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Politics
Hide the Amendments
So far, the Obama administration and the Democratic Congress have preferred to avoid high-profile fights on contentious social issues. After being dusted off for the campaign trail, the Freedom of Choice Act and gays in the military appear to have been put back on the shelf. Better to live to fight the culture wars another day than to give their opponents an easy target.
That doesn't mean that social liberals in the White House and Congress aren't moving quietly behind the scenes, however. President Obama waited a couple days after the anniversary of Roe v. Wade to issue an executive order rescinding a ban on federal funding of organizations that perform or promote abortions overseas -- either to quiet controversy or in deference to his eminent pro-life supporters. But what's important is that he ultimately issued the executive order.
Now beleaguered pro-life members of Congress are gearing up for another fight. They worry that during the upcoming spending marathon, language preventing taxpayer funding of abortion may be deleted from appropriations bills in committee. Worse, they fear that a circumscribed amendment process will keep them from putting the gutted pro-life riders back in before final passage.
The biggest item that may be in jeopardy is the Hyde Amendment. Enacted under a Democratic Congress in 1976 and repeatedly renewed under presidents of both parties, it prohibits Medicaid funding of elective abortions. Advocates on both sides of the issue believe it has prevented numerous abortions, and the underlying policy has the support of many voters who consider themselves pro-choice. Also at issue are riders blocking taxpayer funding of human embryo experimentation and conscience clauses for medical professionals who do not wish to participate in abortions.
On Wednesday, a bipartisan group of legislators -- three Republicans and three Democrats -- held a press conference on Capitol Hill to announce that over 180 House members from both parties had signed a letter demanding that these pro-life policies either be left intact or subject to a direct vote by the full House. "We respectfully request that the pro-life riders be included in any legislation reported out of the Appropriations Committee," the members wrote to the House leadership. "If this Congress intends to rescind these riders, at a minimum the American people deserve a full debate with an up-or-down vote."
The initiative has been spearheaded by Congressmen Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), with the backing of Congressmen Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Bart Stupak (D-Mich.). Their concern is that however controversial a direct assault on the Hyde Amendment would be, these details will get lost in the process of crafting mammoth spending bills. "In the past, we might have lost a vote on stem cells," Jordan told TAS. "Now even votes on taxpayer funding and partial-birth are up in the air."
The Hyde Amendment hasn't been in serious danger since 1993, the last time there was a new Democratic president and Congress. Back then, Medicaid only paid for abortions when necessary to save the mother's life. A rape and incest exception was added to the Hyde Amendment as a compromise, the amendment was renewed rather than repealed, and the prohibition on taxpayer funding of most abortions remained in place.
Pro-lifers may hope history repeats itself but they aren't taking anything for granted. Although happy with the bipartisan support he and Shuler have already garnered, Jordan describes this Democratic majority as "much more cohesive" than those that have existed in the past, contrasting the small number of Blue Dog Democrats who voted against Obama's stimulus package with the larger number of Boll Weevils who voted for Ronald Reagan's tax cuts. He might also have mentioned the Democrats who voted against the Clinton tax increase in 1993. The first Clinton budget passed the House by just one vote despite an 80-vote Democratic majority.
Nevertheless, there are still about two dozen pro-life Democrats in the House. "The precise number depends on the issue," Party of Death author Ramesh Ponnuru recently explained in National Review. "In the last Congress, only 16 Democrats voted against providing taxpayer dollars for stem-cell research that destroys human embryos. Thirty-one voted against a bill to allow the cloning of embryos to be destroyed in such research."
There are many more House Democrats who come from districts where generic support for Roe might be politically feasible but taxpayer funding of abortion is not. Most pro-choice Republicans would vote in favor of retaining the Hyde Amendment as well, on the grounds that the right to choose doesn't confer a right to other people's money to pay for one's choices. The other riders vary in support, but all of them would stand a chance in a House vote.
That's why House pro-lifers are already mobilizing to make sure that, at the very least, they get one. "In football, there may be a team that everyone expects to win but they still have to suit up and play. Sometimes, the other team wins," Jordan says. "All we're asking for is to let us suit up and get in the game."
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Country Boy| 2.27.09 @ 7:51AM
Has there ever been a medical study to determine if women who have undergone "elective" abortions suffer from deep seated guilt years later?
Oh yeah, let's nationalized this too. Yikes.
Bill Hussein O''Stalin| 2.27.09 @ 9:58AM
Killing millions has now been globalized, not nationalized. Think globally.
Contreceptives is a solution| 2.27.09 @ 10:27AM
It's important that women can demand contreceptives, to avoid termination. That is the solution. Contreceptives is needed to be made avaliable world wide, there is a limit to how many children any couple can feed, and look after.
Pingback| 2.27.09 @ 11:17AM
The Devil’s In the Details: Using Appropriation Bills to Advance Abortion | Caffeinat links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Nick| 2.27.09 @ 11:42AM
Contr[A]ceptives [are] [NOT] a solution,
Birth control is intrinsically evil. It disorders the marital bond and conjugal love. It increases unplanned pregnancies. And in certain cases, they are abortifacients.
When Obama was born, it was still OK for states to restrict or ban contraceptives in this country. Look how low we've come in 40+ years.
Austin Scott| 2.27.09 @ 11:50AM
And contraception does not do what is claimed, either, though we always hear this argument.
In every place contraception is freely available, even free, the abortion rate has gone up, as has the STD rate.
Irresponsible and promiscuous behavior leads to unwanted pregnancy, since contraception often fails or is improperly used, and gives a sense of invulnerability. Only restrictions on abortion and changes in personal behavior bring the rate down.
Prevention better No Abortions| 2.27.09 @ 12:08PM
STD is a result of people sleeping around it has nothing to do with contraceptives or contreceptives. STD has more to do with morality. Any one who can read can take contraceptives, if anyone is not sure ask questions. The population is over 6 billion people, the supplies of food and energy cannot sustain the growth of people on the planet.
America is consuming 1/2 of the world's resources and they are 300 million people, the other half has to serve the rest of the world. America is using up the worlds resources as if there is two planets.
daddio| 2.27.09 @ 1:14PM
Prevention, you mistook this for the DailyKos.
John| 2.27.09 @ 1:36PM
Contraceptives mean more promiscuity, which equals more sex, which leads to more pregnancies, which leads to more abortions.
How can people, in the 21st century, think that contraceptives are the solution? Remarkable...
ThinkTank| 2.27.09 @ 2:16PM
Seriously, you people are unbelievable...
They should call this magazine, 'Curmudgeons for Christ' - though I bet even Jesus wouldn't wish to know you
Nick| 2.27.09 @ 2:41PM
ThinkTank,
You are the first to mention Our Lord and Savior on this thread. What do you have against Cristians anyway?
ruth| 2.27.09 @ 11:59PM
Funny how many atheists use Christ to admonish Christians. Funny. Also, most women don't know that many contrAceptives are abortifacients, which means they terminate the pregnancy not prevent it. Women are having chemical abortions without knowing it--evil.
Pingback| 2.28.09 @ 1:18AM
Weekend: « Jim Blazsik links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
The right to choose| 2.28.09 @ 9:03AM
So what is the answer? just keep breeding, by the sounds of it.
Like a friend said it's funny how it's OK to drop bombs on children, but wrong to use prevention.
They are also the first to say why should we give to the poor or pay tax. Like they are happy to allow the government to use money that should go towards development to be used for distruction, the distruction of life with bombs and land mines, they too claim they are better than every one else too. They are better christians, because they prefer to see people living in poverty, people having children they can not house feed or cloths, or educate.
Everyone has a right to live their own life, in their own way, they are the ones who lives with the result of their actions. Peoples private lives has nothing to do with anyone else.
The same as those who are homosexuals, there is nothing anyone can do about them. Leave others alone to live their own lives.
Michigan-Matt| 2.28.09 @ 9:43AM
I guess if federal support of new lines of stem cells moves forward, if the ban on taxpayer funding of abortions is lifted, if the Fairness Doctrine comes to fruition, if gays get to serve openly in the military, if federal tax benefits are extended to same sex couples, if gays get the federal benefits of tax-supported adoptions and if religious hospitals have to perform abortions or give up their federally-paid patients... maybe then we can all look at those angry, bitter anti-McCain, anti-RINO, always bitching soc-cons who sat on the couch on Election Day and say: "You asked for it. You brought it on."
It' ll be a moment worthy of all the atonement that the world's penitents have given since ape stood upright.
Congressman Hyde was a great guy, great GOPer, great leader, great American. But let's not forget, at the end of his political career, soc-cons were calling him a RINO. Gheesh, what petty, short memories they have, eh?
Rick Josey| 2.28.09 @ 10:12AM
It's amazing. How abortion rights advocates are always talking about "the right to choose." As though choosing to murder an infant is a right.
Ah, but they are not advocating the slaying of an infant, but of a FETUS. Yes! Let's just slap a "new label" on this, and everything is okay. Sort of like calling the greatest governmental spending spree in history a "stimulus" package.
Word games. Re-label everything, and that makes it more palatable to the ear. Liberal socialists now call themselves "progressives." Sounds good, doesn't it? Despite the fact that socialism always fails miserably, they cling to their grandiose dreams and call it "hope."
Progressives...that sounds good. But peel off the label, and they are delusional.
Oops, I forgot. They have "the right to choose" that delusion.
www.PatriotHangout.com
ruth| 2.28.09 @ 1:35PM
Only in liberal land does someone have the 'right' to kill and call it 'choice'. Abort enough of your children and you'll abort yourselves out of existence.
Pingback| 2.28.09 @ 1:38PM
Weekend: A Little News Review « Jim Blazsik links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Nick| 2.28.09 @ 10:28PM
Michigan Matt,
No, it is still the fault of mind numbed robots like you. And all the state GOP chairmen who didn't close their respective primaries and let democrats vote in McShame.
Brian| 3.1.09 @ 7:08PM
Michigan Matt, I couldn't agree more this point
>>>maybe then we can all look at those angry, bitter anti-McCain, anti-RINO, always bitching soc-cons who sat on the couch on Election Day and say: "You asked for it. You brought it on."
It' ll be a moment worthy of all the atonement that the world's penitents have given since ape stood upright.
Congressman Hyde was a great guy, great GOPer, great leader, great American. But let's not forget, at the end of his political career, soc-cons were calling him a RINO. Gheesh, what petty, short memories they have, eh?
Brian/Michigan-Mutt| 3.1.09 @ 7:28PM
Look, we're a troll twofer!!
Brian da Bruin| 3.2.09 @ 5:45PM
Nick (or Churchill the other fraudulent names you comment under), you have a lot of gall to suggest who is a troll here. You literally define the term. And just because I agree with someone, I'm their troll?
Get a life Nick; the one you have is pathetic. And I'm not the first to say that, either.
Brian da Bruin| 3.2.09 @ 5:51PM
By the way Nick, you've been busted again...
Jeremiah| 3.1.09 @ 7:31PM
Michigan-Mutt/Brian: Look, a troll twofer! Loser.
You posted that line in another thread. How many names do YOU go by here, anyway?
Nick| 3.2.09 @ 7:30PM
Hey Cliff Clavin,
You're nuttier than a bag of cashews. Don't go postal, OK?
Angel| 3.3.09 @ 2:36AM
Nick, these idiots blame you, and you're innocent! I love it when these azzwipe liberal trolls get ticked off 'cuz someone is gaming them. Tell them to buzz off, Nick, the Conservative Guardian Angel is screwing with them, again.
Conservative Angel| 3.3.09 @ 2:39AM
Get a life, Brian. What a loser, bet you've got no 'social' life at all. It would explain your foul mood. LOL
Pingback| 3.3.09 @ 6:46AM
digg » Blog Archive » Roundup: Sebelius Obama’s Pick for HHS Secretary; Anti-Choicers links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Michigan-Matt| 3.3.09 @ 7:45AM
Brian, it's a truism that when every one pulls a white sheet of bigotry off some knee jerk knuckle dragging soc-con, the first words are "It's everyone else's fault" because, to them, they didn't do anything but be themselves.
And then the taunts begin. It might be that your a RINO. Or a pinko. Or a Marxist.
Then it devolves to masculinity taunts about being a wimp or gay, etc.
And it always ends in the same exact place, the bigots put back on their white sheets and go hell-raising on some illegals or blacks or gay-bashing or Jew-baiting or (you fill in the blank).
Nick cum Churchill cum Interloper cum Viki cum Michiganmatty cum fake-Jeremiah cum (you fill in the blank, sigh, again) do their usual dance and think it oooh so clever.
Tiny actions by tiny minds gets them nailed.
But thanks for the joining in and not letting the bigots go without account.
Nick| 3.3.09 @ 8:37AM
Angel,
Thank you, and please say a prayer for me.
Brian da Bruin| 3.3.09 @ 1:59PM
Nick, I've watched from a distance for a while here and I, too, have noticed your string of fake-names showing up within 3-4 minutes of each other in various threads in order to slam away at anyone who dares disagree with your jaundiced opinions. Your special spite is easy to identify.
Although I don't agree with Michigan Matt's opinions about many things here, he is correct and dead-to-rights on one very important thing.
You're a troll and a tool and, such a disloyal shallow tool I would wager that by the end of the week, you'll be labeling RushBlow as a RINO and not pure enough for your lonely niche of the social conservatives quilting bee set.
How did you accumulate so much hate in such a tiny mind?
Angel| 3.3.09 @ 3:37PM
Okay, Nick, prayers coming your way; for the azz- clown libtard trolls, there's no hope. Straight to hell for them.
Nick| 3.3.09 @ 9:42PM
OK, Brian/rhino/Matt/Cliff Clavin, I'll play your game. See, I can claim you are one person too. But I could care less if you think I'm posting under different names, keep deluding yourself.
This is a conservative site, by the way, not the RNC's site. I'm a conservative. So how exactly am I a troll?
Angel| 3.3.09 @ 10:21PM
You're not the troll nick, but they're commies, and they figure if they repeat a lie often enough, it will become truth. Loser Stalinists.
Michigan-Matt| 3.4.09 @ 11:07AM
Nick, the problem with your analysis is that you are, indeed, a troll and that's been documented by your use of fake poster names and comments to back up your lame assertions. BrianBruin pointed that out already. I'm not deluded in thinking you to be a troll of multiple poster names; you've been caught red-handed, red-faced and you can't even face that reality.
There's no "rhino" here; that's your dishonesty distorting reality. There's no "cliff clavin" here; that's more of your dishonesty distorting reality.
Intellectual dishonesty. Facile dishonesty. Personal dishonesty. And now we can add lying to your self --wow, that's quite a record for such a tiny mind.
Angel| 3.4.09 @ 3:24PM
Mutt, you're a turd eating libtard. Go away, troll.
Ronald Alzhiemers| 4.10.09 @ 3:03AM
The biggest item that may be in jeopardy is the Hyde Amendment. Enacted under a Democratic Congress in 1976 and repeatedly renewed under presidents of both parties, it prohibits Medicaid funding of elective abortions.
Libtards did something right?> Dont ever admit that again, you bastard!
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Flux Capacitor| 4.10.09 @ 3:09AM
Ronald Reagan! HAHAHAHAHA!
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