This week's column, and more on health care reform

By: Jennifer Foster | Opelika Auburn News
Published: July 14, 2009 | 0 Comments | Post a Comment

In case you missed it in Saturday's print edition of the Opelika-Auburn News, my most recent column is now on the web. Check it out:

Blue Dogs barking on health care reform

It's about the impact that the Blue Dog Democrats are having on health care reform efforts.

As fate would have it, there's an article today about the impact another group of Democrats -- pro-life Democrats -- are having on the debate over health care reform. From NPR:

More than nearly any other issue, abortion has the potential to throw a wrench into the already fragile gears of the major health care overhaul now starting to churn on Capitol Hill.

"I take a view that there's almost anything [that can be compromised] in public affairs except probably the issue of abortion," said Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), one of the leading Republicans seeking a bipartisan health bill.

Already in the House, 19 Democrats have written House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowing not to vote for any health bill that includes abortion funding.

"We cannot support any health care reform proposal unless it explicitly excludes abortion from the scope of any government-defined or subsidized health insurance plan," said the letter, whose lead signers included Dan Boren of Oklahoma, Bart Stupak of Michigan and Minnesota's Collin Peterson.

No wonder President Obama has been AWOL when it comes to leadership on specific provisions within the health care reform effort. The president, after all, doesn't have all that much cat-herding experience.