Reply #12: I suspect the amendment was voted on to give some congress people political cover back home [View All]

[happyslug]

For example, my representative Murtha, voted for the Amendment AND then for the bill WITHOUT the amendment. This way Murtha (and others) can go back home to their districts and if someone brings up why they voted for a bill that permitted Government funding of abortions (an accusation made against the bill, it is unimportant if that is true or not) they can say they TRIED to stop such funding by voting for this amendment when all along they planned to vote for the bull with or without such funding. Politics is NOT always straight up and down voting, you have to help your fellow party members get elected in their home districts AND often the best way to do that is give them a chance to vote for something, popular in their home district, but has no chance of ever getting a majority of votes. In such situations the congress person can go back home and said he or she tried to do what was popular in their home districts even while they voted for a bill that, like this bill, contains the opposite of what the people back home wanted. This is why most congress people, like Murtha, voted for the amendment and when it was defeated voted for the bill. Just saying why people would support this amendment AND when it was defeated voted for the bill without this amendment.