LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Friday, August 21, 2009
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• President Barack Obama: "Fabrication" to Say Health Care Bills Fund Abortions
• Senate Dems May Pass Pro-Abortion Health Bill "By Any Means Necessary"
• Pro-Life Lawsuit Filed to Stop Obama's Funding Embryonic Stem Cell Research
• Elderly Should be Scared of Obama Administration Over End-of-Life "Death Panels"
• Mayo Clinic Doctor Admits Abortions Hurt Women, Cause Premature Births
• New Planned Parenthood Ad Doesn't Deny Abortion Funding in Health Care Bills
• Nonpartisan Congressional Expert: 2010 Could be Bad News for Abortion Advocates
• Media Study Shows Pro-Life Group's Ad Effective on Abortion, Health Care
• Newsweek Profile of LeRoy Carhart Ignores Abortion Killing Disabled Teenager
• Oklahoma Officials Will Appeal Judge's Overturning Abortion-Ultrasound Law
• South Dakota Abortion Cetners Must Tell Women Abortion Kills Children
• Missouri Budget Keeps Abortion Alternatives Funding Despite Health Department
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Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In a late Wednesday conference call with several left-wing faith groups that supported his presidential bid, President Barack Obama claimed it is a "fabrication" and "distraction" to say abortion funding is included in the health care reform plans pending in Congress. He said it is false to suggest that the government-run health care plan he favors would result in "government funding of abortions," and that this is "untrue."Several pro-life organizations were quick to pick up on the comments and expose how the health care bills could result in the greatest expansion of abortion funding since the 1970s. "Obama deliberately misled the American people by dismissing the concerns of millions of Americans who have deep moral objections to their tax dollars paying for abortions," Family Research Council president Tony Perkins said. "With this President, you must look at his actions because his rhetoric doesn't match his deeds." Perkins said Obama "knows very well that pro-abortion House and Senate Committees rejected every single amendment to keep abortion funding out of the health care overhaul." "Instead, the House Energy and Commerce Committee adopted the Capps Amendment, which allows abortion coverage in the public health plan, and subsidizes health plans that cover abortion," he added.Full story at LifeNews.com.ACTION: Contact members of the House and Senate and urge strong support for any amendment to exclude abortion and rationing from their health care bills. Ask them to oppose any health care bill that allows abortion funding or rationing. Call 202-224-3121 or go to http://www.House.gov and http://www.Senate.gov for specific contact information.Senate Dems May Pass Pro-Abortion Health Bill "By Any Means Necessary"
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Senate democrats have a new plan on how they can pass a health care restructuring bill that will result in abortion funding and coverage. Meanwhile, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says they will approve the legislation "by any legislative means necessary." Apparently unable to get enough votes to approve the government-run health care plan on its own, Senate Democrats say they will split up the legislation into two parts. The first, less controversial portion consisting of policy changes in the insurance market, would be an effort to get moderate Democrats and Republicans to support the measure. The section part, with the skyrocketing funding for the government-run plan, would be approved with the expectation that the vote will come along narrow party lines with Democratic defections. They hope the plan to split the bill would result in Congress approving the legislation by the end of the year, which President Barack Obama is seeking. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans and pro-life advocates have been concerned about the use of a parliamentary tactic called reconciliation that can be used to prevent dissenters from using a filibuster to hold up controversial legislation. "We will not make a decision to pursue reconciliation until we have exhausted efforts to produce a bipartisan bill," said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Mr. Reid, told the Wall St. Journal. "However, patence is not unlimited, and we are determined to get something done this year by any legislative means necessary." Full story at LifeNews.com.
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Senate democrats have a new plan on how they can pass a health care restructuring bill that will result in abortion funding and coverage. Meanwhile, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says they will approve the legislation "by any legislative means necessary." Apparently unable to get enough votes to approve the government-run health care plan on its own, Senate Democrats say they will split up the legislation into two parts. The first, less controversial portion consisting of policy changes in the insurance market, would be an effort to get moderate Democrats and Republicans to support the measure. The section part, with the skyrocketing funding for the government-run plan, would be approved with the expectation that the vote will come along narrow party lines with Democratic defections. They hope the plan to split the bill would result in Congress approving the legislation by the end of the year, which President Barack Obama is seeking. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans and pro-life advocates have been concerned about the use of a parliamentary tactic called reconciliation that can be used to prevent dissenters from using a filibuster to hold up controversial legislation. "We will not make a decision to pursue reconciliation until we have exhausted efforts to produce a bipartisan bill," said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Mr. Reid, told the Wall St. Journal. "However, patence is not unlimited, and we are determined to get something done this year by any legislative means necessary." Full story at LifeNews.com.Pro-Life Lawsuit Filed to Stop Obama's Funding Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A pro-life legal group has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the controversial guidelines the National Institutes of Health used to implement President Barack Obama'sdecision to force taxpayers to finance embryonic stem cell research. Advocates International filed suit against Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Francis Collins as head of the National Institute of Health. The lawsuit alleges that the guidelines governing destructive embryonic stem cell research implemented by the Obama administration in July “are contrary to law, were promulgated without observing the procedures required by law." The lawsuit says the guidelines violate the Dickey-Wicker appropriations provision regarding embryo research that prohibits federal funding of creating human embryos by any method, explicitly including human cloning, or any "research in which" human embryos are harmed in any way. According to Thomas G. Hungar, one of the lawyers for the plaintiffs, which includes the Alliance Defense Fund and the Christian Medical Association, "the language of the [Dickey-Wicker] statute is clear" that it "bans public funding for any research that leads to the destruction of human embryos." Full story at LifeNews.com.Elderly Should be Scared of Obama Administration Over End-of-Life "Death Panels"
by Nat Hentoff
I was not intimidated during J. Edgar Hoover's FBI hunt for reporters like me who criticized him. I railed against the Bush-Cheney war on the Bill of Rights without blinking. But now I am finally scared of a White House administration.President Obama's desired health care reform intends that a federal board (similar to the British model) — as in the Center for Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation in a current Democratic bill — decides whether your quality of life, regardless of your political party, merits government-controlled funds to keep you alive. Watch for that life-decider in the final bill. It's already in the stimulus bill signed into law. The members of that ultimate federal board will themselves not have examined or seen the patient in question. For another example of the growing, tumultuous resistance to "Dr. Obama," particularly among seniors, there is a July 29 Washington Times editorial citing a line from a report written by a key adviser to Obama on cost-efficient health care, prominent bioethicist Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel (brother of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel).Emanuel writes about rationing health care for older Americans that "allocation (of medical care) by age is not invidious discrimination." Full story at LifeNews.com.Mayo Clinic Doctor Admits Abortions Hurt Women, Cause Premature Births
Rochester, MN (LifeNews.com) -- A physician who works for the prestigious Mayo Clinic has written a new factsheet that admits abortions harm women. Roger W. Harms, M.D., a Mayo Clinic obstetrician and medical editor-in-chief, also says abortions can cause women problems with subsequent pregnancies. The Mayo Clinic posted Dr. Harms' new factsheet, with the title "Does it affect subsequent pregnancies?" on August 6. Harm says there are definitely cases when physicians see "an abortion cause problems in a subsequent pregnancy." "During a surgical abortion, the fetus is removed from the uterus — often with a vacuum device, a syringe or a spoon-shaped instrument with a sharp edge (curette) — as an outpatient surgical procedure," Harms explains. In some cases, "a surgical abortion may weaken the cervix or cause scarring on the inside of the uterus." "If such damage occurs, surgery may be needed to correct the problems before a woman can conceive again or carry a subsequent pregnancy to term," he said. Full story at LifeNews.com.New Planned Parenthood Ad Doesn't Deny Abortion Funding in Health Care Bills
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new Planned Parenthood commercial responds to the pro-life television spot run by a leading pro-life organization. Despite its protests to the contrary, the new ad strangely omits any claims that the health care bills pending in Congress do not fund abortions, as pro-life groups note they do. The new ad talks about promoting health care reform but hides the abortion businesses' support for taxpayer-funding of abortion in flowery language about women's health. Although no pro-life groups oppose health care for women, viewers of the new Planned Parenthood ad wouldn't know it. As a female narrator talks about supposed attacks on women's health, Planned Parenthood's new commercial plays footage of an ad from the Family Research Council and features its logo on the screen. Full story at LifeNews.com.
Nonpartisan Congressional Expert: 2010 Could be Bad News for Abortion Advocates
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- One of the most respected nonpartisan Congressional elections analysts says abortion advocates could have a tough time in the 2010 mid-term elections. Charlie Cook, the editor of the Cook Political Report sent out an update today saying the health care debate could hurt pro-abortion Democrats leading Congress now. After reviewing recent polling data and the 2010 political landscape, Cook says he can see a scenario where Democrats lost as many as 20 seats in the House. While that would not give Republicans control of the chamber, it would help the pro-life community immensely given that abortion advocates are defeating pro-life amendments to bills by a narrow majority. "These data confirm anecdotal evidence, and our own view, that the situation this summer has slipped completely out of control for President Obama and Congressional Democrats," he said. Cook says his election model, "based on individual races, is pointing toward a net Democratic loss of between six and 12 seats. But our sense, factoring in macro-political dynamics is that this is far too low." Full story at LifeNews.com.
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- One of the most respected nonpartisan Congressional elections analysts says abortion advocates could have a tough time in the 2010 mid-term elections. Charlie Cook, the editor of the Cook Political Report sent out an update today saying the health care debate could hurt pro-abortion Democrats leading Congress now. After reviewing recent polling data and the 2010 political landscape, Cook says he can see a scenario where Democrats lost as many as 20 seats in the House. While that would not give Republicans control of the chamber, it would help the pro-life community immensely given that abortion advocates are defeating pro-life amendments to bills by a narrow majority. "These data confirm anecdotal evidence, and our own view, that the situation this summer has slipped completely out of control for President Obama and Congressional Democrats," he said. Cook says his election model, "based on individual races, is pointing toward a net Democratic loss of between six and 12 seats. But our sense, factoring in macro-political dynamics is that this is far too low." Full story at LifeNews.com.
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- When it comes to advocating the pro-life perspective, there isn't always an indication that the message has been effective or not. A new media study is providing the Family Research Council encouragement that its highly-publicized "Harry and Louise" ad against abortion in health care worked. The FRC advertising campaign ran in five states but it received significant national attention thanks to repeated attacks on it from abortion advocates such as Planned Parenthood and NARAL. The ad features an elderly couple reminiscent of the famous Harry and Louise ad that targeted the Clinton health care plan. "And to think that Planned Parenthood is included in the government-run health care plan and spending tax dollars on abortions," a man says to his wife. "They won't pay for our surgery, but we are forced to pay for our abortions." HCD Research conducted a study featuring 605 self-declared Democrats, Republicans and independent voters that revealed the ad was well-received and prompted most viewers to be upset or angry that the health care bills in Congress include abortion funding. Full story at LifeNews.com.Newsweek Profile of LeRoy Carhart Ignores Abortion Killing Disabled Teenager
by Dave Pierre
A shoddy and slanted profile of late-term abortionist Dr. LeRoy Carhart by Sarah Kliff in Newsweek magazine contains misrepresentation of the practice of late-term abortion. It also omits a serious episode in the career of Dr. Carhart that resulted in the tragic death of a 19-year-old woman. In writing about the grisly practice of late-term abortion, Kliff falsely claims, "Past viability, no doctor will terminate a pregnancy without a compelling reason." This has been proven completely false in recent testimony by Dr. Paul McHugh, one of the leading psychiatrists in the country, who examined the medical records of patients seen by deceased late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller. Last year, the Harvard-educated McHugh relayed that some women stated that their reasons for wanting a late-term abortion included "not being able to go to a rock concert." According to Dr. McHugh, Dr. Tiller performed late-term abortions for "mostly social reasons." Full story at LifeNews.com.Oklahoma Officials Will Appeal Judge's Overturning Abortion-Ultrasound Law
Oklahoma City, OK (LifeNews.com) -- Oklahoma officials will file a request to overturn a judge's decision to declare a law invalid that allows women a chance to see an ultrasound of their unborn children before an abortion. The law drew opposition from an abortion business that wanted to leave women in the dark. As LifeNews.com reported this week, Judge Vickie Robertson determined that the law violated Oklahoma’s single-subject rule which requires legislation only deal with one issue at the time. SB 1878 was an omnibus bill that addressed five abortion-related issues. Now, Charlie Price, a spokesman for Attorney General W.A. Drew Edmondson, said Wednesday that Edmondson's office would file an appeal with the Oklahoma Supreme Court. The state will argue that the law does not violate the single-subject rule, because all its parts are related to abortion and no other political subject. Full story at LifeNews.com.South Dakota Abortion Centers Must Tell Women Abortion Kills Children
Pierre, SD (LifeNews.com) -- A federal judge has struck down a South Dakota law that requires abortion centers to tell women that the abortion could increase the mental health risk of suicide. Judge Karen Schreier issue a ruling today striking down the law, calling it “untruthful and misleading.” Concerning the suicide portion of the provision, the judge wrote that "such a risk is not ‘known,'" and, therefore, the "the suicide disclosure language of the statute is untruthful and misleading." However, studies have consistently shown that abortion makes it more likely that women will consider suicide. A March 2004 report from the National Institutes of Health revealed that suicide is now the third leading cause of death among America's young people. In fact, for teen girls and young women, the suicide rate has tripled over the past 25 years. Full story at LifeNews.com.
Pierre, SD (LifeNews.com) -- A federal judge has struck down a South Dakota law that requires abortion centers to tell women that the abortion could increase the mental health risk of suicide. Judge Karen Schreier issue a ruling today striking down the law, calling it “untruthful and misleading.” Concerning the suicide portion of the provision, the judge wrote that "such a risk is not ‘known,'" and, therefore, the "the suicide disclosure language of the statute is untruthful and misleading." However, studies have consistently shown that abortion makes it more likely that women will consider suicide. A March 2004 report from the National Institutes of Health revealed that suicide is now the third leading cause of death among America's young people. In fact, for teen girls and young women, the suicide rate has tripled over the past 25 years. Full story at LifeNews.com.Missouri Budget Keeps Abortion Alternatives Funding Despite Health Department
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) -- Over suggestions from the Missouri Health Department, the new state budget includes the funding for an abortion alternatives program. The Alternatives to Abortion program (ATA) provides a wide range of emergency services to women facing crisis pregnancies. In response to a request from pro-abortion Gov. Jay Nixon to identify cuts in the state budget given the current fiscal crisis in Missouri, officials with the state health department proposed slashing the program's funding in June. However, a review of the new budget Nixon submitted shows funding for ATA is fully intact for the full amount of nearly $2 million. That the program remains is significant given that Nixon included $60 million in spending cuts in his new budget. Full story at LifeNews.com.
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) -- Over suggestions from the Missouri Health Department, the new state budget includes the funding for an abortion alternatives program. The Alternatives to Abortion program (ATA) provides a wide range of emergency services to women facing crisis pregnancies. In response to a request from pro-abortion Gov. Jay Nixon to identify cuts in the state budget given the current fiscal crisis in Missouri, officials with the state health department proposed slashing the program's funding in June. However, a review of the new budget Nixon submitted shows funding for ATA is fully intact for the full amount of nearly $2 million. That the program remains is significant given that Nixon included $60 million in spending cuts in his new budget. Full story at LifeNews.com.Encourage Friends to Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
