Marathon Pundit: Obamacare's abortion hurdle

Even if...and I think that's a pretty big if...liberal Democrats hash out an agreement over funding of Obamacare, they still have to get past the abortion hurdle.

Simply put, Barack Obama is the most pro-Abortion president ever. While an Illinois state Senator, Obama twice voted against the Induced Infant Liability Act, which would have protected babies that survived third trimester abortions.

A federal version of the law sailed through the House, with just 15 nays, and was unanimously approved in the Senate by voice acclamation, and President Bush signed it into law.

Last week Katie Couric asked Obama if he favored federal funding of abortions, Obama's rambling answer included his admonition that we should "not get distracted" by this issue.

I'll bet the mortgage on this one: Obama favors it.

And it appears those Blue Dogs agree with me, as the Los Angeles Times--Oh, I borrowed the hurdle metaphor from them--explores:

If the House leadership's dispute with the Blue Dogs is resolved, abortion looms as the next sticking point. Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan and other Democrats opposed to abortion rights want to ensure that the bill includes language restricting taxpayer funds for the procedure.

The Hyde Amendment, passed in 1976, explicitly prevents the federal government from using tax dollars to fund abortion through Medicaid. But the reach of that law grows murkier if the government establishes its own competitive health insurance plan, or if it assists in creating a new market in which the public could sort through various private insurance plans. Both ideas could be included in the healthcare bill under consideration in Congress.

The Obama administration has tried to stay neutral on the matter.

More...

"By being silent on this issue, [Obama is] actually making an affirmative statement in favor of taxpayer abortions," Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) said.

He's right.

What about Joe Biden?

In his 2007 memoir, "Promises to Keep: On Life and Politics," the long-winded one recalls a 1973 conversation about Roe vs. Wade he had with Abe Ribicoff, a Connecticut senator:

"Well, I will not vote to overturn the Court's decision. I will not vote to curtail a woman's right to choose abortion. But I will also not vote to use federal funds to fund abortion."

A couple of paragraphs later he states, "I've stuck to my middle of the road position for thirty years."

That's not exactly true, as you'll find out here, but Biden's official position is that he opposes federal funding for abortions.

Which is the Blue Dog position.

As it is with most Americans. Even pro-choice ones.

A tough hurdle, indeed.

Related post:

Another GOP Whip Team conference call on health care

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