Rep. Bart Stupak voted last night in favor of healthcare legislation that does not prohibit funding abortions. The cave came after withstanding weeks of pressure from the Obama Administration and Pelosi’s minions in Congress. Why he would choose to fold now is almost incomprehensible.
Incomprehensible, that is, except that pro-life Democrats have a history of sacrificing their pro-life convictions to political expediency. Stupak can now trudge the trail of shame blazed by Jesse Jackson, Al Gore, and Dick Gephardt, among others.
Stupak had led a small group of Democrats who refused to vote for healthcare legislation that did not prohibit funding abortions. Stupak and his coterie succeeded in prohibiting funding of abortions in the House healthcare legislation. But never tell “devout Catholic” Nancy Pelosi that seventh-eighths of a loaf is better than none. Pelosi and her pals hammered away on their reluctant brethren, unwilling to give an inch on the abortion language. They bet that “pro-life” Democrats’ devotion to enacting universal healthcare would trump their commitment to the unborn. And the bet paid off.
In voting for the healthcare legislation, Stupak betrayed the principles for which he claimed to stand. He traded principled resistance for the fig leaf of a useless executive order. Aside from the meaninglessness of the executive order, the continued existence of the executive order depends on Barack Obama’s good faith. If you’ll sell out your principles on nothing more than Barack Obama’s word, there’s a bridge I’d like to sell you.
But somehow Stupak was able to brazen his way through voting for a bill he had fought for weeks while every observer nodded knowingly at his gullibility.
Thirty-four Democrats voted against the Senate healthcare bill. Why didn’t Bart Stupak have the courage to stand with them?
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.