Collins expected to oppose Democrats' bill protecting abortion rights, citing concerns over scope

[867-5309.]

Source: CNN

Sen. Susan Collins, a rare GOP supporter of abortion rights who is under scrutiny for her key role in confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court amid fears that Roe v. Wade may soon be overturned, signaled to reporters on Thursday that she would oppose a bill that Democrats plan to bring to the Senate floor next week to codify abortion rights.

The bill, known as the the Women’s Health Protection Act, is on track to fail in the Senate with or without support from the Maine Republican, but the swing vote senator’s likely opposition underscores how difficult it is to reach bipartisan consensus on the contentious issue of abortion and comes as Democrats face enormous pressure to take action after a Supreme Court draft opinion to strike down Roe v. Wade leaked this week...

Collins has introduced her own bill with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska to codify abortion rights established by Roe v. Wade. Collins argued on Thursday that the measure put forward by Democrats is too broad and raised concerns about the bill not including a so-called conscience clause, which would allow providers to refuse to perform abortions for religious or moral reasons.

“It supersedes all other federal and state laws, including the conscience protections that are in the Affordable Care Act,” said Collins. She added, “It doesn’t protect the right of a Catholic hospital to not perform abortions. That right has been enshrined in law for a long time.”...

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2022/05/05/politics/susan-collins-democrat-abortion-rights-bill/index.html

[Polybius]

1. Concerns!

I see what the authors did there!

[rpannier]

36. My first thought

The ever concerned Susan Collins

[exboyfil]

2. Case where the perfect is the enemy of the good?

Maybe work the Catholic hospital angle from another direction (changing the laws to make Catholic hospitals less competitive for example) after you get abortion rights codified. You are not going to crack the Catholic hospital nut today - that will take longer.

[867-5309.]

4. If it meant getting a bill passed

then I agree. Take the real good over nothing.

[oldsoftie]

38. If her & Murkowski's bill could get passed, then go with THAT one.

1/2 of what you want is better than NONE.
The vast majority of abortions are done before 3 months. Health exemptions for later ones would be far easier as separate issues

[The Mouth]

52. "Politics is the art of the possible"

It seems a lot of Americans are OK with a first-trimester procedure and *NOT* OK with a second or third-trimester procedure under any circumstances except to save the life of the mother.

If that's the case then that might be the best we can get, and would still be somewhat of a 'Fuck You' to the Rethuglican Taliban.

[oldsoftie]

53. I totally agree. And you're right on the numbers.

A large majority are OK with 1st trimester compared to 3rd.

[Lonestarblue]

40. And why should a Catholic hospital get to turn away patients?

I know they turn away women with ectopic pregnancies—women who hope they don’t bleed to death before getting to another hospital. If you receive money from taxpayers, you should be required to provide all services. I am tired of religion being used to deny healthcare and other services to people because of who they are.

[efhmc]

43. My daughter who worked for a catholic hospital had to go elsewhere to get a D&C

for an unviable fetus. That was about 10 years ago. This was in Texas. She would probably still be in jail now

[exboyfil]

46. My vascetomy doctor was shut down

when his practice was acquired.

I agree that Catholic hospitals shouldn't be able to swing that stick, but as I said something is better than nothing. Next step would be working towards getting faith based hospitals out of that business (employers preferentially treating non-Catholic based hospitals with the HMOs for example).

Today your daughter might have to go three states away and even be prevented from returning to her home state under threat of prosecution.

I don't like it anymore than you, but that is how sausage is made.

[efhmc]

50. Here is the irony: her goal was to have children and that was a sad event for her.

She went through lots of things to have children but finally was able to have the two wonderful girls that I love so much. Birth and reproduction is so much more complicated than any of these idiots understand and they really do not care to. IT IS ABOUT CONTROLLING women. Always has been and always will be.

[madaboutharry]

3. That looks like an opening.

The Senate can work out a bill that brings Collins and Murkowski on board.

[Mister Ed]

12. As long as those they're both negotiating in good faith.

Murkowski I think I would trust. Collins and her "concerns", much less so. She may just move the goalposts and voice new "concerns".

Still, I guess we have to try.

[madaboutharry]

16. I know.

Murkowski is an intelligent person. I think she is a decent person.

Collins, on the other hand, is not only not smart, she is also a flake.

[PatSeg]

41. Yes, flaky is the first word

that pops in my head when I think of Collins. She cannot be trusted. She would take all sides of any issue if she could pull it off.

[brush]

64. "Flakey", ok, but I'd go with "fake" too for Collins. She figuratively clutches...

her pearls and expresses concern on important issues but when it comes down to voting she always sides with what McTurtle and the repubs want her to do.

She's not to be trusted. Now-sitting SCOTUS justices lied to her and the nation to get on the bench so they would eventually be in position to strike down Roe v Wade (the republican plan for decades). Collins is well aware of that plan and is now positioning herself to be against a bill to codify abortions that will sink the decades-long republican plan, which is why I say she and her concerns are fake.

[PatSeg]

65. Oh yes, definitely "fake"

And not a very good fake at that, but somehow voters keep falling for it, because she comes across as so innocent and trusting. Her game is getting really old and tiresome.

[brush]

66. Yep. You'd think voters would tire of the innocent...

trusting act and vote for someone who is wiser and not so gullible...or seeming to be gullible, which translates to fake in actuality.

[PatSeg]

67. And she probably gets sympathy

because of her medical condition. It makes her look so innocent and vulnerable.

[brush]

68. What's her medical condition? I wasn't aware of that.

[PatSeg]

70. Something to do with her shaky, trembling voice

It has been reported that Senator Susan Collins has spasmodic dysphonia, also known as laryngeal dystonia.

Followers of US politics have long been curious about Collins’ condition, given that she rarely speaks of it. Although it is now widely thought that Collins has spasmodic dysphonia, that hasn’t convinced all, with others fearing Collins might have Parkinson’s disease.

As Collins’ condition is primarily related to her voice box, it is more probable that her condition is spasmodic dysphonia.

https://www.thefocus.news/culture/susan-collins-medical-condition/

I'm sure it makes it harder to attack her.

[quakerboy]

24. Why bother?

We need 60 votes. We have (hopefully) 49 democrats. Adding two republicans gives us nothing of value

[PSPS]

32. People keep forgetting we're in a minority-ruled country.

[Galraedia]

5. The law also doesn't force catholic hospitals to perform abortions, so what's the problem?

Is she arguing that they shouldn't have to save the mother if her life in danger, and if so wtf does that have to do with being catholic?

[in2herbs]

23. I used to work for a hospital that was established by Roman Catholic nuns but when

corporate America took them over, they were no longer a Catholic hospital run by the nuns. There were no nuns or clergy on the Board and they were removed from their staffing positions. It became the same as any other hospital that wasn't Catholic so I say no to a "Catholic hospital" exception. Too much wiggle room to litigate over. BTW: one of the issues that incensed the nuns after the corporate take-over was that the hospital began doing D&Cs, which the nuns considered abortions and which were abortions, but it brought the hospital money.

[gab13by13]

39. A huge % of hospitals are owned by Catholics.

[PoliticAverse]

6. "Collins has introduced her own bill with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski" How many votes

can that bill get?

[yaesu]

7. Concerns over scope, WTF, she must have it mixed up with a colonoscopy

I mean, we all know she's not that bright to begin with.

[AllaN01Bear]

8. since when do catholic hospitals have rights ?????

[agingdem]

11. remember Mitt Romney said corporations are people, too

so by extension catholic hospitals can be owned by corporations so catholic hospitals are people, too, and people have rights...total bullshit!...right now Susan Collins is one of the most reviled senators in the United States...obviously redemption isn't high on her to-do list...

[dchill]

9. Collins "citing concerns." You don't say!

[AllaN01Bear]

10. what ever happened to sep of church and state ?? in the sep clause ?

[Cheezoholic]

13. I just recieved permission from my partner to say

Fuck that old c%&t.

[agingdem]

15. if you're a woman then you can say it..

Last edited Thu May 5, 2022, 11:03 PM - Edit history (1)

sort of like Jews can only tell Jewish jokes, Blacks can refer to each other any damn way they want, as can Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, LGBTQ, etc...so kudos to your partner...

[Cheezoholic]

20. I'm 60 years old

said it within earshot of my mother when I was 14, the back side of my head still hurts. I have a strong matriarchal support system in my family and I cant be more thankful

[agingdem]

21. I'm 73 and it's one of my favorite words

right up there with fuck...and may I say Susan Collins is a fucking "C" word...

[Cheezoholic]

25. Your words to my lips, can i have an Amen lol n/t

[agingdem]

26. AMEN!

[obamanut2012]

37. What the fuck is wrong with you

Who cares if your partner said it's okay to use cunt? Who cares of you have permission to use bigoted, gendered slurs?

[JudyM]

58. Agree with you.

There are so many other things to call her/ ways to disparage her without falling back on demeaning/insulting her gender (and age). Not a lot of creativity needed.

[Cheezoholic]

71. Seriously

I'm so sick and tired of the PC police. I'm so sick and tired of people so fragile that words they find offensive should never be mentioned. Thats the PC version of burning books as far as I'm concerned. It's a good thing you don't live in the UK. The only thing wrong with me is my asshole isn't twisted tight enough to turn my lips blue. Apologize for anyone offended. You all have permission to call me a dick.

[AZLD4Candidate]

14. Shocked. Shocked I tell you.

[ColinC]

17. Outing herself as an obviously anti choice political.

Lol

[ZonkerHarris]

18. Susan Collins is a Decepticon

[DFW]

19. The largest, wealthiest religious organization on the planet needs the protection of Susan Collins.

Right.

Well, they can certainly buy anything else they want, so I guess no one should be surprised.

To paraphrase the famous song from "Damn Yankees: "Whatever Catholics want, Catholics get." Not disparage individual Catholics who are sincere in their faith--after all, Joe Biden is one, and no one can doubt that he is a man of character, courage, and good will. But the worldwide organization as a whole wields its power and wealth to defend the more extreme elements of its ideology from all challengers--regretfully with great success. On a global scale, it is an organization whose hierarchy acts like Ludlum's "Matarese Circle," worshipping not their deity, but rather control over people on a worldwide scale.

[efhmc]

51. Any group which is still as destructive to females as the RCC is is evil.

In my town right now the "priest" tells his parishioners that voting for baby killing Dems is a sin punishable by an eternity in hell. Try overcoming that for votes.

[IronLionZion]

22. Who is forcing Catholic hospitals to perform abortions?

This sounds like faux concerns. Either way, Dems could just add that clause to the bill if it gets her vote. Sounds like we lost Manchin and maybe Casey so we'd have to pick up Collins and Murkowski to get 50 votes. I wish we had more Dem senators.

[former9thward]

29. The bill would require 60 to pass.

[exboyfil]

44. Or a filibuster carve out

Consider it penance for putting those a___les on the court.

The Republicans will do it for the first piece of legislation they really want.

At least get a partial win.

[Coventina]

27. FUCK YOUR CONCERNS YOU FUCKER!

[TeamProg]

28. Okay. Fuck here and the stagnant river she floats on. n/t

[vlyons]

30. Bullshit! She's falling in line with Republicans

to maintain her RW funding sources. What a useless human being

[steve2470]

31. I will never again take Collins seriously unless she says something PROVABLE....

She will do whatever McConnell wants her to do on an important vote like this, and *maybe* vote moderately on a non-crucial vote. She is not an honest broker whatsoever.

[Hekate]

33. Screw you and your concerns, Susie. The Court radicals lied to you, and you lie to us.

[GoldandSilver]

34. I think Collins is basically well intentioned considering she's a politician.

She saw an opportunity to make “improvement” to a go nowhere bit of legislation while getting her name in the papers. Easy pickins’ for Ms Collins.

[Emile]

35. Now she is concerned, Jesus what an idiot!

[Javaman]

42. she's the worst kind of disingenuous piece of shit. nt

[exboyfil]

45. Here is a copy of the Collins-Murkowski bill

The House should pass it immediately.

https://www.collins.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/rca_bill_text.pdf

Senate should work towards a filibuster carve out for it.

[malthaussen]

47. "GOP supporter of abortion rights" my ass.

Does CNN not understand that Susan Collins is a liar who will always vote with her caucus unless the vote is merely cosmetic? There's a term for this kind of "supporter." It is "weak reed."

-- Mal

[Darwins_Retriever]

48. Actually I don't think a federal pro-abortion bill would survive a court challenge

For federal laws to supersede state laws require a federal interest. I think Congress should push for a law protecting women crossing state or international boarders for abortions. This uses the federal superiority in areas of interstate commerce and movement. The law could protect the woman and whomever is helping her from the laws that permit individuals to file suit against women and their helpers.

[heckles65]

49. ZaSu strikes again.

[cstanleytech]

54. Collins is lying through her teeth when she says

“ It doesn’t protect the right of a Catholic hospital to not perform abortions.” as SCOTUS has already made a number of other rulings that clearly would protect such facilities.

[Mz Pip]

55. The perfect is the enemy of the good.

Go with what Collins and Murkowski propose. It’s better than nothing. And it would show an attempt at least at a bipartisan solution. Go ahead. Force Republicans to vote against something one of their own proposed.

[mn9driver]

56. Collins lies as easily as she breathes.

Like all Republicans.

[patphil]

57. I knew she'd find a reason not to defend a woman's right to choose.

She's so predictable.

[Wicked Blue]

59. The lying weasel finally shows her true colors

I wouldn't trust her with a penny, let alone a vote.

[myccrider]

60. And what if a woman with an ectopic pregnancy...

lives in an area where the only hospitals available are Catholic? Is she then required to take extra days off work, leave her personal support network behind, pay for childcare for days and/or pay for travel/accommodation to get somewhere there isn’t a Catholic hospital monopoly?

If a hospital has a conscientious objection to a procedure and they get ANY public funds, they can pay for the costs of the patient getting legal treatment somewhere else! That’s about as far as I’m willing to go with carving out some archaic and cruel religious objection exemption!

[MOMFUDSKI]

61. The poor little thing

just cannot shake her "concerns" EVER. We know exactly what she really believes. Don't insult my intelligence.

[SpankMe]

62. Catholic hospitals don't have to provide abortions now

Why would that change under the Democratic bill?

[Mad_Machine76]

63. I'm so tired of her.

Can she just get lost now?!

[CTyankee]

69. OK. Then support PLANNED PARENTHOOD!

I used to be, when i worked for PPc, that hospitals were not providing abortions (except in an emergency) but referring them to PP. But often PP was the first stop a woman seeking an abortion would go anyway. I'm sure abortions were done in hospitals if an emergency situation arose, however.