Let us applaud President Obama for recognizing that Stupak is a new and distinct policy issue

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

President Obama has said that Stupak must be changed to ensure that any final healthcare bill merely retains the Hyde status quo and does not introduce new restrictions on choice.

This is an important message because it dispenses with the idea that Stupak is a harmless redundancy.

I do not know how this will all play out but, as in AA, the first step is admitting you have a problem.

Stupak is an actual problem, not a paper tiger. And the President acknowledging that fact shifts the debate from "is there a problem?" to "How to fix this problem?"

Also, as a political matter, by weighing in on something where it would be a lot more fun to not comment the President is acknowledging that he MUST weigh in because choice is not a flexible issue like trigger vs. opt-out.

Many people on both sides see choice as a principle issue not subject to compromise. Even if a politician's personal principles are not strong on the matter they know that their constituents' principles are. For many Dems their career-long promise to oppose ANY roll-back of choice is as powerful as a Republican's pledge to never raise taxes.

Pro-life Dems WILL sink the whole bill over abortion and Pro-Choice Dems MAY WELL sink the whole bill over choice.

The progressives who said they would vote down any bill without a public option were negotiating.

The pro-choice caucusers who say they will vote down any final bill with Stupak may be serious.

And the anti-choice Dems are sure-enough serious.

Hence the need for the President to get involved early. It's a powder-keg.

_____________

Added on Edit:

President Obama said today that Congress needs to change abortion-related language in the health care bill passed by the House of Representatives this weekend that includes tougher restrictions on abortion funding but said there is more work to be done before a final piece of legislation gets to his desk.

I laid out a very simple principle, which is this is a health care bill, not an abortion bill,” Obama said. “And we’re not looking to change what is the principle that has been in place for a very long time, which is federal dollars are not used to subsidize abortions.

Saying the bill cannot change the status quo, the President said “there are strong feelings on both sides” about an amendment passed on Saturday and added to the legislation, “and what that tells me is that there needs to be some more work before we get to the point where we’re not changing the status quo.”

In an exclusive television interview in the Map Rom of the White House, Obama told ABC News’ Jake Tapper that he was confident that the final legislation will ensure that “neither side feels that it’s being betrayed.”

I want to make sure that the provision that emerges meets that test — that we are not in some way sneaking in funding for abortions, but, on the other hand, that we’re not restricting women’s insurance choices,” he said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/abc-news-exclusive-obama-jobs-health-care-ft/story?id=9033559

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/11/9/802659/-BREAKING:-Obama-announces-he-is-against-the-Stupak-amendment!-

[geek tragedy]

1. This is a must-read.

Nothing to add.

[The Magistrate]

2. Indeed, Sir: President Obama Must Get This Abomination Out Of The Bill

[Prism]

3. The President's participation in this debate is vital

And he deserves credit for entering the fray with a strong, upfront position.

Choice is not something that will somehow sort itself out in Congress, and cannot be approached in such a way as, unfortunately, much of HCR has been.

He deserves kudos here.

[LaydeeBug]

20. This is very true, and as a critic, who will NOT back down on this, I am very heartened by

this development

[chill_wind]

4. Well stated. K & R.

eom

[marybourg]

6. Except for calling the anti-abortion position "pro life". nt.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

7. It was intentional

I wanted to mix up anti-choice (my usual terminology) and pro-life when talking about Democrats (even rotten ones) so as to not make a conciliatory OP appear too arch.

The same Dems are referred to thus in a following graf:

"And the anti-choice Dems are sure-enough serious."

[Dr Robert]

5. got a quote?

Obama only said that the status quo should be maintained. He did not say anything about the Stupak amendment specifically.
You are drawing conclusions based on your own point of view, not on what he actually said.

[phleshdef]

8. Got some common sense?

Apparently not. Why the hell would he even be talking specifically about abortion provisions in the bill if he wasn't talking about the only fucking abortion provision thats in the bill?

[Dr Robert]

9. my point is there is no text in the amendment to support these claims

take a gander,
these are the sections dealing with supplemental abortion coverage.

Show me where it bans access to abortion in the Exchange, or disallows buying supplemental coverage with your own funds.

(b) OPTION TO PURCHASE SUPPLEMENTAL COVERAGE OR PLAN -
Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting any nonfederal entity (including an individual or a State or local government) from purchasing separate or supplemental coverage for abortions for which funding is prohibited under this section, or a plan that includes such abortions, so long as-
(1) Such coverage or plan is paid for entirely using funds not authorized or appropriated by this Act; and
(2) Such coverage or plan is not purchased using-
(a) individual premium payments required for an Exchange-participating health benefits pan towards which an affordability credit is applied; or
(b) other nonfederal funds required to receive a federal payment, including State's or locality's contribution of Medicaid matching funds.

(c) OPTION TO OFFER SUPPLEMENTAL COVERAGE OR PLAN -
Notwithstanding section 303(b), nothing in this section shall restrict any nonfederal QHBP offering entity from offering separat supplementa coverage for abortions for which funding is prohibited under this section, or a plan that includes such abortions, so long as-
(1) premiums for such separate supplemental coverage or plan are paid for entirele with funds not authorized or appropriated by this Act;
(2) administrative costs and all services offered through such supplemental coverage or plan are paid for using only premiums collected for such coverage or plan; and
(3) any nonfederal QHBP offering entity that offers an Exchange-participating health benefits plan that includes coverage for abortions for which funding is prohibited under this section also offers an Exchange-participating health benefits plan that is identical in every respect except that it does not cover abortions for which funding is prohibited under this section.

http://documents.nytimes.com/the-stupak-amendment

[phleshdef]

12. Such coverage or plan is paid for entirely using funds not authorized or appropriated by this Act;

To me that sais that if someone is using federal subsidies to help them pay for healthcare they choose to receive from the exchange, then it can't be used for an abortion. In other words, if you can't afford to pay your entire premium, there are elements of the bill that help you pay for them, if thats the case then you can't have an abortion that isn't related to rape, incest or life endangerment.

Personally, I think if someone is receiving private insurance, it should be up to the private insurance company to determine whether or not they will cover an abortion, and if they don't, you should be able to easily to move a plan that will cover it if you so desire.

Still, the OPs point remains uncontradicted, the President said that nothing in this bill should change the way abortions can be covered under current laws.

[Dr Robert]

13. it says you can't pay for abortion coverage with government money.

you have to buy that coverage separately with your own money.

The OP says that abortion coverage will not be available in the Exchange.
I see nothing in the amendment that says this.

The OP says you can't buy supplemental abortion coverage with your own money.
The amendment says the exact opposite in sections B and C.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

14. I have never said you cannot buy supplemental coverage

Of course you can.

Some of my rants have been about scenarios where supplemental coverage is purchased.

[Dr Robert]

16. so, if supplemental coverage is allowed, how is this any different than the status quo?

currently, if you are receiving a subsidy, you would have to do the same thing.

[freddie mertz]

28. Why are you still defending this discredited amendment?

It's a C-street spawned poison pill.

The president got this one right.

You seem to have missed the train.

[gravity]

17. The bill will limit access to abortion

You technically get coverage for abortion, but there is going to be more obstacles in the way. You don't know who is going to be offering the plans or who is willing to participate in buying supplemental abortion insurance. Most women who get abortions don't plan on getting them for the first place. They mostly comes from accidents or unexpected medical problems.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

11. Sorry. Added to OP

The President says the language must be changed to ensure we remain at status quo.

I think my pre-link paraphrase was pretty accurate but you are quite right that actual quotes are better!

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

30. ...

[freddie mertz]

10. I completely agree. nt.

[LatteLibertine]

15. I'll say again

We need to get the C street cultists out of our government.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

19. It is alarming

[Jennicut]

23. Could not agree more.

[vaberella]

18. Most of the people bashing him or calling him to speak out....have yet to post here.

You won't get that round of applause except from those who are deemed his "cheerleaders".

I'm glad he's working to amend this amendment.

[optimator]

21. the Hyde status quo is unacceptable

and no I won't applaud the President for not fighting for women's health care.

[jenmito]

25. Well, NARAL is ok with it. So is the pro-choice caucus and everyone else in Congress

who is pro-choice and has spoken out on this subject.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

29. I cannot blame him Hyde

[me b zola]

22. K&R

[jenmito]

24. "And the anti-choice Dems are sure-enough serious." True, but from what Rep. Clyburn said on MSNBC

today to Andrea Mitchell, many of those "pro-lifers" who voted for the Stupak amendment in the House bill were under the mistaken impression that it was just a reiteration of the Hyde amendment. He said by the time everyone realizes that is NOT the case, they'll be content without the Stupak amendment.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

26. Interesting

[jenmito]

27. Cynthia Tucker, on Hardball tonight, reported the same thing that

Clyburn said today.