Newsweek - National News, World News, Health, Technology, Entertainment and more... - Newsweek.com
SPONSORED BY
Full Post
Posted Thursday, November 12, 2009 12:07 PM

Smart Lobbying, Grassroots Engagement: Planned Parenthood’s Strategy to Defeat the Stupak Amendment

Sarah Kliff

When Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards addressed a private phone call of bloggers yesterday, she had to apologize for her hoarse voice: "I've spent the last few days yelling at members of Congress."

Richards, alongside other liberal pro-abortion rights groups, has launched an all-out war on the Stupak amendment, the anti-abortion rights provision approved by the House in Saturday's health-care vote. In yesterday's conference call, she described Planned Parenthood's strategy to insure the Stupak amendment's exclusion from the final health-care bill as two-pronged: "Smart lobbying strategies in Washington [and] very robust grassroots engagement."

The grassroots engagement part kicked off nearly overnight. On Tuesday, Planned Parenthood hosted a "standing room only" meeting with "dozens" of progressive groups at its office in Washington. Politico reported that MoveOn.org, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Service Employees International Union were in attendance. They have logged thousands of calls to members of Congress and, last night, launched an online petition. Next week Planned Parenthood will host a meeting with CEOs from reproductive health groups, labor movement, and broader progressive movement.

Advertisement

These wide-ranging organizing efforts indicate that Planned Parenthood needs the Stupak amendment to be an issue not just for the reproductive health groups but the entire liberal community.  "[We can] use this as an opportunity to reorganize and energize the movement writ large," Richards said. So far, it seems to be working.

But what about the other prong, the smart lobbying in Washington? That will likely prove more challenging. Abortion, with its moral and political complexities, is generally not one where politicians can be lobbied to change their position.

So lobbying the Senate will be difficult, but also absolutely necessary. Why? The Senate does not have a pro-abortion rights majority. According to NARAL's breakdown, there are 40 solid supporters of abortion rights, 41 in clear opposition, and 19 somewhere in the middle. That is actually pretty similar, percentagewise, to the abortion-rights landscape of the House that approved the Stupak amendment.

Moreover, Planned Parenthood is up against strong abortion opponents who have already staked out their opposition. As Gaggler Katie Connolly pointed out a few days ago, moderate Democrat Ben Nelson has demanded a Stupak-like provision. Stupak has inserted himself into the Senate battle too. "We are in contact with senators to make sure our language holds," Stupak told the Detroit News on Tuesday. "The other side is playing with fire."

When NEWSWEEK pressed Richards on the actual "smart lobbying" strategy she had in mind, she was vague: "I think we'll focus on solidifying our core base. We have very good support in the U.S. Senate ... We have to shore up the supporters we have." She points out that neither of the current versions of the Senate bill have a Stupak-like amendment (it was voted down twice in committee). Besides, just getting the amendment on the floor would require 60 votes. But with only 40 staunch abortion-rights supporters in the Senate, Planned Parenthood will need to have more than a "core base" on their side. Richards has been working the Senate for months now, but she still has a lot more yelling left to do.

You must be a registered user to comment.  Click here to register.  Already a user?  Click here to login.

Member Comments

Posted By: anonymous775 (November 21, 2009 at 2:53 PM)

"You naively and falsely claim that "Abortion does not rseult (did you mean result?) in the death of a human being."

First of all, you are using the word "naively" incorrectly.  The word does not mean "saying something I disagree with".  Second, your "did you mean X?" schtick is getting rather old.  Yes, people sometimes misspell words while typing them into a tiny, tiny screen.  You don't get points for pointing it out.  While my errors have been simply typos, I have the feeling that your misspelling of "role" is due to you  actually not knowing the difference between "role" and "roll".

"Are you ignorant of the fact that most, if not all abortions, result in the death of, not as you say, a "single-celled organism", but instead an actual human being?"

Again, you are having trouble with the meaning of words.  "Ignorant", like "naive", does not mean "saying something I disagree with".  It is less common for an abortion to result in the death of a human being than for carrying a pregnancy to term to do so.  Furthermore, it is irrelevant to my point whether "most" of abortions do not involve a single-celled organism.  As long as there is ONE single-celled organism whose destruction anti-choicers label the killing of a human being, it is legitimate to point out that anti-choicers hold a position that is flat-out absurd.

"Modern medical internal imaging devices reveal that a single-celled organism, when fertilized,  soon develops quite rapidly into a human being with arms, legs, and a head. Somehow your particular development may have been somewhat stunted in regard to that latter appendage."

No, a single-celled organism rapidly develops into something that looks somewhat like a human being.  Interesting how readily you resort to ad hominem attacks.

"Even in the early and middle ages, people observingly used to refer to a pregnant female as being “with child.” "

They also referred to the sun "rising", even though it was the Earth that was moving.  Do you seriously not understand how pathetic your arguments are?

"It's surprising that Barack Obama pompously maintains, with his narcissistic head and index finger held high, that terrorists should not be subjected to what he defines as torture. But he conveniently ignores abortion, the grossest torture which is cruelly and inhumanely inflicted on millions of innocent infants each and every year, in the US."

Fetuses, not infants.  Do you think that killing animals for food should be outlawed as well?  Because that's not pretty, either.

"A rational individual (which you are not) would wonder why abortion should be considered legal right up to the time that an infant would normally be born, but then if another child were to be killed one minute after he or she was born, that would be considered murder."

Because a hard limit must be established, and this is the least arbitrary.  What is the alternative?  Either you say that a single-celled organism is a human being, or you say that a pregnancy can be aborted up to X days, but after X days, suddenly it's illegal.

"If your concern is truly for the "poor kid on its own," maybe it might be worthwhile for you to tell promiscuous females to be responsible by changing their immature narcissistic misbehaviour!"

"Immature narcissistic misbehaviour"?  You mean like not using birth control because the very same people who claim they oppose abortion have done everything they can to discourage the use of birth control?  I'd ask you what makes you think that it's reasonable to imply that anyone who wants an abortion is "promiscuous", but I've seen how poorly you respond to requests for you to justify your assertions.  

You STILL refuse to answer my questions.  I guess you realize that your position cannot be rationally defended, and so resort to childish responses such as referring to your opponents as "obamabo(ugh)ts".


Posted By: FatherFrankPavone (November 17, 2009 at 3:40 PM)

If the Senate wants to pass a health care bill that respects the will of the American people, it will need to add restrictions to abortion funding. “A majority of the House of Representatives voted for the Stupak/Pitts amendment, and that represents the thinking of a majority of Americans. The Senate should act in a similar manner. This is a health care bill, not a bill to expand child killing.

Those who argue that abortion is a private matter in which the government has no business cannot then insist that federal funds be used to pay for it. “Money laundering schemes or shell games will not be tolerated.  Abortion is not health care and taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize it.


Posted By: Davole (November 17, 2009 at 11:05 AM)

Holly N -

Society itself is not "unfriendly to children" - it is only the segment of society that condones abortion.

It's pathetic that you would state that "Anti-abortionists want to force chldren (did you mean children?) to be born."

It may come as a surprise to you to learn that generally being born is part of the natural human reproductive process, and NOT as you say, an event FORCED by anyone.

I do realize that occasionally doctors, who choose to attempt to protect ALL HUMAN LIFE, do occasionally have to assist in complicated birth situations.

If your concern is truly for the "poor kid on its own," maybe it might be worthwhile for you to tell promiscuous females to be responsible by changing their immature narcissistic misbehaviour!