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Bart Stupak won't run for reelection.

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  • Bart Stupak won't run for reelection.

    I guess it goes to show you can't burn both sides of the bridge without paying consequences. Stupak pissed of liberals by grandstanding about abortion in the health care bill (even though the bill already outlawed federal funding for abortion) and he pissed of right wingers simply because he voted for health insurance reform. Now Stupak can't get liberals to vote for him and he can't get conservatives to vote for him. Still, I'm glad this dirt bag is hitting the road.

    Under Fire for Abortion Deal, Stupak to Retire

    Representative Bart Stupak of Michigan, who played a central role with fellow anti-abortion Democrats in negotiating a compromise in the final hours of debate that allowed the health care overhaul bill to pass, said on Friday that he would not seek re-election.

    Mr. Stupak, a nine-term incumbent, has been under intense pressure from anti-abortion groups and others since the health care bill passed last month. At his request, President Obama signed an executive order outlining the prohibitions against the use of federal funds for abortion. But anti-abortion groups dismissed the executive order and pledged to defeat Mr. Stupak, whom they had once championed.

    “The Tea Party did not run me out,” Mr. Stupak said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “If you know me and my personality, I would welcome the challenge.”

    In conversations over the last week, party officials said, Mr. Stupak told Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Obama and other party leaders that he was leaning against running in November. They urged Mr. Stupak to reconsider, officials said, because leaving his seat open would create an opportunity for Republicans to gain ground in their bid to win control of the House.

    His decision to not seek re-election sent a fresh wave of anxiety through the Democratic Party, narrowing their margin for error as they fight with Republicans for control of the House in the midterm elections.

    “Obviously, we would have preferred that he run — he’s a popular incumbent and a good man,” David Axelrod, a senior adviser to the president, said in an interview on Friday. “But there are large numbers of incumbents retiring on both sides, and my understanding is that he’s been planning this for some time. People have to live their lives. We understand that.”

    Senior Democratic officials said there were signs that Mr. Stupak was considering the step even as he negotiated the health care compromise with anti-abortion Democrats. He had not raised much money, and had done little campaigning, even though he faced a Democratic primary challenge.

    Republicans in Michigan and Washington seized on the departure of Mr. Stupak as an opportunity to improve their chances for control of the House.

    “Bart Stupak is the first casualty of the Obamacare vote,” said Ron Weiser, the chairman of the Michigan Republican Party. “Caving to pressure from Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi, Stupak ignored his district and betrayed his principles.”

    The National Republican Congressional Committee issued a statement moments after the news of Mr. Stupak’s decision began to circulate: “Red Alert: Former pro-life Democrat throws in the towel rather than running on health care sellout.”

    Mr. Stupak, a leader of the Congressional Pro-life Caucus, put himself at the center of a debate over provisions in the big health care legislation regarding insurance coverage for abortions.

    In the fall, Mr. Stupak pulled off what at the time seemed a remarkable political feat, forcing Ms. Pelosi, who is a fierce champion of abortion rights, and other liberal Democrats to allow a vote on an amendment inserting tight restrictions on abortion coverage into the House health care bill. His name became capitol shorthand for the amendment.

    With Republican support, the amendment was approved, immediately creating a challenge for Democrats in the Senate. Negotiations there between two abortion foes, Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, and a supporter of abortion rights, Senator Barbara Boxer of California, produced compromise language for the Senate bill, but when it returned to the House, Mr. Stupak insisted that the Senate language was not good enough, infuriating all sides. Whether they were for or against abortion rights, many Democrats seemed to become anti-Stupak.

    Mr. Stupak sided with Catholic bishops who opposed the health bill because of the Senate language, rather than Catholic nuns who supported it, and then said the bishops were wrong not to accept Mr. Obama’s executive order as a compromise.

    He was speaking in the House debate about the executive order and his decision to support the health-care bill when Representative Randy Neugebauer, Republican of Texas, shouted “baby killer,” a major breach of decorum and a sign of how heated and polarized the debate had become. Mr. Neugebauer said the next day that his outburst referred to the bill and not to Mr. Stupak personally.

    In the aftermath, all sides in the abortion debate continued to criticize Mr. Stupak, but the loudest outcry was from ardent opponents of abortion, who had been his biggest backers. He was stripped of a pro-life award and lost the support of many right-to-life groups.
    Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

  • #2
    A GOP pick-up for sure.
    I make no bones about my moral support for [terrorist] organizations. - chegitz guevara
    For those who aspire to live in a high cost, high tax, big government place, our nation and the world offers plenty of options. Vermont, Canada and Venezuela all offer you the opportunity to live in the socialist, big government paradise you long for. –Senator Rubio

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    • #3
      He's a dirtbag because he had principles, Oerdin? Now, some conservatives say he jettisoned his principles (even though Obama did have an executive order), but I don't think that's Oerdin's belief.
      “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
      - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui View Post
        Now, some conservatives say he jettisoned his principles (even though Obama did have an executive order),
        Because an EO in this instance is worth as much as a roll of Charmin in as much as it can not change a law passed by Congress.
        I make no bones about my moral support for [terrorist] organizations. - chegitz guevara
        For those who aspire to live in a high cost, high tax, big government place, our nation and the world offers plenty of options. Vermont, Canada and Venezuela all offer you the opportunity to live in the socialist, big government paradise you long for. –Senator Rubio

        Comment


        • #5
          I guess most anti-abortion groups aren't satisfied with an anti-abortion democrat.
          I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
          - Justice Brett Kavanaugh

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Kidicious View Post
            I guess most anti-abortion groups aren't satisfied with an anti-abortion democrat.
            Are there any left in Congress?
            I make no bones about my moral support for [terrorist] organizations. - chegitz guevara
            For those who aspire to live in a high cost, high tax, big government place, our nation and the world offers plenty of options. Vermont, Canada and Venezuela all offer you the opportunity to live in the socialist, big government paradise you long for. –Senator Rubio

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by DinoDoc View Post
              A GOP pick-up for sure.
              Probably but I can see a golden lining for the Democrats. Dems will be less likely to grandstand and more likely to toe the line. That should be good for party discipline and party discipline has always been something the Democrats were bad at but the Republicans good at.
              Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui View Post
                He's a dirtbag because he had principles, Oerdin?
                He's a dirt bag because he lied. The bill already outlawed abortion but he tried to build up his street cred with conservative voters in his district by deliberately lying about the bill. Lying is what made him a dirt bag. To bad for him his lies back fired and he ended up pissing off more voters then he gained with his grandstanding.
                Try http://wordforge.net/index.php for discussion and debate.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by DinoDoc View Post
                  Because an EO in this instance is worth as much as a roll of Charmin in as much as it can not change a law passed by Congress.
                  It doesn't particularly change the law; it simply indicates where funding will go. The executive has the power of enforcement of the law, and by how it decides to enforce whatever law is passed can make changes. Administrations in the past have thwarted Congresses of different parties by refusing to fully fund certain programs.
                  “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
                  - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by DinoDoc View Post
                    Are there any left in Congress?
                    Some
                    I drank beer. I like beer. I still like beer. ... Do you like beer Senator?
                    - Justice Brett Kavanaugh

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Oerdin View Post
                      He's a dirt bag because he lied. The bill already outlawed abortion


                      Before his amendment?
                      “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
                      - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui View Post
                        It doesn't particularly change the law;
                        We agree. If we accept Stupak's original arguement that the Senate bill allowed for abortion funding, the EO didn't change one thing wrt his objection then. If a president can't strike portions of bills he dislikes (line item veto), I fail to see the Constitutional arguement that would pass muster with the Courts that allows him to add bits to laws. It's also Congress that controls the funding of this law.
                        I make no bones about my moral support for [terrorist] organizations. - chegitz guevara
                        For those who aspire to live in a high cost, high tax, big government place, our nation and the world offers plenty of options. Vermont, Canada and Venezuela all offer you the opportunity to live in the socialist, big government paradise you long for. –Senator Rubio

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui View Post


                          Before his amendment?
                          His amendment was striken from the Senate bill. Which he opposed before he supported.
                          I make no bones about my moral support for [terrorist] organizations. - chegitz guevara
                          For those who aspire to live in a high cost, high tax, big government place, our nation and the world offers plenty of options. Vermont, Canada and Venezuela all offer you the opportunity to live in the socialist, big government paradise you long for. –Senator Rubio

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I'm still confused about when he said what. I was under the impression that his rabble-rousing caused the anti-abortion part of the bill. I've never heard this "he lied about the abortion part" before... and I read alot of news.

                            I don't trust Oerdin even a little, perhaps someone can confirm/link something?
                            Everybody knows...Democracy...One of Us Cannot be Wrong...War...Fanatics

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by DinoDoc View Post
                              We agree. If we accept Stupak's original arguement that the Senate bill allowed for abortion funding, the EO didn't change one thing wrt his objection then. If a president can't strike portions of bills he dislikes (line item veto), I fail to see the Constitutional arguement that would pass muster with the Courts that allows him to add bits to laws. It's also Congress that controls the funding of this law.
                              Hasn't stopped Presidents in the past from not funding programs properly or using their enforcement powers in such ways (ie, the Mexico City Policy). Besides it doesn't contravene the bill as the bill doesn't say the money can be used for abortions.

                              Regardless, the EO establishes systems and guidelines to be used in order to make sure that abortion doesn't get funded by the new Health Care Bill. Remember, the Hyde Amendment has not been overturned.
                              “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
                              - John 13:34-35 (NRSV)

                              Comment

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