Friday, December 17, 2010

LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report 12/18/10

LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Saturday, December 18, 2010

For pro-life news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com.

Current Headlines

Top Stories
Judge Holds Hearing on Biggest Lawsuit Against ObamaCare
Republicans Stop Pro-Abortion Omnibus Bill as Reid Pulls It
• Mike Pence: Cut All Taxpayer Funding for Planned Parenthood
Actress Kate Walsh Urges Donations to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz

More Pro-Life News
• Obama Admin Purchases Google Ads to Promote ObamaCare
• More Faulty Criticism of Abortion-Mental Health Link Evidence
• Media Outlets Misreport European Court Decision for Ireland Abortion Ban
• New Jersey Senate Votes Soon on Planned Parenthood Funds
• Showing Restraint: Judge Right to Overturn ObamaCare
• Catholic Bishop Gives Hospital Til Tuesday for Abortion Recant
• Pro-Life Youth Provide Best Christmas Present for America
• Silenced Pro-Life Michigan Sidewalk Counselor Gets Legal Help


---> Looking for a pro-life speaker for a 2011 event? Email us about LifeNews.com Editor Steven Ertelt.

Judge Holds Hearing on Biggest Lawsuit Against ObamaCare
A federal judge held a hearing Thursday in the main case more than 20 states filed against the ObamaCare health care law that contains massive abortion funding.

U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson heard from attorneys general who told him the law is an unconstitutional expansion of the federal government s powers and a request for him to issue a summary judgment ruling declaring ObamaCare unconstitutional and throwing out the law without a full trial.

The main argument, as is the case in other lawsuits states and other parties have filed against ObamaCare, is that the individual mandate to purchase health insurance (which could fund abortions) is unconstitutional because Congress only has the power to regulate commerce, not inactivity.

The act would leave more constitutional damage in its wake than any other statute in our history, David Rivkin, an attorney for the states, told Vinson.

President Barack Obama s administration countered that Americans should not be allowed to opt out of ObamaCare because every American requires medical care. They also claim the states do not have standing to file a lawsuit against ObamaCare and want the lawsuit thrown out and the case dismissed.

Vinson said he would rule later but did not provide a timetable for a ruling that is expected no earlier than mid-January. Full story at LifeNews.com

Republicans Stop Pro-Abortion Omnibus Bill as Reid Pulls It
Late Thursday, pro-abortion Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid gave up on trying to pass the 1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill that contains numerous goodies for the abortion industry.

After realizing Republicans were unified in opposition to the measure and had enough votes to sustain a filibuster against it, Reid pulled the legislation.

The move results in yanking more than $1 billion in funding for implementation of the ObamaCare health care law that could result in massive abortion funding.

Reid has assumed that as many as nine Republicans would support the omnibus measure but they withdrew their support for various reasons after pressure from fellow Republican senators and organizations worried about both the abortion concerns and fiscal issues. Full story at LifeNews.com

Mike Pence: Cut All Taxpayer Funding for Planned Parenthood
Rep. Mike Pence, the leading member behind legislation in Congress that would de-fund Planned Parenthood, is not happy about the new annual report the abortion business released.

The annual report shows the total government grants and contracts received by PPFA affiliates from government sources including state, local and federal governments, increased from $350 million in 2009 to $363 million in the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

That comes after a September report revealing the number of abortions Planned Parenthood performed in 2008 increased to 324,008, a 6.1 percent increase over the 305,310 abortions it did in 2007.

Pence, an Indiana congressman with potential presidential ambitions, sent a statement to LifeNews.com Friday afternoon responding to the new taxpayer funding figures.

It is morally wrong to end an unborn human life by abortion. It is also morally wrong to take the taxpayer dollars of millions of pro-life Americans and use those funds to promote abortion." Full story at LifeNews.com

Actress Kate Walsh Urges Donations to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz
Kate Walsh, the actress known for her role as Dr. Addison Montgomery on the ABC dramas Grey s Anatomy and Private Practice, is urging end-of-year donations to the Planned Parenthood abortion business.

Anyone who makes a donation is entered to win a prize from the actress.

In a message sent to her followers on twitter today, Walsh wrote Thursday night, Tw eethearts, Tis the season. Donate to Planned Parenthood for a chance to win an autographed Private Practice DVD set from [yours truly].

Donate to Planned Parenthood here for a chance to win an autographed Private Practice DVD, Walsh said in a follow up tweet sent today, again urging donations to the abortion business.

Fan sites and followers of Walsh on Twitter, including Planned Parenthood, have re-tweeted the post and added to Walsh s appeal for funds for the abortion business that has been caught on video lying to women about abortion and exploiting teenagers who have been sexually abused.

Walsh is no stranger to promoting Planned Parenthood and abortion. Walsh, a member of Planned Parenthood s Board of Advisors, hosted a Congressional forum in 2008 that the abortion business promoted. Full story at LifeNews.com

ACTION: Check our story for two ways to contact Walsh to express your disappointment.

Obama Admin Purchases Google Ads to Promote ObamaCare
Forced to contend with the unpopularity of the ObamaCare health care law that fails to prohibit abortion funding, the Obama Administration has been forced to purchase Google ads to promote it.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is purchasing keyword ads on Google using the infamous ObamaCare description pro-life and conservative opponents of the law have use to tie it to President Barack Obama.

The page the ads lead to will instruct viewers how to obtain more information about making health care changes but also feature a what s in the law for you section, according to Politico, that plays up what Obama officials hope will persuade Americans the law is good for them. Full story at LifeNews.com

More Faulty Criticism of Abortion-Mental Health Link Evidence
by Dr. Michael New
Earlier this week, the Washington Post ran an article about a new study disputing the contention that abortions increase the risk of mental-health problems among women.

This study, conducted by Julia Steinberg of UC San Francisco and Lawrence Finer of the Guttmacher Institute, appeared in the October 2010 issue of Social Science and Medicine. It is somewhat surprising that the authors decided to publish this study in an independent, peer-reviewed journal.

All too often, researchers who support legal abortion are content to have their analyses appear in the Guttmacher Institute s own publications. Full story at LifeNews.com

Media Outlets Misreport European Court Decision for Ireland Abortion Ban
Mainstream media outlets reporting on the important European court decision concerning the Ireland abortion ban and the legal challenge three women filed against it have misled readers.

The European Court of Human Rights ruling that there is no right to abortion in Europe or Ireland prompted headlines such as CNN s saying Court condemns Irish ban on abortion and even the Irish Times reporting Irish abortion laws breach human rights, court rules.

But American bioethics attorney Wesley J. Smith reviewed the ruling and says The European Court of Human Rights has refused to impose a European Roe v. Wade.

Three women sued Ireland because the country outlaws abortion. But the Court ruled that there is no right to abortion in the European Convention, and hence Ireland s law remains in effect, he notes. How novel: A high court allowing a sovereign entity to decide a crucial issue of morality and law for itself. Full story at LifeNews.com

New Jersey Senate Votes Soon on Planned Parenthood Funds
The New Jersey state Senate will vote on Monday on legislation to restore taxpayer funding to the Planned Parenthood abortion business.

Last month, the state Assembly approved a pair of bills to restore the funding pro-life Gov. Chris Christie revoked for financial reasons. However, the passage of the bills came seven votes shy of what is needed to override another expected gubernatorial veto.

On Monday, senators will consider S2393/A3273, which transfers $5 million in reserve funds to the family planning program and received a 44-25 vote with nine abstentions in the Assembly in November. Full story at LifeNews.com

"Christian or not, whether you like thriller-genre books or not, regardless of your feelings about abortion. You must read this book."
-- Abigail Seidman, Pro-Life Activist
www.theintrusionbook.com

Showing Restraint: Judge Right to Overturn ObamaCare
by Ken Connor
On December 13, U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson issued a decision on the Commonwealth of Virginia s challenge to the constitutionality of Obamacare s minimal essential coverage provision.

It sparked a flurry of controversy and commentary by declaring that neither the Interstate Commerce nor the General Welfare clauses of the Constitution permits Congress to mandate that Americans purchase health insurance. Full story at LifeNews.com

Catholic Bishop Gives Hospital Til Tuesday for Abortion Recant
Bishop Thomas Olmsted has given a Catholic hospital until Tuesday to confirm its policies on abortion to those of the Catholic Church or face decertification of its status as a Catholic hospital. Olmsted had originally given Catholic Healthcare West, the parent of St. Joseph s Hospital until Friday to change its abortion policy but has extended the deadline to Tuesday after some late-minute confidential communication between the two. Full story at LifeNews.com


Pro-Life Youth Provide Best Christmas Present for America
by Kristan Hawkins
America has had a hard year with ObamaCare passing in March and the current Presidential Administration taking every step it can to promote their abortion agenda here in the States and abroad.

In reaction to these efforts, pro-lifers had significant victories in the November elections, but the greatest gift for Christmas is something our nation cannot buy and Americans cannot vote on. The biggest gift for Christmas this year is the emergence of the pro-life generation. The generation of young people committed to ending abortion in their lifetime. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Silenced Pro-Life Michigan Sidewalk Counselor Gets Legal Help
On Wednesday, in Wayne County Circuit Court, the Chicago-based Thomas More Society appeared with veteran sidewalk counselor Chris Coatney to seek dismissal of a personal protective order against him.

The order was entered after the manager of the Summit Women s Center, a Detroit abortion clinic, alleged Coatney was stalking her by following and threatening her, an assertion he denies. Full story at LifeNews.com.

 

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