New York Times wrong on Oklahoma

Monday, Oct. 26th, The New York Times wrote a scathing editorial attacking the new reporting law in Oklahoma. Tony Lauinger, Chairman of Oklahoman’s for Life, submitted a letter to the editor in response. While the letter has not yet been printed, you can read it here.

Educating oneself has never been  more important than now, in our age of 24 news, and, more often than not, opinion cycle. Check out NRLC’s press release on the law for more information.  

To the Editor:

 Your “Oklahoma v. Women” (Oct. 26) does a grave disservice to the pregnant women, unborn children, and legislators of Oklahoma. 

 As the Guttmacher Institute (former research arm of Planned Parenthood) wrote in Sept 2005, “Understanding women’s reasons for having abortions can inform public debate and policy regarding abortion and unwanted pregnancy.  Demographic changes over the last two decades highlight the need for a reassessment of why women decide to have abortions.”

 Oklahoma deserves praise, not criticism, for gathering state-specific demographic and statistical information about abortions in our state.  The reports are totally anonymous and contain no information about a woman’s hometown or county of residence. 

 Reducing the number of abortions is a goal that even abortion advocates claim to support.  This legislation could help achieve that objective by identifying problems that lead Oklahoma women to seek abortions, thus making it possible to address underlying issues.

Release: NRLC: Obama-Backed Health Care Bills Threaten Biggest Expansion of Abortion Since Roe

For immediate release:            Monday, July 20, 2009                        

For more information:
Federal Legislation Department, (202) 626-8820, legfederal@aol.com
Communications Department, (202) 626-8825 mediarelations@nrlc.org  

 OBAMA-BACKED HEALTH CARE BILLS THREATEN BIGGEST EXPANSION OF ABORTION SINCE ROE V. WADE, SAYS NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE

“Abortion policy is emerging as a major issue on health care restructuring legislation, as the public is awakening to the Obama Administration’s attempt to smuggle into law the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade.”
-Douglas Johnson, National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) Legislative Director

 WASHINGTON (July 20, 2009) –  A report in today’s New York Times (“Health Bill Might Direct Tax Money to Abortion,” by Robert Pear and Adam Liptak) puts a spotlight on the Obama Administration’s attempts to secure sweeping abortion coverage mandates and abortion subsidies in the health care bills currently under consideration in the Congress.

Referring to Senator Kennedy’s unnumbered bill, which was approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on July 15, and to the House Democratic Leadership’s “tri-committee” bill (H.R. 3200), Johnson said, “These bills would result in federally mandated coverage of abortion by nearly all health plans, federally mandated recruitment of abortionists by local health networks, and nullification of many state abortion laws.  They would also result in federal subsidies for abortion on a massive scale.”

An NRLC analysis of H.R. 3200 explains in detail why general provisions such as those contained in the two bills will invariably be construed, by administrators and by the federal courts, to require coverage of elective abortion, unless Congress explicitly excludes abortion. 

The NRLC analysis also explains why the “Hyde Amendment,” a year-to-year patch on the federal Health and Human Services appropriations bill, would not prevent massive federal subsidies for elective abortions under H.R. 3200 or the Kennedy bill.

The NRLC analysis and other key documents on the issue are posted on the NRLC website at http://www.nrlc.org/AHC/Index.html

Some journalists have written casually that the bills “do not mention” abortion.  Johnson said, “The bills don’t mention cardiac bypass operations or cataract extractions, either, but those procedures will be mandated as essential services, and so will elective abortion, unless Congress explicitly excludes abortion from the bills.”

Leaders of major pro-abortion advocacy groups have made many public statements in recent months recognizing that the bills, as currently drafted, will result in vast expansions of “access” to elective abortion. 

For example, the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), the nation’s largest abortion provider, told National Public Radio that her organization saw the legislation as a “platform” to extend “access” to abortion to “all women.”  The president of NARAL said, “I am very optimistic about reproductive health care being part of this entire package.”  The president of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice wrote, “Let there be no mistake, basic healthcare includes abortion services.”
NRLC-backed amendments to exclude elective abortion from the scope of federal “essential benefits” mandates, and to prevent federal funding of elective abortions, have already been rejected by three congressional committees (Senate HELP, House Ways and Means, and House Education and Labor).  Some Democrats joined Republicans on the panels in supporting the amendments, but a sufficient number of Democrats opposed the amendments to defeat them. 

This week, Reps. Joseph Pitts (R-Pa.) and Bart Stupak (D-Mi.) will offer similar amendments during mark up sessions in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Twenty House Democrats have written to Speaker Pelosi to say that they cannot support a bill unless it “explicitly excludes abortion from the scope of any government-defined or subsidized health insurance plan.”

Members of the Senate Finance Committee are negotiating behind closed doors to craft an alternative health care bill, and abortion policy is also an issue in those discussions.  According to a July 14 report on www.newsweek.com, a spokesperson for the ranking Republican on the Finance Committee, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), said that Grassley “is opposed to mandating abortion coverage in health care legislation.”

Today’s New York Times piece quotes Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of Health and Human Services, as saying as recently as April, “Most private plans do not cover abortion services except in limited instances, but do cover family planning.  And Congress has limited the Federal Employee Health Benefit plan to covering abortion services only in cases of rape or incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger.”    

NRLC’s Johnson and Senior Legislative Counsel Susan T. Muskett are available for interviews regarding the abortion mandates and abortion subsidies in the pending health care bills.

The National Right to Life Committee is the nation’s largest pro-life group is a federation of affiliates in all 50 states and over 3,000 local chapters nationwide.  National Right to Life works through legislation and education to protect those threatened by abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and assisted suicide.

# # #

From the NRLC 2009 Press Office…

Greetings from Charlotte, North Carolina! Communications Assistant Jessica Rodgers here, in the press room monitoring media comings and goings with fellow assistant Megan McCrum, Director Derrick Jones, and our great intern Tatiana Elowson.

Today kicked off to a great start in the morning with a gathering of the leaders of NRLC and our SC and NC affiliates for a press breakfast. Fr. Tad Pacholczyk, Director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia, opened the convention with a GREAT speech on stem cells and the amazing scientific discoveries surrounding the often misunderstood treatments. Like all pro-lifers, Fr. Tad supports ethical adult stem cell research. Latest numbers show that more than 70 treatments for diseases have been derived  from adult stem cells, while embryonic stem cells have yet to have a single human trial (for more information, visit http://www.stemcellresearch.org/facts/treatments.htm) .

After a break for lunch (during which it was great to catch up with old friends!), the sessions started up with everyone heading off to their respective workshops.

Here in the press office we’ve been checking in camera crews and arranging interviews with Olivia Gans—NRLC Spokesman and Director of American Victims of Abortion and NRLC President Dr. Wanda Franz. There’s been a steady stream of old and new friends coming in to say hi, and the back of the press room has been occupied by members of National Teens for Life Advisory Board, as they prepare for upcoming workshops.

Students from the ’07 and ’08 NRLC Academy classes have come in to volunteer and attend sessions, and it’s been encouraging to see so many young faces again this year attending the National Teens for Life Convention.

I took a break from the press office to go around and take pictures for a while, and was so excited to see all of the workshops so well attended. Lights had gone out in one of the workshop rooms but even sitting in the dark couldn’t dissuade pro-lifers from listening attentively to the speakers.

The first day of the Convention is always a long one, but the energy here is great. Attendee’s are excited to hear Kate Adamson speak tonight, and are getting geared up for the prayer breakfast in the morning.

Day one is off to an excellent start- – we’ll keep you updated!

 Check out more of the action on the convention department’s blog:  www.stoptheabortionagenda.com/convention, complete with this video, which we’re totally re-posting:

More to come!

Opening Press Release: Pro-Lifers Return to Charlotte to Stop Abortion Agenda

For immediate release: 
Thursday, June 18, 2009

PRO-LIFERS GATHER TO STOP THE ABORTION AGENDA
National Right to Life Convention Returns to Charlotte

 CHARLOTTE, NC – Today, North Carolina Right to Life and South Carolina Citizens for Life welcome pro-lifers from coast-to-coast to Charlotte for the 37^th annual National Right to Life Convention. Located at the Blake Hotel, the convention kicks off with a general session featuring Fr. Tad Pacholczyk, director of education for the National Catholic Bioethics Center.  South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster will also welcome attendees at the opening session.

 “We are thrilled to return to the Carolinas for the pro-life educational event of the year,” said Wanda Franz, Ph.D., president of National Right to Life.  “With an aggressive abortion agenda and attacks on life coming from pro-abortion leadership at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, this year’s convention gives every member of the pro-life community the opportunity to network and learn from some of the leading experts in the pro-life movement.”

 Author Kate Adamson will address this evening’s general session.  In her book, Paralyzed but not Powerless, she tells her unique story of overcoming Locked in Syndrome (total paralysis from brain injury due to a brainstem stroke.)   

 Friday afternoon, renowned bioethicist and prolific author Wesley J. Smith will address the issue of assisted suicide.  In 2004, National Journal named Mr. Smith one of the nation’s top expert thinkers in bioengineering.

 In total, the convention will feature more than 70 workshops and five general sessions.  Notre Dame alumnus Fr. James Raphael, SSJ, will address the impact of Notre Dame’s decision to honor President Barack Obama – despite his pro-abortion views and actions – on the African American and pro-life communities at NRLC’s annual prayer breakfast Friday morning.  Pro-life champion Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey will finish off the convention at Saturday night’s closing banquet.

 Most impacted by Roe v. Wade’s destructive legacy of abortion-on-demand are teens and college students who have faced its consequences first-hand.  Running concurrent to NRLC 2009 is the 24^th annual National Teens for Life (NTL) Convention featuring sessions aimed at training pro-life teen leaders from across the country.

 “The goal of the convention is that everyone – young and old – leaves energized and equipped with the tools and information they need to fight back against the abortion agenda and change hearts and minds in their home communities,” Dr. Franz added.

 The National Right to Life Committee is the nation’s largest pro-life group with affiliates in all 50 states and over 3,000 local chapters nationwide. 

# # #

Appalling… yet expected

It’s as appalling as it is expected.

**Warning: Soap Box moment ahead that might fall slightly off-topic**

I’ve got MSNBC on in background in the office.  I’ve spent most of the weekend reading the Drudge Report, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, Newsweek, the New York Times, the New York Sun, the Chicago Tribune, the Anchorage Daily News, the DailyKos, Townhall.com, Redstate.com (well, you get the picture).  Without a leg to stand on or a straw to grasp, the liberal intelligentsia has done everything they can to undermine Sarah Palin’s candidacy as Senator McCain’s vice presidential running mate simply because they’re scared (and they should be).

The first attack volley came from a blogger at the ever-venomous, uber-liberal DailyKos with the unsubstantiated (and false!) rumor that Gov. Palin’s son, Trig (who was born about 5 months ago) was really her eldest daughter’s son and that the Palins covered up Bristol’s pregnancy.   Eager to discount McCain’s choice, the mainstream media started to report on the blog post.  It should be noted that they played it close to the line: they didn’t question or investigate the veracity of the blogger’s claims, they merely reported that this claim it was out there (because that’s news…maybe they’ll report that our NRLC blog is out there too). 

Next, they went after Gov. Palin’s ability as a working mother claiming that it’s virtually impossible for her to both be a mother to her children and hold the second highest office in the land.  Where are the women who have spent their lives arguing that women are fully capable of handling demanding jobs and raising a family?   Shouldn’t they be embracing Palin’s candidacy, rather than joining in to degrade her abilities?

After flailing around all weekend, they’ve finally settled into a two-prong attack: the first is what we call a “process story.”  With the “revelations” on Monday that Todd Palin (dubbed Alaska’s “First Dude” by the Anchorage Daily News) was charged with a DUI two decades ago and the announcement that Bristol Palin is five months pregnant, is keeping her child and marrying the father, the media are questioning McCain’s vetting process.  They’re peppering the Senator with questions at public events convinced that McCain only chose Palin at the last minute and, as a result, the campaign did not complete a thorough investigation of Palin’s background (when it appears the opposite is actually true: Palin was vetted completely and McCain was aware of all of the news media’s “revelations”).

The second prong is designed to rope in discussions of Palin’s working mother ability and the vetting process in one swing: Bristol Palin’s pregnancy.  It’s been more than forty years since young children were involved in a political campaign (Caroline and John-John Kennedy) and, quite frankly, the media don’t know what to do.  Bottom line: Bristol Palin is choosing life and providing a public witness for her pro-life views and that of the entire family.  The Palins obviously accept that children are a blessing.  Beyond that, it should be off the table for discussion (as both campaigns have noted, candidates’ children are off-limits) 

Watching the coverage of the DNC Convention last week, the announcement of Palin for VP, and the coverage of the RNC Convention speaks volumes to the skewed nature of the mainstream media in this election.

-Derrick