Pro-Life Groups Quick to Blast Obama’s Expected Removal of Bush Abortion Rules

Obama’s making all sorts of friends with his pro-death administration.

Pro-life organizations were quick to respond to the news that President Barack Obama is looking at removing the rules President Bush put in place to protect medical professionals on abortion. They say Obama is disrespecting religious freedoms by putting more pressure on doctors to do abortions.

Tony Perkins, the head of the Family Research Council said the Bush protections are needed for better enforcement of the Church, Coats, and Weldon Amendments that protect health care providers’ right of conscience.

These regulations would have increased public awareness of, and ensured governmental enforcement of, these vital statutes. Without them, pro-life medical staff are in jeopardy, he told LifeNews.com.

“For President Obama to do this would be a huge blow to religious freedom and First Amendment rights,” he said. “No one should be forced to have an abortion, and no one should be forced to be an abortionist in violation of their religious or ethical convictions.”

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Medical Group Upset President Obama Will Remove Abortion Conscience Clause

A leading medical group is disappointed that White House officials have indicated that President Barack Obama will likely rescind the Provider Conscience Clause. That’s the Bush rule put in place to provide more enforcement for laws protecting medical staff and center from having to do abortions.

David Stevens, the head of the Christian Medical Association, one of the groups seeking to stop the pro-abortion lawsuit file to overturn the regulations, told LifeNews.com the Obama administration had shown no reason for rescinding the rules.

“The Obama administration claims, without offering a shred of statistical evidence, that the regulation has ‘created confusion’ and will somehow hinder access to healthcare,” he told LifeNews.com.

“What can be clearer than not using federal funds to force healthcare professionals to violate longstanding principles of medical ethics like the Hippocratic Oath, which guided medicine for over two millennia?” Stevens asked. Here’s an excerpt:

WITH PURITY, HOLINESS AND BENEFICENCE I will pass my life and practice my art. Except for the prudent correction of an imminent danger, I will neither treat any patient nor carry out any research on any human being without the valid informed consent of the subject or the appropriate legal protector thereof, understanding that research must have as its purpose the furtherance of the health of that individual. Into whatever patient setting I enter, I will go for the benefit of the sick and will abstain from every voluntary act of mischief or corruption and further from the seduction of any patient.

Anyone Against Abortion, Raise Your Hand

President Obama Starts Process of Removing Doctors’ Protections on Abortions

It’s bad enough that Obama is so pro-abort. It’s even more vile to try to force pro-lifers to do abortions.

The White House quietly announced on Friday that President Barack Obama is starting the process of overturning protections President Bush put in place to make sure medical staff and centers are not forced to do abortions. The move is the latest that will add to Obama’s growing pro-abortion record. 

Existing federal laws already make it so doctors and hospitals are not required to perform abortions. Because those laws aren’t always followed, the Bush administration added additional protections.

Bush officials noted a pattern of grant recipients being unaware of or flouting existing laws protecting medical professionals’ rights of conscience. So, HHS enacted the new law to require grantees to certify compliance with them in order to receive funds.

In August, 2008 the Department of Health and Human Services proposed regulations to strengthen those existing laws. The regulations were finalized on December 18, 2008 and went into effect January 20, 2009.

Abortion advocates complained about the new regulations and made false claims that they would somehow deny women access to birth control even though the regulations do not limit or restrict any legal practice or product.

Three pro-abortion groups and pro-abortion attorneys general from seven states filed a lawsuit to overturn the rules and today’s news makes it clear the Obama administration is preparing its own move to rescind them.

Obama officials told the Chicago Tribune that they are opening up a 30-day public comment period, after which they will roll back the protections for medical personnel and facilities.

story here

Catholic Pro-Life Leader Responds to Time Magazine on FOCA, Abortion Battle

A leading pro-life advocate who is a representative of the nation’s Catholic bishops has responded to Time magazine. Time was criticized last week for bashing pro-life advocates who oppose the radical pro-abortion FOCA bill even though the measure hasn’t yet been introduced this session of Congress. Yet Obama has promised to sign it.

Time staff writer Amy Sullivan said pro-life groups, including the nation’s Catholic bishops, were silly for mobilizing against a “mythical abortion bill.”

In an editorial column at National Review, USCCB spokeswoman Susan Willis said Sullivan’s piece is “rife with inaccuracies and non sequiturs.” Of course. It has to be to support abortion.

Willis says Sullivan misrepresented the postcard campaign the bishops sponsored and failed to note that the target is Congress, not the White House, and that the postcards ask elected officials to also oppose any bill that is similar to FOCA and that they also support current pro-life laws limiting taxpayer funding of abortions.

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Congressional Budget Bill Cuts Abstinence Funding, Increases Family Planning

It’s easy to see what the pro-abort Congress’ priorities are: more sexually-active teens and more abortions.

“family planning” is the ultimate oxymoron. It is about preventing families, not planning families.
 

The new omnibus spending bill Congressional Democrats proposed this week does exactly what pro-life advocates expected it would do when it comes to abstinence education. Funds for abstinence programs were cut while more money is given to Planned Parenthood through family planning dollars.  

The Democratic spending plan cuts total funding for abstinence education by $14.2 million, compared with the previous year.

It also cuts abstinence education funding by $42 million compared to what President Bush had asked for in his last months of office.

The cuts are seen as the first step by abortion advocates in Congress to zero out all abstinence education funds through the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program, the Adolescent Family Life Act, and through Title V.

Democrats cut the CBAE budget by 13%, leaving only $95 million to fund national programs to help teenagers make healthy choices for a positive lifestyle.

Apparently, a “positive lifestyle” includes forcing abortion on women:

Democrats Shut Down Pro-Life Move to Stop UNFPA-Forced Abortion Funding

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Pro-life amendments blocked from consideration on House floor

40 Days for Life Pro-Life Campaign Targeting Abortion Begins on Wednesday

The latest round of the 40 Days for Life campaign begins Wednesday and more than 130 cities in the United States and Canada, as well as in Australia and Northern Ireland, will participate. The effort, which involves prayer and fasting and a peaceful presence at local abortion centers, goes through April 5.

The latest campaign coincides with the start of the Christian season of Lent, and sponsors hope pro-life advocates will sacrifice their time and talents to be involved.

“The economy is weak and the political landscape is challenging, but people recognize they can make a life-saving difference by going to pray outside the places where women and children are at risk – abortion facilities in their local towns,” Shawn Carney, spring campaign director, tells LifeNews.com.

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“Catholic Advocate” has Brownback support, organization confirms

Isn’t it sad that we actually need to inquire or investigate to see if Catholic politicians are living the faith? Fortunately, Deal Hudson is on the case.

The new initiative “Catholic Advocate,” whose goal is to expose politicians “who hide their pro-abortion record behind a smokescreen of faith,” confirmed to CNA that they do have the support of Senator Sam Brownback for their initiative.
Last week, “Catholic Advocate” sent a fundraising letter signed by Kansas Senator Sam Brownback questioning whether his Democratic colleagues, including the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi were genuine Catholics. 

“Real Catholics need a new voice — not the likes of Ted Kennedy and Nancy Pelosi who have campaigned as Catholics while voting to undermine the values that we hold most dear,” Brownback said in the letter, asking for support against the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) and in favor of “Catholic Advocate,” a nonprofit created by the Catholic activist Deal Hudson.

But on Friday, Joe Feuerherd, a staff writer of the National Catholic Reporter (a Catholic dissenters’ publication), questioned the authenticity of the letter, quoting Brownback’s spokesman Brian Hart, who said that “our chief of staff … had never seen, heard of, or approved it.”

Feuerherd’s main concern, nevertheless, was the fact that letter is the first public criticism of a pro-life Catholic politician against pro-abortion colleagues. “It is unusual, and perhaps unprecedented in modern times, for one senator to question the religious practices of another,” Feuerherd wrote.

story here

Here’s another good site I found that details the pro-life or pro-abort activities of “Catholic” Politicians.

http://www.onenationundergod.org/

…however there is always hope

Here’s a link praising Archbishop Dolan.

http://episcopalspinealert.blogspot.com/2006/03/archbishop-timothy-m-dolan-archdiocese.html

Clergy especially Bishops specifically selected by the Holy Father always have my respect and trust until proven otherwise.

Since confrontation on an issue is sometimes needed, the NY Times’ approval of a clergyman’s “non-confrontational” style is not a vote in his favor.  However we all can and should hope and trust that the Holy Father knows what he’s doing.  We can and should hope and trust for the best on life issues.  We should also pray for these leaders.  I am encouraged when I think of other ‘non-controversial’or ‘compromise’ appointments that have resulted in sainted, wise and just shepherds.  The papal conclaves of 1978 come to mind.

If the NY Times approves….

… then perhaps you need to try harder.

Milwaukee Archbishop Chosen to Succeed Egan

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN

Published: February 23, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI on Monday named Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, who has led the archdiocese of Milwaukee for the last seven years, to succeed Cardinal Edward M. Egan as the Roman Catholic archbishop of New York.

Archbishop Dolan, who has a towering frame and a gregarious presence, is orthodox in his theology but more likely to use persuasion than punishment on Catholics who do not share his views. In choosing him, the pope passed over other candidates equally conservative but more confrontational with Catholic priests, parishioners and politicians who question church teaching.

entire story:  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/nyregion/24bishop.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&src=igw

Lawmakers Gird for Next Abortion Battle

I heard something about these riders from FRC.  See our previous post and write your congressman.

Lawmakers from both political parties are fighting to maintain anti-abortion measures called riders that are added to spending bills to prevent taxpayer money from being spent on funding abortions in the U.S. or abroad.

By Stephen Clark

FOXNews.com

Thursday, February 19, 2009

A fresh political battle over taxpayer-funded abortions is brewing less than one month after President Obama lifted a Bush administration ban on giving federal money to international groups that perform or promote the controversial procedure.

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are fighting to maintain anti-abortion measures called riders [emphasis added] that are added to spending bills to prevent taxpayer money from being spent on funding abortions here or abroad.

full story

text links:

Our previous post.  https://deliberateengagement.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/americans-united-for-life/

Full Fox story.  http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02/19/lawmakers-gird-abortion-battle/