Boxer: Senate Has Votes to Block Stupak Amendment

[flpoljunkie]

Sam Stein

Boxer: Senate Has Votes To Block Stupak Amendment

One of Congress's foremost champions of abortion rights said on Monday that the Senate did not have the votes to add a more restrictive anti-abortion amendment to health care reform legislation.

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) said that 60 votes would be needed to strip the current health care bill of its abortion-related language and replace it with a version resembling that passed by the House of Representatives on Saturday. And, in an interview with the Huffington Post, the California Democrat predicted that pro-choice forces in the Senate would keep that from happening.

"If someone wants to offer this very radical amendment, which would really tear apart compromise, then I think at that point they would need to have 60 votes to do it," Boxer said. "And I believe in our Senate we can hold it."

"It is a much more pro-choice Senate than it has been in a long time," she added. "And it is much more pro-choice than the House."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/10/boxer-senate-has-votes-to_n_352064.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I hope she's right.

K&R

[Kdillard]

2. Me too.

[flpoljunkie]

3. Even Baucus agrees with Boxer...

Boxer's reading of the political landscape might seem like the hopeful spin of an abortion-rights defender. But it was seconded by a another lawmaker, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.)

"It would have to be added," sad the Montana Democrat of an amendment that mirrored that offered Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) in the House. "I doubt it could pass."

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. Let us remember this (if she's right)

as maybe the one (and possibly, only) time that we can be happy about the 60-vote "threshold" that now seems to be required for any major legislation. This is why it might be a good idea to try pressuring Stupak and his ilk to detach this from HCR and *try* to pass it separately (although that is not likely to happen, unfortunately).

[me b zola]

5. Yes!

Please, please let Senator Boxer be right about this!

:kick:

[quiet.american]

6. That's very encouraging. nt

[saltpoint]

7. I'd pay to hear Bart debate Senator Boxer on this very topic.

I want a front-row seat.

I plan to arrive early.

[NYC_SKP]

8. Kick...

...and REC!

[Odin2005]

9. YES! BLOCK IT!!!

[SeattleGirl]

10. I hope to hell she right.

That amendment must NOT be allowed to stay in the bill when it's time for final passage.

[Brother Buzz]

11. I believe, I believe

This would be so cool if it goes down like that. I also believe Barbara has the cachet to spearhead this drive, too. Bring on the DEBATE!

[and-justice-for-all]

12. I hope the hell they do!! nt

[Zomby Woof]

13. I love my senator!

The other one (Feinstein) can take a long walk off a short pier.

Senator Boxer! :patriot:

[David Zephyr]

14. You said it for me, too ZW.

I love my Senator, too.

[Egnever]

15. I love your senator too!

I am looking forward to watching her put carly in her place. I am so hoping for the the republicans to waste millions of dollars on that challlenge.

[The Magistrate]

16. She Is A Treasure, Sir!

The Senate had damned well better block the Stupak abomination.

[diane in sf]

17. I totally agree

[pleah]

18. I sure hope she is right. n/t

[olegramps]

19. Stupidpak is another chicken shit bastard that won't accept e-mail outside his district.

Yet he wants to write legislation that effects every American. He runs as the Christian Democratic candidate that wants to impose his religious beliefs on the entire nation. If this makes its way into the final legislation then I believe that it would warrant President Obama's veto as being clearly an unconstitutional attack on the basic rights of the citizens. This entire affair makes me want to vomit.

[PVnRT]

20. That's good. Do they have the guts to actually do it?

[WI_DEM]

21. I thought the house was more liberal than the senate. How is it that the senate can block it

but the house wasn't?

[karynnj]

22. Self delete - flpoljunkie answered my guestion

[HughMoran]

23. Now this is the solution I want to hear

I have a very strong feeling that if healthcare will pass without this idiotic amendment, people will stop making lame justifications for it.

[Jennicut]

24. Well, maybe bills do go the Senate to get better....for one thing.

I really, really hope so.

[backscatter712]

25. GOOD! My bet is that the Stupak amendment is dead.

At minimum, it'll be watered down significantly, and it'll likely be removed entirely.

[Freddie Stubbs]

26. But does she have the votes to pass a bill without the anti-abortion language?

It appears that we may be heading toward a standoff.

[Cha]

27. Thanks Barbara!