LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Saturday, September 25, 2010
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Current Headlines
• Obama Administration Still Claims No Tax Funded Abortions in Health Care Plan
• Planned Parenthood Bashes GOP Pledge Promising No Tax-Funded Abortions
• Clinic Run by Doctor Who Killed Woman in Failed Abortion, Halts Abortions
• China Marks 30 Years of One-Child, Forced Abortion Policy; Obama Petitioned
• Suspended Abortion Practitioner Nicola Riley Putting Women at Medical Risk Utah
• Forum Discusses "Truce" Some Republicans Support on Abortion, Social Issues
• Polls Show Close Senate Races for Pro-Lifers in California, Nevada, Wisconsin
• Texas and Minnesota Pro-Life Gubernatorial Candidates Hold Leads in Polls
• Mike Pence Discussed as Potential Pro-Life Presidential Candidate in 2012
• Berlin, Germany March for Life Attracts 1,800; Pro-Life Message Goes to Belgium
• Pro-Life News: Boehner, Abortion, Bart Stupak, Virginia, Ella, Hyde Amendment
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Obama Administration Still Claims No Tax Funded Abortions in Health Care Plan
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Wednesday was the sixth month anniversary of passage of the ObamaCare bill that puts in place a government-run health care system that will fund abortions. However, the Obama administration continues claiming the health care bill doesn't allow abortion funding even though it had to be stopped in three states.
The White House web site posted a Myths vs. Facts page and Obama officials say it is a myth to say that the health care law will pay for abortions.
The factsheet doesn't explain why it is a myth to make the assertion ObamaCare funds abortions, but it says, The health insurance reform legislation maintains the status quo of no federal funding for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the woman is endangered.
Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council, responded to the White House assertion: "This, to put it mildly, is a lie."
"Nothing in the 'Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act' stops taxpayer funding of abortion, and the President s Executive Order connected with the bill is toothless and likely to be successfully challenged in court by national pro-abortion groups," he explained.
McClusky said the Obama administration was working with three states to fund abortions in high risk health insurance pools until the plan was exposed.
"The only reason the Obama Administration stopped abortion funding in Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Maryland is very simple they got caught by National Right to Life," he said.
NRLC exposed the abortion funding and the Obama administration responded at first by claiming the executive order Obama signed prohibits the funding NRLC uncovered. Full story at LifeNews.com
Planned Parenthood Bashes GOP Pledge Promising No Tax-Funded Abortions
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The president of the Planned Parenthood abortion business is not happy about the new Pledge to America Republicans released yesterday. She issued a statement following the release of the document bashing it and griping because it calls for a ban on taxpayer funding of abortions.
This is an extreme proposal that would use the federal tax code, including tax benefits, to end private health insurance coverage for abortion," Richards claims about the Pledge to America.
"As Americans learn about this radical proposal, they will reject this manipulation of the federal tax code to interfere in their personal lives," she promised.
But that doesn't square will polling data -- as virtually every survey taken of Americans on the issue of abortion funding finds them solidly opposed.
A January Quinnipiac University poll found 67 percent of Americans oppose funding abortions with government funds under the government-run health care bill pending in Congress.
Still, Richards claims Republicans who oppose abortion and taxpayer funding of it will pay a price at the polls this November.
The GOP Pledge comes at the same time that extreme Republican candidates across the country tout their opposition to abortion, even in cases of rape and incest, something that more than three-quarters of Americans support. The vast majority of Americans want government to stay out of the personal, private medical decisions that women and families make," she said. Full story at LifeNews.com
Clinic Run by Doctor Who Killed Woman in Failed Abortion, Halts Abortions
Severna Park, MD (LifeNews.com) -- The abortion business run by Maryland-based abortion practitioner Romeo A. Ferrer, who has been under fire involving a case of a woman he killed in a failed abortion, has at least temporarily halted abortions and may close.
Ferrer is perhaps closing his Severna Park, Maryland, abortion center after a 10-year campaign from dedicated pro-life organizations.
The Maryland Board of Physicians suspended his medical license but pro-life advocates were hoping for more.
They got a partial answer when they learned yesterday that the Gynecare Center is not scheduling new appointments and does not have an abortion practitioner to replace Ferrer.
Defend Life Director Ames told LifeNews.com staff there indicated they are closing the facility.
Ferrer had recruited another Maryland physician, Ghevont Wartanian, to continue abortions but he has been sued over 18 times for malpractice and negligence for incidents ranging from the death of newborn babies to causing brain damage and a host of other medical mistakes.
Ames says it appears Wartanian, a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology, has abandoned the idea of supplementing his income by doing abortions.
Wartanian contacted Gynecare one day after the 40-Day for Life vigil was moved to his Glen Burnie, Maryland, OB-GYN medical practice. Ames indicates Wartanian instructed Gynecare to cancel all of his existing appointments, and informed them he would not be returning to the facility. Full story at LifeNews.com
China Marks 30 Years of One-Child, Forced Abortion Policy; Obama Petitioned
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- China will mark 30 years of the one-child family planning policy tomorrow. Started in 1980, the policy, which prohibits most Chinese couples form having more than one baby and limits rural residents to two, has resulted in severe human rights abuses ranging from forced sterilizations to forced abortions.
Family planning officials frequently jail couples who refuse to comply, sentence them to house arrest or labor camps, revoke jobs or governmental support, physical harassment or violence and often target other family members.
Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey, one of the leading pro-life and human rights advocates in Congress, joined today with Harry Wu, former Chinese political prisoner and president of the Laogai Research Foundation and Reggie Littlejohn, president of Women s Rights Without Frontiers, for a press conference on the dark anniversary.
"Tomorrow, September 25, marks 30 years of the Chinese government s infamous one-child-per-couple policy. On that date in 1980 the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party sent an open letter to party members setting forth its plan to embark on a national one-child policy," Smiths said.
"What came out of that letter? A cruel and inhumane policy, a human rights violation that is, in scope and seriousness, the worst human rights abuse in the world today. No other government policy anywhere else in the world systematically punishes, abuses, and violates women so grossly as this," he added.
Smith said the policy has made it so brothers and sisters are illegal and children are growing up in a society with no aunts and uncle because the one-child policy has no been around for a generation. Full story at LifeNews.com
 Medical professionals are on the frontlines of battle in life issues. From abortion to assisted suicide and euthanasia and all issues in between we are challenged in the workplace to defend our beliefs and risk our employment. The National Association of Pro-life Nurses has been here for nurses since the beginning of this battle. Join with us in our efforts to protect those voices. www.nursesforlife.org |
Suspended Abortion Practitioner Nicola Riley Putting Women at Medical Risk Utah
Salt Lake City, UT (LifeNews.com) -- Earlier this month, the Maryland Board of Physicians suspended the medical license of abortion practitioner Nicola I. Riley. Riley was a staff abortion practitioner of embattled abortion business owner Steven Chase Brigham but following the suspension, Riley has returned to her Utah home to do abortions there.
Riley was involved in the botched abortion in Elkton, Maryland, that led to the discovery of Brigham's scheme to circumvent late-term abortion laws.
She is accused of aiding and abetting the unlicensed practice of medicine whereby Brigham and his staff begin abortions at his New Jersey centers, which don't meet state health and safety laws to make them eligible to do later-term abortions, then transporting the women to Maryland for completion of the abortion. Brigham has been found to have injured women in two other similar abortions.
Christopher C. Brown, one of Riley's lawyers, told a newspaper that "She's going to fight to keep her license."
In the meantime, the pro-life watchdog group Operation Rescue informed LifeNews.com today that Riley is now back in Utah doing abortions. The organization says more research it conducted into her background shows she is a shoddy physician who is likely putting women's health at risk. Full story at LifeNews.com
Forum Discusses "Truce" Some Republicans Support on Abortion, Social Issues
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Family Research Council is holding a forum today on the disputed "truce" two potential Republican presidential candidates have proposed. Governors Mitch Daniels and Hailey Barbour say the Republican Party should focus less on social issues like abortion while the problems of the economy are addressed.
Daniels told the Weekly Standard this summer that the next president "would have to call a truce on the so-called social issues."
"We're going to just have to agree to get along for a little while," by casting social issues like abortion aside so the next president can focus on fixing the beleaguered economy.
Barbour faced his own backlash from pro-life advocates after saying at a breakfast on Wednesday that pro-life advocates should ditch social issues this election cycle in favor of focusing on the economy.
This afternoon, the Family Research Council is hosting this symposium featuring three of the nation s leading observers of the political scene on the comments Daniels and Barbour made.
Bob Patterson, research fellow and editor of The Howard Center's quarterly journal The Family in America, will join New York Times columnist Ross Douthat and Lawrence Reed, president of the Foundation for Economic Education. Full story at LifeNews.com
Polls Show Close Senate Races for Pro-Lifers in California, Nevada, Wisconsin
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- New polls in California, Nevada and Wisconsin show close races for pro-life candidates seeking Senate seats of longtime abortion advocates. Carly Fiorina, Sharron Angle and Ron Johnson all have the endorsement of pro-life organizations in their respective November contests.
A new Mason-Dixon poll in Nevada shows pro-abortion Democratic leader Sen. Harry Reid tied against Angle with 43% of the vote with 8% still undecided and 6% for other candidates.
Three new polls concerning the Wisconsin Senate race show Johnson leading pro-abortion incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold by anywhere from 6 to 11 points among likely voters.
Rasmussen Reports has Johnson ahead 51-44 percent, Public Policy Polling has Johnson up 52-41 and CNN/Time has Johnson leading 51-45.
Meanwhile, in California, pro-abortion Sen. Barbara Boxer has taken a small leader after running close against Fiorina for months.
A new Field Poll released Thursday finds Boxer, a three-term incumbent, leads 47 percent to 41 percent. it found Boxer still has a 48 percent disapproval rating, but that is down from 52 percent in August thanks to massive television commercials touting her. Full story at LifeNews.com
Texas and Minnesota Pro-Life Gubernatorial Candidates Hold Leads in Polls
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Two pro-life candidates for governor, Rick Perry in Texas and Tom Emmer in Minnesota, both lead in new polls of the electorate in their states. Perry has held the governor's seat in Texas and received the support of pro-life groups for his strong legislative record and Emmer would keep Gov. Tim Pawlenty's seat pro-life.
Perry remains slightly ahead of pro-abortion Democratic challenger Bill White in his bid for reelection to an unprecedented third term as governor of Texas.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Lone Star State finds Perry with 48% of the vote, while White has 42% support. Three percent (3%) favor another candidate in the race, and six percent (6%) are undecided.
In Minnesota, Emmer and Democrat Mark Dayton are virtually tied now in the race to be Minnesota s next governor.
The new Rasmussen poll there shows Emmer earning 42% support to Dayton s 41% when leaners are included. Independence Party candidate Tom Horner is a distant third with nine percent (9%) of the vote. Six percent (6%) like some other candidate in the race, and two percent (2%) are undecided.
This is the first survey of the governor s race to include leaners and, excluding them, Emmer edges Dayton 36% to 34%, and Horner chalks up 18% support. Full story at LifeNews.com
Mike Pence Discussed as Potential Pro-Life Presidential Candidate in 2012
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Since pro-life Congressman Mike Pence won the Values Voter Summit straw poll on Saturday, discussion within conservative circles has centered on whether the Indiana Republican would consider a bid for the GOP nomination to challenge pro-abortion President Barack Obama.
Whether Pence challenge Obama, political observers say the sky is the limit for the highly-respected and articulate pro-life advocate.
Pence ultimately finished with 24 percent of the vote at the pro-family event -- good enough to rise above the most talked about presidential hopefuls. Mike Huckabee finished a close second, Mitt Romney came in third, Newt Gingrich fourth and Sarah Palin fifth.
Pence received almost twice as many votes as Romney, more than twice as many as Gingrich and more than three times as many votes as Palin.
The congressman has demurred in any talk of a presidential bid -- telling The Hill people ask me if I've ever thought about it, and I tell them, No more or no less than anybody else who grew up with a cornfield in their backyard.'"
I'm totally focused on winning back the American Congress for conservative candidates, Pence said previously.
But one Republican congressman says he thinks his colleague will run for president. I think [Pence is] actually going to do that. I think he s actually going to dip his toe in there, the lawmaker told The Hill. Full story at LifeNews.com
Berlin, Germany March for Life Attracts 1,800; Pro-Life Message Goes to Belgium
by Bryan Kemper
I woke at 5:00 AM on Saturday, September 18 in Berlin, Germany; I could not sleep because I was so excited to see what this city had in store for our team. I had traveled to Berlin the day before with our team from Belgium, the Netherlands and the US: some of the greatest pro-life youth I have ever met.
I got up before any of the others and headed into the city center to have some private prayer time and reflect on how powerful this day was going to be. I sat down for a cup of coffee in front of the Brandenburg Gate, a very famous monument in Berlin.
I was staring at the gate trying to picture some of the most pivotal moments in history that took place right where I was sitting. In the year 1806 Napoleon marched through the gate signifying his defeat of the Prussians. On January 30, 1933 Adolph Hitler marched through the gate signifying his rise to power and what was supposed to be the start of the Nazi’s Thousand Year Reich.
I watched the clouds traveling over the gate wondering what the sky looked like the day Hitler marched through? I wondered if there may have been a German man sitting somewhere near where I was sitting, trying to figure out what he thought about the importance of that day?
I knew I was just a few hours from marching very near to this gate through the center of Berlin to signify another battle being waged in Berlin and throughout Europe. I was going to be joining the youth of Europe as they raised their voices in defiance of the powerful European Union, crying out for justice for the most innocent of all Europeans who are being systematically slaughtered every day. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life News: Boehner, Abortion, Bart Stupak, Virginia, Ella, Hyde Amendment
Republican Leader Defends Including Tax-Funded Abortion Ban in New Pledge
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The conservative publication National Review interviewed House Republican Leader John Boehner about the new Pledge to America document and he defended the inclusion of a ban on taxpayer funding of abortions in it.
New Video Clip Has Doctor Explaining How Ella Drug Causes Abortions
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Family Research Council is recommending a just-released video clip of Dr. Donna Harrison, OB-GYN and president of AAPLOG (American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians & Gynecologists).
Race to Replace Bart Stupak Tied, Potential for Pro-Life Republican to Win
Lansing, MI (LifeNews.com) -- The race to replace retiring Rep. Bart Stupak is essentially tied, according to a poll taken earlier this week for Democratic state Rep. Gary McDowell's campaign.
Virginia NARAL Asks Governor Bob McDonnell Not to Monitor Abortion Centers
Richmond, VA (LifeNews.com) -- Virginia NARAL is unhappy about a opinion last month by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli that concludes Gov. Bob McDonnell can hold abortion centers accountable for meeting basic health and safety standards. Full story at LifeNews.com
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