Give 'em hell, Harry! Reid stands up for women's public health!!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

UPDATE, 10:23 AM ET: Reid told reporters on Friday that the deal hinges on a rider to defund Planned Parenthood after leadership agreed to $38 billion in cuts late Thursday night.

"The moving target is focused on women in America.”

Reid said the Democrats had already made a number of concessions, including over the final cuts figure, brushing off claims by House Republicans that the final number was still up in the air.

"The Speaker is the one who came up with the number, we didn't invent it,” he said.

He recounted a moment from the White House on Thursday evening, when Vice President Joe Biden became frustrated at the gridlock over Planned Parenthood funding. Finally, Biden said “Well, fine, let the American people decide this issue then,” according to Reid.

He said the American people had since decided, citing newspaper editorials and a statement by staunch anti-abortion Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.) in support of dropping the measure from the funding deal.

Reid said now compromise will be up to the House GOP.

"We are not bending on women's health,” he said.

----

I must say that I'm impressed with Harry's resolve on this.

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/08/government-shutdown-negotiators-deal-close_n_846577.html

[Tansy_Gold]

1. I'll be more impressed if he actually holds that resolve.

I, however, am not holding my BREATH.



Tansy Gold, thoroughly disgusted

[MiniMe]

2. And to Patty Murray too

"We won't let women be used as pawns"

[spooky3]

14. she was excellent in the statement shown on MSNBC last night.

[MiniMe]

17. She said that this morning too

[marew]

3. Me too! Its about time! n/t

[Lint Head]

4. Harry Reid's words are generally hollow. He will not back up his words with action.

[cliffordu]

23. Chrystal ball or tarot??

[daa]

5. BFD he sold the rest of us donw the river nt

[still_one]

8. So did other Democrats, however, one should still recognize when something correct is said

Since the repukes are distorting the entire talking points

[daa]

27. I agree about the other dems

Pelosi and Reid should have passed a budget a long time ago.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

28. Hmmm...THEY DID!! Rather than buy into right-wing talking points, please

understand that a budget bill was stalled in the Senate by Republicans!!!!!

[cliffordu]

22. Yes he did. Banning those spelling classes really shows.

[emulatorloo]

24. LOL n/t

[still_one]

6. I wonder how many who listen to the corporate media will actually hear this? /nt

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

7. Apparently some of the people in this thread waiting for "doom and gloom"

can't read it, either.

[still_one]

9. I heard Reid in full entirety on Bloomberg, I would hope the same avenue was afforded him in the MSM

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. That's the problem. The M$M. Sadly, many DUers claim that he's not out there.

They claim that Nanci Pelosi and the president haven't been seen.

Folks, just because you didn't see it aired on T.V. doesn't mean that it DIDN'T happen.

The Corporate Media scrambles to put Boehner's orange face on the tube any chance its gets. Does it do the same for the other side? No.

What LIBURL media???!?!

[still_one]

15. Which brings us to the question if a true falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does

it make a sound?

[emulatorloo]

25. It is going to be a real uphill battle getting the message out IN SPITE of the MSM

It can be done, but it is going to be very hard.

[luvspeas]

10. watch this post get unrec'd...

there are poeple on here that hate women.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

11. My threads *always* get unrec'd. LOL!! :)

I don't hold my tongue.

[spooky3]

13. All Democrats need to emphasize this SAME message to make it clear.

Again and again, Republicans keep hammering home their propaganda and the average citizen who isn't tuned in to politics hears it and believes it. Dems. need to deliver a clear, simple, consistent message to win the communication battle, so that voters understand that it is the tea partier nutcases that are causing this impasse.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

19. Republicans are trying to make Americans believe that ALL PP does is abortions!

And that their taxpayer dollars are supporting abortions.

Of course, it's not true. The Hyde Amendment provisions, which Congress renews each year, is clear that NO federal funds go towards abortion.

The Republicans are simply LYING to the American people, and I'm waiting for Democrats to come out and hammer this point home. Planned Parenthood DOES NOT use federal funds for abortion procedures!!!

[spooky3]

20. They MUST counter this, with a consistent message. Dems. just don't understand

how critically important it is to speak with one voice when you are up against these lies.

[demmiblue]

16. Link, please. TIA. n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

18. Updated with link...

[Dappleganger]

21. Recc'd for Reid standing up.

He's fallen down many times but when a dem stands up it's good to take notice.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

26. As I stated before, Republicans are *knowingly* and *deliberately* LYING!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update:

Today 1:22 PM

Female Senate Dems Address Planned Parenthood Funding

Nine female Senate Democrats attempted to set the record straight on Friday over government funding to Planned Parenthood.

Republicans have said the policy rider that has become a sticking point during budget negotiations, which would block all federal funding under Title X from going to the women’s health organization, is an attempt to stop taxpayer dollars from funding abortion. Many have also claimed Planned Parenthood is primarily an abortion provider, with Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) stating on the Senate floor that abortions are “90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does.”

Senate Democrats said Republicans were either ignorant of the laws -- or deliberately obscuring them.

“I’m not so sure they know exactly what they’re doing over there,” Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said, referring to the services Planned Parenthood provides. The Hyde Amendment blocks federal funds from paying for abortions, and the organization primarily provides women’s health services -- with only 3 percent of its work going toward abortions.

Her fellow California senator, Dianne Feinstein, went a step further.

“This is really a crafty move on their part,” she said. “They know that federal funding for abortions is illegal, but what they’re going to do is take down the whole infrastructure, regardless of if the money is raised privately.”

The senators said they should not accept blame for a shutdown if negotiations fall apart over the rider.

“This is why we’re so angry. No woman should be asked, ‘Do you want to close a park or do you want to give up your health care?’” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/0..._n_846525.html