LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Friday, February 12, 2010
| For pro-life news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com. |
Current Headlines
• Nancy Pelosi Pushes for Majority Vote to Railroad Pro-Abortion Health Care
• Gallup Poll Shows Obama in Trouble in 2012, No Clear Republican Frontrunner
• Poll Brings Bad News for Sarah Palin, But She Heads to Another Pro-Life Event
• Valentine's Day Cards From Planned Parenthood Promote Abortion, Condoms
• Investigator Lila Rose Happy Planned Parenthood Abortion Center on Probation
• MTV Show 16 and Pregnant Criticized for Not Promoting Teen Abortions
• Coalition of Catholic Groups Call on Bishops to Stop CCHD's Pro-Abortion Grants
• NBC's Law and Order SVU: Abortion Debate Boils Down to "Pro-Choice or No Choice"
• Tim Tebow Doesn't Comment on Pro-Life Super Bowl Commercial at Daytona 500
• Virginia House Panel Approves Pro-Abortion "Respect Choice" License Plate
--> Thanks for the good start to our $37,000 Winter fundraising campaign. With your help, we are over 11.7 percent of the way to our goal of responding to 37 years of unborn children killed in abortion.
You can make an online donation using the donation button below or the one on the left-hand side of http://www.LifeNews.com. You can also send a check to LifeNews.com, PO Box 270841, Fort Collins, CO, 80527. Thank you!
Nancy Pelosi Pushes for Majority Vote to Railroad Pro-Abortion Health Care
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Comments from an aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying President Barack Obama's health care summit is a "trick" to get more support for the plan already in place to railroad the pro-abortion health care bill through the Senate via reconciliation, lit up the Internet yesterday. Now, Roll Call magazine has published a new interview with Pelosi who doesn't confirm the plan but builds on it by attacking Republicans and making the case for pushing the health care bill through on a majority vote that denies Republicans their filibuster right.
"A constitutional majority is 51 votes, Pelosi said in an interview Tuesday with Roll Call not published until late Wednesday afternoon. If in fact the Republicans are going to say nothing can be done except by 60 percent, then maybe we all should be elected with 60 percent. It isn't legitimate in terms of passing legislation.
Pelosi admitted her House colleagues are growing impatient with the Senate and its reluctance to use reconciliation. There is some unease when you talk about, well, what s happening," she said. Is there never anything that can be done without 60 votes?
Roll Call indicates Pelosi stopped short of saying the filibuster should be dispensed with altogether but she was more forceful for the reconciliation process than before.
We have set the stage for that," she said, pointing out when Republicans used the process to pass budget-related measures. It s up to us to make sure the public knows that this is not extraordinary. And the public knows that a constitutional majority is 51. It would be a reflection on us if we could not convince people that this is not an unusual place to go. Full story at LifeNews.com
Gallup Poll Shows Obama in Trouble in 2012, No Clear Republican Frontrunner
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new Gallup poll shows pro-abortion President Barack Obama in trouble in a potential 2012 re-election matchup against an unnamed Republican candidate. They survey also shows Republicans are not united behind any particular candidate to take on Obama in the next election.
The new national Gallup survey finds Obama leads a generic Republican by just 2 points in a hypothetical re-election matchup. Some 44 percent of voters chose Obama while 42 percent picked the unnamed Republican candidate. Another 11 percent were undecided and three percent said they would prefer a third-party candidate.
Independents are leaning toward the unnamed Republican by a double-digit margin -- 45 percent vs. 31 percent for Obama. The survey showed Democrats would overwhelmingly back Obama and Republicans overwhelming support the GOP candidate.
The same survey finds no clear support for any GOP candidate yet among Republican voters and independents who lean Republican. Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin lead the pack as the only candidates with double digit support when voters are asked an open-ended question about candidates without naming any. Romney drew 14 percent, Palin 11 percent and former presidential candidate John McCain had the support of seven percent of Republicans.
Another 4 percent named newly-minted pro-abortion Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, 3 percent went with former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and another 3 percent for former House Speaker New Gingrich. Full story at LifeNews.com
Poll Brings Bad News for Sarah Palin, But She Heads to Another Pro-Life Event
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Sarah Palin, the former governor who is considered one of the top potential Republican presidential candidates in 2012, got a bit of bad news in a poll announced on her birthday today. Despite the news, Palin is headed to Arizona to connect with pro-life advocates as she has done at other events.
A new ABC News/Washington Post poll out today finds 71 percent of Americans say Palin is not qualified to become president while 26 percent say she is qualified.
The problem for Palin is her numbers are going in the wrong direction, as the 26 percent figure represents a 12 percent drop from an ABC News/Washington Post poll from November.
To bring her numbers up in time for a potential challenge against pro-abortion President Barack Obama, Palin needs to reconnect with voters and earn their trust. As she has at pro-life events in Wisconsin and Indiana already, Palin will head to Arizona to connect with pro-life advocates at an event sponsored by the Center for Arizona Policy.
Palin will be the keynote speaker for the 2010 CAP Family Dinner on April 24. "Sarah Palin is a trailblazer who understands the challenge of overcoming adversity on both a personal and professional level," the group told LifeNews.com. Full story at LifeNews.com
Valentine's Day Cards From Planned Parenthood Promote Abortion, Condoms
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- New Valentine's Day cards from Planned Parenthood and a national organization for "pro-choice" doctors don't have the typical phrases like "Be Mine" or "I Love You." Instead, the promotional cards promote abortion, condoms and promiscuity. Jodi Magee, the head of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, emailed supporters of abortion practitioners and pro-abortion doctors letting them know of their special Valentine's Day cards. "Let pro-choice physicians know that you appreciate them. With the stigma and harassment our doctors face, they deserve to know that they make us proud," she says.
The cards feature a large heart on a white background with the message, "I love pro-choice doctors" and a link to the pro-abortion group's web site.
Blogger Valerie of 2 Seconds Faster blog noticed the cards and responded, "I can't imagine sending ANY physician a valentine, but the thought of sending one to an abortionist makes my skin crawl to say the least. But that is exactly what 'Jodi' is urging members of PRCH to do."
Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has a slew of cards promoting condoms and promiscuity. The cards come with an dotted-lined box show the giver of the card where to place a condom inside. Full story at LifeNews.com
Investigator Lila Rose Happy Planned Parenthood Abortion Center on Probation
Birmingham, AL (LifeNews.com) -- The woman who launched the undercover video investigation into an Alabama Planned Parenthood abortion center is happy state health officials placed it on probation. The health department found the Planned Parenthood coverup up cases of sexual abuse and violated the state's parental consent law on abortion.
As LifeNews.com reported Wednesday, state health officials said the abortion center was placed on probation.
They indicated the Planned Parenthood abortion facility has until next week to submit a plan to the state health department on how it will fix the problems of not properly reporting potential cases of sexual abuse of minors to authorities as required by state law.
Live Action president and UCLA student Lila Rose portrayed a 14-year-old in an expose' video that showed a staffer at Planned Parenthood telling a woman who appears to be a victim of statutory rape that "we bend the rules."
The Birmingham Planned Parenthood counselor tells Rose that it "does sometimes bend the rules a little bit" rather than report sexual abuse to state authorities.
The Health Department report documents the same malpractice that we have found in state after state," Rose said.
She told LifeNews.com, "Sexually abused minors are being neglected by Planned Parenthood, which puts its own 'abortion-first mentality before child protection. These are outrageous violations of state law and the Alabama Health Department should revoke the Birmingham Planned Parenthood clinic license. Alabama legislators must also ensure that no tax money is funding Planned Parenthood's illicit activity." Full story at LifeNews.com
MTV Show 16 and Pregnant Criticized for Not Promoting Teen Abortions
New York, NY (LifeNews.com) -- The hit MTV television show "16 and Pregnant" is back for its controversial second season featuring a new slate of pregnant teenage girls and their stories. The network has never been one to shy away from abortion but
one pro-abortion blogger says she's upset the show doesn't promote teen abortions.
Blogger Jessica Valenti shows just how pro-abortion the pro-choice movement is because she's upset the show isn't promoting teen abortions and, instead, profiles girls who keep their baby.
"Where are the pregnant teens who choose not to stay pregnant? Where are the abortions?" she complains. "If MTV really wanted to prove themselves as responsible programmers, they would also feature pregnant teens who have abortions."
"I realize that it s controversial to document a teenager who decides to end their pregnancy, but the fact is that nearly a third of all teen pregnancies end in abortion," Valenti says. "But if you were to watch MTV, you'd never know that you'd think all young women choose to go through with the pregnancy." Full story at LifeNews.com
ACTION: Send your reaction to Jessica Valenti at http://jessicavalenti.com/?page_id=22
Coalition of Catholic Groups Call on Bishops to Stop CCHD's Pro-Abortion Grants
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A coalition of pro-life Catholic groups issued a call today to the Catholic bishops to ensure that future Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) grants do not go to organizations that have policy positions favoring abortion.
The organizations include American Life League, Human Life International, Catholic Advocate, Bellarmine Veritas Ministry and Real Catholic TV, members of the Reform CCHD Now coalition.
They launched a new petition drive today with their call to ensure that CCHD abides by the pro-life teachings of the Catholic Church and engages in due diligence when it comes to the grant-making process.
The petition asks the bishops to "ensure no more Catholic dollars are spent to support organizations advocating abortion."
Catholics signing the petitions will call on the bishops to "suspend all national CCHD grants until the grants process has been reformed."
Catholic Advocate vice president Matt Smith commented on the call in a statement sent to LifeNews.com. "Transparency and responsible stewardship of the money donated by hard-working American Catholics to further the mission of the Church should be a top priority for those in positions of authority at the Bishops' Conference," he said. Full story at LifeNews.com
NBC's Law and Order SVU: Abortion Debate Boils Down to "Pro-Choice or No Choice"
by Colleen Raezler
The case of a murdered woman who turned out to be an abortionist gave "Law and Order: SVU" writers the opportunity to frame the abortion debate as "pro-choice or no choice" during the Feb. 10 episode.
Ultimately, Audrey Hale's profession had nothing to do with her death but the twist allowed writers to get in a few shots against pro-life activists (calling them "fanatical nuts") and portray the doctor as an unsung hero committed to her job.
Detectives John Munch and Tutuola, played by Richard Belzer and Ice-T, questioned the lead suspect, Dalton Rindell, about his beliefs regarding abortion.
"Which are you, pro-choice or no choice?" asked Tutuola.
After Rindell claimed abortion was "not even on [his] priority list," Munch insisted "abortion is the one subject everyone has a strong opinion about."
Detectives Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler (played by Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni) visited Hale's ex-husband and a colleague at her clinic, who both confirmed threats against Hale by pro-life activists. Full story at LifeNews.com
Tim Tebow Doesn't Comment on Pro-Life Super Bowl Commercial at Daytona 500
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- College football superstar Tom Tebow talked to drivers and checked out race cars at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday. But the new pro-life luminary declined the opportunity to answer questions about the Super Bowl commercial on his mom's abortion refusal that received national attention.
Tebow signed autographs and posed for pictures but mostly avoided taking any questions from the press.
He officially declined an opportunity to address the gathered media in the media center because he didn't want to talk about the Focus on the Family commercial he appeared in or his future in the NFL.
However, in a brief exchange with reported in the NASCAR garage, he did joke that he hoped his "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines" line would garner less criticism.
His appearance was part of his duties as grand marshal for the event. Full story at LifeNews.com
Virginia House Panel Approves Pro-Abortion "Respect Choice" License Plate
Richmond, VA (LifeNews.com) -- A state House panel of the Virginia legislature on Thursday approved a bill that would allow sales of a pro-abortion license plate for motorists. The plate received support from lawmakers even though statistics show similar pro-abortion license plates in other states have failed abysmally.
Del. Robert Brink, a Democrat, is the prime sponsor of HB 1108, a bill that would authorize sales of a license plate with the message Trust Women/Respect Choice.
The Republican-controlled House Transportation Committee signed off on the bill on a 14-6 vote after the ACLU threatened the state legislature with a First Amendment lawsuit if they failed to approve the plate following the okay of Choose Life license plates last year.
One member of the committee tried to send the proceeds from the sales of the plates to pregnancy centers via an amendment but was shot down. Money from sales of the plates goes to Planned Parenthood, which has promised to use the funds for non-abortion services even though it would free up funds to promote and perform abortions. Full story at LifeNews.com
Encourage Friends to Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
