From Tony Perkins’, Washington Update
It’s going to be tough sledding for Senate Democrats over Christmas–and not because of the snow. America’s rage over the leadership’s bill is exploding on all sides. With Tuesday’s early morning vote for cloture (the second of three), the Democrats are one step closer to their flights home, where rallies are already taking place at local offices. The biggest bulls-eye seems to be squarely on Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who sold out his pro-life soul faster than you can say “Medicare exemption.”
Surprisingly, most of the fury over Nelson is homegrown. His state colleague, Sen. Mike Johanns (R) couldn’t distance himself from the Cornhusker fast enough, calling Nelson’s betrayal of his pro-life principles “reprehensible.” On the floor, Sen. Johanns said, “Nebraskans are frustrated and angry that our beloved state has been thrust into the same pot with all of the other special deals that get cut here.
In fact… they’re outraged that a backroom deal for our state might have been what puts this deal across the finish line.” Even Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, whose budget stands to profit from the deal, said he wants no part of these special favors and made it quite clear that “the responsibility for this special deal lies solely on the shoulders of Senator Ben Nelson.”
If the beleaguered Senator hoped to find solace in the arms of the pro-abortion crowd, he was mistaken. They are just as irate. Some are even suggesting that the President sacrifice health care reform to squash the Nelson “compromise.”
Yesterday, the pro-abortion caucus in Congress met with insurance providers and lawyers to find ways to understand it and defeat it.
But they needn’t have worried. In a new video uncovered today, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius praises Nelson’s language, because, according to the woman in charge of these reforms, it ensures that everyone will pay for abortion–no matter how the funds are divided up. Surely that news won’t sit well with voters, who are breaking on the pro-life side of this debate by a massive margin. According to a new Quinnipiac poll, Americans–by a huge three to one margin–are overwhelmingly opposed to using taxpayer dollars to fund abortion. Seventy-two percent of the country is now firmly on the side of Rep. Bart Stupak’s (D-Mich.) solution to ban the government’s financial involvement in the procedure.
House and Senate conferees would do well to heed that warning when they come together to iron out their differences with the final bill, else this bill could collapse because of it.
While ObamaCare may seem inevitable, it is not! Disagreement over abortion is one of the many reasons this fight is far from over. Over at The Cloakroom Blog, you can check out at least seven more obstacles that could kill the bill for good. Why not take part in Number One: Public Revulsion?
Ring in the New Year by ringing up your leaders! Join us in spending the next couple weeks calling, emailing, and visiting your House and Senate leaders. If you’ve run out of things to say, you could always sing. FRC’s Chris Curry put together some new lyrics to “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” that are sure to get you noticed! Also, don’t miss the first (and potentially last) appearance of the FRC Singers as they stumble through a satirical version of “Let It Snow!”
Be the first to comment