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Michael Sean WintersMarch 20, 2010
Congressman Bart Stupak is holding a news conference as I write with his fellow pro-life Democrats. They announced an agreement with the White House for an executive order that confirms a pro-life interpretation of any ambiguous aspects of the current health care bill. Some on the Left charged that Stupak’s concern about the abortion language in the bill was all a ruse to defeat the health care bill. They owe the congressman an apology – he held the critical, decisive number of votes in his group, and he has delivered them.

Stupak’s commitment to pro-life principles in beyond question; in this murky world of politics if anything is clear, it is clear that Stupak was willing to defeat the bill unless he felt his concerns about abortion funding were met. So, it will be interesting to see which groups – and which Catholic blogs – denounce him now. This will distinguish those whose primary concern is for the protection of unborn life from those whose primary concern is the promotion of the GOP’s agenda.

Stupak’s courage is pretty stunning, too. He stood his ground and because the ground on which he stood was a principled ground, he could fend off attempts to placate him with other non-related sweeteners or with any backroom deals. He has earned the respect of everyone involved in this health care debate. Still, I will wager any amount of money that within hours, the cries of “Judas” will be hurled his way. I hurl a different cry toward the Congressman from Michigan and his allies: Vivat!  

Michael Sean Winters

 

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Rick Malloy
14 years ago
Sept. 15, 2009, I posted the following on my blog (http://jesuitjottings.blogspot.com).  Nice to see the President has kept his word.  Nice to see Congressman Sutpak and other prolife democrats win in their defense of life.
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Here's a quote from President Obama's speech. Maybe because the "gentleman" from SC was calling the President a liar, people didn't hear the President's clear words about abortion funding. Also, remember, the Hyde amendment is still the law of the land.
 "There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants. This, too, is false – the reforms I'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up – under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place" (President Obama. Speech Sept 9, 2009).
 If the health care bill allows tax dollars for abortion, the ads will play that segment over and over again. I can't believe the President and the Democrats would open themselves up for such an attack.
James Lindsay
14 years ago
What Stupak said against the motion to recommit was stunning. He made it impossible to be a pro-life Republican. If only the rest of the movement would follow him back to the Democratic Party! Of course, the Democrats would soon be unsustainable as a coaltion, but the pro-life faction that becomes a second (or even first) party would be superior to anything else out there now, especially for Catholics.

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