Bart Stupak: Election a 'Wake-Up Call'

On the day after the upset Senate victory for Republican Scott Brown in Massachusetts, Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) had some choice words about the election, the Democratic leadership, and health care reform in an interview on the Fox Business Network. By "choice words," we mean "wake-up call," "disillusioned," "overreach," "special deal," and "dead."

Stupak is a key Democratic moderate, so his outspoken and frank take on his party and the future of health care reform represents an unusual, and likely unwelcome, break of unity and protocol for the Democrats.

Asked Wednesday what the Massachusetts election means for his Democratic caucus, Stupak said, "I think for the party, it's hopefully a wake-up call to leadership that the agenda you set and the pace you're going...you have to be more inclusive of all members."

On health care, Stupak said the leadership erred by proposing a massive package when a smaller, more targeted bill would have been far preferable. "They tried to hit a home run with health care instead of hitting -- let's get a single, let's get a double. You know, build on this. But they went for the whole grand slam and it got thrown back. It got too big, too controversial, and it's just like they overreached."

He also said that the Senate bill would "not get 100 votes in the House," mostly he said, because his fellow Democrats are disillusioned by the fact that "states were paid off for their vote."

"Have we relegated the legislative body to who can get the best deal?" Stupak said. "You know, this was health care. This legislation should have been based on policy. People should have been able to put their vote up based on policy, not on what did I get for my state. And that really soured the American people and House members. We're not willing to take that Senate bill, that Nebraska's guy's special deal or Louisiana or Florida or whatever. That's not the way you do it."

Despite all of that, however, the congressman said the House can and should act on health care reform now.

"We are so close. I hope we do not lose this opportunity.

Just don't ask him to vote for the Senate's bill, which includes abortion language that Stupak has called unacceptable. He is the author of more restrictive abortion language adopted by the House.

"Everyone's talking about Plan B, Plan B is dead," he said. "We're not passing the Senate bill, so you best come up with Plan C now. "

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