President Obama with David Axelrod (left) (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
According to White House Senior Advisor David Axelrod, it is likely that the amendment to the health care bill that restricts federal funding for abortions and caused just enough Democrats to vote for it in order for the bill to passed will be stripped out by President Obama.
On November 7, the House met in intense debates over health care legislation, but they could not get the measure passed until an amendment written by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) prevented federal subsidies from going toward private plans that offer abortion overage. This swayed enough moderate Democrats to pass the bill 220-215. However, President Obama does not support the amendment, stating it changes the “status quo,” and may intervene to delete the legislation that got the bill passed.
According to Axelrod, “He's going to work with Senate and the House to try and ensure that at the end of the day, the status quo is not changed ... I believe that there are discussions ongoing to how to adjust it accordingly.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell insists that Americans do not want their tax dollars funding abortions and the legislation will likely be held up in the Senate. “This will be on the floor for quite a long time.”
There are also still ongoing debates over how much the health care bill will cost American taxpayers and how much it may cut Medicare.
Comments
Does the writer have a basic understanding of the division of power in this country? A president cannot "strip out" parts of legislation. He either signs it or vetoes. The legislature would have to change the bill -- that's THEIR job.
I think the point is that he's going to try and get it taken out. Yes, there is a division of power, but Axelrod says that Obama is going to work with the Senate and the House to get it taken out. So while Obama can't just do that by himself, he can really make a push for it and influence others to remove it.
Look at those suits walking and deluding themselves they actually matter..
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