I think Wesley Smith at Secondhand Smoke articulated well how damaging Representative Bart Stupak’s (D-MI) decision yesterday to betray the prolife cause was. It wasn’t so much the vote that was the problem, as it was the charade that led up to the vote.
It was wrong to let tens of million pro life believers hang their deepest hopes on his solemn word that he wouldn’t compromise their most cherished principles–when he knew very well that if it really became necessary he would do precisely that. Stupak’s gamesmanship thus toyed with the deepest emotions of the very people he claimed to champion, adding immensely to their anguish when because of his vote–bringing the Stupak 12 (or whatever number) with him–Obamacare passed without the total ban on government financial involvement in abortion. That was needlessly cruel and marks one of the lowest points in this entire appalling and sorry spectacle.
He deserves to have his “defender of life” award stripped, and deserves to lose the confidence of any pro-life constituent in his district.
Additional thought: If you are tempted to mention the executive order… Constitution 101, executive orders don’t negate law. People on both sides of the issue say it won’t change the law.