Scarecrow, so what’s the deal now on conference cmte. Will there be a conference?

Depends on what you define as a “conference.” Looks like Emperor Ben wants binding instructurions to Senate conferees not to tamper with his amendments — but we’re just guessing now. See the updated post with new quote from his presser.

That doesn’t bind the house, however. I’d heard conflicting info.–on one hand, senate bill would not be conferenced but go straight to house vote, the other that the two bills would be conferenced, then voted.

I should amend that. Listening to his presser, he seems to be saying that if the conference undermines his amendment, he would vote against the next cloture vote, thus not allowing the bill to be considered.

This gives NARAL and Planned Parenthood the perfect strategic opportunity to preserve womens’ reproductive freedom to use choice’s cadaver as a fund-raising poster child.

Thanks Scarecrow. Amazing graphic.

Agreed. Funny if it weren’t so sad.

Lots of great state-level fundraising ahead for Cecile Richards and her ilk.

I really do think it’s time for a Women’s Political Party… one that could unite with labor unions, and other “special interest” groups who may no longer call the Democratic Party their home.

Right on cue, Planned Parenthood opposes the Nelson language:

Statement by Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, on Proposed Abortion Language in the Senate Manager’s Amendment:

“Planned Parenthood strongly opposes the new abortion language offered by Senator Ben Nelson in the manager’s amendment. Last week, the Senate rejected harsh restrictions on abortion coverage, and it is a sad day when women’s health is traded away for one vote.

“The Nelson language is essentially an abortion rider. It creates an unworkable system whereby individuals are required to write two separate checks each month, one for abortion care and one for everything else. There is no sound policy reason to require women to pay separately for their abortion coverage other than to try to shame them and draw attention to the abortion coverage. Moreover, it is highly unlikely that insurance companies will be willing to follow such an administratively cumbersome system, leaving tens of millions of women without abortion coverage.

“After the passage of the Stupak amendment in the House, we heard loud and clear from women across the country that they will not stand for the undermining of their rights and their access to benefits. This Nelson abortion check provision will no doubt create the same outrage, as women learn that they are being made second-class citizens when it comes to health care coverage.

“As many members of Congress and the president believe, Planned Parenthood does not think that health care reform is the forum to litigate abortion policy. Unfortunately, opponents continue to use abortion as a political wedge at every step of the reform process.

“There is no policy reason for this action, it is simply a political maneuver. We understand that leaders in the Senate and the White House want to move the process forward, but given this provision, we have no choice but to oppose the Senate bill. Planned Parenthood will now work with leaders to fix the abortion coverage language in conference.”

……HA HA HA. You forgot to write the ha ha ha part. its what made that game so funny…the “are belong to” but then a short pause and the “ha ha ha”. It sounded exactly like the stereotpe asian,(the game was japanese) but a cyborg – conquerer – of – worlds, asian tech nerd. it was funny. oooohhh mercy.

My thought exactly…including some memory that PP gave support to Mighty Joe Liar.

One more of the longstanding practice of rich white men (usually) seeking to control the women folk. How old and obsolete and mean etc etc etc
And Dr. is the plural = uteri?

it wasnt planned parenthood it was NARAL not-so pro-choice America.

Ben Nelson is nothing but a health insurance industry whore. He doesn’t care about abortion, it’s just a tool he can use to do the bidding of his pimps. Pity the people of Nebraska that have enabled this fool, and now have to live with his actions.

Ya know, it just would have been such a disaster if the Dems hadn’t been able to pass this thing. Now we can thank them for advancing the cause of anti-abortion zealots, as well as making the working poor and lower middle class even poorer.

Cecile Richards should have done more than sit on her hands back in June and July.

She had a meeting with the White House the first week of June, before the Stupak Amendment really got rolling. She had yet another the first week of July.

All these years she’s been at this she should know that when a politician tells you to sit down and shut up that something is really wrong and it’s time to crack heads.

My advice: Do NOT give to Planned Parenthood’s national organization. Find a local organization which supports women’s reproductive health and give to them instead.

“It’s uter-US, Marge, not uter-YOU.”
-Homer Simpson Ben Nelson

Jane, from a long time fan, it seems that now is the time to initiate action to unite those polled who wanted the PO, to work together to educate all on the results of corporatism that grips this country. That people no longer have a voice, it is not and hasn’t been for a long time by and for the people. All these issues we spend our time reading about like health care, fisa, wall street, on and on, are a result of the people not having a say. We can’t do anything about any of it, and until we unite and educate ourselves we will only spin our wheels and vent uselessly.

Of course talk is easy. But so many seem ready to take action, is there any effort to unite and organize? I would sure be happy to help, instead of just venting.

If one of the women Emperor Ben loves has an abortion, would he agree she should be arrested and charged with murder? If indicted, should she go on trial and, if convicted, be sentenced to life imprisonment [or to death row]?

If he found out one of the women he loves had an abortion is it his moral obligation to turn her in?

Sadly, it will reach the point in America where the consequences of equating abortion with murder are actually felt by self-righteous moralists like Nelson, before the horror of forcing women to give birth becomes all too clear.

It’s easy to get up on his sanctimonios soap box and scream “I’m pro-life!!”. But it will be a lot harder for women to deal with the consequences of what he is really screaming, instead: “I’m anti-choice!!”

Fortunately, for him, as a man, it is a choice he never had to consider at all.

Well maybe this is an opportunity for some states, “abortion tourism!”
“Did your state say No to abortion? Did you decide not pay your abortion insurance? Well don’t worry now you can do what rich women have been doing for years! With our special offer you can fly to DC get a “spa treatment” day a tour of the Smithsonian and discount tickets to the The Vagina Monologues” all for low low price of 399! How can we keep the prices so low? NARAL and Planned Parenthood have each chipped in 25 dollars each! Eve Ensler gives free tickets, and we get group rates at the Smithsonian. Without the help of NARAL and PP this would cost 50 dollars more!

Book your trip now, some restrictions Apply. Check you state for your rights. Not available to men.

I will start this comment with an apology. I am from NYC. I’ve lived in NYC my entire life. Admittedly, my attitude is often that there is NYC and then there is everywhere else (which in my mind means “lesser”). Sorry about that and I know it’s not true but it’s the way I feel. Now on to my comment.

Who the fuck is Ben Nelson and why is it that states like Nebraska, Idaho and North Dakota get to decide anything for anyone? The compromise the Founders made that created the equal representation in the Senate has been nothing but a bludgeon used against more populous states by states which are mostly mountains or plains. I live in the most densely populated stretch of this country. People here live and sweat and suffer and survive — the least we can expect is not to be treated like retarded children by imperious fucks like Ben Nelson. I’m sorry if folks are from those states but my opinion is that if my city has more people living in it than your entire state, know your place.

I will add one more comment in my most evil New York style. If people like Ben Nelson can’t be gotten to because they are so squeaky clean, then I am sure his wife, family or children can be gotten to. Let someone find dirt on the collateral people in his life and then pay him a visit and say, “See what you did to your son”.

OK, evil New York attitude off now.

gawd Harry Reid is pathetic.

It all started with slaves being 3/5 of a human being…

While there were many reasons to support states’ rights, one of the more prominent was so that some states could continue to have slaves. The states with the most population were almost all against it. Having a Senate composed of two representatives from each state made individual, agricultural states could defend their interests.

oh dear, Durbin is pathetic too. right now on floor saying: Ooh! the bill says all people under 18 can’t be denied for pre existing conditions! ooh!

the true progressives should vote no and demand reconciliation

durbin lamenting the republicans have only submitted four amendments — well, fool, they didn’t have to submit any more! You guys did their work for them.

sheesh.

How do you get reconciliation if the bill is voted down?

PROGRESSIVES THIS IS A GREAT DAY!!!
JANE is pulling the clothes off of these ConserverDems!!!

What Progressive groups must now do, is develop internet ADS, paper Ads, for example showing John Kerry Laughing, and a Mother Crying to her kids because she can not afford her Medicine because JOHN KERRY LIKE BIG PHARMA MORE THAN LIKE HER!

What will ads like this do? They will make Kerry and others think before they vote.

The next idea is to learn how to attack corporations. All companies need customers. Develop ads connecting sorry politicians to the companies they work for. (what will this do? make stock holders think?)

The weakness that politicians have is they want to get re-elected!
The weakness that corporations have is they want maximize PROFITS !

Imagine if all progressives boycotted Wal-Mart, and shop at Target? I
promise you Wal-Mart would ask what is going on.

I CAN SEE THE ADS NOW!!! WAL-MART LOVES TEA BAGGERS, PROGRESSIVES SHOULD SHOP AT TARGET. YOU MUST MAKE COMPANIES FEAR THE CONSUMER!!!

The major weakness in a capitalistic system is GREED!!!

Progressive must learn how to use GREED against Politicians and Corporations.

You have got to love how Congress and the White House sold the Insurance Bailout Plan as a Health Care Plan. (they are going to try this word play again, so don’t let a person pee on you and say it is raining!!!)

Progressive need to develop campaigns!!!
For example, “WANT YOUR JOB BACK!!! VOTE PROGRESSIVE”

Progressive should not give their money to Democrats BLINDLY!!!

Make all DEM CANDIDATES SIGN A CONTRACT!!! MAKE THEM WORK FOR YOU!!!
When LOBBYIST COME AND THEY WILL COME, MAKE PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES FEAR INTERNET ADS, MASS MAILING TO THEIR BASE, ETC. LOBBYIST CANNOT GET PEOPLE ELECTED, WHEN THEY TELL THEM VOTE AGAINST DISCOUNT DRUGS

The key is to make sure each dem candidate understand you can wipe out thousands of his or her votes with stroke of a KEY!!!

THIS IS AN AWESOME DAY FOR PROGRESSIVES!!!!

Reddit beg

So what happens over in (you should pardon the expression) The House? Aren’t there (theoretically) 65 votes against something this hideous? Or has Pelosi already worked them over, too?

A progressive version of Emily’s list would be useful. Is there one by any chance?

It just keeps getting worse and worse.

There’s something very wrong here, even beyond the standard corporate lobbyist corruption.

If there’s going to be a third party it shouldn’t be the teabaggers it should be us. People are confused, people want answers and I know for sure that a leader from our group will be far more coherent than any teabagger.

The only thing that’s kept me from calling myself a progressive is that I don’t consider myself, or ever want to be a proverbial battered wife which is what you lot have now become.

There’s only a certain amount of slaps in the face one can take before turning around to leave.

Therefore, my question to all of you, re Jane Hamsher specifically, is why isn’t there any action on that front?

‘Change we could believe in’ is and always has been moronic, what it should be is ‘Change, it has nothing to do with what you believe in it has to do with what is right’.

One can safely assume all the pressure the WH did NOT bring to bear on conservaDems in the Senate WILL be applied to House progressives.

Traditionally, they always cave. We need to encourage them to break with tradition.

“Therefore, my question to all of you, re Jane Hamsher specifically, is why isn’t there any action on that front? ”

Huh? What action? What front?

Ugh. I’m seeing this Nelson news for the first time today, and it’s really a bummer.

I’m finally just getting around to doing the data entry for the results of our Phonebanking last Wednesday night, about the Stupak Amendment. And it’s just very hard to watch all this effort being pissed away by these morons in DC.

Maddening.

NYC don’t need none of what you’re offering. That “wife and kids” crud is just your own personal evil crap.

Leave the human inhabitants of NYC out of it.

If you read further independentoffender was referring to creation of a (third) progressive party.

This thread is not the ideal place to pose that question since it requires complex answers.

independentoffender should consider posting a diary, which may (or may not) stimulate discussion of the topic.

I was only musing out of anger. I know that something like this is only done by right wingers to destroy candidates and politicians. Maybe a puppet show and funny slogans will be just as effective.

Thanks for coming to my defense and pointing me to the ‘diary’. First time poster, long time lurker. :-)

Then you can rest assured that what Ben wants, Ben will get. Joe will get his too.

The ultimate bill must NOT pass if it even remotely resembles the current bill. The ultimate bill must NOT have mandates in it.

Thanks, the referent was too far up page for my RAM to hang onto. Now what did I come into the kitchen for?

The compromise the Founders made that created the equal representation in the Senate has been nothing but a bludgeon used against more populous states by states which are mostly mountains or plains.

What the Founders were most concerned with was keeping democracy as far removed from “the masses” as possible.

The [white anglo saxon protestant] Founding Fathers were generally of the landed, propertied class. The monied class. And their democracy reflected this.

It still does.

Curiously though: How was abortion treated back then?

maybe, but only if thats an efective way to build a large progressive voting bloc. It may be, but i doubt it. that was the kind of thing that killed the progressive movement in the late 70’s and 80’s. Every cause had its own political organization and they all fought with each other. NOW and the The Black civil rights organizations argued over who’s oppressed status had greater priority and the Larger part of Labor’s membership that were still mostly white and male, voted for Reagan while Labor leaders waged backstabbing campaigns against each other.

I’ve got the solution. One rural staters like Stooopid,backwoodsman Pitt, farmstate Ben surely will agree is the ultimate best solution to the abortion issue. Yep.

Geld every male. Preserve approved semen in cold storage.

Hey, it works for horses…why not the horses’ asses holding up healthcare reform?

Good to hear that. Way too much anger around here lately giving rise to too many seriously meant and seriously wrongheaded suggestions.

If you need a macaque for the puppet show, holler.

My pleasure, good luck with the diary.

Book Salon up at the Mothership with Jonathon Hafetz and Mark Denbeaux, The Guantanamo Lawyers hosted by Mary

I love your post. Jefferson hated the idea of a Senate. It not only fucks over the blue states, but the whole world via a lack of a climate change treaty that would need 2/3 of the senate for ratification.

Btw, we Bostonians feel the same way. Whilst we are at it, let them all secede. I’m tired of my blue dollars going to subsidize states that shouldn’t have ever been made states, just corn-producing territories. Like a Guam, but for High Fructose Corn Syrup production. They cry tax cuts ad infinitum, but happily take out blue state dollars! Fuck them. And if I was born in a shithole like that, I’d move.

See what you’ve done, Splicer?
Now chowderheaded, beanbaking, Red Soxers are doing it!!!!

cheers man!

The Democrats just lost the moral right to ask for the votes of anyone who believes in women’s rights and equal treatment before the law.

such odd numbered year talk.

even numbered years it will be GOTV, support the Least Worst for the Greater Good, and oooh! Scary Republican Creeps gonna getcha if you don’t vote Democratic, the usual song and dance from the (D) captured Netroots.

‘was you dere, charlie?’

None of us can say what the original intent was. All we can do is read what was written. Best guess is that Congress was set up with the houses so that neither the then-large nor the then-small states could completely dominate both houses.

Of course, they didn’t have big business buying congresscritters wholesale, either.

Serious skulduggery: “[..] a previously unseen degree of coordination between Stupak and the office of Republican leader Mitch McConnell [..] (to oppose) a Senate compromise on the place of abortion in health care legislation this morning” (link: (http://www.americablog.com/2009/12/dem-rep-stupak-secretly-coordinating.html)

Just got an e-mail from DeParle about this !@#$%^&*( bill, and returned a reply telling them to put it where the sun will never shine on it.

I would like to add a Boner Pill rider to the esteemed Senator’s amendment.

If God intended for futile old men like himself to have boners, He would have given them one.

No boner pills for him, that febrile old member might end up causing an abortion.

Also, I want anyone who goes in for boner pills to have to fill out a 30 question form that is published on the internet, after all it is very important that we find out what these boner pills are being used for. Most importantly, we NEED to make sure there will be no abortions because of boner pills.

30 questions and a notarized parental consent

Hear Hear! from a California girl to one of my sisters in New York.

Problem is, there is already enough dirt on these people. Newt resigned because he was the originator of the “blow jobs aren’t sex” idiom.

Where is Larry Flynt when you need him?

Hey the boner pill sounds good. Fuckin A would I be popular in my gay world if my health ins. gave me an unlimited supply! I would have bottoms coming out of the woodwork just for me! Fuck all these women and those silly abortion thingies! If I can lobby Ben to include pecker pills, I am ALL IN!!!

(snark)

But, seriously, I am a total loyalist. I actually consider ANY attack on women’s civil rights EXACTLY the same as an attack on gay rights. We are in this together. Ben Nelson may as well have added a provision banning health insurance for sodomy and I’d be just as pissed. Can you imagine? I’d have to travel across state lines (to a blue state) just to fuck?

I cannot believe this stuff is even happening. It’s like I am in a ghoulish version of “Avatar” or something. Btw, that film was pure cinematic beauty. I was captivated. And it had a VERY VERY VERY progressive message (actually a multitude of liberal messages). But you gotta be smart to “get it.” So all the conservatives who see it will be clueless. LOL.

My reply to DeParle’s email:

I have just finished reading the Senate Manager’s Amendment. I am stunned at the craven bowing to right-wing anti-women demands by those such as Sen. Ben Nelson. And I am equally stunned that this President would suggest that this bill–allowing, nay encouraging states to deny legal medical care– is anything I should support.

The women of this country have been treated as mere pawns in the negotiations over health care reform. I will not EVER support a bill or a politician that treats my rights to full LEGAL reproductive care with such callous disregard.

The President may think he can accept this language and tell me it’s a victory. If he does, he clearly thinks me too stupid to think for myself.

Merry Christmas.

Lived in the south all my life. Though I don’t agree a NYC address makes you superior, I do agree with all your points and add the fact that you folks support the rest of us with your taxes.

States rights is all about slavery and supports many southerners in the notion that we get to have whatever “domestic arrangements” (from the SC secession statement 1861) we want, no matter the rest of the world. Lots of evil happens within states rights. Electoral College needs to go and so does the Senate.

Possibly the Women’s Campaign Forum?

So we have a mandate to feed the parasitic monster which is private “health insurance”, with a guarantee that we can’t even buy abortion coverage with our own money unless we’re already so rich that we don’t need it.

What a disgrace!

I know that was snark, but boner pills are available in both MediCare, and where I live, MediCal. Also, boner pills are not excluded from any health insurance that I know of.

Boners for all! Just don’t expect us to give your tramp-ass uterus any special attention because you got yourself knocked up.

This is going to drive the tea baggers nuts. Maybe they will stay home in 2010.

“Coburn: Nelson agreement with leaders ‘threw unborn babies under the bus’
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/73081-coburn-nelson-agreement-with-leaders-threw-unborn-babies-under-the-bus

Not voting again. Not voting unless it’s targeting a specific person, such as a Grayson, Sanders, or Howard Dean. Screw the Democrats. They’ve screwed me over – after getting raped by the Republicans all these years, this hurts even worse. I will never give private insurance any money for health insurance. Male boner pills covered, but not women’s reproductive services. I agree with Keith Olbermann’s position. The US gov’t can imprison me for non transfer of my money to a private corporation. Then I won’t have to repay my $100K in student loans, which I can’t repay anyway, and which they will be taking from my social security checks – if I can ever retire. My only hope is to get a gov’t job with the same nice gov’t insurance these dickwads have. I need to figure out how to locally help start a real leftist political party and find leftist candidates. If I can ever get to finish my MSN I will help restart Jane. We are going back to those days of coathanger abortions and a meaningless Roe v Wade. Sorry for the ramble, but I can’t stand it any more.

I feel like a legal 3/5ths of a person right now.

“Geld every male. Preserve approved semen in cold storage.

Hey, it works for horses…why not the horses’ asses holding up healthcare reform?”

MEXICO HERE I COME!!!!

HA! Funny!!!!

good for you. this is an increasingly popular sentiment, even at FDL.

it feels good to stand with your convictions, and not falling for stupid Least Worster guilt tripping anymore.

talk about guilt – folks who voted for and gave money to this Nobel Peace Prize winner have the continuing civilian dead in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and possibly Iran on their consciences – not a pleasant prospect, even with substantial psychological defense mechanisms in play.

This is definitely a KILL THE BILL issue , they do not even have the back bone to stand up for such basic constitutional rights , it makes one wonder what they will sell us all out on next?

I can understand Obamas moderate position on abortion , but as a person put in the position of leadership , his job is to stand fast for established rights , especially in terms of something so personal as individual rights , choice and personhood , this is very disturbing to say the least

Reconciliation was never on the radar screen when you see things like this come to light , but it is far from over yet folks