Michigan congressman Bart Stupak, who played a pivotal role in the passage of the health care bill, said there is something worse than the hatred – including death threats and angry calls to his house – he experienced because of his support for the legislation.
“Ultimately, what stings the most isn’t the hatred,” wrote Stupak in a column posted on the Newsweek magazine’s website. “It’s that people tried to use abortion as a tool to stop health-care reform, even after protections were added.”
Yes, he apparently is that stupid. He actually thought that the people who were interpretingthe bill for him were acting in good faith.
The pro-life Democrat said in the column for the magazine’s May 17 issue that he has “two longstanding personal convictions”: that health care is a right and federal funds should not pay for abortions.
He maintained that President Obama’s executive order sufficiently safeguards against the use of federal money to pay for abortions in health care reform. Obama had assured him that the executive order is “ironclad,” he said.
President Obama, Stupak and his group of pro-life Democrats worked out a last minute deal in March that exchanged the congressmen’s votes in favor of the health care bill for an executive order stating that no tax dollars be used for abortions.
Stupak argued that at that point the health care bill would have passed even if they voted against it. He said his coalition’s agreement with the president was meant to “add pro-life protections” on the legislation.
Pro-life groups, however, denounced the deal, arguing that an executive order does not have the force of law and that Stupak betrayed the movement at the most critical time.
“We need statutory law,” Stupak recalled the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops telling him after hearing about the deal.
The Michigan lawmaker, who has served in Congress for nearly two decades, told the USCCB that President Abraham Lincoln used an executive order to free the slaves and President George W. Bush used one to block embryonic stem cell research.
So the UCCB wouldn't take yes for an answer. And Old Bart finally figured out that they were actually trying to derail health care reform on behalf of their political allies, the Republicans.
He also found out about the character of the people in the "pro-life" movement:
Stupak said after his call with the USCCB, which occurred shortly before the White House deal, his “relationship with the pro-life movement” changed.
He has been advised to hire security because of death threats; people have left profane messages on his home phone; groups have sponsored media ads to attack him; and he has received thousands of hate mail.
Last month, the hero-turned-enemy of the pro-life movement announced that he will not run for reelection after his current term ends.
So, the mystery of whether Stupak was evil or stupid has been solved. Stupid wins.
The mystery of why the Democratic Party has shoved Connie Saltonstall out of the race in favor of another Stupak style anti-choice zealot who will betray progressive values the first chance he gets remains. Oh wait, that's not a mystery at all, is it?
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In response to CongressmanAlan Mollohan's loss to state Senator Mike Oliverio in the West
Virginia primary election tonight, Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser, offered the following statement:
"Just as Bart Stupak did, Congressman Mollohan now fully realizes thatvotes do have consequences. Mollohan's loss comes as a direct resultof his vote for healthcare reform that included federal funding ofabortion.
"We promised Rep. Mollohan and the other 'pro-life' Democrats that we would make their re-election incredibly painful if they voted 'yes' on the healthcare bill. Tonight, the Susan B. Anthony List followed through on that promise, and Rep. Mollohan is the second member of that coalition to see those consequences.
"This should be just another sign to 'pro-life' Democrats that voted for the healthcare bill that they will face the same consequences as Stupak and Mollohan."
The Susan B. Anthony List spent $78,000 in West Virginia's first district educating voters on Congressman Mollohan's vote for healthcare with television ads, radio ads, and robo-calls. This is part of a $1 million effort to ensure that true pro-life leaders are
elected in the districts of the so-called 'pro-life' Democrats, including Reps. Brad Ellsworth (IN-08), Steve Driehaus (OH-01) and Kathy Dahlkemper (PA-03), who voted for healthcare reform that included federal funding of abortion.