In an On the Square round-up this morning , I take up the House bill that passed this weekend. Not everyone is happy that the Stupak Amendment was added, of course. Here’s the latest from Planned Parenthood :
Congress passed a bill that will undercut womens access to comprehensive health care. Despite hundreds of thousands of voters like you and me who called on members of Congress to include womens health care in health reform, the bill that passed last night includes a ban on private abortion coverage for millions of women and would prohibit it in the new public option.Opponents of legal abortion and health care for women are emboldened by the House vote and are ready to bring their ban on abortion to the Senate floor. Its time to use our strongest weapon: the White House.
I doubt lack of abortion coverage will prove a deal-breaker in the Senate. The point was to pass a bill, any bill, that set things in motion. And where is Planned Parenthood going to go? Are they going to withdraw their support from President Obama and the Democrats?
Note that nice formula, though: ” our strongest weapon: the White House.” Like they owned the man, or something.