Bart Stupak's continued confusion. Now he gets it wrong on the bishops

Bart Stupak is accusing the USCCB of hypocrisy for not applauding the pending Obama executive order that sealed his yes vote on the health care bill. He accuses the bishops of applauding Bush's executive order of 2007.

Two things to keep in mind:
1. In August of 2001, the USCCB criticized President Bush for his Executive Order permitting embryo-destructive research on existing stem cell lines even though Bush was rejecting virtually all public funding for embryonic stem cell research. The bishops would not accept an evil act in service to the good.

2. In 2007, the bishops applauded Bush for signing an executive order after his veto of legislation that would have expanded embryo destructive research.  After the veto, Bush then issued an Executive Order calling for NIH research for alternative ethically acceptable means for obtaining stem cells , e.,g., from cord blood and amniotic fluid and the reprogramming of ordinary adult cells to be come plurpotent stem cells.

Stupak, who for years, was a stalwarat pro-lifer seems dazed and confused and lashing out because of the avalanche of criticism he's endured for, as Chris Smith R NJ, put it: running the marathon so heroically and then collapsing a hundred yards from the goal.

So my unsolicited advice to Bart Stupak is to pray, slow down, think clearly before speaking and try to get the parallels right. Try this.

You only have a parallel situation when President Obama vetoes the Senate Bill and then signs an Executive Order tightening measures to avoid public funding for abortion. Then the two of you can expect the applause from the USCCB.  The problem is the Senate Bill and the apparent meaninglessness of the Executive Order according to every pro-life attorney we've spoken with including counsel for the USCCB.