Life Advocacy Briefing

March 28, 2011

Shut Her Down: Reid / Quoteworthy / Cut Here!
/ Planned Parenthood Crosses Another Line / Model Legislation /
No Compromise / March for Life Speeches

Shut Her Down: Reid

WHAT IS HARRY REID’s RESPONSE TO THE IDEA OF DEFUNDING the nation’s chief purveyor of commercialized child killing?The Senate Majority Leader and his fellow travelers have made it clear, reports Peter Smith in LifeSiteNews.com.

“A coalition of pro-abortion US Senate Democrats led by [Sen.] Harry Reid (D-NV) say they would rather see the federal government shut down than allow cuts to Planned Parenthood’s federal funding.”

They’ve donned the collar; it’s they who must wear it.

The Pence Amendment by which the House voted to defund Planned Parenthood last month was one of the chief reasons Senate Democrats rejected the House-passed HR-3 Continuing Resolution to appropriate funds to keep the federal government running until the end of this fiscal year. House Members cut overall government funding by some $61 billion in that measure, cuts much deeper than Senate Democrats were willing to consider. But the Reid faction singled out Planned Parenthood defunding as one of the most objectionable cuts in the proposal.

Their embrace of the abortion behemoth comes amid scandals rocking Planned Parenthood, ranging from abetting sex trafficking of minors to refusal to protect minors by keeping suspected statutory rape a secret. The scandals have broken – and are breaking – in repeated undercover investigations of the abortion cartel, especially of Planned Parenthood.

Even without the scandals, PP’s abortion profiteering and its general involvement in contributing to the sexual delinquency of minors ought to be enough to turn off the American people and their supposed representatives in the US Senate and to put Planned Parenthood in top rank of the needed spending cuts.

 

Quoteworthy

Priests for Life director Fr. Frank Pavone in response to the vow by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to “shut down” the federal government if forced otherwise to defund Planned Parenthood: “If that’s the case, then shut it down. When a government funds massive child-killing, it has betrayed its very purpose anyway.”

 

Cut Here!

IF BUDGET HAWKS IN WASHINGTON ARE LOOKING FOR MORE OUTRAGES to attack in future spending bills, they ought to turn their attention to the State Department’s Global Health Initiative (GHI), which annually draws some $63 billion out of America in tax funds.

“Although the office was created to ‘promote disease fighting prevention programs,’” notes Family Research Council’s Tony Perkins in his Jan. 28, 2011, Washington Update, “Secretary [of State Hillary] Clinton added reproductive health to its menu of issues last year.”

GHI, charges Mr. Perkins, “will be a front for the White House’s real goal – expanding abortion policy to as many nations as possible. [Secy.] Clinton said as much in 2009,” Mr. Perkins writes, “when she was honored by Planned Parenthood. ‘I want to assure you that reproductive rights … will be a key to the foreign policy of this Administration,’” she said, quoted by Mr. Perkins.

“When pressed by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in a House committee hearing about whether ‘reproductive health’ would include abortion,” relates Mr. Perkins, “[Mrs.] Clinton said yes. ‘We happen to think that family planning is an important part of women’s health,’ she told him, ‘and reproductive health includes access to abortion.’”

Will HR-3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, apply to GHI? The pro-life proposal is intended to ban abortion subsidies across the federal government, but we frankly have doubts about whether its provisions would curb the fanaticism of the folks at GHI; only defunding GHI would ensure that effect. And can’t “global health” be left to private sector non-governmental organizations using privately donated funds of their own? Isn’t that what Congress is saying about their noble actions to defund National Public Radio? Can GHI even be justified under the Constitution?

Here’s the background, according to Mr. Perkins, of the woman “hand-picked by Pres. Obama to lead this integration of ‘family planning’ and diplomacy.” Her name is Lois Quam; she hails from Minnesota, where, Mr. Perkins writes, she was “a rabid pro-abortion activist. In fact, her husband, Matt Entenza, who was involved in state politics for years” writes Mr. Perkins, “had a 100% ‘pro-choice’ voting record. … Obviously,” urges Mr. Perkins, “anyone who cares about the culture of Life should have qualms about Quam” – and should want to strip the funding from the bureaucracy she’s preparing to lead.

Another proposed cut we’d love to see: Concerned Women for America has offered up the new United Nations Women Agency, which is seeking to extract $494 million annually from US taxpayers’ pockets – a new “boondoggle,” as CWA calls it, which taxpayers cannot afford.

 

Planned Parenthood Crosses Another Line

DOES PLANNED PARENTHOOD EVEN CARE any more about its own image? Does PP grasp what it is asking of its legislative fellow travelers?

The abortion behemoth’s Illinois branch is fighting proposed legislation in Springfield to expand the state’s list of mandatory reporters of suspected sexual abuse of children.

The legislation is aimed at Planned Parenthood, proposing to require reporting to authorities by anyone working in an abortuary or sexual health shop in the event sexual abuse of a minor is expected. Such a law would force PP to shift what increasingly appears to be an ironclad policy of secrecy even in the face of criminal activity.

Do the miscreants at PP not understand the tatters to their sheep’s clothing and the potential threat to their fundraising, both private and public?

They’ve been caught red-handed in an unconscionable racket in which precious young girls are clearly victims, and they won’t even countenance defending themselves by vowing to stop. To quote the union mobs in Wisconsin, Shame, Shame, Shame!

 

Model Legislation

AMERICANS UNITED FOR LIFE HAS RELEASED its 2011 edition of Defending Life: A State-by-State Legal Guide to Abortion, Bioethics & the End of Life. The guide can be viewed at AUL’s Internet website at www.aul.org or inquiries can be made by calling AUL at 1-202/289-1478.

The model legislation guide is valued by state lawmakers across America and offers ideas to Members of Congress as well.

Pro-Life citizens who are active in grassroots organizations or in corresponding with legislators find the model legislation guide handy in prompting ideas to pass along and then to promote.

The AUL guide is based on legal research, including case law, as well as constitutional principles. It is published by the pro-Life movement’s principal legal arm. AUL also publishes its annual report card for the 50 states within the guide.

Defending Life “comprehensivelyaddresses abortion, protection of the unborn (in contexts outside of abortion), bioethics, the end of life, and healthcare freedom of conscience,” according to AUL’s announcement of the publication. And the publication “expertly tackles legal and policy challenges for the pro-Life movement and reports on recent legislative and courtroom victories, continuing progress toward protecting Life in each of the 50 states and emerging issues and trends.”

 

No Compromise

March 21, 2011, Townhall.com commentary by Star Parker

The facedown in Congress on the federal budget must be about principles as well as absolute spending. No drunk will sober up if he only thinks about how much he drinks and not about why.

There is nothing more repugnant and flagrantly misplaced in the federal budget than the $360 million taxpayers annually send to Planned Parenthood. If we can’t eliminate this, it means either that the nation is hopelessly lost or that Republicans are weak.

Planned Parenthood funding must become the poster child for what is wrong with the federal budget. Why? We can sum up noting that funding Planned Parenthood forces taxpayers to subsidize three sins: Lies, theft and murder.

Lies. Planned Parenthood is on red alert because the House budget passed in February included an amendment by Cong. Mike Pence (R-IN) that eliminates their funding. As a result, they’re now in a full-court press lobbying and PR campaign. Perhaps you’ve seen an ad they are running on TV? It shows a doctor explaining that Planned Parenthood screens for cervical and breast cancer and that the “House has voted to take away this care.”

Sad there is a doctor who would be party to this kind of lie. We’re led to believe that cancer screening is the only or main thing that the nation’s largest abortion provider does. Their annual report notes that cancer screening accounts for 17% of Planned Parenthood’s services. Federal funding amounts to one-third of their $1.2 billion budget. My little grandson can figure out that cutting one-third of a budget leaves plenty of money to pay for what amounts to 17% of it.

You’d also think that taxpayers are the only place that Planned Parenthood can turn to for funds. Non-profits raise hundreds of billions in contributions soliciting private citizens. Planned Parenthood’s annual report shows they get 28% of their budget from contributions, less than they get from taxpayers. This is an organization that supposedly believes in choice. They can appeal to private citizens to choose to contribute rather than turning to government to force taxpayers.

Theft. Planned Parenthood insists that, by law, they don’t use government money to fund abortion services. Those funds go for the rest of their work that they call “family planning.” But the one-third of their budget that does come from government simply frees up the rest, part of which does fund abortion. You also have to ask how far you can sort this out. Which dollars go to plan, locate and construct facilities – planned strategically to give easy access to low-income, largely black women – that provide all their services, including abortion?

Just think about the “family planning” part. Where does our Constitution put the federal government in the “family planning” business? In the People’s Republic of China the government is in the “family planning” business. And Planned Parenthood spends their tax-subsidized dollars to pay millions to their lobbyists and PR firms. So we pay them to lobby to get our tax dollars to spend on activities the government should not be in to begin with. This is simply theft.

Murder. It is not an accident that nothing changes the heart of a confused young woman ready to abort than seeing an ultrasound image of the child within her. As with slavery, one day American children will wonder how butchery such as abortion could ever have been legal in our nation. Meanwhile, we shouldn’t be using tax dollars for it. Polls show that almost seven out of ten Americans oppose this.

No compromise on this one. No hiding under rocks. If we need to shut down the government, do it. Every politician must stand up for all to see who they are and what they stand for.

March for Life Speeches

Congressional speeches delivered at the Jan. 24, 2011, March for Life, transcribed by Life Advocacy Briefing from EWTN television coverage; more to follow in future editions.

Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN): Hello, I’m Phil Roe from the great state of Tennessee and the mountains. Until two years ago I was practicing medicine. I’m an obstetrician/gynecologist and delivered almost 5,000 pro-life babies. I found out that it worked out really well – you deliver your own voters! Worked out very well. The great tragedy of two weeks ago in Tucson, the first scheduled event I had following that was a pro-life march in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. A cold day just like today. We prayed for those injured, we prayed for those who died, and we prayed for the unborn. I will make you this solemn promise from this obstetrician/gynecologist: With every breath left in my body, I will fight for Life. Will you join me? God bless you, and thank you so much for being here.

Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM): Thank you very much. I’m Steve Pearce from New Mexico, one of the freshmen coming here to defend Life. Alexander Solzhenitsyn says it best: The most courageous act of a single individual is not to participate in a lie. Thank you for not participating in the lie that it is not a life. Thank you very much for that. You know, when the Israelites came out of Egypt, they spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness till a faithless generation died away. My friends, I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that we’re at 40 years and counting. It’s time for us to get out of the wilderness. With the young men and women I see in this audience today, I will guarantee you, God is going to lead us across the Jordan River and we’re going to turn away from not just funding abortions but turn away from the practice itself. God bless you. I’d just love you to jump on my Facebook. Thank you.

Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL): Good afternoon, everybody, I’m Joe Walsh from the great state of Illinois, proudly one of four pro-life freshmen elected from President Obama’s home state. I’m here to deliver one simple message: This loud, rambunctious, excited, committed freshman class is here to fight the fight with you. We will not be timid this year; we will not be quiet. You are the inspiration. You are the movement. Keep growing, keep marching, and things will come our way. God bless.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-MO): Vicky Hartzler from the great state of Missouri, and I am proud to represent the Fourth District but also proud to represent the vast majority of American women who are pro-life. We are the mothers of this country, and we respect the value of Life and we have one message for a certain woman who was Speaker of the House last year: She does not represent us. We will prevail in this fight as long as we do not get weary. If we will keep up, we shall reap a harvest. So thank you for coming. Let’s keep on keepin’ on. We can do this. Thank you.

Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY): Ann Marie Buerkle from the great state of New York. After spending thirty-plus years in the pro-life movement, I am so proud to stand here among you. You are the heart and the soul of the pro-life movement. Don’t give up. Keep on fighting. Understand the difference you make in this country. We are blessed to have you here today. Thank you for making the trip down. Thank you for your commitment to the right to Life, the most fundamental right that we have. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI): Bill Huizenga, a freshman Member from the Second District in Michigan, and yes, Michigan loves Life. Well, not only am I a proud freshman member of this Congress, I’m the proud husband to Natalie, and I’m the proud father to five great kids back in Michigan. My wife and I have been very involved in this; I’m my church’s right to Life representative, my wife’s on the board of the crisis pregnancy center in Lake Shores area, but I’ve got to tell you, this is an awesome sight, to see this many people. I took a picture; I’m putting it up on my Facebook. I want to make sure when my local media says, well how many were there, five-to-ten-thousand people? Guess what? We’ve got proof right here, folks! I know it’s a little cold. You’ve been out here a long time. But there’s a lot of us – isn’t that a good problem to have? That’s right. But you know, it’s not about young and old, it’s not about rich and poor, it’s not about Catholic and Protestant, it’s not about Christian versus Jew – this is about doing right versus wrong. We are to be the voices for those that have no voice. Keep up your fight.

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