2010 Election: Majority of pro-life Democrats who supported Obamacare gone
UPDATE, 3:45p: You’ll recall Bart Stupak never released the names of his supposed “Stupak Dozen” bloc, so we’ve always been left to piece the list together ourselves.
Battleswarm Blog has posted a slightly different configuration of the bloc you might find interesting, with his count being 8 gone and 3 remaining. If you combine Battleswarm’s and mine you get a total of 10 gone and 4 remaining. (Battleswarm’s additional losers were Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA) and Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-TX).)
Another name I now recall sometimes mentioned in the bloc was Rep Marion Berry (D-AR), who, like Stupak, decided to retire rather than run again. That seat was won yesterday by Republican pro-lifer Rick Crawford.
So the “Stupak Dozen” could conceivably be up to 15, which is way more than even a baker’s dozen. But with each name added to the list, the bloc looks worse off.
12:31p: Of the 10 11 pro-life Democrats who flipped and voted for Obamacare on March 21, despite the fact it allows for taxpayer funded abortions on March 21, 2010, only 4 are still left standing today.
Those gone are:
Bart Stupak (D-MI)
Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA)
Steve Dreihaus (D-OH)
Brad Ellsworth (D-IN)
Alan Mollohan (D-WV) (added)
Jim Oberstar (D-MN)
Charlie Wilson (D-OH)
Those left are:
Jerry Costello (D-IL)
Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Dale Kildee (D-MI)
One of the sweetest victories for me last night was Dr. Dan Benishek’s, the 100% pro-life Republican who beat the Democrat in Stupak’s old district.
I met Dr. Dan a couple weeks ago and came away thinking very highly of him.
The lone pro-life Democrat who stayed true to his convictions, Dan Lipinski, won his race handily.
Susan B. Anthony List focused the majority of its energies on ousting 6 of the 11 and saving Lipinski. To that end, SBA List helped defeat 5 of the 6:
[HT: Battleswarm post, reader Lawrence]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Last Night’s Lesons:
#1 Pro-lifers are not dumb sheep to be taken for granted. This is a serious issue and the days of being used as politician’s useful idiots have come to an end.
#2 The tide has been turning and the momentum is with the Culture of Life, aided in no small measure by the truth in the scientific literature and 3D/4D sonogram technology.
#3 Increasingly, pro-abort politics is becoming something distasteful to the electorate. More and more Americans know women who’ve had abortions, and know the truth.
I’m sure this will be a great meal for the trolls who come up from their sewers to argue here, but the pro-life numbers from last night are overwhelming.
Votes have consequences!
If you are a man or woman who has been hurt by abortion, please go to the Operation Outcry website and fill out a declaration. The declarations are filed as friend of the court briefs in prolife legislation! It is time to begin passing restrictions on abortion now that the country is seeing red!
My declaration was filed and helped to uphold the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.
http://www.operationoutcry.org
Jill – you’re missing James Langevin from RI who voted for the Stupak Amendment, then flipped and voted Obamacare without it.
He is unfortunately still very popular with the elderly population of Rhode island, so was re-elected with 60%.
Carla, how was your declaration helpful in getting the PBA act passed, since yours was not a PBA? (hard to tell on the internets, but this is a friendly question, not a hostile one)
You have been nothing but friendly to me, Hal!!
I think I mean “upheld” the ban. My declaration and others like it emphasized the pain that abortion brings
to women.
Link for you.
http://www.operationoutcry.org/pages.asp?pageid=55633
I hope you are happy with your inquisition you all. Just don’t be surprised when it bites you in the butt.
Kate,
I am pretty happy with the election. Thank you!
Inquisition? I see no red robed Spaniards here, not that any of us expected them…
Our chief weapon is surprise, you know (plus or minus a comfy chair)…
Chris, I don’t recall his name ever being in the bloc, do you?
Must be sour grape flavored koolaid they’re drinking in the Obama Adoration Society today.
How bout the Colorado personhood amendment going down 3 to 1! And it looks like the candidate that didn’t support forced birth for women who are raped might continue as a Senator. Better say some prayers for Colorado, folks, because those “pro-aborts” seem to have prevailed in Colorado. And if all those newly elected republican legislatures want to force their women folk to keep their fetuses, these women will be more than welcome in those blue states that believe in a women’s right to determine what she wants to do with her body. If draconian anti-aborrts legislation is passed in the Jesus states, then all those sluts who try to murder their “baby,” will be put in prison where they belong and there will be fewer sluts who just can’t keep their legs together, right? I’m being snarky; but based on what the anti-aborts say, hard time for those women who defy god’s law is just around the corner.
Charming, DD. So charming.
Congressman Jim Oberstar of Minnesota’s 8th District, trying for his 19th term, may not have been on Stupak’s list, but he considered himself to be pro-life and voted for Obamacare. He had been head of the the House Transportation Committee for a long time.
He was narrowly defeated.
I’m being snarky; but based on what the anti-aborts say, hard time for those women who defy god’s law is just around the corner.
The conversation about the punishment of aborting women rarely comes up in pro-life circles. It’s only pro-aborts who tell us they think aborting women will be imprisoned if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Women and babies are the victims of abortion. The doctors should be held liable – and women should receive the assistance they need.
Jill said: Chris, I don’t recall his name ever being in the bloc, do you?
No I don’t, however in discussions with RIRTL, he was quiet about the Stupak letter and commitment. IIRC, Barth Bracy, ED of RIRTL, was trying to get him to sign on, but Langevin kept putting him off and never really backed it publicly. That said, he did vote the Stupak amendment onto the House Bill. When it came to the Senate version – it was a non-issue.
My guess was Langevin was testing the impacts – didn’t find it to have much political side effect/uproar, and figured he could do his universal health thing.
The whole affair still doesn’t make much sense.
It seems tacking the Stupak amendment onto the House bill was supposed to provide political cover for the pro-life movement.
“Inquisition? I see no red robed Spaniards here, not that any of us expected them…”
“Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition…because our chief weapon is surprise!“
Carla, my friend, thanks for the link.
Now, we need to find a good job for Senator Feingold….
You are welcome, Hal.
Subway is hiring.
harsh.
Hal, I’m sure the liberal UW will be happy to have him.
good thinking, or maybe MSNBC
I wouldn’t do that to Russ Feingold hal. heh
For laughs yesterday I watched The (Mr) Ed (the Talking Horse patoot) Show. It was so heartwarming to watch him rant how Obama just seems to have no fight in him. Keith Blowharderman and Rachel Madcow were even better. Of course a conniving and secretly funded Chamber of Commerce was behind the Republican victory. Like Fox news was behind the angry townhall meetings. Madcow was even reduced to exalting liberal Democrat victories…..in Massachussetts! That’s like Republicans pointing to Utah as evidence of conservative prowess.
Who better than the haggard and tired Harry Reid as the face of the dwindling Democrat majority in the Senate? I understand Schumer and Durbin were waiting to pounce on his senate majority leader role and I am sure they are no happier about Reid’s return to the senate than we are.
As for Feingold….good riddance. Since he’s not exactly destitute I wouldn’t lose too much sleep over how he will survive. Herb Kohl, your time is gonna come….!
Harsh? Me?
I see red in my state!
Buhbye Feingold! Kind is next!
Hi Carla,
I was disappointed that Kind wasn’t sent packing this time though I was thrilled to see Obey’s seat won by a Republican. Wisconsin politicians gave their constituents the middle finger, forgetting that our middle fingers work very well, especially in the voting booth.
The following is my chart of the pro-life Democrats from the House and their re-election status. I have their voting records online as well at
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/58723981/A-Defense-of-Pro-Life-Democrats
Altmire, Jason – YES
Barrow, John – YES
Berry, Robert Marion – RETIRED
Boren, Dan – YES
Bright, Bobby – NO
Chandler, Ben – YES
Childers, Travis – NO
Costello, Jerry – YES
Cuellar, Henry – YES
Dahlkemper, Kathleen – NO
Davis, Lincoln – NO
Donnelly, Joe – YES
Doyle, Michael – YES
Driehaus, Steve – NO
Ellsworth, Brad – NO
Griffith, Parker – LOST PRIMARY
Hill, Baron – NO
Holden, Tim – YES
Kanjorski, Paul – NO
Kaptur, Marcy – YES
Kildee, Dale – YES
Langevin, James – YES
Lipinski, Daniel – YES
Marshall, James – NO
Matheson, Jim – YES
McIntyre, Mike – YES
Melancon, Charles – NO
Mollohan, Allan – LOST PRIMARY
Oberstar, James – NO
Ortiz, Solomon – NO
Peterson, Collin – YES
Pomeroy, Earl – NO
Rahall, Nick – YES
Ross, Mike – YES
Salazar, John – NO
Shuler, Heath – YES
Skelton, Ike – NO
Stupak, Bart – RETIRED
Taylor, Gene – NO
Wilson, Charles – NO
Also, LifeNews used to have a copy of the Stupak letter up, and the link is still shown on this article, but the page is now ‘Not Found’:
http://www.lifenews.com/2009/06/26/nat-5172/
A text version can still be seen of the letter here though:
http://politics.usnews.com/news/blogs/god-and-country/2009/07/01/conservative-democrats-warn-against-funding-abortion-in-healthcare-reform.html
The signers were Dan Boren, Bobby Bright, Travis Childers, Jerry Costello, Kathleen Dahlkemper, Lincoln Davis, Steve Driehaus, Tim Holden, Paul Kanjorski, Marcy Kaptur, Charlie Melancon, Mike McIntyre, John Murtha, Jim Oberstar, Solomon Ortiz, Collin Peterson, Heath Schuler, Bart Stupak, Gene Taylor.
Before the letter was taken down, I determined as seen from my book that 11 of the original 19 signers of Stupak’s letter voted against the final health care bill, and are mentioned in the above list.
Unfortunately, most of them lost their jobs for standing by their principles.
All told, Bright, Childers, Dahlkemper, Davis, Driehaus, Kanjorski, Melancon, Murtha, Oberstar, Ortiz, Stupak, and Taylor of the original signers will no longer be in Congress. Only 7 of the original 19 remain.
Those who voted against the final bill were Boren, Bright, Childers, Davis, Holden, McIntyre, Melancon, Peterson, Shuler, and Taylor.
Boren, Holden, McIntyre, Peterson, and Shuler were the only 5 of the 10 signers who also voted against the final health care bill to be re-elected, as the pro-life establishment abandoned them entirely.
In summary, of the 40 pro-life Democrats in the House, only 19 remain. Of the 20 to oppose the final health care bill, only 11 remain. This was a massacre for pro-life Democrats, showing no distinction between those who signed the Stupak letter or who voted against the final bill.
The pro-life establishment deserted them as it always has, in favor of Republicans, as they got massacred. It appears the pro-life establishment is just pro-Republican, and has no place inside it for those who are Democrats.
This election has resulted in my losing trust in pro-life groups as a whole, so that I now support DFLA alone.
What made it especially bitter was that some of the strongest opponents of Obama’s agendas were the ones to pay for GOP and pro-life fearmongering.
Lincoln Davis and Gene Taylor both lost, despite voting for the pro-life Stupak and Camp amendments to the health care bill, against the final bill, to repeal the individual mandate, against both Stimulus bills, against Cap & Trade, and against the Bailouts (which 91 House Republicans voted for). Parker Griffith and Bobby Bright voted against all but the Bailouts (since they weren’t elected yet), and also lost their seats.
These 4 were the most stalwart and consistent in opposing Obama’s agendas, and lost their seats for bravely opposing their own party on the most prominent agendas. I am disgusted at Republicans, the pro-life movement, and Americans for choosing to reward principled and honest stands like this. I can no longer in good conscience stand by many pro-life groups at this point.
DD
Tell that to Rebecca Kiessling, who was conceived by Rape.
why should a child be punished for a crime the FATHER committed? And anyway, less than 1% of abortions are due to rape. Not every rape results in pregnancy.
Every child deserves the right to life, regardless of the circumstances behind their conception.
Also, it should be pointed out that Costello and Donnelly did not vote for the final to pass in its current form.
There were 2 votes held, one to pass the final bill, and a 2nd to send it back to the Senate for changes with a pro-life amendment (proposed by Republican David Camp). This second vote was called a motion to recommit and would have delayed the health care bill, to try and amend it with a pro-life amendment first.
Both votes can be seen here, 165 was for passage of the final bill, 166 for the motion to recommit:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll165.xml
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll166.xml
As can be seen, only 21 Democrats voted for the motion to recommit (would be 22 pro-life Democrats had not Parker Griffith become a Republican), though 34 voted against the final bill. This was because all the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrats who weren’t pro-life dropped out.
Democrats who apparently opposed the bill for fiscal concerns, but did not want a pro-life amendment, and refused to vote for the pro-life Camp amendment even though they’d voted against the final bill, were: Adler, Arcuri, A. Davis, C. Edwards, Herseth Sandlin, Kissell, Kratovil, Lynch, McMahon, Minnick, Nye, Space, Tanner, and Teague. These votes effectively showed which were opposing the bill for pro-life concerns as opposed to other concerns, like it’s cost or lack of transparency.
Along with their 20 DFLA colleagues, Donnelly and Costello, even though they’d voted for the final bill, voted also here to send it back to the Senate for a pro-life amendment.
The Congressional Record of this is online here:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2010_record&page=H2167&position=all
An explanation of the Motion to Recommit is here:
http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/recommit_mot.htm
So in short, it was actually 22 of the original 40 pro-life Democrats who voted to change the final bill with a pro-life amendment, over half even at the end.
In other words, it was the 2nd vote which showed who most clearly were pro-life Democrats, opposing the bill for pro-life concerns. The 21 who opposed the final bill (not counting Griffith who’d become a Republican) were:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll166.xml
Jason Altmire, John Barrow, Robert Marion Berry, Dan Boren, Bobby Bright, Ben Chandler, Travis Childers, Jerry Costello, Lincoln Davis, Joe Donnelly, Tim Holden, Dan Lipinski, James Marshall, Jim Matheson, Mike McIntyre, Charlie Melancon, Collin Peterson, Mike Ross, Heath Shuler, Ike Skelton, and Gene Taylor.
Those who voted against the final bill but not for abortion concerns, and refused to vote for the pro-life amendment, were:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll165.xml
Jason Adler, Mike Arcuri, Artur Davis, Chet Edwards, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Larry Kissell, Frank Kratovil, Stephen Lynch, Michael McMahon, Walt Minnick, Glenn Nye, Zack Space, John Tanner, and Harry Teague.
Many are Blue Dog Democrats as seen from the Blue Dog membership page, but not pro-life as seen from their voting records.
http://www.house.gov/melancon/BlueDogs/Member%20Page.html
By contrasting the 2 votes, one can easily see a list of pro-life Democrats as opposed to those opposing the bill for other concerns (or possibly just as protection in November).
The pro-life Democrats who chose with Stupak to vote for the final bill and not for the motion to recommit were:
Henry Cuellar, Kathleen Dahlkemper, Michael Doyle, Steve Driehaus, Brad Ellsworth, Baron Hill, Paul Kanjorski, Marcy Kaptur, Dave Kildee, James Langevin, Allan Mollohan, Jim Oberstar, Solomon Ortiz, Earl Pomeroy, Nick Rahall, John Salazar, Bart Stupak, Charles Wilson.