Rep. Stupak said that there "would be hell to pay" if his amendment was removed during the conference process. He implicitly threatened that he could get up a similar voting bloc in the House to vote the bill down if the Stupak amendment was removed. It's a metaphorical gun he's holding to women's rights for his personal demands to dictate what they can and cannot do with their insurance coverage regarding elective abortions, which is currently covered by a majority of private insurers.
"We won because [the Democrats] need us," Stupak said. "If they are going to summarily dismiss us by taking the pen to that language, there will be hell to pay. I don't say it as a threat, but if they double-cross us, there will be 40 people who won't vote with them the next time they need us -- and that could be the final version of this bill."
President Obama has promised to remove the Stupak amendment from the bill in conference, and Representatives on Capitol Hill such as Diana DeGette have created their own block of members against any final conference bill that would have the Stupak amendment. It's good that they're doing this, and we need to also create our own block of members against any final conference bill with a trigger and an opt-out for the public option.
We've seen what happens when Blue Dogs get their way on the health bills, and we're going to remind progressives that they're going to have to show just as much resolve or they're going to be making one concession after another to the Blue Dogs and conservadems like Lieberman in the Senate in the final conference process.
Your Representative has previously committed to a public option - now we need to find out where they stand on triggers and state opt-outs in the final bill. Please call now and ask where your member of Congress stands on a real public option!
Now's the time to crack the whip on these Progressives in Congress! PLEASE CALL NOW to find out where they stand on triggers and the state opt-outs in the final conference bill. We're joining with Democracy For America and CREDO in our phone calls to Congress this week.
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