Pro-Life Democrat Who Split With Stupak Pans Obama Abortion Executive Order
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 29, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — In the aftermath of the House passing and Obama signing the pro-abortion health care bill, pro-life Democrats have been taken to task for voting for it in exchange for a flimsy executive order that won’t truly ban abortion funding. But one Democrat who voted against the bill is standing his ground.
Congressman Dan Lipinski of Illinois had been a member of the Stupak dozen but joined a few other pro-life Democrats in splitting with Rep. Bart Stupak.
Although Stupak made the deal to trade his and a handful of votes from other pro-life Democrats — ensuring passage of the pro-abortion bill — Lipinski stood his ground.
"It was rather lonely, yes," Lipinski told the Chicago Tribune this weekend about voting against the pro-abortion health care bill after other pro-life Democrats compromised. "But I could not vote for a bill that would change the status quo on funding for abortion."
Lipinski also indicated he thinks the executive order Obama signed will eventually be overturned in court and that it won’t truly ban abortion funding.
"People have asked me, ‘If it was good enough for Stupak, why wasn’t it good enough for you?’" Lipinski said. "The executive order most likely will be overturned by the federal courts. The order does not trump the law."
That’s the same analysis leading pro-life groups have put forward about the lack of effectiveness of the Obama order.
Lipinski told the Tribune that he will continue advocating the pro-life perspective.
"It’s not just about being against something, it’s believing that every individual deserves dignity and respect, whoever they are, at whatever stage of life they’re in," Lipinski said. "That is something I hear my Democratic colleagues say. And I say that it’s self-evident that the individual is there at conception."
"We know that at conception, the genetic code is there, for a unique individual. This is not something that is just a religious belief," Lipinski said. "If you look at what we know about reproduction, you can see it."
He told the newspaper that he has faced attacks from the White House since the vote but they are coming from unnamed sources. He said he may ask about them when has lunch next with White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, a fellow Chicago Democrat.
The 34 Democrats to vote against the Senate bill were: Reps. John Adler (N.J.), Jason Altmire (Pa.), Michael Arcuri (N.Y.), John Barrow (Ga.), Marion Berry (Ark.), Dan Boren (Okla.), Rick Boucher (Va.), Bobby Bright (Ala.), Ben Chandler (Ky.), Artur Davis (Ala.), Lincoln Davis (Tenn.), Chet Edwards (Texas), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.), Tim Holden (Pa.), Larry Kissell (N.C.), Frank Kratovil (Md.), Dan Lipinski (Ill.), Stephen Lynch (Mass.), Jim Marshall (Ga.), Jim Matheson (Utah), Mike McIntyre (N.C.), Michael McMahon (N.Y.), Charlie Melancon (La.), Walt Minnick (Idaho), Glenn Nye (Va.), Collin Peterson (Minn.), Mike Ross (Ark.), Heath Shuler (N.C.), Ike Skelton (Mo.), Zack Space (Ohio), John Tanner (Tenn.), Gene Taylor (Miss.) and Harry Teague (N.M.)
Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
