I looks like the House is getting set to vote on health care reform this weekend! The Susan B. Anthony List has a good ad targeting on the fence pro-life Democrats
I have talked to some people who are still confused as to how, exactly, the bill is considered pro-abortion or anti-life. The American Papist offers this 150 word explanation from American Principles Project contributor James Bell:
The Senate Health Care Reform Bill spends taxpayer dollars on health care plans that fund abortions, spends $12 billion on Community Health Centers that Planned Parenthood will be eligible for, gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius the right to declare abortion as a pre-existing condition to be covered under every health care plan in the federal exchange under the Mikulski Amendment, eliminates conscience protections for insurance providers and fails to ensure them for doctors and nurses, trip-wires the direct funding of abortions if external legislation is repealed, and forces everyone including men and old women to pay at least $1 (to be raised under jurisdiction of Congress) to a fund for “reproductive rights” that will cover 100% of the cost for anyone who gets elective abortions. To say that the Senate Health Care Reform Bill is the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade is an understatement.
National Right to Life has a more detailed analysis.
I’ve been having a hard time keeping track of the WHIP count as it bounces back and forth. I have a feeling that, among those “on the fence,” we won’t know who’s solidly where until they actually vote. So we just need to make our phone calls, pray and trust in God’s will.
“Most merciful Jesus, I beseech You through the intercession of Your dearest Mother who nurtured You from childhood, bless my native land. I beg You, Jesus, look not on our sins, but on the tears of little children, on the hunger and cold they suffer. Jesus, for the sake of these innocent ones, grant me the grace that I am asking of You for my country.” (St. Faustina)
May the most just, the most lovable, and the most high Will of God be done, be fulfilled, be praised and exalted in all things forever. Amen.
6 Comments on “Down to the Wire”
http://ncronline.org/news/politics/editorial-national-catholic-reporter-backs-health-bill
While the abortion issue is an ugly one, the health care reform is still a step towards better.
Despite the potential for the best health care available, the American health care system so far has been an inefficient and overtly expensive mess, which has provided insufficient services at skyhigh prices with unnecessarily wasting resources.
While the unborn may be the sufferers, the already born are winners. US has the worst infant mortality of all Western countries – it is because of those needing most care being least able to afford it. If the health care reform can provide the poorest and the most needy mothers the sufficient care, it is a step towards better. Death by negligence and greed is just as much a murder in God’s eyes as an outright massacre within the womb.
So much for “pro-life” congressional Democrats. There’s no such animal.
It appears now that our prayers have been answered.
Abortions have been excluded off the Obama’s health care bill. Which is nice.
Now it is a win-win situation; both unborn and already born children will win.
Ironmistress – I assume you are referring to the Executive Order deal that Bart Stupak made with President Obama which is a meaningless sham. Says Planned Parenthood: “we are grateful that [the executive order] does not include the Stupak abortion ban.” And Pro-abortion Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette says: “[The executive order] doesn’t change anything.” Jennifer Rubin observes: “An executive order cannot countermand a statute passed by Congress and signed by the president. If ObamaCare says, ‘We will subsidize abortion (which it does),’ no executive order can effectively say, ‘but not really.'” Family Research Council says: Executive Order Will in No Way Prevent Federal Funding of Elective Abortion and Kathryn Jean Lopez warns: [Executive Order] is “meaningless legally.”
My advice now is that let the time pass.
What initially looks bad may eventually turn good in the long run. Such things have happened in my personal life, and God has sometimes very peculiar ways of working.