Marathon Pundit: Stupak working with GOP to sink ObamaCare abortion compromise

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Stupak working with GOP to sink ObamaCare abortion compromise

"Indomitable" might be the best work to describe the Upper Peninsula of Michigan's Bart Stupak. According to Politico, the Democrat is working with Republicans to sink the abortion compromise Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) agreed to in order to secure his vote for ObamaCare.

An aide to Rep. Bart Stupak (D. Mich.) coordinated opposition to a Senate compromise on the place of abortion in health care legislation this morning with the Republican Senate leadership, the Conference Catholic Bishops, and other anti-abortion groups, according to a chain of frantic emails obtained this morning by POLITICO.

The emails show that Stupak — who has so far remained silent on language accepted by Senator Ben Nelson (D. Neb.) and faces intense pressure from the White House to accept it — is already working behind the scenes to oppose the compromise.

They also demonstrate a previously unseen degree of coordination between Stupak and the office of Republican leader Mitch McConnell.

Stupak is the leader of a group of pro-life Democrats who say they'll oppose the sweeping legislation if it uses government money to pay for abortion, while McConnell is firmly committed to killing the legislation. The fact that the two have made common cause against the Senate's health care compromise will likely further infuriate Stupak's Democratic colleagues in the House, and demonstrates his willingness to stop any bill that doesn't pass his test.