Crossposted from The People's View.
Rep. Bart Stupak is now threatening that a coalition of Democrats are ready to derail final health care legislation. Why? Well, Bart doesn't think the Senate-passed version of the bill (which must now go through the House) insults women enough. He doesn't want women to be able to buy abortion coverage in the insurance exchanges even with their own money. Bring it on, he says:
"I want to see healthcare pass," Stupak said Thursday on ABC's "Good Morning America." "We must have healthcare but, boy, there are some principles and beliefs that some of us are not going to pass.
"We're prepared to take the responsibility. I mean, I've been catching it ever since last fall. Let's face it, I want to see healthcare. But we're not going to bypass some principles and beliefs that we feel strongly about."
Bart Stupak, of course, was the author of the House-passed Stupak amendment, which introduced this patently ridiculous and dangerous concept that women couldn't buy abortion coverage - even if they pay for it with their own money - from the exchanges health reform legislation will set up.
But here's the part that caught my ear and my eye. "We're prepared to take responsibility." "We," in this context, according to Stupak himself, are 12 Democrats who voted for the original House legislation that have now told the Speaker of their willingness to hold health care hostage to their greater principle, which is evidently the degradation and humiliation of women. The questions that come rushing to mind about what country these people think they live in notwithstanding, since the Stupak 12 are "prepared to take responsibility," here is a good first step to taking that responsibility: tell us who you are.
We know Bart Stupak is the leader of the wolf pack. But who are the rest? Rep. Stupak, will you name names instead of hiding these cowards behind your shadow? Or are you a barking dog that lacks the courage - or even the ability for that matter - to bite? What's it going to be, Mr. Stupak? I mean, this list of Democrats who voted for the Stupak Amendment and the final passage of the House bill can only have 35 possibilities. Here's the list, as reported by Greg Sargent. There are 36 names on the list, but one of the members on the list, Rep. Murtha, has passed away.
To be sure, I do think that Rep. Diana DeGette, the Chair of the Pro-Choice caucus was right when she said that Stupak doesn't actually have the votes to kill health reform. I think he's bluffing. I also think that even if Stupak is correct about the number, Pelosi may have found 10 moderate Democratic votes that will move from the 'no' to the 'yes' column. Some specific indications are already going that way. So, all in all, Stupak can suck it.
But be that as it may, I want all these principled proponents of letting the government practice medicine on women to please stand up. If Bart Stupak has the names of the other Democrats who want to impose their religious beliefs on the rest of America, we need to know their names. They should at least have the courage of their conviction - unless they lack both. Here's Bart Stupak's number - call him and demand that he name the names of his Democratic partners in crime: (202) 225 4735.
It's time to break the secrecy and the silence. It's time for pro-choice Americans to demand that Mr. Stupak name names and let us hold him and his cohorts accountable. Maybe once all the huffing and puffing stops, we can get some answers from you on your relationship with the secretive religious group called The Family and your $600-a-month rent at for a room at the C-Street house, Congressman?
Update: The call for Stupak to name names still stand, but TPM might have figured out some likely candidates for the dirty dozen. Hat-tip to itskevin in the comments. Kevin looked up the numbers, too! Thanks!
Solomon Ortiz (D-TX) (202) 225-7742
Jerry Costello (D-IL) (202) 225-5661
James Oberstar (D-MN) (202) 225-6211
Steve Driehaus (D-OH) (202) 225-2216
Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) (202) 225-4146
Paul Kanjorski (D-PA) (202) 225-6511
Kathleen Dahlkemper (D-PA) (202) 225-5406
Joe Donnelly (D-IN) (202) 225-3915
Brad Ellsworth (D-IN) (202) 225-4636
Dan Lipinski (D-IL) (202) 225-5701
Charlie Wilson (D-OH) (202) 225-5705
Call them and ask them if they are part of Stupak's dirty dozen, since, once again, this isn't from Stupak. Stupak hasn't yet named his cohorts, so we're trying to figure it out on our own. And call Stupak and tell him to give us the names. Read him these names if you want and ask him to confirm or deny.
THANK YOU: Thanks for putting this on the rec-list, everyone. I think this is a very important action. Now let's keep making their phones ring off the hook!
Self-plug: You can read this and other thoughts of mine on my blog, The People's View. You can also follow me on Twitter @thepeoplesview.