There are no blue dogs in the Senate. They are a myth like Bigfoot and Chupacabra. We need just one pro-life Democrat to put a stop to this madness of a healthcare bill. But sadly, that doesn’t seem to be happening.
According to Fox News, Republican Senator Mike Johanns said: “We don’t need 40 Democrats to stand up for what’s right. We need just one. if just one pro-life Democrat would say I will not vote to move this bill until it’s fixed, until it’s truly pro-life, that would happen. So those who say they are pro-life but refuse to take that stand, I worry are not standing up for life. ”
There are supposedly three pro-life Democrats in the Senate. One of them is Harry Reid who isn’t pro-life at all.
Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania seems to be a lost cause as well. His latest announcement was that he hasn’t yet had time to digest the abortion language and its implications in the 2,074-page bill. “The most important thing right now is getting the bill to the floor,” he said. “I’m going to have lots to say. I have provisions I’ve been working on that are not in the bill yet; I’ve got a long list.”
But that’s the problem. Bob Casey always has a lot to say about abortion. He just doesn’t do much to prevent it. He voted with Obama on the Mexico City policy and had a long list of reasons why.
I don’t understand Casey at all saying he’s got to read over the whole bill in order to weigh things. Presumably, if you’re pro-life you believe that killing the unborn should be illegal as it is the murder of a person. What other details in the bill could be paramount to signing off on the federal funding of the killing of human beings?
And according to the Washington Post pro-life Democrat Ben Nelson, who seemed to be our only hope, just announced he’s a “yes” for health care reform.
The moderate lawmaker told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., that he would vote with rank-and-file Democrats to move ahead on the legislation.
So, that’s what pro-lifers get for voting in pro-life Democrats who have a lot to say but will turn on us when party pressure is applied.
And in the end this will likely come down to Bart Stupak in the House, who says he’s got 10-15 pro-life Democrats who will block the legislation if it throws out the Stupak-Pitts amendment. Once again, Stupak may be our only hope.
Update: Steven Ertelt of LifeNews.com reports that Nelson may not have completely crumbled.
A key pro-life Democrat, who is seen by political observers as one of the Democrats who would help defeat the pro-abortion Senate health care bill, says he will vote tomorrow for the Motion to Proceed — allowing the Senate to debate the bill that contains massive abortion funding.
However, Sen. Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat, says not to interpret his vote to begin debate as him supporting the bill itself.
The entire weight of the party will be leaning on him. Let’s pray he has the strength to withstand it.
November 20, 2009 at 6:24 pm
When it comes to backbone…most Democrats seem to have regressed into the invertebrate stage. Catholic Democratic US Senator, Dick Durbin of Illinois, would crawl in order to vote for abortion. It also means that many Catholic Democrats ought to strongly consider whether they are in a state of grace before receiving Our Lord. Abortion is a crime that cries to heaven for redress.
November 20, 2009 at 6:41 pm
There is a LOT of conflicting info out there on where Democrat Ben Nelson stands. We shouldn't give up hope on him yet.
November 20, 2009 at 7:20 pm
The fact that he's not clear about his opposition tells me a lot. I hope you're right though. I really do.
November 20, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Well… for what it's worth, Jill Stanek is reporting that Ben Nelson gave her a personal assurance about abortion funding being a deal-breaker for him. God only knows what'll happen when the rubber hits the road… but at least there's some hope. (If he sticks it out, I think he'll help his chances of re-election… but that's just a guess.)
November 20, 2009 at 7:51 pm
He would be one of my all time heroes if he stops the Senate from moving forward on this.
You know they're going to offer all sorts of fake restrictions on abortion just to get this passed and get him to vote for cloture.
And they're going to threaten him with everything they have at their disposal.
November 20, 2009 at 8:19 pm
It ain't over 'til it's over though!
http://heyitsjustablogman.blogspot.com/2009/11/twenty-six.html
November 20, 2009 at 10:08 pm
I live in Nebraska — Johanns and Nelson are our senators. I wouldn't count Nelson out just yet.
November 20, 2009 at 11:45 pm
I just don't understand why our bishops continue to look the other way when it comes to these 'so called Catholic ' politicians. I'm always reminded of Pontius Pilate as he tried to basically say he was against our Lord's conviction to death but ultimately had to concur with his political constituency.
November 21, 2009 at 2:54 am
Don't count on Stupak, he already said that he will vote for the health care bill even if it has full abortion coverage in it. This youtube video says it all….Pro-lifers who thought this Stupak Amendment was a great strategy have been duped!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URr68joWr1E
November 21, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Ben Nelson isn't a Catholic, but he has always been a very conservative pro-life Democrat.
November 22, 2009 at 7:26 pm
So, I guess Casey is to abortion as JPII, Benedict XVI and Catholic Bishops are to unjust divorce.
Lots of talk but not a damn thing to address it except in words, when each of these men has the authority to excommunicate.
Don't blame Casey and his ilk, when his "leaders" do the same on other issues which are destroying lives as well.
The duplicity has long been a game for Catholic clergy. Tough, ain't it, when those chicks come home to roost.
Although, I have to tip a hat to the Bishop from Rhode Island for more than TALK. May he do the same for those in Rhode Island who unjustly divorce their valid spouses. I am not holding my breath, however, sadly.
November 24, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Missed by many is that Saturday's Senate vote was on the House bill including the Stupak Amendment. The Reid bill will come later.
So on Saturday, 39 Republicans voted anti-life and against a bill that included the Stupak language.