Democrats Ought to Thank Stupak

Stupak amendment blocks private insurers offering procedure

(NEWSER) - In a last-ditch effort to corral 40 anti-abortion party members whose votes are needed to pass health care reform, Democrats last night agreed to let the whole House vote today on an amendment that would bar insurers participating in the new government-run health care exchange from providing abortions except in the case of rape, incest or to protect the mother's health. It would also prevent people who receive federal subsidies from buying private insurance that covers abortion. More»

Cartoonist calls transvaginal ultrasounds GOP-sanctioned rape

(NEWSER) - The cartoonist's pen might be mightier than the sword, but Gary Trudeau's mouth is also packing a punch. He's blasting newspapers that are dumping Doonsebury this week because the strip attacks state abortion laws requiring transvaginal ultrasounds as rape. "I write the strip to be read, not removed," he said. Some "99% of American women have or will use contraception during their lifetimes. To see these healthcare rights systematically undermined in state after state by the party of 'limited government' is appalling," he tells the Guardian , which is running the strip. "In Texas, the sonograms are the least of it. The legislature has also defunded women's health clinics all over the state. Insanity." More»

Both parties are 'incompetent and cowardly,' says Kristof

(NEWSER) - Both the Democrats and Republicans are acting like squabbling adolescents, slams Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times . "It’s unclear where the adults are, but they don’t seem to be in Washington," he says, adding "it’s painful how vapid the discourse is and how incompetent and cowardly our leaders have proved to be." Among his criticisms:

• The whole shutdown mess is because Democrats, afraid of GOP criticism ahead of midterm elections, didn't pass a budget last year. "So in gross dereliction of duty, the Democrats punted." Great.

Dana Milbank: Only he is standing up to Republican attacks on law

(NEWSER) - Republicans keep attacking health care reform, and with one loud exception, Democrats have been "passive to the point of wimpy" in defending it, writes Dana Milbank in the Washington Post . That exception? "Brooklyn-born streetfighter" Anthony Weiner. "I don't represent the hide-under-the-desk wing of the Democratic Party," the New York congressman said yesterday, complaining that even Nancy Pelosi and President Obama hadn't done enough. "I believe we've got to lean into this fight." More»

Kornacki: It's surely coming, and it will surely be overblown

(NEWSER) - Steve Kornacki provides a preview of what's in store for Democrats in the wake of Tuesday's election by looking back at 1994. That's when Newt said (of Bill and Hillary): "They really are left-wing elitists and they really thought the country didn't get it and therefore it was their job to give the country the government that they thought the country needed ..." Rush Limbaugh labeled Clinton's first two years a "belch," and George Will opined that Clinton would never win a second term in the newly conservative nation. More»