The Republican National Committee's health insurance plan covers elective abortions for its employees, an option Republicans strongly oppose in health overhaul legislation that Democrats are trying to push through Congress.So, I guess this means Mike Steele and Co. really need ObamaCare.
Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele learned of the policy's abortion coverage Thursday through a news report and immediately instructed staff to inform the insurance carrier that the RNC wanted to opt out of elective abortion coverage, RNC spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said.
"Money from our loyal donors should not be used for this purpose," Steele said in a statement. "I don't know why this policy existed in the past, but it will not exist under my administration. Consider this issue settled."
Gitcho said the policy has been in effect since 1991.
The GOP platform traditionally includes strong anti-abortion language. All House Republicans, except one, voted for an amendment imposing restrictions of coverage for abortions in the health care bill that passed the House last Saturday. Inclusion of the abortion restrictions prompted an angry backlash from liberal House Democrats, and some are now threatening to vote against a final bill if the curbs stay in.
The memo said the RNC received a phone call from a reporter on Wednesday asking whether the RNC's health care policy, through Cigna, covered elective abortions for employees. On Thursday, Politico.com published a report citing two sales agents for Cigna who said the RNC's policy covered elective abortion.
The Cigna employees said the RNC didn't choose to opt out of abortion coverage when given the opportunity, Politico.com reported.
Question: How silly is this?
RNC Insurance Plan Covers Abortion [HuffPost]
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Poor Michael Steel is scrambling and backtracking again. Good thing he's got a crackerjack coach:
http://bit.ly/3ppyiu
(satire)
You've got to be kidding.
What flaming hypocrites!!! 1991, huh? All this time....
If anyone had had the teaspoon of testicular fortitude required to, you know---BRING THIS UP or something---during the last 18 years, it could have made for some very awkward and revealing exchanges with GOP figures. But, of course, no.
Hmm. Well. I'm generally a mild-mannered, quiet, easy going political centrist, but I cannot think of words to express the anger I felt and still feel at the anti-abortion amendment to the health care bill that passed the House. The reason I have never voted Republican is because of their stand on woman's rights. So now I see that the Democrats have just been stringing me along all these years and when it actually matters, they have (so far) completely dropped the ball. Do I look like a complete fool? If the health care bill passes with the current amendment attached and it is signed by the President, I will not be voting for President Obama in 2012. I guarantee it. As for the hypocrisy of the Republican party, I'm not surprised.
Like a dull knife, they just ain't cutting/Just talking loud and saying nothing!
@ Shady:
And the worst part is, the Democrats never learn. They just never learn. They will NEVER get it through their heads that "bipartisanship" doesn't exist. They keep worshipping at its temple, willing to sacrfice any principle to it, not getting it through their heads that the other side will NEVER reciprocate their bizarrely misplaced good faith.
And now one of them has thrown up one of the biggest kahunas of all for sacrifice. Does this Stupac moron REALLY think even this will get the bill a single GOP vote? If so, I wonder if he also believes in the Tooth Fairy.
@ Hi Marbles
I don't think that Stupak cares overmuch about getting a GOP vote for the health care bill as much as he cares about making sure that abortion expenditures either stay the same or are cut back if this bill passes. He comes from a relatively conservative area of my state so I think his seat is safe. He is betting that his party cares more about getting a health care bill passed than protecting abortion rights. High stakes poker.
I agree with you wholeheartedly about the Democrats and bipartisanship.
I'm always fascinated by folks' adherence to the fantasy that the Dems compromise so much in order to attract Republican votes. They don't. They compromise so they can get as many DEM votes as possible. 64, SIXTY-FOUR Democratic congressmen voted for the Stupak Amendment. 39, THIRTY-NINE Dems voted AGAINST the health care bill. In this example, they didn't NEED a single GOP vote, but they had to work hard as HELL to get their own party members to fall in line.
Someone besides the president needs to be held accountable for this dynamic. A good place to start? The SIXTY-FOUR Democrats who supported the Stupak Amendment.
Back to the original post...
A political party pulls rhetoric out their behinds that contradicts their actual practices. Color me shocked!
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