Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) has been threatening to derail health reform over the issue of abortion. Stupak objects to the idea that any federal money would go toward abortion services, to the point where he'd ban women from using their own money on a public exchange to buy private insurance that covers abortions.
Repeatedly Stupak has cited a block of Democrats who'll vote with him against health reform, saying at various times that he had as many as 20 lawmakers lined up to vote no. More recently, Stupak has said he has 11 lawmakers on his side -- a group that, taken with Stupak, has come to be known as the Stupak Dozen.
Yet Stupak never names the people in his dozen. Now a senior House leadership aide who has conducted an informal whip count on the abortion issue tells us this about the "Stupak dozen":
"We do not see more than four or five members standing with Bart when this bill is actually brought to the floor."
The kicker here is that what Stupak is asking for -- that the Senate adopt the same anti-abortion amendment he tacked on to the House bill -- can't be done. Health reform can pass now only through the budget reconciliation process, and the only changes to the House and Senate bills that are allowed under reconciliation are ones that directly affect the budget.
For Stupak to hold up health reform now is "like a kid telling you they're not going to eat their broccoli unless you hold your breath for 40 minutes," says Rachel Maddow. "You can try to please that child by doing that, but it's not going to happen. You're welcome to die trying."
What's more, the Senate bill already clearly bans the use of federal money for abortions. Stupak is asking for an impossible fix to an imaginary problem.
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As someone who has lived in DC for decades - not only is $600 @ month rent at the C St. House absurd, but "The C Street Center was assessed at $1.8 million for the 2010 tax year.[98]" According to Wikkipedia, the C Street House [just behind the Library of Congress Madison Bldg] "has 12 bedrooms, nine bathrooms, five living rooms, four dining rooms, three offices, a kitchen, and a small "chapel".[13]" In that neighborhood - easy walk to Congressional offices - at that size, the house should be assessed for closer to 3 million $.
'Stupak is as Stupak does.' - Forrest Gump (sort of). Great show last night! Michael Moore AND Barney Frank?? Wow, talk about the 'straight talk express!'
First of all, Bart, you're a MAN. Abortion is a process that will never affect your body, and you have no idea what personal considerations go into deciding to have an abortion. While men should get a general nod for their 2 minute contribution, I believe that this decision should be left to individual women to make.
Secondly, the abortions that offend the majority of people--those taking place after the first trimester of pregnancy--require a doctor's input, for the most part. Are you a doctor, Bart? Would you like to second-guess one?
How about you get outside your own circle of friends (and it's been shown that abortions happen in all quarters; they're just covered up more effectively when an embarrassing or inconvenient pregnancy happens to a financially secure woman) and visit an abortion clinic? Talk to the women there and see why they are doing what they're doing. It's not a decision made lightly.
And, finally, if Viagra is tops on the list of things insurance MUST cover (and, believe me, it was...Viagra is the reason women were finally able to get birth control on the list of things covered by insurance), then abortion for the sake of a woman's health should be, also. Just because you guys can plant it doesn't mean we have to grow it at the expense of our own health and sanity.