Embarrassed Republican Party opts out of abortion coverage for employees

Since 1991, the National Republican Committee has offered its employees a health care policy from Cigna that includes coverage for elective abortions. Given the GOP's major push to keep abortion coverage out of President Obama's health care reform bill, the news of the party's own insurance policy  -- which Politico broke yesterday -- came as something of an embarrassment.

“We were not aware of this, obviously, and this will, of course, be fixed,” said James Bopp Jr., a Republican National Committee member from Indiana and an attorney who serves as counsel to the National Right to Life organization. “I think Chairman Steele will see to it that that’s the case.”

That would be Michael Steele (pictured above), chairman of the RNC and a longtime abortion foe, who said in a statement today, "Money from our loyal donors should not be used for this purpose. I don't know why this policy existed in the past, but it will not exist under my administration. Consider this issue settled."

Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak rallied anti-abortion forces in the House this week to enact an amendment that would ensure no government funds go to abortion coverage. The bill is now in the Senate, where pro-abortion forces are galvanizing their supporters to reverse the vote.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: RNC Chairman Michael Steele. Credit: Win McNamee / Getty Images North America

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Comments

[SC]

The reason I dislike Republicans is because they are so much like Democrats.

Back in 2004, I decided I was sick of Republicans because it became obvious that they only pander to the religious right for votes, sadly the religious right thinks this means they have their best interest at heart.

Republicans say they are against abortion, but if they truly were they would do a lot more to fight against it. Obama says he is for civil rights but if he was he could do a lot more a lot quicker about it.

Republicans and Democrats are the same in that all they care about is getting enough votes to remain elected, not by following some principle.

[clay]

The Republican leadership is such an embarrassment. No clear message, no guts to stand for anything real, and now this? How do you not get the plank out of your own eye...
Morons. I'm ready to register as an Independent, unless we get some statesmen with rock-solid principles who will speak clearly, truthfully, and get out of their own way.

[John Nelson]

So it's, "OK, you caught us being hypocritical (yet again). We'll now do what we always do when to caught acting contrary to the 'moral standards' we so vociferously cling to in public; we'll put as much distance as possible between the embarrassing facts and our hollow rhetoric. There. All better now."

Yeah, right.

[Tina]

They were not aware of it? L.O.L.

[diane lily]

Cong. Bart Stupak was rather courageous in bringing up the Hyde Amendment for inclusion in the health care legislation. However, the Hyde amendment is a toothless tiger because it has been so weakened over the years that it will allow abortion for almost anything. It makes allowances for abortions based on the Roe v Wade companion bill, Doe v Bolton which gave a very broad interpretation of "health" of the mother. This was not a compromise. It was an deliberate deception of the public's trust.

[Valerie]

Can you please edit the "pro-abortion forces" to be "pro-choice forces"?

Pro-choice and pro-abortion are two completely different schools of thought. To call pro-choicers "pro-abortion" is to incite anti-choice pro-lifers' perception of pro-choice proponents.

[tony]

"pro-abortion"? come on!

[tarheelchief]

If the abortion issue becomes a litmus test for Republicans than they can step aside from other issues like the reform of the taxation system,adn the reform of the banking system and hedge funds,the reform of the medical system which drowned the budget,the failures to rejuvenate the economy.Yes, it's fairly easy to cut out the loyal members determined to set about an orderly change in favor of one small irate group of voters.

[cynthia Taylor]

It bothers me, as a woman that men who are not Doctors are involved with my body ie. abortion. I say drop-it. It no longer serves the Party Platform. The name calling needs to go too. We call the Dems Socialist, they call us Elitists - its like the jewish and the arabs, it never stops.

I think this us vs. them attitude needs to go. Replace it with some out of the box fresh thinking like looking at Balancing the National Debt. Progressive thinking that pulls Americans together as a Nation. I think the Republican Party needs to let go and move on if they want to gain more mainstream respect.

[Beth]

what amuses me is that the Democrats try to save convicted murderers from the death penalty but have no problem murdering innocent babies.

[Dana Dindona]

THAT IS SO TOTALLY RIGHTEOUS!!! THE REPUBLICANS DESERVE A LITTLE BIT OF HUMILIATION AND EMBARRASSMENT!!! ESPECIALLY AFTER ALL THEY'VE PUT US THROUGH IN THE PAST!!!