Chris Bowers has obtained a list of Bart Stupak supporters who would kill health care reform unless it further limits reproductive care. Bowers:
The reason for this, unsurprisingly, remains Bart Stupak. He is, as Natasha described this morning, working to block the entire bill unless none of the insurance options in the new health care exchanges cover abortion procedures. This is even though there is already a ban on federal funding for abortion in the bill, and in pre-existing federal law. Using an alliance of Republicans, anti-choice Democrats, and Democrats who oppose the health care bill for other reasons, Stupak is claiming that he has enough votes to block the bill for reaching the floor (though the necessary "motion to recommit" vote), unless his demands are met.
Bowers says that Sutpak does not have the votes but that he suspects that there may other holdouts willing to join Stupak for reasons other than placing further limits on abortion. In anycase his list does contain Costello and Lipinski. See the link above for the full list.
I am disappointed with Foster. He's an intelligent guy. But ever since the get got he's had Blue Dog leanings and he's been willing to say so out loud. Still he's a scientist. That should count for something.
Lipinski's a straight up machine hack. Well son-of-a-hack. Still his district is solid Democratic and he has to have some affinity with his electorate.
Actually that Bean is still persuadable is a pleasant surprise. I know we write her of as totally bought by her district's heavy pharma presence, but maybe she is more independent that we give her credit for here.
What's also interesting is our poll. We give too much credit to Foster but not enough to Costello and Halvorson. Costello is a bit far away for us to properly notice. Halvorson is still pretty new to us. And we have high hopes for Foster. That's one set of explanitions.
Update: The Howard Dean count has Foster and Lipinski as yeses. We've reported Foster here as yes as well, and I regularly forget it. I assume that the OpenLeft whip count has Foster as persuadable because he has not recently stated clear support.
Mr. COSTELLO. I want to thank my friend from California for yielding time to me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Skelton bipartisan resolution opposing President Bush's policy to send 21,500 additional troops to Iraq. I do so because I am strongly against escalating the war in Iraq. This is not so much a policy as it is a hope that additional troops will somehow make right the long list of poor decisions by this administration regarding our involvement in Iraq. Putting 21,500 more soldiers on the ground only gives President Bush little more time to resist the conclusion that the vast majority of Americans have already reached, and that is that the events in Iraq have moved beyond our ability to impact them in a meaningful way militarily. It is important to note that we have reached this point not because of some failing of our men and women in uniform who continue to make sacrifices. Indeed, our respect and admiration for our troops is matched only by their bravery. Regrettably, but not unpredictably, the plan for postwar Iraq woefully was inadequate, and the Bush administration, instead of taking responsibility for its failings, continues to insist that victory is just around the corner. It is not. A civil war is raging in Iraq, and our troops are caught in the crossfire. The grand designs of the Bush administration are not attainable now, if they ever were. It is time to admit it and move forward. This is not to say that we should abandon the region. Far from it. The United States must continue to work with countries of the Middle East and of the world to stabilize Iraq and its neighbors. I have said for months that I believe the best way to get the rest of the world to take responsibility for what is happening on the ground in Iraq may be to remove our troops, and I am convinced that this is the necessary course of action now. We can maintain a strong presence in the region, but we cannot make the hard political decisions that the Sunnis, Shiites and others must make to save Iraq, and then they will not make them as long as our military is there. Let me just reemphasize that. We cannot make the hard political decisions that the Sunnis and Shiites and others must make to save Iraq, and they will not make them as long as our military is there. Mr. Speaker, the American people do not support sending more troops to Iraq. In fact, the American people want us out of Iraq, and the people of Iraq want us out as well Mr. Speaker, I commend the sacrifices and service of our men and women in uniform, and I commend Chairman Skelton for bringing this bipartisan resolution to the floor of the House. I urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan resolution.
As usual when anything comes up that requires a backbone or is the slightest bit controversial, Rep. Jerry Weller can't be found. From today's Daily Southtown:
A representative for U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller (R-11th), of Morris, on Thursday did not return a message seeking comment. Weller's district includes the proposed airport's 4,100-acre footprint.
