Health Care Bill and Abortion Funding

Some interesting fallout appears from the votes on Saturday night on the Stupak anti-abortion funding amendment and the final Pelosi health care bill. Some have argued that enacting the Stupak amendment provided cover for some reps to vote for final passage of the Pelosi Bill (with all its other onerous features), enabling it to pass by a narrow 220-215. That is probably true at face value.

However, this outcome may have set up a situation that could lead to the ultimate defeat of whatever final ObamaReidPelosi health care monstrosity that emerges while also weakening the pro-abortion lobby's grip on power and strengthening the role of prolife Democrats.

Already, staunchly pro-abortion legislators and activists are in an uproar over the House Dem leaders' caving to allow the Stupak amendment vote as a price to pay for winning passage of the Pelosi bill. And the abortion funding issue now adds to the already complicated situation facing the Senate Dem leaders pushing to pass a Senate bill.

There has been some second-guessing among some prolife and conservative activists over the Stupak amendment strategy. However, Steven Ertelt analyzes the differing views and calls for unity among prolife forces moving forward to advance the cause of life and defeat whatever health care bill emerges with anti-life and other onerous features.

Even with Stupak added, every pro-life group admits that rationing and conscience issues remain and that the bill still has concerns for the pro-life movement. No pro-life group -- and even the bishops despite some mis-reporting in the mainstream media -- are supporting the House bill as approved.

Let's cease the attacks on one another. This is only a strategic debate between people who wholeheartedly want to see abortion end immediately if not sooner and not a matter of one side or the other abandoning pro-life principles. We all want to get the ball in the end zone and some of us want to pass and some to run the ball.