists that the final bill include his terms, which he says merely reflect current law. If he prevails, he will have won an audacious, counterintuitive victory, forcing a Democratic-controlled Congress to pass a measure that will be hailed as an anti-abortion triumph. If party members do not accept his terms — and many vow they will not — Mr. Stupak is prepared to block passage of the health care overhaul.

“It’s not the end of the world if it goes down,” he said over dinner.

[AliVeritas]

It’s really disgusting that they used his son’s suicide and follow up with the NRA jab.

Sickening.

[muawiyah]

He’s on the right track but why is he a Democrat? They all glory in the blood of dead babies.

[Bahbah]

After his younger son committed suicide in 2000, using the congressman’s gun, Mr. Stupak soon resumed his predawn commute to Washington and his solid voting record with the National Rifle Association.

What is the point of includint this? How vicious and disgusting.

[Secret Agent Man]

IF the dems really believed the current bill wouldn’t fund abortions they’d have no problem with the amendment. Plain and simple, as it merely does reflect current law.

God protect those that try to do the good you ask. Don’t take us down with the wicked.

[comebacknewt]

He is saying all the right things.

My guess is he goes back to his Democrat roots and caves on this thing in the end though.

[incredulous joe]

It’s the NY Times. What else is to be expected?

They have no shame.

[nomorelurker]

Hang in there Stupak.

You are getting to be the last hope on many things.

[earlJam]

(Stupak) is trying to pass the health care overhaul, he insists, not sabotage it, and predicts that the legislation will ultimately collapse for reasons apart from abortion.

There's a piece of good news.

[Kansas58]

Many do the same thing to another Congressman I know.

The family of a Conservative? Fair game, it seems.

The family of a Liberal? Off limits.

[incredulous joe]

I’ve heard him on AM talk and he sounds very sincere.

Your cautious attitude is warranted unfortunately.

How many times have the Dems pulled this kind of nonsense.

When I see a piece in the NYT, seeming to attack his position, my inclination is that we are being set up ~ again.

[God luvs America]

yet they refuse to mention that Joe Wilson was correct...

[Gene Eric]

>> NYT: “After his younger son committed suicide in 2000, using the congressman’s gun, Mr. Stupak ...”

Reprehensible journalism!!!

Jodi Kantor may you forever remain ignorant, and never know of the suffering you recklessly exploit.

Condolences to the Stupaks for this tragic event.

[quantim]

Bart Stupid is a liberal WHORE.

The abortion issue is only a feigning way to hold onto his seat. He ought not be trusted any further than one could toss that Fat Ted’s carcass across a starving polar bear.

What’s really going on here is that MI is going to lose a congressional seat, and who is that going to be that gets tossed? Stupid has the geography and will be the one that get’s carved first, ala Bonior.

This opinion is only based on that the MI house is going back to the GOP.

[pistolpetestoys]

Pelosi could give a rats butt about Stupak.There will be abortion funding in the bill-thats a done deal.She can allow almost 40 of her lapdogs to vote against this monstrosity and still get it passed.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Steelfish.

[JSDude1]

Would it be awesome if God used “Pro-Life” to KILL “This bill”?

[Retired COB]

The abortion issue is only a feigning way to hold onto his seat. He ought not be trusted any further than one could toss that Fat Ted’s carcass across a starving polar bear.

Cut Ted a little slack.....he's been sober for almost six consecutive months now.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I agree with you that Jodi Kantor's drive-by stick-in-the-eye mention of Stupak's son's suicide was almost jaw-droppingly offensive.

She can apparently be e-mailed at this link, the only contact point I could find using Google.

[Mrs. Don-o]

THE
ANY THREE ACTION ALERT

Click and contact Rep. Bart Stupak, Rep. Joseph Cao, and the Potential Flip Vote of your choice. If the vote on the final (post-reconciliation bill) goes exactly as it did last time in the House, but with just three people flipping from YES to NO, THIS BILL WILL FAIL.

It’s
VISIT DISTRICT OFFICES WEEK

The names below are all of those who voted in favor of both measures on November 7 (Stupak Amendment + the BillfromHell itself), with an asterisk *next to those who were considered undecided on the morning of the vote. To be clear, many of these members would have supported the health care bill no matter what. However, given the 220-215 vote margin on the House vote, what it means is that when the pro-life language is stripped from the bill during negotiations with the Senate, if Pelosi loses the support of any three of these people below as a result -- without picking up anybody else's support -- the bill cannot pass the House.

(For your cut-and-paste convenience: following each name is a city and zip you can use (zip + any 4 digits) to get past their filter and into their constituent message system, and the local area code if the site requires it.)

Baca, Joe (CA-43)
http://www.house.gov/baca/zipauth.shtml
Bloomington CA 92316 (909)

Berry, Marion (AR-01) *
http://www.house.gov/berry/messageform.html
Jonesboro AR 72401 (870)

Bishop, Sanford (GA-02)
http://bishop.house.gov/display.cfm?section_id=13
Decatur GA 30032 404

Cardoza, Dennis (CA-18) *
https://writerep.house.gov/htbin/wrep_findrep
Merced CA 95348 (209)‎

Carney, Christopher (PA-10) *
http://carney.house.gov/contact.shtml#email
Clarks Summit PA 18411

Cooper, Jim (TN-05) *
http://tinyurl.com/22cet4
Mt. Juliet TN 37122 (615)

Costa, Jim (CA-20) *
http://www.house.gov/formcosta/issue.htm
Coalinga CA 93210 (559)

Cao, Joseph (LA-2) *
http://josephcao.house.gov/Contact/
New Orleans LA 70119

Costello, Jerry (IL-12)
http://costello.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.shtml
East St. Louis 62203

Cuellar, Henry (TX-28) *
http://cuellar.house.gov/Contact/ContactForm.htm
Laredo TX 78043 (212)

Dahlkemper, Kathy (PA-03) *
https://forms.house.gov/dahlkemper/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm
Meadville PA 16335 (814)

Donnelly, Joe (IN-02) *
http://donnelly.house.gov/contact/contact-us-form.shtml
Logansport IN 46947 (574)

Doyle, Mike (PA-14)
http://doyle.house.gov/email_mike.shtml
McKeesport 15132 (412)

Steve Driehaus (OH-1)*
https://forms.house.gov/driehaus/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm
Cincinnati OH 45201 (513)

Ellsworth, Brad (IN-08) *
http://www.ellsworth.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=325&Itemid=
Bicknell IN 47512 (812)

Etheridge, Bob*
http://etheridge.house.gov/Contact/
Lillington, NC 27546 (910)

Hill, Baron (IN-09)
https://forms.house.gov/baronhill/IMA/issue_subscribe.shtml
Bloomington IN 47401 (812)

Kanjorski, Paul (PA-11)*
http://kanjorski.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1479&Itemid=
Scranton, PA 18503 (570)

Kaptur, Marcy (OH-9)*
http://www.kaptur.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=152
Toledo 43604 (419)

Kildee, Dale (MI-5)
http://www.house.gov/kildee/contact_form.shtml
Flint 48502 (810)

Langevin, Jim (RI-2)
http://langevin.house.gov/comments.shtml
Warwick, RI 02886 (401)

Lipinski, Daniel (IL-3)
http://www.house.gov/formlipinski/zipauth.html
Oak Lawn, IL 60453 (708)

Lynch, Stephen (MA-9)
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Brockton, MA 02301 (508)

Michaud, Mike (ME-02) *
https://forms.house.gov/michaud/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm
Bangor ME 04401 (207)

Mollohan, Alan (WV-1)
E-mail at CongressmanMollohan@mail.house.gov Wheeling, WV 26003 (304)

Murtha, John
https://forms.house.gov/murtha/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm
Johnstown, PA 15901 (814)

Neal, Richard
http://www.house.gov/neal/write_neal.html
Springfield, MA 01105 (413)

Oberstar, James
http://wwwc.house.gov/oberstar/zipauth.htm
Duluth, MN 55802 (218)

Obey, David (WI-7)
http://forms.house.gov/obey/webforms/contact.htm
Superior, WI 54880 (715)

Ortiz, Solomon (TX-27)
http://www.house.gov/formortiz/issue.htm
Corpus Christi, TX 78408 (361)

Perriello, Tom (VA-5)*
http://perriello.house.gov/?sectionid=90
Danville, VA 24541 (434)

Pomeroy, Earl (ND)
http://www.house.gov/formpomeroy/zipauth.htm
Arnegard ND 58835 (701)

Rahall, Nick
http://www.rahall.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=9&sectiontree=9
Bluefield, WV 24701 (304)

Reyes, Silvestre (TX-16)
http://reyes.house.gov/Contact/vyo.htm
El Paso, TX 79901 (915)

Rodriguez, Ciro (TX-23)*
http://www.rodriguez.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=70&Itemid=46
San Antonio, TX 78214 (210)

Ryan, Tim (OH-17)
http://timryan.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=129&Itemid=42
Akron, OH 44310 (330)

Salazar, John (CO-03)
http://www.house.gov/salazar/contact.shtml
Grand Junction Colorado 81503 (970)

Synder, Vic (AR-2)
http://www.house.gov/snyder/contact.shtml
Little Rock, AR 72207 (501)

Space, Zack (OH-18)*
http://space.house.gov/?sectionid=61&sectiontree=26,61
Chillicothe, Ohio 45601 (740)

Spratt, John (SC-5)
https://sprattforms.house.gov/spratt/forms/contact-form.shtml
Rock Hill, SC 29730 (803)

Stupak, Bart *
http://www.house.gov/stupak/IMA/issue2.htm
Marquette, MI 49855 (906)

Wilson, Charles (OH-06)
http://www.charliewilson.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=139
Wintersville OH 43953 (740)