President Obama’s Executive Order Will Not Protect The Unborn

I just posted this over at the We The Posterity Blog and wanted to share it here as well

Being in the dark ages and not owning a smart phone, I don’t get the news as quickly as others.  My first glance of cnn.com I thought I saw good news about health care reform as Stupak announced that an agreement was reached which would protect the sanctity of human life.

Unfortunately, this agreement comes from an executive order that President Obama has agreed to sign which would prohibit federal funds from going towards abortion.  On the surface there seems to be promise, but as we dig deeper Obamacare is not as pro-life as Pelosi, Obama and others would want us to believe.

However, if the bill excludes federal funding for abortion, why is an executive order necessary?

The answer, of course, is that President Obama and the Democratic leadership know that the Senate health care reform bill includes subsidies for insurance plans that cover abortions, could possibly lead to abortion coverage mandates for insurance companies, and does not prevent other funds in the legislation from directly paying for abortions.

The question then becomes, can an executive order correct all of the abortion-related problems in the bill?

The answer is a resounding no. While a carefully worded executive order might be able to take care of some of the mandate concerns, it cannot correct all of the abortion-related problems with the bill. A statute cannot be undone by an executive order or regulation. For example, an Executive Order cannot prevent insurance plans that pay for abortions and participate in the newly-created exchanges from receiving federal subsidies, because this allowance is explicitly written in the bill…

Further, Executive Orders can be undone or modified as quickly as they are created. In spite of the fact that the American people overwhelmingly do not want to see their tax dollars go toward abortion, we continue to see restrictions on federal funding for abortions reduced to executive orders, appropriations riders, and regulations. The majority of Americans want to see a prohibition on federal funding for abortion included in permanent, statutory law.

Congress failed to deliver a statutory prohibition on abortion funding in health care reform, and an executive order cannot do the job.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columns/OpEd-Contributor/William-Saunders-Democrats-EO-offer-shows-Obamacare-does-fund-abortion–88766547.html

The following is a statement that Charmaine Yoest, from Americans United For Life made to the press.  You can read the full thing here: http://blog.aulaction.org/2010/03/21/yoest-executive-order-won%E2%80%99t-stop-taxpayer-funded-abortion/

“Once again, the proposal to address the problem of abortion funding in the health care bill through use of an executive order is a tacit acknowledgement that the bill as it stands is pro-abortion legislation. Both the President and the Speaker have repeatedly denied this stark fact.

Furthermore, the AUL legal team has concluded that an executive order is not an adequate fix to mitigate the Senate bill’s establishment of taxpayer-funded abortion.  For example, an executive order cannot prevent insurance companies that pay for abortions in the exchanges from receiving federal subsidies.

In addition, executive orders can be undone or modified as quickly as they are created. President Obama revoked the Mexico City Policy, through the use of an executive order, and thereby allowed federal tax dollars to finance organizations that provide abortions internationally for the first time in years.

This fact, coupled with the Administration’s repeated endorsement of the pro-abortion lobby’s agenda, force any reasonable person to conclude that this bill will clearly create the largest expansion of taxpayer-funded abortion in American history.”

In summary, the two big takeaways that we need to remember is that 1)An executive order cannot prevent federal funds from paying for abortions and 2)The language in the original bill did not prohibit abortion from being funded by tax payer dollars.  If it did, then there would be no need for an executive order.  Please continue to pray for our nation and the unborn.

“Abortion is about life”

Abortion IS about life. That is the crux of the issue, isn’t it? Either the abortionist removes a lump of nonliving tissue from the womb of a woman, or the abortionist cuts a human life in pieces (or in some cases – and I realize this reality is difficult to read – drills a hole in a baby’s head and sucks its brains out) summarily acting as chief judge and executioner, presiding in judgment over the end of a human – potential or not. In health care reform, either our country will afford “women’s health care” that includes the right to end the life of another or it will reapportion funding from the deep pockets of abortionists like Dr. Wicklund and Planned Parenthood to the compassionate services offered at pregnancy care centers and for adoptive homes.

via Family Voice

Heaping Coals

There is a pro-life blog that I read and the author of the blog is live-blogging the pro-life protest in South Bend.  As I was reading about all of the arrest and the attitude of some of the pro-lifers there my heart wept as I wondered if God was pleased.  Paul tells Timothy in 1st Timothy:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. – 1 Timothy 2:1-4

As I said before, there is place before protesting and picketing, but if you know you will be arrested, is that leading a peaceful and quiet life?  Is disrupting the commencement service, which is supposed to be a joyful time for many considered “Striving for peace with everyone. (Hebrews 12:14)”  Although the protester mean well, it appears that they missed the big picture.  They are becoming more of a curse to those that they are against instead of a blessing.  Kindness is the key to your opponents heart.

To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” – Romans 12:20

No matter one told me they were considering protesting at Notre Dame and asked for  my advice.  If they did asked for my advice, I would have directed them to 1 Timothy 2:1.  I would have encouraged prayer, followed by more prayer, capped off with more prayer.  Prayer for Obama, prayer for mothers, prayer for society, there are so many areas that need to be prayed over in this country.  No true success or fruit will come without prayer.  Public and private prayer can accomplish much.  “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16)”

Aside from prayer a civil exchange of ideas probably would have accomplished much.  There is a reason why a recent gallup poll showed that more people in America are pro-life instead of pro-choice for the first time since 1995.  Consider the fact that the street preacher is usually the least effective means of outreach.  A two-way conversation is always more profitable than one side shouting at the other.

If I still lived in South Bend

I have been asked before my thoughts on Obama speaking at Notre Dame’s commencement.  Honestly, I have no problem with him speaking at ND’s commencement.  The problem I have and the crux of the issue, is the honorary law degree that Notre Dame will present to him for being the speaker.

If Obama was to speak at one of my alma matters, Ball State or Indiana University, I would have no qualms with him speaking and being honored at commencement.  I don’t see Obama speaking at commencement as much of a pro-life issue, but more of a catholic church issue.  There is enormous irony in the fact that one of the biggest pro-life groups in America would give a law degree to the most pro-abortion president in American history who is using the law to make abortion more accessible, not only in America, but globally.

With all of this said, I am somewhat disturbed by all of the picketing and protesting being done by pro-life groups in South Bend.  I could potentially see it as justifiable if there was a chance they could reverse Notre Dame’s  decision on who they would want to speak and honor at commencement.  If Notre Dame only had Obama as a speaker on campus and not honoring him, then I think the protesters would have even less of a case.

I believe that there is a time and a place for protesting abortion clinics.  In this scenario, a better and more effective alternative would be to engage the culture in conversation.  Often times, picketing and protesting like what is happening in South Bend can be more of an annoyance and something that people tone out.  Seeing a sign and protester most likely will not change a person’s mind.

By dialoguing walls can be broken down and a conversation can be had.  A conversation leads to a relationship and this is where change happens.  People aren’t engaged by protestors, maybe enraged, but protesting only makes it about us versus them.  An us versus them never wins people, but only alienates them.

If abortion is about women’s rights, what about those of unborn women

[ht: Christ is Deeper Still]

Why I am voting for McCain

I am a registered republican and will without a doubt for McCain this fall.  With all of that said, I definitely have a lot of respect for Obama.  What he has done in terms of making history by becoming the first African American to be represented by a political party for the presidential election is hard to describe.  I can not even come close to the imagining the significance of this for my parents or others who lived through the Civil Rights Movements in the 60’s and 70’s (Go here for a timeline).

If it were not for Obama’s position on abortion then I could see myself voting for him.  I am single issue voter, because this issue trumps all other and also factors into all other major issues.  A candidate who is pro-life cares about justice for ALL, whereas a candidate who is pro-choice only cares about justice for those that can vote for him/her.  There are other important issues in this election, but to me this is the most important.  Even if McCain gets elected and is not able to do anything to overturn Roe V. Wade, I must still continue to speak up for those with no voice to speak up for themselves.

Below is an excerpt of a column by Joel Belz where he explains that being anti-abortion is not an isolated package from other political issues.

“To be robustly and consistently anti-abortion is at the very same time to cast your vote for environmental sensitivity, against racism, and for economic justice. These are not independent, isolated packages.

It’s hard to see how anyone can claim to be a protector of the environment and not put a high priority on the preservation of human babies. To defend a focus on the future of polar bears and whales, while asking evangelicals to get less noisy about infant humans, is an embarrassing contradiction.

Similarly, keep in mind that abortion is one of the most racist of all social causes in history. Minorities don’t just happen incidentally to be targeted by the practice of abortion. The history of Planned Parenthood and similar organizations is racist to the core—as is their current practice.  (reference http://www.blackgenocide.org/)

And no economist can look at the loss of 50 million American babies over the last 45 years and not wince at the impact of such a drain on the economic vitality of our society. Today’s poor Americans are poorer than they would have been if we’d taken care to preserve enough consumers—and workers—to fill a state one-and-a-half times as big as California. Tomorrow’s elderly will worry about Social Security more than they would have with 50 million more contributors to the system…

It’s the folks promoting causes like abortion and same-sex marriage who are the real “single issue” fanatics, falsely teaching that you can mess with just one or two aspects of life without upsetting the balance God so wondrously installed in His creation order.”
Copyright © 2008 WORLD Magazine
July 12, 2008, Vol. 23, No. 14