Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) announced his retirement today after serving 18 years in Congress. Good riddance, he had the opportunity to stand up for his convictions, but caved instead for a meaningless executive order. He was already going to be vulnerable over his vote on the health care bill, but this puts his district even more into play.
The fall-out could be tremendous. Charmaine Yoest, President of Americans United for Life, said of the news (HT: The Other McCain):
Bart Stupak entered into a sham political deal that couldn’t be defended with a straight face. He put politics over principle and now even the politics are catching up to him. This is just the beginning of the fallout over pro-abortion health care reform. Ramming federal funding for abortion through against the will of the American people was a radioactive vote.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see more “Blue Dog” Democrats who claim to be prolife and yet voted for this bill cut and run.