The Health Care Police

Posted on November 18, 2009 by Patrick Looby

It makes perfect sense. If the government is in charge of health care – lowering costs, rationing care, deciding what needs immediate treatment – then it seems reasonable that eventually they may have to pay you a visit to make sure you are keeping your home in a way that maximizes good health.

Don’t think it could happen? Neither did people in the UK until it was reported this week that Health and Safety inspectors will be given “unprecedented access” to family homes to make sure that citizens are protecting their children from household accidents.

As I said, this makes perfect sense. People cannot cry for a public option and then complain when the government takes reasonable steps to mitigate rising costs. All we can hope is that the government doesn’t abuse this power. But, who could stop them once they are in charge of health care?

Join Our Mailing List

For Email Marketing you can trust

Photodump: Housecall #2 – No Abortion in Healthcare

Posted on November 7, 2009 by KHernandez

Tons of people showed up this afternoon to rally against healthcare reform on the Capitol. Lots of people voiced their opinions about abortion funding in healthcare and others were handing out phone numbers of the undecided Members of Congress and asking people to call right then and there.

It was so encouraging to see families, grandmas and kids out there all wanting the same thing and all loving the country enough to take action.

So take courage and continue to call your Members! A vote is expected later tonight on the full bill.

Photos available here: http://bit.ly/1rIgvL

BREAKING: Docs Aren’t Backing Down on HCR

Posted on November 6, 2009 by KHernandez

BREAKING: The pro-life movement, if they hasn’t already, is really kicking into high gear over healthcare reform and the doctors aren’t going down without a fight . Check out Dr. Sandy Christiansen and Dr. Ali Tsai, both OB-GYNs who say they will be forced to leave their profession if strong conscience protections are not put into healthcare legislation. Conscience protections were voted down in the Senate (see here) and the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has a good explanation of why this is really bad for both doctors and patients here.

The short video also makes the great point that thousands of doctors will be forced to quit if comprehensive conscience protections aren’t in healthcare legislation and then what happens when millions of new patients flood the system and there aren’t a sufficient number of doctors to care for them?

Share this video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7MbRMQpFhw

Abortion: The Healthcare Holdup

Posted on November 5, 2009 by KHernandez

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trying to bulldoze healthcare reform through the House this week but is being held up by Congressman Bart Stupak (D-MI), and many others who share his views on abortion, who are trying to make sure abortion is not funded by the government.

Pelosi and her pro-abortion allies are desperately trying to come up with a compromise to strip away pro-life Dems from Stupak’s coalition but so far, it’s a no-go.

It’s either the government funds abortion or it doesn’t. No wonder they can’t reach a compromise.

Not to get into the weeds too much but a fake compromise was brought up by Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-IN) that was promptly shot down which basically let the government hire out contractors to pay for abortion services. Any thinking person could see through that smokescreen. National Right to Life is working overtime to make sure everyone knows how fake this compromise really is: http://bit.ly/2udXnw.
Pelosi has got to be pulling her hair out at this point. Here’s what major news outlets are reporting:

New York Times - The House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, a supporter of abortion rights, has little choice but to heed the concerns of members of her caucus who oppose abortion.

The Hill – But Ellsworth’s plan has run into opposition from anti-abortion rights groups. The U.S. Conference of Bishops has rejected the “segregated-funds” approach. “They’re not strengthening the language, they’re strengthening their camouflage,” said Douglas Johnson of National Right to Life.

Reuters - Democrats in the House of Representatives scrambled on Wednesday to iron out lingering concerns over abortion in a healthcare reform bill that was headed to a close and potentially historic weekend debate.

It’s not over yet so please continue to reach out to your elected officials and tell them you don’t want abortion funding in the healthcare bill.

As Catholics, we have a civic duty to voice our concerns when a grave injustice is being committed in our society. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in section 2238, says-

[Catholics] loyal collaboration includes the right, and at times the duty, to voice their just criticisms of that which seems harmful to the dignity of persons and to the good of the community. (emphasis ours)

Contact your Representatives HERE.

Stop the Abortion Mandate Webcast: TONIGHT

Posted on November 2, 2009 by KHernandez

UPDATE: Missed the webcast? Listen here: http://click-here-to-listen.com/12345/

Abortion industry lobbyists and their allies in Congress are about to ram through mandated government funding of abortion in health care reform legislation possibly later THIS WEEK in the U.S. House of Representatives.

To respond swiftly to this crisis, the pro-life movement is unifying TONIGHT at 9pm ET/6pm PT on a huge nationwide webcast — and your attendance is crucial:To register, go here: http://stoptheabortionmandate.com/webcast/#register

Simply stated, if this abortion mandate is not stopped, it will result in the largest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade.

* WHAT: Stop the Abortion Mandate Urgent Webcast
* DATE: TONIGHT, Monday, November 2
* TIME: 9 PM Eastern, 8 PM Central, 7 PM Mountain,
6 PM Pacific

Register now at: http://stoptheabortionmandate.com/webcast/#register

Stop the Abortion Mandate coalition is holding the urgent webcast to educate and call to action pro-life leaders and activists nationwide regarding abortion funding in healthcare legislation.

During the live webcast, you’ll hear the latest breaking news from nationally respected leaders. Invited presenters include:

* REP. CHRIS SMITH, U.S. House of Representatives
* MARJORIE DANNENFELSER, Susan B. Anthony List
* CHARMAINE YOEST, Americans United for Life
* KRISTAN HAWKINS, Students for Life of America
* DAVID BEREIT, 40 Days for Life
* KELLYANNE CONWAY, The Polling Company
* WENDY WRIGHT, Concerned Women for America
* DOUGLAS JOHNSON, National Right to Life Committee
* KRISTEN DAY, Democrats for Life
* DR. DAVID STEVENS, Christian Medical & Dental
Associations

During the event, you will:

* Hear the LATEST UPDATES and news straight from our nation’s capital
* Learn exactly how abortion IS mandated in the proposed health care reform bills
* Discover what YOU can do about it!

Abortion is still in the healthcare bill. What are pro-lifers doing about it?

Posted on October 15, 2009 by KHernandez

Not holding back, that’s for sure. If any of the current healthcare bills pass as proposed, it will be the largest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade, according to National Right to Life Committee.

Many pro-life groups have put the rest of their agendas on hold to focus solely on healthcare. Several organizations formed the Stop the Abortion Mandate coalition in the summer, which held a historical webcast with 19 pro-life leaders and over 36,000 activists. The Family Research Council built on that success and had another webcast a week later with over 70,000 participants.

CatholicVote’s action center CatholicAction parodied a Hollywood video/PSA that had celebrities endorsing current healthcare reform proposals. We just love the spirit of CatholicVote ads and the creative genius behind their work.

The Susan B. Anthony List created a great video to show that politicians are just hiding behind the Hyde Amendment when they say that abortion isn’t included in healthcare legislation. In reality, the Hyde Amendment, which has to be renewed every year, doesn’t even apply to healthcare funds, only Medicaid.

Americans United for Life president Charmaine Yoest has a great column in today’s Wall Street Journal entitled “Tax Dollars Shouldn’t Fund Abortion.” She talks about how current legislation would be breaking over 30 years worth of the government not funding elective abortion. Healthcare reform, as it stands, is a radical departure from the status quo.

AUL also released a fantastic short video calling out elected officials, including President Obama, for deceiving Americans on whether or not abortion is included in healthcare.

And Freedom2Care, the coalition of groups that want conscience protections for doctors who decline to perform or refer for abortions, are focusing on the point of view of healthcare professionals. Results from an online survey reveal startling news: 95% of faith-based physicians agreed, “I would rather stop practicing medicine altogether than be Dr. Sandy Christiansen forced to violate my conscience.”

While current healthcare proposals would flood the already overloaded healthcare system in America with millions more patients, all the while forcing doctors to choose between their morals or their profession, how can President Obama possibly expect Americans to receive quality and timely care if his policies will force many doctors to quit?

Several pro-life leaders all got on their webcams recently to show a united front against abortion coverage in healthcare reform. At such a crucial time in the history of our nation and in the fight to protect the unborn, these leaders are showing that we all must get involved and do it now.

What can you do? Contact your Member of Congress and tell you don’t want government dollars paying for abortions. Tell them abortion is not healthcare. And tell them you don’t want your doctor forced out of the practice of medicine.

US Bishops: Ready to Oppose Healthcare If Principles Aren’t Met

Posted on October 8, 2009 by KHernandez

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USSCB) made it crystal clear today that current healthcare legislation does NOT mean their concerns of: 1) making sure government funds do not pay for abortions and 2) that conscience rights are protected.

It gets better.

The bishops say in this new letter that they will continue to work with Congress but -

“If final legislation does not meet our principles, we will have no choice but to oppose the bill.”

The USSCB has always advocated for some type of healthcare reform since Catholic moral teachings say that physical health is a gift entrusted to us by God. Here’s what the Catechism says:

2288: We must take reasonable care of [life and physical health], taking into account the needs of others and the common good. Concern for the health of its citizens requires that society help in the attainment of living-conditions that allow them to grow and reach maturity: food and clothing, housing, health care, basic education, employment, and social assistance. [emphasis mine]

But the killing of the unborn come above anything else, as it should. Abortion is a grave moral evil and making healthcare out to be a moral right, which many have done, should never include the government funding of such an act.

The Bishops aren’t fooled by the clever rhetoric of the Obama Administration and the phony compromises put forth by pro-abortion Members of Congress.

See the full letter from the bishops here: www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/2009-10-08-healthcare-letter-congress.pdf.

Congressman Stupak – A Thorn in Pelosi’s Side

Posted on October 6, 2009 by KHernandez

Congressman Bart Stupak, a Catholic Democrat from Michigan, deserves accolades for holding his ground on an issue that the majority of Americans oppose: having the government pay for abortions through healthcare reform.

Congressman Bart Stupak

William McGurn nails it in his column today, suggesting that Stupak is the new Bob Casey problem for the Democratic party. Bob Casey, the late pro-life governor of Pennsylvania, was famously denied a speaking slot at the 1992 Democratic convention, while the party easily found slots for pro-choice Republicans. McGurn notes that the “moment helped tar the Democrats as a party of abortion intolerance—a problem the party thought it put behind it in 2006 when the governor’s son, Democrat Robert Casey Jr., was elected senator as a pro-life Democrat.”

But party leaders are making the mistake all over again and now, “Just like Gov. Casey before him, Mr. Stupak’s stand for life—in this case, his fight against tax dollars for abortion—is making him a thorn in the side of a Democratic president.”

Here’s the kicker – remember President Obama’s speech at Notre Dame earlier this year (yes, I’d rather forget it happened as well)? The President almost convincingly urged everyone to find “common ground” to “reduce the number of women seeking abortions.”

Mr. President, where’s the ‘common ground’ when your party and its leaders are about to force Americans to pay for abortions through massive healthcare reform?

Rep. Stupak is fighting to get an explicit exclusion of abortion written into healthcare legislation but his party won’t even let him bring his amendment to the floor for a vote, which stands in stark contrast to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s own words that “no Member of Congress should be silenced on the floor.”

Now Stupak is making sure that Speaker Pelosi and President Obama know he’s serious:

Last week Mr. Stupak, 24 other Democrats and 158 Republicans sent the speaker a letter asking her to make good on that pledge. Members of the House, they said, should have the “right to vote their conscience on an amendment offered by Congressmen Stupak and [Joe] Pitts [R., Pa.] regarding government funding for abortion.”

Does he have enough votes to get the exclusion written into the bill? McGurn says that no ones knows yet if he’s got the votes to block the healthcare bill if he’s not allowed to offer his amendment but you have to believe he’s close – both Speaker Pelosi and President Obama have personally reached out to him.

Bart Stupak is truly a hero – standing up against his own party and fighting for those who have no voice. He wants healthcare reform to pass, just not at the expense of the government paying for abortions.

Go here to send a message of encouragement to Rep. Stupak.

Hiding Behind the Hyde Amendment

Posted on October 5, 2009 by KHernandez

The Susan B. Anthony List has taken a creative and somewhat humorous approach in attempting to explain why the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits government money from funding some abortions, does NOT apply to current healthcare proposals. Many elected officials are hiding behind the Hyde Amendment when questioned by their constituents or the media on whether or not abortion will be funded by government money through healthcare.

In reality, the Hyde Amendment is completely sidestepped in current healthcare proposals and does not apply, which opens up an entire new source of money in the government that will go to funding abortions.

Here’s a 70 second explanation:

Abortion a Stumbling Block for Healthcare Reform?

Posted on October 2, 2009 by admin

No one fooled by Capps Amendment…Rep. Bart Stupak holding his ground…Dems working on 2^nd phony amendment…

Whenever the liberal Dems are pressed on whether or not abortion is funded by government dollars through healthcare, they often point back to the Capps Amendment in the House bill, which they say makes sure gov dollars aren’t spent on elective abortions. Of course, unless they are Nancy Pelosi, who doublespeaks when asked about it this summer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOMDyvVJad0.

Fortunately for the majority of Americans who don’t want the government to fund abortions through healthcare, Congressman Bart Stupak, a Democrat from Michigan, is holding his ground against President Obama and Nancy Pelosi. Stupak is pushing for an explicit exclusion of abortion to be written into healthcare legislation – and if he doesn’t get it, he says he’s got 40 votes against healthcare reform, something that Pelosi just can’t afford.

US News & World Report has a great Q&A with Stupak on his recent phone call with President Obama on abortion funding in healthcare. The gist is that Stupak is holding his ground and refuses to concede that the Capps Amendment prohibits gov money from paying for abortion.

So what to do now?

Well, Rep. Henry Waxman, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and who has a pro-choice voting record even Nancy Pelosi would be envious of, wants to come up with a “compromise” with some of the more moderate members of Stupak’s coalition (read: former-pro-lifer-but-still-portrayed-as-pro-lifer Rep. Tim Ryan). He wants to strip away Stupak’s support bit by bit till he has the votes needed to pass a phony compromise, claim victory and hand the bill over to Pelosi. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat, admitted as much.

Doug Johnson, the legislative director at National Right to Life, blows up the rhetoric once again:

”Pelosi and Waxman are working on cosmetic changes to the Capps Amendment, which they will then try to peddle as an even-more-generous ‘compromise’ by the pro-abortion side (but which in reality will put the federal government into the elective abortion business in both the public plan and the premium subsidy program).”

Johnson also says that even if the House members adopt the new Waxman language, it doesn’t alleviate the concern of abortion funding found in the public option. In fact, the government option “problem is very important and separate and distinct from the premium-subsidy problem.”

TIME Magazine, the independent FactCheck.org and the Associated Press, among others, have all confirmed that abortion will be paid for using government dollars with the current healthcare plan.

For more info on the Capps Amendment and other talking points, see www.StopTheAbortionMandate.com.

St Michael Society

Defending and Promoting the Faith in the Public Square

Tag Archives: government-run