Transatlantic Synchronicity

Robert Waldmann

Was just talking to his mom and dad (Dr Waldmann and Dr Waldmann). They had CNN on. I couldn’t see my screen from where I was talking on the phone, so I heard from Dr Waldmann (Thomas) that Stupak had said yes and that someone who is very pro-choice said she had no problem with the executive order because it adds nothing to the Hyde amendment. So he asked what’s going on and is this a fig leaf for Stupak

I said, no dad, a figleaf covers more. This is a maple leaf. The reference to Canada was inadvertant. We don’t have Medicare for all, but at least Stupak caved and got much to little to cover up his uhm leadership ability.

The text of the executive order here.

I’ll just quote the key parts after the jump.

“consistent with a longstanding Federal statutory restriction that is commonly known as the Hyde Amendment.

[skip]

The Act maintains current Hyde Amendment restrictions governing abortion policy and extends those restrictions to the newly-created health insurance exchanges. Under the Act, longstanding Federal laws

[skip]

as a result of both the Hyde Amendment and longstanding regulations containing the Hyde language. Under the Act, the Hyde language shall apply …”

I think that it would have been less humiliating for Stupak if Obama had not had that draft order written up. It basically says “Stupak is wrong. Everything he has said recently about the Senate bill is false. I am willing to tell people to follow the law, because the Constitution orders me to take care that the laws (the decades old laws in this case) are faithfully executed.”

Oh and I will support Stupak’s opponent in the primary anyway.