True to his convictions
Few of us have much respect for politicians these days.
Yet to lump all politicians in that same basket of "discontent" would be wrong, as now and again a politician will remind us of the job we sent them forth to do with our vote in the first place.
U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak is one such example of a politician willing to risk power and clout to instead stand firm in a conviction he feels strongly about. Stupak last week put his fellow House Democrats on notice that he was uncomfortable about language remaining in the health care reform bill concerning federal funding for abortion and until it was removed, he couldn't support the bill.
With the Obama administration needing every vote it can garner in support of the legislation, losing a Democrat like Stupak would be hard for party leaders to accept.
Stupak understands a stand such as his might ultimately lose him a committee assignment or support for legislation he is after. That's OK, as some things are worth standing firm for, and Stupak believes the sanctity of life is one of those.
"It's been my position for 20 years," Stupak said in an Alpena News story last week. "I've always been a right-to-life Democrat."
We respect those convictions and happen to agree with them. Even if we didn't, however, we'd still respect Stupak for taking a stand against what would have been popular.
It's nice to know conviction isn't a lost quality in D.C. after all.
The Alpena News
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dagolfnut
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11-13-09 4:38 PM
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Black...........Nice non-answer, you sound like the pols you always rail against. I suppose we could chase the side issue of Iraq and whether it is a just war but I'd rather stay with the question at hand. Lets try this example. We both have polices insurer XYZ. We work for different companies, live in different areas. Cost of our policies do not matter because of many factors, group size, copay amts., differences in negotiated rates, etc. Both of our premiums go into XYZ's pool. Why would it make any difference to you if the policy I have covers abortions.
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Blackhawk
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11-13-09 3:27 PM
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dagolfnut: Using you're logic then you should not complain when you're insurance premiums go up, or complain how much insurance costs. By the way the only funding provided for in the Constitution is for the Military. You know Provide for the National Defense. I don't remember anything in there about Providing for Abortions.
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dagolfnut
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11-12-09 4:16 PM
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black..........are you saying Bristol's pregnancy wasn't covered under a taxpayer paid Alaska state employee health insurance policy? Todd was a part time slope worker, fisherman and snowmobile racer so I kinda doubt he carried their health insurance. If I can borrow your reasoning for a moment. Just as you are morally apposed to abortion, I am morally opposed the the war in Iraq. I have no choice in my tax dollars being spent to wage war. Why do you feel you should have any choice in your insurance premiums funding abortions? On a basic level our monies are both going into a large pool of money to provide us with some sort of service in return.
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Blackhawk
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11-12-09 10:22 AM
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BlueBlooded: I kind of doubt that Bristol Palin is on welfare, or that taxpayers had to pay for the child birth.
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Blackhawk
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11-12-09 10:20 AM
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Yoopdogs: I didn't say anything about taking away a choice. I stated that if it's your choice, You pay for it. Why should I have to help pay for it when I am not the one making the choice? Maybe having to pay for their own choices they would think ahead.
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Yoopdogs
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11-12-09 8:41 AM
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Blueblooded....congratulations to you on YOUR fine parenting. Your daughter sounds like an ambitious, well adjusted, mature, intelligent young woman who has made good decisions based on her parenting. People like her are our future and I'm grateful for every parent that raises successful children. It is a reflection on you, as an involved parent. Refreshing!
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Yoopdogs
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11-12-09 8:33 AM
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O.K. Blackhawk...it's a wonderful thing that you are ONE of the minority parents that actually take an interest in good raising of children. You and your family are fortunate, and I really mean that. My occupation allows me to see the other end of the spectrum and it brings me to tears many times when I see the virtually tortured children that were unplanned, unwanted and unloved. They are a burden on the mother and reminded of that often. Many mental health (and physiological) problems arise from such 'family' dynamics. Morality aside, a woman should always be guaranteed a choice on whether she is willing or even capable of raising a child. Mistakes are made, it's human nature. There is no easy solution and that is why a choice should always be available. We all must live with our choices, for better or for worse and suffer (or not) the consequences of our choices.
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BlueBlooded
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11-11-09 4:50 PM
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AHAHAHA....someone forgot to tell Sarah Palin that only liberals raise children who have illegitimate babies. Oops. Major oversite. Hmmm....rereading my post to see where I claimed to be a perfect parent. I must need new glasses!
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Blackhawk
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11-11-09 4:20 PM
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Yoopdogs: It is BlueBlooded that touts being a perfect parent. Myself and my Wife taught our kids to make good decisions that would effect their lives and guess what, 3 kids raised and no illegitimate grandchildren. I am not perfect but I did hold my kids to high standards which evidently worked. It's called critical thinking, If I do this then the end result might not be what I want. Liberals should try it sometime then we don't end up with unintended consequences.
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Yoopdogs
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11-11-09 3:43 PM
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Blackhawk, you must not be of the human race which occasionally makes poor judgements and decisions. Good for you and your perfection. Must be nice to be atop that pedstal making your judgments against anyone unlike you in your perfectness.
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Blackhawk
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11-11-09 12:50 PM
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So if your such the perfect parent then why are you concerned about abortion coverage?
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BlueBlooded
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11-10-09 10:59 PM
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Yoopdogs....agreed. Blackhawk...I will pay for whatever is needed for my child's health and well-being. As a paid professional, I have that luxury. Others do not. And just for the record, my younger daughter is currently first in her senior class and is being recruited by colleges all over the country. She is with either me or my husband almost constantly, studying, writing essays, tutoring other students or doing chores. I am not concerned about having to pay for an abortion for her anytime soon. It is amazing how quickly you decided what type of mom I was or what type of daughter I had based on my support of keeping the benefits that I already have within my work compensation package. When are you going to jump down the throats of the smokers? Drinkers? Those who don't wear their seatbelts? They certainly drive up costs as well. We'd better start adding insurance riders to their policies. Ooops, that person had TWO cookies - diabetes is coming - policy rider!
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Yoopdogs
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11-10-09 6:02 PM
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Okay: Boy meets girl, girl gets pregnant, girl does not want child. Boy reaches into pocket and pays ALL expenses for 18 years for said child rearing. Problem solved. Now, if we could only figure out a way for Boy to be pressured into having sex and carrying fetus for nine months before the 18 years of raising said child, foregoing any dreams of a successful future. Ahhhhh....if only.....
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dagolfnut
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11-10-09 4:46 PM
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Black.........not to nitpick but not all suicide bombers in Iraq are targeted at Americans. Though I haven't checked recently I would think that the vast majority are Iraqi on Iraqi and therefore domestic terrorism. Yes Bill Ayers was a domestic terrorist and got away with it due to government errors at trial. Ayers and Iraq are side issues. The Pitts/Stupak amendment seeks to move far beyond current prohibitions on using federal monies for abortions. This is the latest attempt by the "church" to impose it's views on the whole of America.
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Blackhawk
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11-10-09 4:11 PM
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Golf: Hate to nitpick but suicide bombers in Iraq directed against Americans are not considered Domestic Terrorists. I will agree that bombing Abortion clinics is a form of Domestic terror. So that would put Obama's buddy Bill Ayers a Domestic Terrorist, correct? So what is he doing teaching our young people? He admittedly planted bombs at Police Stations.
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dagolfnut
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11-10-09 4:00 PM
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Black...........I am glad to read that you do not condone these acts of violence and yes, it is fairly simple. No, I can not ascribe these acts of violence to a specific religion. Does that really matter, though? Whether it is evangelicals, baptists, catholics, lutherans or islamists it is violence committed in the name of religion/religious beliefs. Whether it is violence committed by a suicide bomber in Iraq or a clinic bombing in Alabama it is still a form of religion sponsored domestic terrorism, agreed?
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Blackhawk
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11-10-09 3:34 PM
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Golf: Let's see if I can make this fairly simple. I don't condone bombing abortion clinics or murdering abortionists but what religion exactly is directly tied to these incidents? Can you point to a particular one? I can point to a particular one that sends suicide bombers, sets roadside bombs, flies planes into buildings, shoots recruiters, and now walks into a building of unarmed soldiers killing 13 of them. It's known as Radical Islam.
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Blackhawk
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11-10-09 3:23 PM
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BlueBlooded: I notice you avoid the thought of paying for abortions on your own. You would rather my premiums go up to subsidize irresponsibility.
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dagolfnut
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11-10-09 1:09 PM
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Black.............basically bombing abortion clinics and murdering abortion providers and suicide bombers may be comparing apples to oranges but there really is no difference. It is religion and the religious using violence to impose their views on others. Do you agree? If not why?
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BlueBlooded
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11-10-09 12:38 PM
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I notice that the comment about teaching sons responsibility was conveniently ignored.
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Blackhawk
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11-10-09 10:03 AM
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Yoopdogs: In your outlook on abortion I should help pay for someone I don't even know to do something I don't believe in? So can I get some money from you? What I do with it is none of your business I just want the money. Here is what irresponsibility costs us on average for others selfish mistakes. "First trimester procedures run about $500-1000. Second trimester procedures cost $600-10,000". Maybe if you had to pay out of your pocket for these procedures you would think twice before doing something stupid.
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Yoopdogs
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11-10-09 9:37 AM
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cont'd....I see the ramifications of psychological, physical and other abuse that unwanted children must endure because the mother was guilted into bearing a child that she never wanted. Forget the "keep your legs closed" theory--it's BUNK at best. How about teaching your sons to keep their zippers up? They are the ones that abandon the pregnant girl/woman/pending child. They are no more than irresponsible sperm donors that turn tail and run to the next donor recipient.
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Yoopdogs
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11-10-09 9:31 AM
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I think some of you are forgetting thatabortion is never an easy choice and is NEVER encouraged. As women, are we incapable of making a choice because we are somehow stupidly inferior? I find it highly ironic that the loudest voices against CHOICE are men. Easy for you to say, eh, considering it is not your body to control? Nobody should have to make the choice but thank goodness we have that legal right. As far as funding a termination, I believe we should not be just handing out dollars to anyone that chooses to terminate. That is utopia. I do, however, believe that there should be some public funding for those that have made this tough decision and cannot afford it. What is the investment of the procedure compared to the cost of raising a child tapping the system for 18 years? That question is only for those of you who claim financial burden on this issue. Moral issues separate: If you don't believe in abortion, nobody is forcing you to have one.
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Blackhawk
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11-10-09 9:26 AM
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The problem here is vike84 sees one of only two choices. Get an abortion that other people should pay for, or have a baby that other people should support on welfare. Typical Liberal outlook on life, take no personal responsibility and have everyone else take care of your problems. Believe me if that's considered normal people it's really sad what society has sunk to.
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Blackhawk
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11-10-09 9:21 AM
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Golf: "Conservative Christians have the stones to say Islam is a radical religion". How many Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, etc... strap a bomb to themselves or their kids and walk into a crowd to blow themselves up? How many christian Majors in the Army kill 13 unarmed people? As far as killing babies that is your choice that you have to live with. Just don't expect me to help pay for either through Government taxpayer dollars or higher insurance premiums. If you or anyone else wants to do it go ahead. It's legal though immoral and you can pay for it out of your own pocket.
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