Stupak: Why I wrote the 'Stupak amendment' and voted for health-care reform

[Emit]

Why I wrote the 'Stupak amendment' and voted for health-care reform

By Bart Stupak
Saturday, March 27, 2010; A13

When I saw that Kathleen Parker's March 24 op-ed, "Stupak's original sin," defined me as a "backstabber," it reminded me of a Bible verse. Matthew 7:3 asks, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"

The true motives of many blogs and organizations claiming to be pro-life have become clear in recent days: to politicize life issues as a means to defeat health care reform. One group even sent an e-mail to supporters saying they are "working feverishly to stop this legislation from going forward."

The pro-life groups rallied behind me -- many without my knowledge or consent -- not necessarily because they shared my goals of ensuring protections for life and passing health-care reform but because they viewed me as their best chance to kill health-care legislation.

Last November, an amendment I introduced succeeded in making sure the House health-care-reform bill contained the current law prohibiting public funding for abortions. I was disappointed that the Senate could not pass my language and only mustered 45 pro-life votes, far short of the 60 votes needed to keep the amendment intact.

~snip~

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/26/AR2010032602921.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

[Skittles]

1. gawd I detest these "sanctity of life" fuckers

[MajorChode]

4. I can stomach Stupak more than others

The thing I can't stand about most so-called pro-lifers is they are also typically against measures that insure there will be less abortions like sex education and the availability of birth control. They also typically don't give a shit about the child after it's been born. They don't give a shit that some areas of the US have an infant mortality rate that rivals many 3rd world countries. They don't give a shit about child health care. The don't give a shit about mothers. They don't give a shit about educating or making sure the children have a roof over their head, and they don't give a shit about non-traditional families.

Stupak doesn't seem to fit that mold. So I may not agree with him on abortion, but at least he isn't so hypocritical with his pro-life views.

[Skittles]

5. he still sucks

for wanting the government to make a woman's decision

[upi402]

2. He took a lot of heat, he did what needed to be done in the end

Good for him. I hope he sees that he can't be rational or reasonable catering to them even 99% of the time. Politics isn't absolute unless you're a new Republican.

[ChicagoSuz219]

3. The one thing I learned about Stupak was...

...he really, truly believes in what he was saying.

I don't agree with him, but I don't think it was a political ploy.