I am not in the least surprised that Rep. Bart Stupak voted for Obamacare–and then fought against a move by Republicans to put his own original language back in the bill. This is “the show,” politics at its hardest, and Stupak is a Democrat first, last, and always. He was predictably a “yes” if needed, but wanted to be able to vote no if he could–a trick of the trade played on both sides of the political street. But he was never going to allow himself to be seen as the reason the other team won, and then be blamed for breaking the spine of the Obama presidency.
So, his vote per se doesn’t bother me. But what I do not forgive is the weeks of charade. It was wrong to let tens of million pro life believers hang their deepest hopes on his solemn word that he wouldn’t compromise their most cherished principles–when he knew very well that if it really became necessary he would do precisely that. Stupak’s gamesmanship thus toyed with the deepest emotions of the very people he claimed to champion, adding immensely to their anguish when because of his vote–bringing the Stupak 12 (or whatever number) with him–Obamacare passed without the total ban on government financial involvement in abortion. That was needlessly cruel and marks one of the lowest points in this entire appalling and sorry spectacle.
March 22nd, 2010 | 2:35 am
Stupak – You are a disgrace and a traitor! You have just signed the death warrant of thousands of innocent unborn children AS WELL AS the rest of us currently living in what used to be the United States of America.
I hope you are pleased with your victory, and I REALLY hope it is the LAST victory in your political career.
March 22nd, 2010 | 2:49 am
Here is a youtube video where Stupak is speaking to people at a meeting in Cheboygan, MI.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URr68joWr1E
In the video he in his own words says that were his amendment to ban tax-payer funded abortions to come to a vote and be defeated that he would still probably vote for Health Care Reform anyway.
He did not say that were his amendment to come to a vote and be defeated that he would stick to his conscience (that he made a big deal out of) and probably not vote for Health Care Reform . He said that were his amendment defeated that he would still probably vote for Health Care Reform.
He made a big deal and a big show and then intended to vote for HCR anyway.
So the issue of him getting the promise from Obama to issue an executive order banning tax-payer funded abortions in now a moot point. And he can’t worm out of this by saying that he isn’t a one issue representative.
He is exposed as intending to make a big deal, have a dog and pony show, and then vote for HCR regardless.
March 22nd, 2010 | 3:34 am
Since I never believed Stupak would hold, I can’t say I’m surprised that he voted yes. He’s a Democrat, and as such, he’s not trustworthy. If he was really opposed to abortion, he wouldn’t be a Democrat in the first place.
March 22nd, 2010 | 4:27 am
My Wife and I will NOT forget this one young Bart, and we realize you are just another politician that forgot who He works for. You will not forget the Tea Party Bart.
March 22nd, 2010 | 5:44 am
“their deepest hopes…their most cherished principles…toyed with deepest emotions…adding immensely to their anguish…cruel.”
Wesley, do you have a support group you can join? Hang in there man.
Wesley J. Smith Reply:
March 22nd, 2010 at 9:22 am
Chris:Thanks. But I wasn’t talking about myself. I never believed Stupak. I am talking about a lot of truly broken hearted people out there.
March 22nd, 2010 | 8:17 am
In the end Stupak came out looking as bad as Obama and Pelosi. That’s no small accomplishment.
Now even Harry Reid has to play catch-up; he’ll need to show true heroic malfeasance during the Senate proceedings to remain at the top.
March 22nd, 2010 | 11:11 am
I felt heartsick which watching Bart Stupak’s pre-vote presser.
But the pain turned to disgust when Stupak spoke before the vote on the motion to recommit. He may have been diss-ing the Republicans in the chamber, but he was also trampling the many pro-life voters — regardless of party — who believed him, supported him, and were ultimately misled by him.
Reap the whirlwind, Mr. Stupak.
Wesley J. Smith Reply:
March 22nd, 2010 at 11:56 am
Yes, Mary in CO: That was truly stunning. He castigated people who tried to use his own language.
March 22nd, 2010 | 11:12 am
“which” = “while”
Sorry about that, Mr. Smith!
March 22nd, 2010 | 11:35 am
I already mailed some coins of silver to his office in D.C. I figure it is the least we can do to reward his betrayal and putting the lives of the unborn in the hands of the most pro-abortion President ever sworn into office.
If you would also like to send some silver coins to the Judas, here is the link:
http://www.mardigrasoutlet.com/list.asp?new=1
March 22nd, 2010 | 11:44 am
My solution is a simple two part deal. Vote out all the bums (Dems and Repubs). We may throw the baby out with the bathwater but once the bad apples are gone from the barrel we can start afresh. Limit each representative to one term in office. Funds to run will be paid out of government funds. The one where we allocate one dollar from or IRS tax form. The money will be spread out evenly among all candidates.
Washington, the government is capable of operating on its own (like cities and counties) The Senators and House members will be there to look for dishonest dealings within the government and make sure competetive bidding is taking place etc. and to pass bills that have to do with defending our borders. Any bills that increase taxes to pay for special interest will be thrown out. GW
March 22nd, 2010 | 11:50 am
Well Wesley, I was one of those guys who held out for Stupak even though all the conservative commentators said that at the end of the day he would cave. I thought he was the real deal and not like Ben Nelson and Bob Casey. I’m stunned.
I think one lesson to learn from this for cavers is that if you are going to cave, do it early. Let someone else be the last hold out. The way Ben Nelson, Bob Casey and Stupak did it harms them way more. They made all those big promises, got moral and righteous about it (appropriately so), but in doing so, they’ve fallen much farther and harder in the eyes of the public.
I also hope we pro-lifers learned a lesson. Enough pro-lifers in PA fell for Bob Casey to knock over a real pro-lifer like Rick Santorum. I have to admit the Chuck Schumer’s policy of letting pro-life democrats run and clearing the field for them in some instances was a stroke of genius in retrospect. Well at least in the short term. It allowed people who wouldn’t vote for a Democrat because of sanctity of life issues to vote for one because of their pro-life positions. He knew, like one of my colleagues told me, that at the end of the day, they’d be party loyalists more than principled pro-lifers. I suspect Schumer knew that when push comes to shove for almost all pro-life democrats, caving on abortion is just a cost of doing business for them. It’s okay to be pro-life if it doesn’t mean anything. Pro-lifers are a significant voting block so you need window dressing so people will feel safe to vote for your party. bummer that that’s what Stupak turned out to be.
March 22nd, 2010 | 12:39 pm
There are many ways to think of Stupak but the one that first comes to mind is inexplicable. He ballyhoos his right to life views, his Kof C connections and then for no understandable reason completely turns his back on his self proclaimed bed rock beliefs at a time when he held his own president and party in his grasp. Clearly, no Stupak no bill. On Friday night he had the entire leadership at his feet and settles for a worthless piece of paper. Then to confirm his, what, debasement, he repudiates his own amendment. Sorry, but airport funding could not explain such a humiliating spectacle. To deliver the coup de grace, as expected and oft predicted, Planned Parenthood triumphantly announces the expansion of abortion that his needless and mindless surrender created. What motive could exist on God’s good earth for this? This is an American Munich.
Wesley J. Smith Reply:
March 22nd, 2010 at 1:19 pm
Not inexplicable, ROB. He would have preferred an abortion ban. Absent that, he would have preferred to be able to vote no on a bill that passed. But he couldn’t have that, and so he voted for the bill. He was a Democrat before he was pro life. It seems quite clear to me.
But again, that isn’t what bothers me. What bothers me is the false hope he sowed in so many breasts. That was just inexcusable.
March 22nd, 2010 | 12:50 pm
Humiliating pro-lifers isn’t secondary ‘benefit’ (as the Dems see it), its one of the primary purposes of the Bill.
March 22nd, 2010 | 2:13 pm
Wesley, in the end those two aims were opposed as could be expected but he doubly betrayed the pro life principle itself when he: i) didn’t have to because Obama would have ultimately caved to obtain passage which needed Stupak’s vote; ii) led the opposition to his own amendment with all that implied. If life is truely one’s core belief I cannot fathom the result we witnessed. What was it about this particular bill at this particular time that would lead him to abandon all he previously championed. There would have been another bill at another time .Commitment to a particular party does not seem enough, especially given the humiliation demanded.Today Mr. Stupak says, “I stood on principle”. I think that is delusional.
Wesley J. Smith Reply:
March 22nd, 2010 at 2:26 pm
No, it is cynical.
March 22nd, 2010 | 2:37 pm
Why in Gaia’s name would people get all emotional over this? Were people really foolish enough to think Stupak wasn’t going to vote for it, regardless???? This Michigan political goon appears to salivate for the cameras, press, and attention – more than an insecure high schooler looking for positive affirmation.
I told you folks it would pass by two or three votes.
This was based on fairly extensive research, thought, and analysis I conducted over the matter.
If one is surprised or upset because they feel mislead – they have no one to blame but themselves.
Stupak didn’t sow false hope. People just fell for a clown.
Religious mythologists – you are just NOW upset that politicians are using emotions and “faith” to manipulate voters???? What??? How many Republicans have preached “pro-life”, how many have EVER done something about abortion (it has been done)?
Stop allowing yourselves to be pawns and start thinking for yourselves.
I don’t intend to make folks upset here – I’m giving some tough medicine in brutal fashion.
March 22nd, 2010 | 3:01 pm
“I don’t intend to make folks upset here – I’m giving some tough medicine in brutal fashion.”
Sorry, I don’t go to quack doctors.
March 22nd, 2010 | 5:01 pm
It may be best to hold judgement on Stupak’s motiviation and decisions. The country needed to see democrats standing up for human and civil rights. The executive order that the president will be forced to sign may or may not have any teeth but the symbolism is important. If Stupak and Co. had voted no, they may have been dismissed as a republicans in democrats clothing. As it is, the country has witnessed people from different political leanings standing up in support of full human rights for the unborn. In the end, the prolife movement may be better served if it is not too closely associated with a political party. For the first time in many years, it has become apparent to many people that the struggle for the right to life is not partisan. It is important that this opportunity not be trampled on, because embracing this reality may do more for the cause of life than the language of the Stupak- Pitts amendment could possibly do.
March 22nd, 2010 | 7:20 pm
Watched Stupak interview with Megan Kelly today. He personifies the things that remind us just how dirty politics can be because unprincipled men can be bought for the price of 800,000 dollars in Airport maintenance contracts. As he spoke I thought about all the weasels I have trapped in my lifetime and I missed this guy.
March 22nd, 2010 | 7:27 pm
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/speech/mi01_stupak/morenews/20100319faagrant.html
However I feel that the way Stupak was holding out he got more tricks hidden away then Xavier Hollander of the “Happy Hooker” ,fame. I also felt he would sell off the abortion issue in a heart beat in order to milk the issue for all he could.
March 22nd, 2010 | 8:10 pm
David, is it or is it not legitimate to hold out hope that politicians will hold to the prinicples they claim to cherish when they go to such lengths? The ammendment was written by him with his name on it. He endured months of people from his own side blasting him for holding true. It had appeared heroic, making the betrayal all the sharper.
Now either he was completely cynical and unless one is equally committed to pure cynicism, it is hard to fathom a creature like that exists, or he is a weak being who when push came to shove, in the final moment, caved and caved for very little when all was said and done.
I would have said the latter until I heard how he partied the night away, now I must presume the former. But we have the right to be mad, upset, irritated and out and out peeved, because the people who profess to be pro-life keep turning out to be otherwise.
March 22nd, 2010 | 9:39 pm
Clearly Stupak does not seem to REALLY believe that the unborn have a right to life. Otherwise he would never compromise his principles. We are desperately in need of PRINCIPLED pro-life democrats.
March 22nd, 2010 | 10:09 pm
Sherry,
It is not legitimate; the data suggests otherwise. These creatures clearly exist and their history is well established. Why would anyone put their hope in Stupak? He hangs out with The Family and C-Street mythologists – those guys are goons. What did you expect?
Ray (comment #2) is completely correct.
Imagine if the Tea Party got this upset over campaign finance reform, no-bid contracts, pointless wars, or Wall Street bailouts…
March 23rd, 2010 | 1:00 am
Well, we all have to die sometime. There are some people I wouldn’t be right now, for all that the world could offer.
“All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Satan to Jesus, Matt 4:9
April 9th, 2010 | 11:01 am
[...] pointed out here, the polls for the new law–and POTUS–are still going south. And now the great betrayer has announced that he will not run for reelection. From the story: Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), who [...]
April 22nd, 2010 | 7:28 am
[...] ¿ prolife¡ That sets the world on its head, doesn’t [...]
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