Tag Archives: health care reform

Sebelius Doubletalk; Stupak Not Backing Down

Headlines like this don’t get old -“Could Issue of Abortion Derail Health Care Bill?”

And neither does Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), a pro-life Catholic Democrat who, over and over again has said he (and many of his colleagues) will not vote for any bill that funds abortion with government dollars.

President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Planned Parenthood, et al must be fuming. President Obama completely ignored Minority Leader John Boehner’s concern about this during last week’s healthcare summit and Nancy Pelosi is back to her talking points that the bill doesn’t change the status quo on abortion funding.

On Good Morning America this morning, Dept. of Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (remember her? – she and the late late-term abortionist George Tiller were very close) said that the bill doesn’t change the status quo on abortion.

However, on Dec. 22, 2009 Sebelius specifically said that the Senate bill is an “accounting procedure” and that everyone would pay into the abortion fund:

SEBELIUS:That would be an accounting procedure, but everybody in the exchange would do the same thing, whether you’re male or female, whether you’re 75 or 25, you would all set aside a portion of your premium that would go into a fund, and it would not be earmarked for anything, it would be a separate account that everyone in the exchange would pay.”

Stupak followed Sebelius this morning on Good Morning America and said he and his pro-life colleagues cannot vote for a bill that contains language that funds abortion. But then he took it even farther:

STEPHANOPOULOS: “Let me be clear here.  If the president doesn’t change the language, if your language is not accepted, you and your 11 colleagues who voted yes the last time will vote no this time. Does that mean you’re prepared to take responsibility for bringing down this whole bill?”

STUPAK: “Yes, we’re prepared to take responsibility. I mean, I’ve been catching it ever since last fall.  Let’s face it, I want to see health care. But we’re not going to bypass some principles and beliefs that we feel strongly about.”

See the whole GMA segment here: http://bit.ly/aDJoOk

As readers of this blog know, the Senate bill, which is the one Obama’s new bill mirrors, absolutely and without a doubt funds abortion with government money. There is even an “abortion fee” levied through that bill that goes to the abortion fund Sebelius was talking about. We don’t know how Pelosi, Obama and their allies say that it doesn’t fund abortion.

Obama has made it clear he wants Congress to use the tricky procedure of reconciliation to pass/ram through his unpopular healthcare reform (he’s been playing close attention to recent elections as you can tell). The power lies in the House -the bill HAS to pass the House of Representatives before it can go to Obama for his signature and then to the Senate for a majority vote.

You know what you have to do. This is it. The endgame has arrived – don’t let up in contacting your elected officials and tell them you’re not fooled by Obama’s rhetoric. You know abortion funding is in the bill and you don’t want it.

And pray for Rep. Stupak and his allies. No doubt he has the weight of the most powerful people in the world upon his shoulders and they want him to cave to their demands.

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Report from LifeNews:

Richard Doerflinger, the associate director of the pro-life office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops put Pelosi’s myth to bed.

“We do not know how anyone who has spoken to the bishops could conclude that the Senate health care bill does not fund abortions. As the bishops have said in their letters to Congress, abortion problems in the Senate bill are so serious that, despite our strong support for expanding access to health care, we will have to oppose the bill unless they are resolved,” he said.

“While the Senate bill includes some language limiting the direct use of tax credits to subsidize abortion coverage, it still violates longstanding federal precedent on abortion funding in two ways,” Doerflinger explained.

“First, the Senate’s abortion language limits only use of tax credits for abortion in qualified health plans, not other funding in the bill. For example, the bill authorizes and appropriates $7 billion for services at community health centers (increased to $11 billion in the President’s new proposal). The Hyde amendment does not prevent direct use of these billions of dollars for elective abortions (because the funds are not provided through the appropriations bill governed by Hyde); nor does any provision in the Senate bill,” the pro-life Catholic leader said.

“Second, the Senate’s language on tax credits still allows subsidies for overall health plans that cover elective abortions, against the policy of the Hyde amendment and other longstanding federal laws. The bill requires each American purchasing such a plan to make a separate payment to the insurer every month, solely to pay for other people’s abortions. This is an enormous imposition on the consciences of the millions of Americans who oppose abortion,” Doerflinger concluded in his statement.

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Big Week in Healthcare Coming Up

A lot will be happening on healthcare next week. Not satisfied that the American people have soundly rejected their healthcare plans, that includes government-funding of abortion, President Obama, Harry Reid & Nancy Pelosi are back to pushing their own agenda hard.

President Obama is meeting with GOP leaders next Thursday, Feb. 25th, which will be aired live, to talk about coming up with a bi-partisan healthcare plan. But before that he will be releasing his own reconciliation healthcare bill and posting it online either late this weekend or Monday morning. The President wants this bill to be the starting point of negotiations during the GOP healthcare meeting.

Has Obama mentioned abortion? Of course he hasn’t. But here’s the thing. Abortion HAS to be addressed somehow in the healthcare bill. If there is no specific exclusion of abortion written into the bill, like the Stupak Amendment did, then you and I will be funding abortion through healthcare. Period.

Obama knows it. Pelosi knows it. Reid knows it. And Americans know it too. We’ve written on several national polls showing that Americans overwhelmingly disapprove of government-funding of abortion.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), Nancy Pelosi is going to have a heck of a hard time passing a healthcare bill in the House that doesn’t include his amendment.

Be vigilant. Read the new bill. And contact your legislators. Like we have said, healthcare reform isn’t over yet. Obama and his allies are desperate for a healthcare bill and they are desperate to pay back all the support they have received from the abortion industry. And from the looks for it, they will do anything whatsoever to get it.

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Pelosi Corrected By Bishop…. AGAIN!

This one almost slipped by unnoticed, but thanks to a friend I came across this recent public chastisment of Nancy Pelosi by Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco after comments she made last month about her disagreements with Church teaching.  Ms. Pelsoi, as only Ms. Pelosi can do, managed once again to completely misrepresent the faith she claims she so avidly follows.

Anyway, the news here is not Pelosi’s heretical ramblings.  Those have been well documented before.  The news here is that another bishop has risen to publically correct those ramblings – to make sure that the liberals no longer go unchecked when they pretend to evenagelize in the media. 

The St. Michael Society is happy to report on the courage and leadership that is being shown by many of our American bishops since the Obama-Notre Dame scandal.  This time, Archbishop Niederauer gets the props.  If you have a moment, send him your thanks, support and prayers.  (you can contact him at info@sfarchdiocese.org)

Here is his open letter to Nancy Pelosi on the real meaning of conscience, free will, and what it means to be a Catholic.

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Lessons from the Lectionary

I am not for a moment about to suggest that this is the way God intended us to interpret this, but for those who happened to attend daily Mass on the Friday before the MA special election and the anniversary of Obama’s inauguration, you were treated to this story about how the people complained against Samuel and demanded that they be given a king to rule over them as other nations have.

http://bit.ly/7HFp4E

God, through Samuel, warned the people that if this were to happen, the king would quickly use his authority to tax them, take their property, oppress them with labor, and make their lives generally miserable, and that eventually they would complain to God to remove the king, and God would not listen to their complaints.

But, the people would not listen and insisted that they be given a king.  And so, God told Samuel to give them exactly what they want.  And wouldn’t you know – eventually they complained to God about the king.  Funny how that happens.

And it is also funny how history just keeps repeating itself even into our day – when even in our free republic we get caught up in the moment and cry out for a king of sorts;  someone to rule over us in a way where we don’t have to worry about anything.  He will provide everything for us.  And before we know it we get exactly what we wished for only to regret that moment of weakness.

If you ask me, that reading just happened to be in the right place at the right time for Americans to reflect on the choices we make through our voting, and the discernment we should take when deciding.

In fact, that whole series of readings was interesting given the events of the world.  On Wednesday, January 20 – the anniversary of Obama’s inauguration – daily Mass-goers woke up to the news that MA had elected a republican senator, and were then treated to the story of David and Goliath for the first reading.

Just sayin’….

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Stop The Attempt To Use the “Nuclear” Option

From the Susan B. Anthony List

Nancy Pelosi is plotting to salvage Pro-Abortion Bill

Nancy Pelosi has revealed her intention to use the “nuclear” option to pass an amendment to the Senate Health Care Reform Bill through the Senate.  She intends to use this procedural trick to convince Representatives to pass the unpopular pro-abortion Senate Health Care Reform Bill.  Tell your Representative to oppose using procedural tricks to shove unpopular pro-abortion health care legislation through Congress.  Demand that they stand firm against any attempt to pass the pro-abortion Senate Health Care Reform Bill into law.

http://capwiz.com/sbalist/issues/alert/?alertid=14605861

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Cohabitation Is Not Healthcare

Health Care Bill Discriminates Against Marriage

As each day goes by, more of what is contained in the healthcare legislation is exposed. House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio reveals in a news conference that the House bill contains a severe “marriage penalty” for middle class couples. Under the bill, couples living together would spend less on health insurance than married couples. Here are the relevant facts as reported by the Catholic News Agency:

…under the House bill an unmarried couple with an income of $25,000 each would have a premium cap of $3,076, but if they marry their $50,000 combined income would make their annual premium cap jump to $5,160.

Now for members of secular society, concerns about cohabitation might be an outdated or silly notion, but for Catholics this is a real concern.  The Church teaches that living together and sexual union before marriage is inherently sinful and trivializes the sacredness of the marital sacrament (Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 2350-2400) Catholics should not be financially penalized for staying true to our faith, and we don’t need additional financial pressure to be added to the many other cultural pressures that encourage young people today to cohabitate.

Many readers of Saint Michael Society will be contacting their elected officials concerning the abortion funding. Please include this item in your talking points. Healthcare should reinforce marriage not encourage cohabitation.

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Pro Life Hero Defies Party and Vows to Continue Fight

bart_stupak_official_109th_congress_photoThe New York Times today has a fascinating profile of Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan. Most readers of St. Michael Society are aware that Rep. Stupak is a pro-life hero, especially during the healthcare debate.  His principled stand in the House of Representatives resulted in the passage of a truly pro-life amendment, which is attached to the House healthcare bill. The profile details the many attacks, some personal, hurled at Rep. Stupak.

Blessed are ye when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake: Be glad and rejoice, for your reward is very great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you. – Matthew 5:11-12

Now the House and Senate will attempt to reconcile the two bills passed in each chamber.  Rep. Stupak claims he has 10 or 11 other pro-life Democrats willing to stand with him to ensure that if any legislation passes it will be pro-life. Look for the attacks and pressure to escalate from pro-abortion forces. Leadership will attempt to pry away votes with bribes, threats and attacks. Projects and funding will be dangled in front of their noses. Others will be threatened with removal of key committee assignments.

For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul? – Matthew 16:26

But for the special few, among them Rep. Stupak, the personal attacks will come. Let’s pray for them. Pray that they remain strong and courageous in this fight.

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen. 

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Dems NOT Going to Conference on Healthcare Bill – What Does This Mean?

ping pong hamstersIn this oh-so-transparent Obama Administration, the Democrats in Congress have decided to (most likely) forgo a formal conference to merge the Senate and House healthcare bills. Instead they doing something called a “ping pong” conference. Sounds fun, right? Well, for the Democrats who really, really, really want to get a healthcare bill passed, it’s certainly better than doing a formal merging of the bills because that would involve lots of procedural hurdles in the Senate and give Republicans more ways than one to hold up the horrific bill.

In a ping pong scenario, leaders from each chamber will go back and forth with the bills until they come to a final bill that they are happy with. It’s very much a backroom deal process with little or no input from the Republicans. Talking Points Memo has more on the logistics here.

However, someone is going to have to deal with Rep. Bart Stupak and the abortion issue. The Senate version of the bill doesn’t have the Stupak language and therefore funds abortion with government money. Stupak has made it clear that he plans to hold the line in House and not allow a bill through without his amendment, which prohibits government funding of abortion.

Quite a few well-known pundits are weighing in including Ed Morrissey at HotAir, Melissa Clouthier and Philip Klein, and can give you more on what they think will happen.

In the end, this ping pong game will have to end with some final bill that will be voted on in both the House and the Senate. The Democrats are willing to do anything to give President Obama a bill, any bill, and at any price.

It’s not too late though. We’ve heard from many sources that people can’t get through on the phones or by email to their Representatives and Senators so the Stop the Abortion Mandate coalition is urging people to visit their Members’ district offices this week while Congress is at home. Download the holiday recess kit here: http://bit.ly/850wLU.

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Can’t Get Through To Your Representatives? Visit Their District Offices.

NoAbortionFundinginHealthcareHave tried call or email your Senator or Congressman and either the lines were busy 24/7 or your emails bounced back when you tried to tell them that you don’t want government run healthcare that pays for abortion on demand?

 That’s what Stop the Abortion Mandate (STAM) leaders were hearing. So they created the Holiday Recess Toolkit for pro-lifers and others who are having trouble reaching their Congressmen and Senators. STAM is urging members to go to district offices to meet with their elected officials and staff while they are home for winter recess. The Senate doesn’t come to DC until January 18th while the House comes back next week.

We highly recommend this thoughtful kit – it contains a good script when calling to set up an office visit, talking points, questions to ask and background on abortion funding in healthcare. You can download it here: http://bit.ly/850wLU.

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Healthcare Bill Goes from Bad to Worse

Erick Erickson at Red State is reporting a troubling late addition to the Health Care Legislation.  Quote from Red State:

Reid has slipped in a provision into the health care legislation prohibiting future Congresses from changing any regulations imposed on Americans by the Independent Medicare [note: originally referred to as "medical"] Advisory Boards, which are commonly called the “Death Panels.

harry reidOne more reason to work to defeat this terrible legislation.  Its important for Catholics not to give up and continue to let Congress know that this cannot stand.   Here is a story that quotes the Bishops and other prolife leaders.

We at St Michael Society ask that you take a moment during this busy week to join the fight.  Stop the Abortion Mandate has some great tools that you can use.

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