The House Democrats’ backroom abortion funding deal

By Michelle Malkin  •  November 4, 2009 10:50 AM

I called your attention last night to the Democrats’ struggle over abortion funding language in the House health care bill.

This morning, we learn that the majority is planning to evade sunlight and break its own 72-hour transparency rule by cutting a backroom deal with pro-life Democrats — and leaving out language on abortion funding from the bill to be disclosed to the public. This won’t violate their disclosure pledge, Democrats claim.

They lie:

House Republicans are accusing Democrats of breaking a pledge to make the healthcare legislation public for three days so they can resolve a feud between liberals and centrists over abortion provisions.

Lawmakers said the abortion compromise may not be included in the final version of the bill to be released as soon as Wednesday, called the “manager’s amendment.” Instead, it may be included in the “rule,” which is done the day before the vote. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday he did not consider that a violation of his pledge to have the bill language available for three days before a vote.

“We said the manager’s amendment we would give 72 hours for,” Hoyer said. “Obviously, we have had 72 hours on the bill. So I don’t think that is a violation.”

But Republican leaders accused Democrats of planning to sneak “closed-door” deals into the bill at the last minute.

“If Democrats continue to add closed-door deals to their bill after their manager’s amendment has been introduced, they will break their 72-hour promise,” said Brad Dayspring, spokesman for House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.). “What else might they include in the final version without Congress and the American people knowing about it?”

The clock is ticking. A floor vote could take place as early as Saturday.

Operation Housecall is on. And if you can make it to DC tomorrow: Join Michele Bachmann, Mark Levin, and conservative activists on the steps of the Capitol at noon to raise your voices in opposition to the government health care takeover.

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Posted in: Abortion,Health care

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Comments


  1. #1
    On November 4th, 2009 at 10:56 am, DBNinKY said:

    “What else might they include in the final version without Congress and the American people knowing about it?”

    Better question: What won’t they include?

  2. #2
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:00 am, spaceycakes said:

    How long will they keep up this evil & never be called on it? Abortion is not supported by the majority of Americans.

  3. #3
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:08 am, Roland said:

    When you vote for any Democrat, “blue dog” or otherwise, you are voting for a radical leftwing agenda.

    When are the voters finally going to realize what modern Democrats really are?

    Lawyers. Big Labor thugs. Propagandists masquerading as ‘journalists’ and ‘teachers.’ Welfare recipients with entitlement mentalities. Whitey hating racists. America haters. Business haters. Women who use abortion as a form of birth control. Anti-semites. Man hating women. Sexual libertines. Drug addicts. Criminals. etc etc etc

    When are the voters going to wake up and smell the brimstone? I hope it’s not already too late.

  4. #4
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:10 am, xler8bmw said:

    I will be in DC tomorrow!

  5. #5
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:15 am, rightwingrocker said:

    What?

    Democrats cutting a back-room deal and hiding it from the public? Get out.

    Naw that NEVER happens.

    BUZZ

    Not news.

    RWR
    http://www.rightwingrocker.com

  6. #6
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:16 am, b-cat said:

    Operation Housecall is on. And if you can make it to DC tomorrow: Join Michele Bachmann, Mark Levin, and conservative activists on the steps of the Capitol at noon to raise your voices in opposition to the government health care takeover.

    Michelle
    Speaking of…, I sent you an e-mail this am I recieved from Newt. Take a look.

  7. #7
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:17 am, ThatSamIAm said:

    The socialist democrats continue to lie and deceive the American people. If they continue many will effectively abort their political careers as we kick them out by the bushel basket.

  8. #8
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:18 am, granite said:

    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:08 am, Roland said:

    Exactly correct.

  9. #9
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:19 am, Red State Skeptic said:

    What the hell is the house leadership thinking?? They know full well this will never make it through the Senate. All it will do is put blue dogs on the spot where they have to defend their votes next year.

    Pelosi FAIL.

  10. #10
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:28 am, NC BLUE said:

    E-mail from Newt. I received an e-mail from Newt this a.m. and responded—Michelle Bachman initiated the Thursday Capitol steps rally, thanks for your help in losing NY-23, and give Nancy Pelosi a hug on your next photo op., you are lost in the wilderness, BuhBye. I then unsubscribrd from his Americsn Pollutions (not a spelling error) e-mail service. Not interested in what Newt has to say. Go Sarah!!

  11. #11
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:31 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    What is it about the language they don’t like? Is it words like infanticide? Dead babies? Destruction of a living human being? What flowerey prose do you suppose they will implement instead?

  12. #12
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:34 am, Tazed and Confused said:

    What disturbs me is that the d-cats really plan to cave on the abortion issue, and the re-pubs then will rush in to approve this disastrous bill.

    No question about it, abortion is abhorrent, but the conservatives seem to be saying… “that if we can just eliminate gov-t funded abortion from pelosicare, the health care plan would be passable”.

    That is VERY WRONG thinking.

  13. #13
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:36 am, TooMuchTime said:

    When you vote for any Democrat, “blue dog” or otherwise, you are voting for a radical leftwing agenda.

    This is something that the conservative and moderate democrats in places like NC don’t understand. They vote for a democrat because it sounds good locally, but they’re just giving power to San Fran Nan and her ilk. The libtards are laughing at the Southern democrats because Pelosi’s liberal socialism would never go over well in the south.

    Once again, the libtards are using a group of people to further their ends. It used to be (and still is) the black vote; now they’ve added the conservative-to-moderate democrat vote.

    It would be nice to kick the socialists out of the democrat party and make them start their own Marxist party. They’d never be in power. That’s why they hide with the democrats (and Republicans).

  14. #14
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:38 am, TooMuchTime said:

    Pelosi FAIL.

    Since when would this be a bad thing?

  15. #15
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:42 am, txvet2 said:

    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:19 am, Red State Skeptic said:

    A rare voice of sanity from the left. Go Nancy!! Screw those Blue Dogs!! Maybe it’s as Rush and others have said – Pelosi really doesn’t like the Blue Dogs and couldn’t care less if they lose.

  16. #16
    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:47 am, rocketman said:

    ***
    George Orwell was 25 years ahead of his time when he wrote 1984. The “democRAT” / liberal / socialist / marxist / statist / communist President Obama (PBUH) and his congressional minions say one thing and do another–and almost nobody calls them on their lies.
    ***
    Transparency? 72 hour on line posting of bills? No more back room deals with special interests? No midnight amendments followed by early morning votes? Voting for thousands of pages long bills without reading and understanding them? The most ethical House of Representatives ever?
    ***
    Of course taxpayer funded ABORTION (not “choice”) will be slipped in during the last minutes of amendments. What else would you expect?
    ***
    But the real problem is not our dishonest House and Senate. Or our dishonest government. It is the stupid people who keep electing and re-electing these evil clowns.
    ***
    How can any true Christian or Jew vote for a candidate who supports abortion? Yet many “modern” thinking religious people keep doing so. I don’t think “I just voted for choice” is going to cut any ice with the Lord when we stand before him and explain our actions to Him.
    ***
    John Bibb
    ***

  17. #17
    On November 4th, 2009 at 12:21 pm, Jet Jaguar said:

    It’s interesting how abortion rights proponents also support civil rights for gays. I suspect their motives have less to do with justice and righteousness; Instead, I believe their motives have everything to do with institutionalizing their depravity so that they can flaunt their evil deeds with legal impunity. Even if they succeed in this life, they’ll be held to account in the next. They’re sowing the wind and will reap the whirlwind.

  18. #18
    On November 4th, 2009 at 12:42 pm, katablog said:

    I don’t get it – Bachmann calls us back to DC. Why? What indications are there that we will be heard any better this time than 9/12? This can only end poorly since many of us can’t drop everything and come back – and for what purpose?

    What is the point of having a representative when we have to run to DC every month or so because they can’t be bothered to read our emails, hear our calls or even read a damn poll?

  19. #19
    On November 4th, 2009 at 1:04 pm, Jvette said:

    Abortion is a stain on the soul of this nation. All the social justice in the world amounts to nothing if unborn children continue to be in greatest peril from their own mothers.

  20. #20
    On November 4th, 2009 at 1:29 pm, Hangfire said:

    I have recently changed my bitter opposition to abortion.

    I believe that abortions should be a legal option:

    1. If the life of the mother is in danger.

    2. In cases of rape.

    3. In a 5-mile radius of Berkeley, Columbia, or Harvard.

  21. #21
    On November 4th, 2009 at 1:47 pm, Tazed and Confused said:

    I believe that abortions should be a legal option:

    1. If the life of the mother is in danger.

    The old needs to give way to the new. Jesus died so we could live. An unselfish mother would do the same.

    2. In cases of rape.

    Why punish the child for the sins of the father? Let the rapist suffer the consequences, not the child.

    3. In a 5-mile radius of Berkeley, Columbia, or Harvard.

    Like #2, don’t punish the child for the sins of their parents. Remove the children for their parents home, then introduce a tactical nuke into those neighborhoods.

  22. #22
    On November 4th, 2009 at 1:48 pm, rocketman said:

    ***
    HI HANGFIRE–Good plan–as far as it goes. However, while the 5 mile radius part is great–the number of cities is too limited in this “target rich” environment.
    ***
    How about adding Chicago, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Seattle, and Minneapolis / St. Paul to your target list?
    ***
    Think Big! Or use a more rational and “user friendly” plan–Vote them all out in 2010 and 2012.
    ***
    John Bibb
    ***

  23. #23
    On November 4th, 2009 at 2:05 pm, AmericaFirst said:

    Hangfire said:
    I believe that abortions should be a legal option:
    1. If the life of the mother is in danger.
    2. In cases of rape.
    3. In a 5-mile radius of Berkeley, Columbia, or Harvard.

    1-The “woman’s life is in danger” excuse is sooooo rare it’s laughable.

    2-Rape: the unborn baby never asked to be conceived-ADOPTION. Besides, pharmacists have The Morning After pills to prevent the egg from implanting within the first two days.

    3-Sperm and egg donors using welfare surrogate mothers are the only way those trans gendered collegiate socialists are conceived.

  24. #24
    On November 4th, 2009 at 3:44 pm, FirstSkirt said:

    Don’t give up katablog – keep calling, emailing, and faxing…they are feeling the heat (even if they won’t admit it). The results of voters in NJ and VA were watched closely, even if the media didn’t report that. Libs absolutely HATE the Tea Parties…that’s why I go to every one I can find.

  25. #25
    On November 4th, 2009 at 3:50 pm, Ron said:

    Personally, I hope they keep the abortion language exactly like it is so Democrats will vote against it. We don’t have a dog in this hunt.

  26. #26
    On November 4th, 2009 at 8:00 pm, MarcoPolo said:

    On November 4th, 2009 at 11:19 am, Red State Skeptic said:

    What the hell is the house leadership thinking?? They know full well this will never make it through the Senate.

    Reid’s in trouble. You don’t think he’d use that budget reconciliation trick to cram it through on the way out?

  27. #27
    On November 4th, 2009 at 8:40 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

    There will be enough pork in this bill to choke every Muslim on earth.

    It is how business is done in DC.

    Pass with abortion for any reason is my prediction.

  28. #28
    On November 5th, 2009 at 3:07 am, emjem24 said:

    Red State Skeptic said:
    What the hell is the house leadership thinking?? They know full well this will never make it through the Senate. All it will do is put blue dogs on the spot where they have to defend their votes next year.

    Pelosi FAIL.

    How amusing. It’s okay for RINOs to run right over conservatives for their own destructive purposes but when Nancy Pelosi does it to her own “conservative” Dems, it’s apocalypse 2.0. Again, the irony is priceless.

    And you say that the Repubs are having a wing-ding of a civil war goin’ on? Hehehehe.

    Perhaps, if “blue dogs” were put on the spot they’d actually take a freakin’ position and stop hiding behind the Dem party for the easy cash and Bubba Clinton/Joe Biden speaking engagements. I don’t care how you package Dems they’re still Dems who tout the party line.

    What to do, what to do. Perhaps, it’s time to sweep your own party of the likes of “She Who Has A Plaster Face.” That would definitely be a start.

  29. #29
    On November 5th, 2009 at 2:27 pm, Papa Louie said:

    Democrats are working hard to make a liar out of the President:

    “One more misunderstanding I want to clear up — under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions.”

    – President Obama in 9-9-09 speech to Congress

    Next, they’ll make the President a liar again by funding health care for illegal aliens. Of course, the President will make himself into a liar when he signs the bill. He’s willing to pay that price to get what he wants. Besides, even republicans don’t seem to remember Obama’s broken promises without a media willing to remind them.

    How many remember Obama’s broken promise that 90% of the jobs created by the stimulus bill would be in the private sector? He never had any intention of keeping that promise, and the media has no intention of reminding him of it, either.

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