The House of Representatives is voting on the rule right now. It's expected to pass. The rule includes two amendments: the Republican substitute health care bill, and the "Stupak Amendment," which would effectively ban private insurers and the public option from providing coverage for abortion services in the individual and small group market (and eventually everywhere, as the exchanges will over time be open to large employers, too).

Let's be clear about this. The only reason that we are in the position where the price of passing health care reform is allowing even liberal Marcy Kaptur to sneeringly dismiss choice activists as narrow class warriors who don't care about working women is because Planned Parenthood and NARAL have allowed it to happen. They collect millions of dollars in revenue each year. They've exacted no price from the Marcy Kapturs of the world, who actually have to care what liberals think of them, and focused instead on anti-choice Republicans who are only empowered by their ire. They have no scalps. There is no price for bucking Planned Parenthood and NARAL. It isn't a fight that the Democrats want to spend "political capital" on, and these groups insure that they don't have to.

Stupak and others want to outlaw abortion, but can't get that to pass, so they'll settle for making it available only to the rich. But before they preach about morality, perhaps they should go back and look at prophets like Ezekiel and Amos and listen to their words about separate rules for the rich and the poor.

Yet more documentation of the symbiotic relationship between the Republican Party and our legacy media.

So David Dreier and the Republicans are making a bunch of attempted amendments to the rule, none of which are being allowed, as the Democrats vote as a block. Rep. Alcee Hastings actually read the rule out, and it appeared to me that Rep. Stupak's amendment on abortion language was going to be allowed on the floor. I'm trying to get confirmation on this. The AP had a story that this would happen, but when Stupak testified in committee he claimed that the deal fell apart and he was "scrambling" in an effort to get the amendment on the floor.

The Little Things Matter… Well, as I was driving around the other day, I saw how the season has totally changed. The leaves have turned and are falling to the ground; the birds have flown South for the winter; and there is a brisk chill in the air.

Featuring new videos form We Have Band and Joseph Arthur.

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You don't negotiate with terrorists.