US Democrats would kill healthcare over abortion

[del]

WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - A dozen House of Representatives Democrats opposed to abortion are willing to kill President Barack Obama's healthcare reform plan unless it satisfies their demand for language barring the procedure, Representative Bart Stupak said on Thursday.

"Yes. We're prepared to take responsibility," Stupak said on ABC's "Good Morning America" when asked if he and his 11 Democratic allies were willing to accept the consequences for bringing down healthcare reform over abortion.

"Let's face it. I want to see healthcare. But we're not going to bypass the principles of belief that we feel strongly about," he said.

UPDATE 2-US Democrats would kill healthcare over abortion | Reuters

 

[boedicca]

I would call this a bit of Poetic Karma.

One can only hope.

 

[Skull Pilot]

Who cares as long as it is killed?

 

[☭proletarian☭]

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• clusterfucks - plural of clusterfuck
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[Foxfyre]

WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - A dozen House of Representatives Democrats opposed to abortion are willing to kill President Barack Obama's healthcare reform plan unless it satisfies their demand for language barring the procedure, Representative Bart Stupak said on Thursday.

"Yes. We're prepared to take responsibility," Stupak said on ABC's "Good Morning America" when asked if he and his 11 Democratic allies were willing to accept the consequences for bringing down healthcare reform over abortion.

"Let's face it. I want to see healthcare. But we're not going to bypass the principles of belief that we feel strongly about," he said.

UPDATE 2-US Democrats would kill healthcare over abortion | Reuters

I have caught Reuters in some really sloppy journalism in the past, and suspect they may not be reading this issue right either.

I have heard several pro-life Democrats and Republicans state that they won't approve healthcare reform that allows funding for abortion on demand, but I don't believe I've head any one of them state that they won't vote for such a bill unless it bans abortion. I don't think any of the draft bills banned abortion--those that have been passed by the House or Senate--and those that haven't.

I don't think any of them have any problem with whatever private insurance covers or doesn't cover regarding abortion. And I don't know of any private insurance that doesn't cover whatever medical procedure including abortion when a qualified doctor determines that it is a medical necessity.

 

[Valerie]

Wow.

WASHINGTON, March 4 (Reuters) - A dozen House of Representatives Democrats opposed to abortion are willing to kill President Barack Obama's healthcare reform plan unless it satisfies their demand for language barring the procedure, Representative Bart Stupak said on Thursday.

"Yes. We're prepared to take responsibility," Stupak said on ABC's "Good Morning America" when asked if he and his 11 Democratic allies were willing to accept the consequences for bringing down healthcare reform over abortion.

 

[Granny]

Who cares as long as it is killed?

 

[Liability]

US Democrats would kill healthcare over abortion

If they could only do it while it's still in the womb!

 

[Ragnar]

I've been making this point about reconciliation here at USMB for some time. Democrats simply don't have the votes to do it. Delay after delay, missed deadline after missed deadline, on and on and for the same simple reason. Most Americans don't like the plan, most Republicans don't like the plan and enough Democrats don't like the plan.

Reconciliation is almost beside the point. There is enough garbage in (and left out of) the various Bills to make everyone hate it. Only the hardest core Obama lacky's want this thing to pass and only for a "political win" for the POTUS. Weather lack of "public option" or public spending on abortion or something else, no one thinks it's good legislation.

 

[hjmick]

Lies lies and more lies.

Everyone knows the problem is Republicans. No one else, just Republicans. Everyone else is on board with the bill.

Sheesh, you guys should know this...

 

[Valerie]

They're going to pass it anyway.

The White House says it does not intend its bill to change current U.S. law on abortion, and does not believe that the Senate healthcare bill, which Obama's plan resembles, would change the status quo.

"The president is not and will not change current federal law in dealing with abortions and healthcare," spokesman Robert Gibbs said at his daily news briefing on Thursday.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Obama's top adviser on health issues, said the White House was prepared to bar the use of federal money for abortion. "This will not change the status quo on the policy of abortion. There will be no federal funding for abortion," she said on the television program.

 

[Valerie]

"There is no federally funded abortion," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said today. Pelosi is urging House Democratic members to pass the president's health care proposal that hews closely to the Senate bill on language restricting federal funding for abortions, but allowing members who buy into an insurance exchange pay for abortions with premiums.

So who is right?

A closer look at the 10 pages or so that deal directly with the question of abortion in the bill -- beginning on page 2069 -- sets out very specific language on funding for abortion.

Pelosi is right in that the bill makes it clear that that no federal money can go for abortion, except in cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother.

The language in the Senate health care bill restricts the use of public funds for abortion services. But private insurance plans that are offered in the insurance exchange can cover abortion if funds for the procedure are used only from premiums paid by beneficiaries. States have the option of banning coverage in insurance plans brought in insurance marketplaces.

Health Care Reform: Could Abortion Issue Derail Obama, Democrats Health Care Efforts? - ABC News

 

[Valerie]

"You will find in there, the federal government would directly subsidize abortions," Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., said today. Stupak said he and 11 other House members will not vote for the health care bill unless it includes more stringent language to prevent federal funding from going toward abortion services.

...



Stupak argues that the bill gives taxpayer subsidies to help people buy insurance policies -- and some of those policies can cover abortion.

Also, he points to a provision on page 2075, that says if you choose a policy that covers abortion, you have to pay a dollar a month to pay for the abortion coverage. The insurance policy is supposed to keep that dollar separate, but Stupak says that line will always be blurred.

"Every enrollee in the Office of Personnel management plan, every enrollee has to pay a minimum of $1 per month toward reproductive rights which includes abortion."

But the bill states that enrollees would only pay that $1 abortion fee if they chose a plan that covers abortion, and the bill specifically says that at least one plan must not cover abortion.

However, to anti-abortion advocates in the House, the only acceptable solution is to ban any policy that gets federal money from paying for abortions period. And to most of them, that's just not acceptable.

 

[NYcarbineer]

Stupak got busted big time on Rachel Maddow's show last night. It was grand!

 

[Dr.House]

Stupak got busted big time on Rachel Maddow's show last night. It was grand!

nobody saw it....

 

[hjmick]

Stupak got busted big time on Rachel Maddow's show last night. It was grand!

nobody saw it....

Rachel and the crew did.

 

[Foxfyre]

Stupak got busted big time on Rachel Maddow's show last night. It was grand!

nobody saw it....

That's for sure. And those who did probably saw what they saw much differently than those who didn't watch would have seen it.

 

[Dr.House]

Stupak got busted big time on Rachel Maddow's show last night. It was grand!

nobody saw it....

Rachel and the crew did.

maybe half of them... The others were selling their crops in Farmville....

 

[Ringel05]

Lies lies and more lies.

Everyone knows the problem is Republicans. No one else, just Republicans. Everyone else is on board with the bill.

Sheesh, you guys should know this...

Is that your best rdean impression?

 

[Dr.House]

Lies lies and more lies.

Everyone knows the problem is Republicans. No one else, just Republicans. Everyone else is on board with the bill.

Sheesh, you guys should know this...

Is that your best rdean impression?

I think it was rdeantruthmattersrinatazonajaycanuck....