Nancy Pelosi: A Powerful Woman in Health Reform
ABC News identifies Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as “the most powerful and polarizing woman in the history of American politics.” Pelosi is the first woman who has held the position of House speaker, and she understands the pressure that comes with her job.
In the ABC interview, Pelosi said she is a target as a woman and liberal in politics. She ignores the Republican and conservative Blue Dog Democrats discontent with the health care reform bill. I greatly respect Pelosi for remaining confident and driven in attaining a government insurance option.
Most recently, Pelosi gave a speech at the front of the Capitol for the unveiling of the current health care reform bill and a heckler yelled “burn in hell,” which she brushed off by saying: “Thank you insurance companies of America.” It is important for her to show strength against opposition, but also not to stoop to their level and I think she did this gracefully with a little humor.
Her toughest critic is Fox News, who made fun of Pelosi’s response to the heckler by reenacting the exchange in “Fox and Friends” with hosts Steve Doocey and Alisyn Camerota. Fox columnist, Ken Klukowski, wrote an open letter to Pelosi and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs that calls the health care reform legislation unconstitutional. Klukowski claims that there is no individual mandate that allows the bill.
Pelosi does not see this as a “serious question” that would prohibit the passing of the health care bill. Klukowski goes on to say, “Should you insist on passing a law penalizing — or even making it a crime — for people not to buy insurance, then Congress and President Obama run the risk of a stern judicial rebuke.”
The fact is that the health care reform bill would not require people to buy the government insurance option. Americans who want to keep their existing private plans are free to do so.
The Abortion Question Needs an Answer!
The health care debate is going around in circles over the abortion question. Will the health care bill allow federal dollars to be used toward abortion coverage or not? Well, from what the media is reporting–the majority of the House and President Obama say no federal money for abortions.
But the specification in the bill is the matter of debate–there are options for lower income families of providing tax credits that could be used to attain abortion coverage. Wouldn’t that mean government money could be spent towards reproductive services?
According to the AP article Abortion divides House Dems in Health Care Debate, there are two dozen anti-abortion democrats who want to make sure that the bill clearly prohibits federal funding of abortions.
Some believe the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal money being used towards abortions “except in cases of rape and incest or if the mother’s life would be endangered,” would answer the abortion question. Others report that there are discrepancies with the amendment and that it only applies to Medicaid.
On the Life News website, this article gives both sides of the debate over the Hyde Amendment. According to National Right to Life federal legislative director Douglas Johnson and AP, the Hyde Amendment does not apply to the new health care bill.
However, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs claimed that the Hyde Amendment directly prohibits federal funding of abortions. The Life News website believes that Gibbs mislead reporters.
In my opinion, a new amendment should be established where there is no confusion in the language of the amendment. Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not specify if there will be an amendment on abortion, and said the current focus is on “our policy on this legislation.”
Yes, I agree that the health care bill overall and the public option should be the priority, but the issue of abortion cannot be ignored. There is too much controversy in the media not to answer the question: Will women receive abortion coverage or not?
Medi-Gal 