Hey, Nineteen

[NanceGreggs]

Nineteen pro-life House Democrats signed a letter last week to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) expressing their opposition to any health care reform that includes abortion funding.

“We cannot support any health-care reform proposal unless it explicitly excludes abortion from the scope of any government-defined or subsidized health insurance plan,” the letter read.

The 19 representatives are:

Dan Boran (D-Okla.), Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), Colin Peterson (D-Minn..), Tim Holden (D-Pa.), Travis Childers (D-Miss.), Lincoln Davis (D-Tenn.), Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), Solomon Ortiz (D-TX), Mike Mclntyre (D-N.C.), Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), Gene Taylor (D-Miss.), James Oberstar (D-Minn.), Bobby Bright (D-Ala.), Steve Driehaus (D-Ohio), Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Charlie Melancon (D-La.), John Murtha (D-Pa.), Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.), and Kathleen Dahlkemper (D-Pa.).

Dear Nineteen:

You have NO right.

You have no right to tell me, nor any other woman in this country, how to live my life, how many children I may or may not have, nor how to conduct myself in the pursuit of limiting the size of my family as I see fit.

You have no right to limit, negotiate, or hold for ransom healthcare coverage from ANY American citizen for ANY reason. And the reasons you have set out – as personally sacrosanct, sincerely felt, and dearly held as they may be – have no place in the execution of your jobs as elected representatives.

Over twenty years ago, I had an abortion. I say that not with pride – but I say it without shame.

You might wonder why I chose to terminate a pregnancy. Well, you can wonder until the cows come home, because the truth is my reasons are none of your fuckin’ business.

If you find my choice of words obscene, so be it. I can only respond that I find your position on the topic obscene beyond all imagining. I based my choice – a choice that is guaranteed me by law – on criteria that affected myself and my family. You, on the other hand, are basing your choice to withhold support of vitally important healthcare reform, which will affect millions of Americans, on your personal beliefs, religious ideology, or a position that may or may not benefit you in being re-elected – hardly the kind of criteria an elected representative should be considering in the circumstances.

You have NO right.

You have NO right to dictate to others as to how they go about their lives.

You have NO right to use your office as a means of supplanting the will of your constituents with your own will, of substituting what is right for the many with your own sense of what is right for all – not according to the law, but according to you.

If you sincerely believe that you cannot, in good conscience, represent the best interests of those who elected you, when said interests go against what you personally believe to be ethical, moral, and right, there is a simple solution to your dilemma: resign.

Just DO it.

A teary-eyed photo-op, a heartfelt speech about how sad you are to be leaving office, a well-attended press conference full of statements about following your own conscience – yadda, yadda – will no doubt garner the sympathy of those who, like you, believe that healthcare for all Americans should come with strings attached, and that people like you should be in control of those strings, notwithstanding the consequences.

Just DO it.

I’d almost respect you if you did.

[ColbertWatcher]

1. Ah-ha! The real reason behind denying all Americans healthcare: fundamentalism. k+r, n/t

[SoCalDem]

24. and not even "real" fundamentalism

just ordinary pandering to try to get rightwingers to vote for them..(as IF)

[lsewpershad]

26. Why

should even the rightwingers vote for these pr.cks when all they care about is how to get elected next time around. We should remember and kick them out.

[FiveGoodMen]

78. "We should remember and kick them out"

Probably the best thing we can actually do for America: Remember who these fuckers are, and kick them out.

[TexasProgresive]

60. Why Oh Why

are you water boarding that poor kitty?

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

85. O my, that red stuff in the background looks suspicious.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

92. stop that cruelty to that kitty!

god I hate to take attention away from this topic---but that picture is fucking DISTURBING! The poor kitty is terrified and suffering; and people think it's funny?

Humans. We're not the only species around, but we sure act like it.

[SoCalDem]

94. Not my kitty.. I'm too smart to try to bathe a cat nt

[TankLV]

95. just put it in the toilet bowl and close the lid - you get TWO cleaned AT THE SAME TIME!!!

just be sure to stand back when you open the lid...






















SHERMAN! - GET AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER!!!








































BAD DOG!!!

[orleans]

2. k&r. well said.

on edit: (omg) what a bunch of fucking assholes. everyone can go and die if they don't get the right to control what goes on inside my uterus or my daughter's.

[howmad1]

80. Hey, all they are doing is looking after:.....

.....the needs of their respective priests. Less kids to abuse if they are aborted.

[SeattleGirl]

3. Joining my hand with yours, Nance.

Been down the same road as you, and for ANYONE, ANYONE, to think they have the right to tell me what I can and cannot do regarding my body when it comes to reproduction is obscene and immoral.

[tucsonlib]

4. "Pro-Life"?

Don't you mean "Anti-Abortion"? Or maybe "Pro-Birth"? How about "Anti-Choice"?
If any of them also oppose war and capital punishment, then maybe they can legitimately claim they are "pro-life".

But I've noticed that for some strange reason.........

[elleng]

5. 'Anti-Choice' would be my preference.

this is one major example of 'their' success in framing.

[NanceGreggs]

7. Precisely, elleng ...

If you're discussing choice, there are only two options: pro-choice or anti-choice.

It's time for those who oppose choice to pick a side - and if they really believe in what they're spewing, why does it necessitate "couching" it in any other terms?

Note to anti-choicers: If you need to phrase your position in what you perceive to be more palatable terms, it's a sure sign that your position is unpalatable.

Duh!

[syberlion]

62. I consider them Anti-Civilized

It is Anti-Civilized not to offer a choice. I have 4 sisters, some chose to have children, others didn't, but they made the choice. As a brother and a man, I am able to be there for my sisters; to baby-sit, to hand-hold, to sound-board. I've watched them go through their life's choices and that's the thing, it was their life choices. None of those choices were ever easy and it was difficult to see the emotional trauma they went through.

Who are these misanthropes and how, in these supposed civilized times, are they getting into positions of power? The choice is very personal and to attempt to eliminate, through legislative means, this personal choice is misogynistic. That there are women on the list, talk about voting against your own best interests...

One of my sisters has two daughters and for as long as I can remember she's had the word "Choice" in big bold letters on her refrigerator. She said she wanted this to be the first word they learned. My nieces have grown into two incredible independent minded young adults, my sister did a great job as a single mother.

Choice is what the framers of the Constitution had in mind and choice is a truly civilized idea. So, those railing against choice are Anti-civilization. Has anyone reminded these choice-deaf representatives we are in the 21st century?

[NanceGreggs]

63. Beautifully stated, syberlion ...

... and welcome to the conversation!

[Jim Sagle]

29. How about "forced birthers"?

[MadMaddie]

53. I think this is the right terminology. These people

think that ruling our bodies is their business. It's not screw them.

Let's vote them out.

[aquart]

59. Anti-Woman would be so much truer.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

93. exactly! They framed it--My choice for a label is anti-woman.

To me, it's not a matter of choice, it's a matter of saving women's lives. Of understanding that the ideal is to reduce suffering--therefore the measure of an action should be whether it reduces or increases suffering. Who experiences greater suffering? A blastocyst or a living woman?

A hypothetical that breaks their rhetoric: If a fundie woman hater were deciding who to save in a lab fire, would it be a kid trapped in the room, or the shelves of growing fertilized human eggs waiting for implantation?

[Mnemosyne]

39. Pro-back alley abortionists is most fitting to me. n/t

[Dem_in_Nebr.]

73. I kinda like the term

Black Market Abortionists

[PSzymeczek]

82. "Pro-forced birth"

I don't know the circumstances of another person's life well enough to presume to tell that person what to do. It galls me that these people think they do.

[Number23]

6. Rec'd

Nineteen pro-life House Democrats signed a letter last week to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) expressing their opposition to any health care reform that includes abortion funding.

Insanity.

[NanceGreggs]

8. Yes, insanity ...

... and there seems to be a lot of that going around lately.

[ZombieHorde]

9. K&R Thanks for speaking out for my loved ones rights. nt

[democrank]

10. Hmmm.....this gang of 19 may be on to something

How about witholding school lunch funds because some schools refuse to hold Christian church services in their auditoriums every Wednesday? Oh, wait....how about not funding PTSD therapy because some vets are against DADT?

This group of 19 is brilliant! With a little pressure and a little luck, they could demand the formation of a Department of Uterus Police which forces women to undergo testing for past abortions. These women could be kept in special camps and forced to work off fines. The money collected by the Pro-Lifers running the place could go directly into the government`s war effort fund so we could get more white phosphorus and cluster bombs.

[NanceGreggs]

11. I often wish you would keep your thoughts to yourself ...

... democrank.

I fear that the "other side" reads your posts, and it gives them ideas.

If Rush Limbaugh opens his show tomorrow with a rant about "the Department of Uterus Police", we'll know for sure ...

[Maru Kitteh]

12. "we can't dance together"

[thelordofhell]

14. "no we can't talk at all"

[Maru Kitteh]

15. please take me along when you slide on down.

[The Wizard]

13. Abortion might be a cover

for taking insurance lobby bribes.

[me b zola]

43. That was my first thought as well

It's time that we stop the insanity of using women's access to reproductive health as bargaining chip.

[crickets]

49. Ding! We have a winner. -nt

[madrchsod]

16. the 1977 hyde admendent and the following court rulings

as of july 1,2009

http://www.guttmacher.org/statecenter/spibs/spib_SFAM.p...

illinois and federal court rulings on abortion funding

http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/choice-action-center/in...


maybe these people need to remember or be informed what this was used for and think of all the women who suffered...

[mopinko]

88. suffered and died.

and couldn't have children later.

[madokie]

17. Dan Boren is my rep

and he is a rushlican in democratic clothes, nothing more. I would like to have permission to send this to him.

Peace

[iamjoy]

18. Is That Really What They're Saying?

As far as the healthcare debate, it doesn't sound like they are proposing to tell you what you can do with your body, only what they feel should be paid for with government money. Most private insurance plans won't pay for procedures that aren't medically necessary and many abortions are elective (rather than related to the woman's health issues). Regardless of the tragic situations that drive a woman to feel abortion is her best (or only) option, I am referring to medical
No, my question for these 19 is - why are you making a big deal on this? There is so much to discuss with the healthcare debate and your biggest concern is abortion? There's 1 million abortions performed each year while there's 8 million children without health insurance. I am not suggesting one be sacrificed for the other - I am merely questioning your priorities

And, for the record, I am strongly Pro-Choice and think the government should fund abortions - but I would not want to see any health legislation tied up over this issue. By raising this issue now the 19 are showing their true colors. That is, they are willing to use our nation's 50 million uninsured as pawns in the abortion debate.

[Demeter]

19. but Whose Money Is It Really, iamjoy?

Where did it come from? From the labors (no pun intended) of the taxpaying women of this country! Women who need the full range of available health care. And they need it NOW.

[rurallib]

20. I have been telling people since November this is what repugs

would use to sink health care. Once it was racism, now it will be womens health care.
Abortion is the only, only issue the repugs have. They will wield it like a battle axe to cut down anything.
And of course there are enough spineless dems to put them over the top.

[damonm]

54. "Abortion is the only, only issue the repugs have..."

And, quite frankly, they don't give a damn about it. Right along with illegal immigration.
If they REALLY wanted to do something about either, why didn't they when they had Congress AND the White House for 6 years?
Point is, they didn't - they don't WANT to solve these problems. They're too useful as wedge issues.

[berni_mccoy]

21. This is an outrage. The Democratic party should rid itself of these DINOs for this.

This is exactly what Republicans say would be wrong with a Public Option: A Beuracrat interjecting their beliefs in how you should be medically treated, a politician between you and your doctor.

It's extremely offensive.

[loudsue]

37. No shit! Why won't Keith or Rachel call these people what they are? INFILTRATORS!

Which part of being Democrats do these assholes not understand?

[Berry Cool]

45. Oh, you may well see that happen.

Don't be surprised if you do.

[Laelth]

22. Righteous rant, as usual. k&r n/t

-Laelth

[stevedeshazer]

23. Seventeen of the nineteen are men.

Just sayin'.

[TankLV]

96. noticed that right off, too...

[madamesilverspurs]

25. Brought tears to my eyes.

Tears for those women who die - unnecessarily - because some legislators can't see beyond their own political ambitions.

Damn.

[Ilovevermont]

27. The anger is justified

when people use their beliefs to push others around. We have
lost a lot in losing the clear lines that separate church and
state. I do not want to live in Saudi Arabia, Iran, or
Afghanistan. It seems to me that the most deeply held beliefs
are private and personal and should not dictate what others
may or may not think or do.

[Mnemosyne]

40. Welcome to DU, Ilovevermont! Excellent points.

[SteelPenguin]

28. Better off for people to die without coverage

Rather than provide a single woman an abortion of a child with such serious defects that it will be born in pain, cost the parents and hospital tens of thousands of dollars, and live mere hours or days.....

You'd rather that 40 million Americans have no coverage whatsoever. Die from common ailments because they can't afford to seek care. Go bankrupt and have their lives destroyed because they get sick...

Oh or actually provide any kind of support for the family that chooses to bring that child into the world.




Hey 19....Fuck you.

[classof56]

30. I wonder about something...

That great taxpayer-funded health care enjoyed by our congresspeople--does it include funding for abortions? Or birth control? I'm guessing if the Gang of 19 is so concerned about getting abortion out of the equation, their next target will be birth control. Several years ago someone close to me suffered the death of her fetus early on in her pregnancy and underwent a procedure to fix the problem. As I understand it, if abortion had not been legal she'd have suffered prolonged and agonizing pain before the condition resolved itself. And her spouse's health insurance covered it. Would the Gang of 19 take away that option as well?

As someone pointed out in an earlier post, there are 8 million already-born American kids without health insurance, not to mention the 40-plus million adults. The Gang of 19 should really focus on the consequences of that lack of coverage. And do something about it NOW!

[condoleeza]

44. Fortunately a D & C isn't considered abortion if there is no heartbeat and possibly never was

so I don't think this would ever happen. Statistics are that 40% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, in my family that statistic is spot on. I'm sure our congresspeople lack nothing in their "rights" or what their insurance covers and I'm sure they feel that they are so special that they DESERVE more. After all, they are educated and accomplished and few get where they have without having some major connections or wealth.

So, IMO, what this really comes down to is that if we provide birth control for and abort the poor who will join the military?

[BlueMTexpat]

31. How DARE these 19 DINOs call themselves "pro-life?"

It apparently has not penetrated their pea-sized brains that expressing their opposition to health care reform for all, based on their anti-choice stance, is about as anti-life as it can be. How logic-challenged they are!

I don't care how sincerely held their beliefs are, you are 100% correct in that if they can't put those beliefs aside and see the larger picture, they have no business in a job that requires them to work in the best interests of ALL US citizens.

Shame especially on the women among them!

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

32. KnR...Very important thread and comments. Great column too....

..as always.

[lunatica]

33. kick. Nothing needs to be added

[Mad_Dem_X]

34. ...

[OwnedByFerrets]

35. K and R

[area51]

36. Another great piece as usual.

And as other posters have pointed out, the 19 are actually pro-death in that they have absolutely no caring at all about life, or else they'd fight for single-payer healthcare, the most pro-life position to have! If they're so "pro-life", why don't they give a sh#t about the 273 people who die here per day due to lack of healthcare?

Lurkers, take a look at what doctors have to say about single-payer healthcare, which is really pro-life.

[Mnemosyne]

38. You speak for me also, Nance. Thank you.

How wonderful this world could be if only people minded their own fucking business!

[horseshoecrab]

41. K&R and thank you Nance Greggs

horseshoecrab

[Dystopian]

42. KandR....

Thank you, Nance.

peace~

[juno jones]

46. K&R! n/t

[bluethruandthru]

47. I don't think any healthcare reform should include any funding for Viagra!

You know...if God wanted these men to be able to have erections in order to pro-create..he would have given them to him...right?

[sutz12]

48. As a man, it saddens me that others want women to live in the Dark Ages...

IMO, one of the major drivers to the economic growth of the 50's was the holdover from WWII of women in the work force. Since the late 1900's women have had opportunities that women of prior eras could only dream of, because they were finally allowed to by society.

This RW thought process is not just anti-choice.

It is not even just anti-abortion.

It is anti-freedom.

AFAIC, limiting women's reproductive health services, including abortion on demand, is anti-freedom.

[damonm]

55. AFAIC?

New one for me...but in all else you are SPOT-ON.

[sutz12]

70. As Far As I'm Concerned...nt

[crickets]

50. Brilliant. Nice Steely Dan ref, too.

You nailed it again, Nance.

[DFW]

51. The ultimate arrogance

"What you need shall depend on what I want, and what I want, I shall seek in your name."

Claiming God's guidance in governing is what they do in the Islamic Republic. You know?
Axis of Evil and all that?

No, I guess they don't know.

At all.

You would think they were capable of caring, though, just a little. WTF did they think the
last election was about anyway?

[sutz12]

71. From what I can see...

There are a lot of Repubs who still think it was a PR failure of some kind, or "voter fraud," perpetratedof course by the likes of ACORN.

In grand authoritarian style, they still believe they have the right message, and the American people just don't get it. As long as they continue to think that way, and as long as the people stay alert, they are doomed to once again be the minority party for a good, long time.

[MadMaddie]

52. Nance lets send this to everyone of them and then lets

make an effort to get all 19 out of office.

We have galvanized before and we can do it again. Lets find real progressives that truely want to stay out of our bedrooms and our wombs.

Well done Nance!

[LeftishBrit]

56. Great rant; k&r!

These are Dems? WTF?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

57. I nearly missed this...

And I'm so glad I didn't.

You've spoken for me, and so damn eloquently. Your anger and disgust with these so-called Dems just screams off the page...

How dare they?

K&R

[aquart]

58. We agree at last.

[LWolf]

61. But if Democrats are pro-life, that's okay.

Women don't mind taking one for the team, right?

Just like, if Democrats:

support the war, it's okay

support torture, it's okay

support insurance companies over patients, it's okay

banks over citizens

privatization

"faith-based" government...

whatever. If Democrats support it, then it's good, right?

[emald]

64. DAMN.....

Please DO IT.

[McCamy Taylor]

65. This is the health insurance lobby using abortion to keep their $$$$.

If these folks do not care about the babies after they are born, they sure as hell do not care about them before. I think everyone in Right to Life should be forced to support an unplanned baby through its entire first 18 years. That would show true commitment.

[rocktivity]

66. Their constitutents need to write them a letter

saying that THEY will not be supported if they don't support healthcare that includes abortion funding!


rocktivity

[jmondine]

67. Damn straight

I saw a bumper sticker once. It said, "Aren't you glad your mother was Pro-Life".
Actually, she was, and is, pro-choice. She chose to have me. I am glad that she had the power to choose me.

[IcyPeas]

68. kicking because it's getting lost in all the "other breaking news"

I am so disappointed that these are democrats. Anti-choice democrats.

I thought this was a thread about steely dan. subject line doesn't really point out the true important topic. afraid a lot of us won't see this crucial post.

thanks Nance.

[Uzybone]

69. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), what a surprise ...not

KnR

[pacalo]

72. Beautiful.

[JerseygirlCT]

74. A most excellent rant. And may I just add: AMEN nt

[defendandprotect]

75. Disappointing re Marcy Kaptur . . . two women/17 males . . . ???

And, what would they tell us of their reasoning?

How many of them are following religious theory?

Are we going to allow women to have medical care or are they confirming that

reproduction is a political issue?

[defendandprotect]

76. And, sadly, this gives new impetus to those like Scott Roeder and Terry Randall . . .

because it suggests that there is something WRONG with abortion

and therefore something wrong with women making decisions about

reproduction.

[demodonkey]

77. Four of the 19 from Pennsylvania.

Guess they think it's better let living people lose their homes and families, bankrupt the nation, and have 20,000 Americans die each year due to no healthcare rather than pay for "killing" of fetuses.

Shame.



From a Pennsylvanian who HAS NO HEALTHCARE.

[Stargazer09]

79. Thank you!

I am so glad you wrote this. I'm also sorry that you had to do so.

[indepat]

81. Thanks for telling those fuckas it ain't any of their god-damned business

Edited the fuckas word

[PSzymeczek]

83. I'm so glad to see that Gabrielle Giffords

is not on the list.

[lib2DaBone]

84. I was surprised by Marcy Kaptur and John Murtha....

One of the few DEMS over the last 8 years who tried to to stand up to the fascists.

It shows how divided our country is when it comes to religious dogma and superstition.

I see this morning where the Vatican has told all catholics to STOP practicing Reike Healing.

(snip)

"The bishops said that Catholics should stop practicing Reiki, a healing therapy that is used in some Catholic hospitals and retreat centers, and which was enthusiastically adopted by many nuns. The bishops said Reiki is both unscientific and non-Christian." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/us/02nuns.html?_r=4&p...


i.e. "you can only believe in what WE TELL YOU to believe in"... what a great system.

Our country is going down the tubes and we get non-stop Michael Jackson and mandatory Burkas... oh brother....

[debbierlus]

86. You know - I am really SICK of being the party of the big tent when that means accepting DINOS

And, the whole damn party is turning into dinos.

[bertman]

87. AMEN, Sister!!!

Recommend.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

89. 2 stupid Blue Dogs from North Carolina

gah!

[ProudDad]

90. These jerks are as bad as repubs...

Overheard at Blue-dog Dem/Operation Rescue rally:


I am no friend to the fathers and mothers
And I am no friend to the sisters and brothers
And I am no friend to the weak and distressed
And I am no friend to the poor and oppressed... BUT

I'm a friend of the foetus, a friend of incomparable worth
I'm a friend of the foetus, right up to the moment of birth

Oh, once it's a baby, I will not go near it
I will not fead it and I will not rear it
And when it is crying, I won't even hear it
For I have no room in my heart for a human... BUT --- Cho

I will not weep for it, I won't lose sleep for it
I will not care for it, I won't be there for it
I'll back away from it, I won't go grey from it
I will not pray for it, and I won't pay for it... All together now

CHO;;; Let it get a job,
Right up to the moment of birth!


Carole Rose Livingston...RIP
http://www.folkways.si.edu/listen2.aspx?type=preview&tr...

[JonLP24]

91. Gene Taylor is more conservative then some republicans

It doesn't suprise me at all to see him on the list. I know we have a rule that we must support Democrats, if I lived in Gulfport, Moss Point, etc I'd vote third party all the way. It's not really a disadvantage if he loses to a republican because he is republican. I can't speak for the others but it does suprise me to see Marcy Kaptur on the list. Maybe I don't know enough about her but I did like her but I probaly won't anymore.