Pro-life group urges Congress to pass Senate health care bill

The usual suspects up to no good again.

What a misleading headline! You say pro-life groups and then lower actually show who signed the letter. Catholics in Alliance a pro-life group??? I guess actively supporting abortion and funding pro-abortion candidates is now called pro-life? You have to be kidding me.

This article is even so full of lies it's amazing.

This group of sham pro-lifers is joke, a sick joke.

All you do is want health care at the expense of millions of murdered babies.

You should be ashamed.

I am glad I do not have Dr. in front of my name. If you read the bill, the language is loud and clear that abortion will be funded. Our schools, for years, hand out different forms of birth control, and we think the government will not support abortion? Our presdient supports abortion. Our government supports different "charities" and "social organiziations" that are all pro-choice.

There are so many public programs in place that promote health care, but they are not known to most people. Pregnant women can get great care through social services, and their children can receive care. Every state has medical services for children of povered parents. Medicaid, if you have children, could cover a sick adult if you fit within those financial guidelines. No one is going to tell you about these services. It is up to the individual to find out.

I am not saying that there is an abundance of medical care, but it will be worse when the heathcare bill is passed. We need to look at this again and start over.

This letter is outrageous. Contrary to what this letter states the Healthcare bill currently in Congress will not prevent Federal funding for abortions. Furthermore this group states that it is interested in legislation that provides more affordable insurance for all families. This bill will do no such thing. All insurance premiums will go up under this bill. You can not mandate that insurers cover those with pre-existing conditions and not have those expenses factored into premium costs. This bill is designed to lead to the eventual demise of private insurance forcing individuals into government coverage. Finally, I want to point out that this organization is a leftist agenda organization hiding behind the guise of Catholicisim. Visit their website and see for yourself.

Alleluia and Amen! Reason from the religious! Thank you for actually reading the legislation.

It's about time.

This is a valuable development. I fear, though, that our main stream media newpapers and TV networks will ignore it, because they don't want to offend their big advertiser -- the insurance industry.

I think you will find this interesting in our talks you have been a constant proponent of pro life. I think this will help you in conversations with other pro-life oriented people.

There will be a lot of talk about health care this week on the Joel Heitkamp show on 550 KFYR. If you could call in and email me on it. That would be great.

Joey Roberson-Kitzman
joey.roberson-kitzman@changethatworks.net

Many operate on the assumption that banning abortion is the best way to reduce abortion. That is unsupported. One factor proven to reduce the incidence of abortion is economic security, and universal health care would increase that.

Women who had abortions listed multiple reasons in a 2004 AGI Survey. 73% included inability to “afford a baby now” within their list of reasons, with 23% citing that as her most important reason. These numbers are corroborated by hard economic data. Abortion rates fell nearly 20% during the good economy of the 1990s, with most of the decrease occurring at the end of the decade. Abortion rates rose the following decade as Bush and the GOP waged class warfare against all but the richest Americans.

In America, a woman must decide whether she can afford medical care during pregnancy, for the first 18 years of the child's life, and for the remaining childhood of other children. For women on the margins with no insurance, such concerns may border on absolute terror. Even those who have insurance today have no guarantee that they won't lose it before all children are grown.

Many women decide that the financial cost is too great or uncertain, and that they cannot afford a new child. Women of civilized countries must consider economic factors, of course, but health care cost is not one of them. They have guaranteed coverage, for their lives and the lives of their children.

I don't suggest that universal health insurance will prevent all financially motivated abortions, but for the uninsured it would totally eliminate a major cost factor for giving birth and raising the child. For some, perhaps many, lifetime health insurance would give them the assurance they need to continue their pregnancies.

Thank you for posting this letter along with its respected group of listed signatories. The America people, especially its poor and suffering, need your leadership on this vital issue. I hope you sent this letter to the Cardinal George and the entire body of the current United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Thanks for everything you do!

It is an absolute disgrace for any catholic to vote or defend this bill. Abortion is against the teaching of the catholic church. these people are hippocrites and should denounce this.

Health care IS A PRO-LIFE ISSUE, and people are dying because they can't afford health care, so I have never understood why the entire pro-life movement has not backed the health care reform bill.

I am happy to see that some pro-life Christians are finally speaking out about health care reform. But where are the names of the most well-known and influential leaders in the Christian churches? I suggest that this EXCELLENT LETTER to Congress be sent to ALL CHRISTIAN LEADERS. Many of them probably haven't actually researched the health care reform bill language and are simply against the bill simply because Republicans are against it, and they are only listening to Fox News.

All pro-life Christian leaders need to see this well-researched letter to Congress, and it should be read at all churches this Sunday so people can lobby the members of Congress using actual facts. I also strongly suggest that this entire article be sent to ALL News organization as soon as possible. I only found this by accident while browsing the Huffington Post.

Thank you all for your support for Health Care Reform. HCR is one of the most important issues of social justice there is at the present time.

Thanks for your courageous efforts in promoting a most reasonable Catholic ethic on Right to Life.

It's about time they stood up to the lies, proclaimed the truth, and supported health care for the American people.

I want to thank President Obama and the Democrats for saving the life of my unborn grandson by pushing the Schipp extension through with reconciliation. My son lost his job, his house, and his health insurance. His wife was pregnant with their second child. Since she has diabetes it would have been dangerous without health care. Because of this program, they didn't have to consider an abortion. There are so many others like them out there who will be saved because of our President and those who support him.

This health care bill will also save hundreds of thousands of Americans who will die in horrible suffering because they can't afford health care, along with children, elderly, and unborn babies. I can't help but wonder what these representatives will do come judgement day if they vote against health care now, if they take money from the insurance companies to betray America. There will be millions to testify against them on that day as to how they really loved their neighbors. Hiding behind the pro-life lie will not save them on that day. The God of our Fathers will not be mocked or fooled.

As a Catholic, I'm looking for a letter supporting health care from the Conference of Catholic Bishops. If they can't support this bill at the last hour, then I can't financially support the church any longer. The money I would give will be put into a fund to pay for pre-natal care and for delivery of the children of poor mothers and poor parents because I expect the Republicans to cancel the Schipp program when they take over again. Without health care, I'd say they need it a whole lot more than the Churches do and I hope other Catholics of good conscience and other religions will join me.

Thank you,

Oooh, Glen Beck, who says he knows more about Christianity and Theology than this group, is going to be so mad.

Thank you! A voice of reason in the Pro-Life world. It's nice to know it exists, and hopefully other right-to-lifers will take notice. Life isn't just about saving a blob of cells. It's about healthcare, good jobs, good education, and good social policies that benefit our citizens....who are living/breathing outside of the womb. Too many forget that after these "babies" are born....they need ongoing attention, money and care. It's good to know that there are rational folks on the right, and that they truely are pro-life, not just "Pro-Life".

At last! These courageous individuals warm my heart.

It is so refreshing to know that there are thinking people out there in
the Christian community and that not every Christian is a far right, Tea Party
radical.

I salute these groups for trying to bring some honesty to the debate over health care.

The people who have tried to tie this health care reform bill to some secret plan to expand abortion just aren't being truthful.

The number of abortions in the US have been steadily declining despite the fact that abortion is legal. Clearly this is an indication that the best pro-life position is one that changes hearts, not laws.

thank you everyone for your hard work, I do not have the time in my life to research, investigate, and talk with everyone in the know on this subject. Now I can rely on the experts in the field to tell everyone I know to support this bill, and I can back it up thanks to all of you!
Isn't that why theologians dedicate their lives to studying these moral and ethical issues? I have the desire to make the right decision but am not knowledgable enough to always come up with the answers. You all have a God given talent and are using it in the best way possible-to advance humankind in the best way possible.
Thank you again.

I am dumbfounded at the truth and honesty of the letter. Bravo to those who signed it.

This is good news. We need healthcare or insurance reform.

So the Catholics are final doing something noble and upstanding. It's about time.

It's about time Catholics stood up for what is right.

This is welcome news. There are several Catholic congressmen, including mine who continue to hold to the position that the Senate bill is less "pro-life". I wish the US Conference would re-examine their position. Please check out additional additional fact based analysis of both bills on this issue:

www.myatkinson.com

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/03/11/the-senate-bill-funds-abortions-...

I absolutely cannot believe the Catholic church would support Obamacare and abortion. This saddens me tremendously. I have a lot of praying to do. If they are not supporting abortion, I will probably leave the church.

Funny how the letter starts with a lie, continues with lies and ends with even more lies.

How did that go? "Thou shall not lie"?

Joel Hunter is a non-Catholic who signed the decree, gave the closing benediction on the final day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention, prayed with Obama on election day and lied about Obama’s abortion record.

Dr. David Gushee, yet another non-Catholic in the pro-abortion Catholic group, is a Baptist. He endorsed a fake abortion funding compromise in the Senate bill in December.

There's no question that the Republican Party's only interest is to see the failure of this President. Any objective analysis of the current Health Care Program will lead to the conclusion that even without a Public Option (for now) the passage of this legislation will help millions and millions of Americans especially the poor and middle class. I say hooray for these brave Christians.

You people who think passing this bill will help people should just start writing checks to donate to the needy. I would do the same , but can't afford it. Most people are in the same position. Besides, government controls "socialism" is not the answer. What is needed is for people realize they need to pay their own way. If I can't afford the new liver, which I abused, then I don't get the transplant, simple as that! And why should I have to pay for a primo healthcare plan for a government worker when I can't afford one myself, much less my family? It's ludicrous to think we can go on like this. It's why California is almost bankrupt. When I can't afford something, I don't buy it, why should the government be any different? It's a fact that when you start taking care of people they're going to stop trying to take care of themselves. I'll tell you the fact of the matter and that's that most people out there are so worried that THEY might actually have to CARE for an aging parent or sick relative they're willing to sell their soul to keep from being INCONVENIENCED or may have to PAY A BILL. "EEEEWWWW" the thought of it just sends shivers down your spine...or what's left of it !

I only hope that Bart Stupak and his group have read this and will heed your plea. Thank you for supporting the presidents health care plan.

It doesn't make any difference what this pro-life, or any other group says. The members of congress who are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the insurance and drug companies will always figure out some way to object, obstruct, and say NO.

If the religious right fails in its efforts to torpedo health care, we will owe a debt of gratitude to the religious leaders who signed this letter.

It is sad the fraud that is being used to pass this bill that the American People do not want.

Here is the truth about your little Catholic "organization."

http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/03/figures-fake-catholic-group...

Finally, some common sense in this very divisive issue. Thank You

Most excellent news :) Bravo for the intelligent and thoughtful pro-life group, and hopefully this is the end of GOP and Health Insurance Industry misinformation.

Thank you for this letter. We need to have reasonable, respectable voices in the effort to pass healthcare. More facts, less screaming.

You might have wanted to spend a couple of minutes investigation the organization before you published your article. 1.) Google the “Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good” 2.) Check out their staff bios 3.) Field Director Victoria Kovari: worked for MOSSES an affiliate of the “Gamaliel Foundation” read about their connection to Barack Obama then check out this spooky link of the Gamaliel Foundation praying to Obama. michellemalkin.com/.../creepy-o-cult-video-of-the-day-deliver-us-obama/ I guess I am asking a little to much when I expect the media to check the back ground of a group before they use them to make a point.

Would a voter in Michigan forward this to Bart Stupack, please?

Can the signatories to his letter please try to contact the following legislators who are purportedly threatening to interfere with this vital social justice legislation?

Bart Stupak (D-MI), Joseph Cao (R-LA), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Kathy Dahlkemper (D-PA), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Steve Dreihaus (D-OH), Brad Ellsworth (D-IN), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Jim Oberstar (D-MN), and Charlie Wilson (D-OH).

Fantastic! Never understood the logic of defending fetuses but not people.

It is my hope that this letter was sent to the Stupak group,especially Bart Stupak. Stupak claims to be a Catholic, but his latest verbal barrage makes him sound like an Evangelical idiot. It my hope this type of reasoned, fact based argument might break through the "C" Street buy off.

finally, a group of well thinking people has made the whole healthcare debate more clear to my family and me. Thannks to the National Catholic Reporter.

Finally some truth and reason from leaders such as you. Dobson, Falwell, Perkins, Reed and Robertson et al have prostituted the mission and message of Christ for political and cultural advantage. Have selfishness, greed and material gain blinded us to the imperatives of Scripture? Is power retention more important than the charge christians
have been given? "Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me,that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the Lord. Jeremiah 9:23,24

Well, what are you waiting for? Tell ol' Stu(ped)pack and his stooped pack of 12 to get in line and support the bill.

I have health care through my job but have been very concerned about those that don't have health care. Mathew 25:40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Hopefully, your support will help millions of Americans who can’t afford (the least of these brothers of God) health care obtain it!!!!!!

Let’s Get Health Care done!

Sincerely,
A Child of God

I will say, that my experience with pregnancy at an older age of of 44 was met with adversity and hatred by a "pro-life" medical staff. They viewed me with a "moral" objective of dismissal and willingness to let my medical issues be overlooked,
In other words, the younger nursing staff viewed my miscarriage with an eye of ageism and allowed medical issues such as my IV line causing my veins to become swollen and and my hand to inflate to be overlooked as non-medically significant and other supposed non-medical issues such the fact that my physical status being tired and the fact that that my fetus's vital signs not registering on the doplar sonar scan to be viewed as not-medically significant when wiltin 4 hours later I was in a serious medical trauma in ER Dept. but the nurse telling me she did not have time for this for she "just got here.". This being me in the midst of a miscarriage.
The problem with all of this "non-governmental" management of healthcare is that when you're in the midst of the trauma, some idiot with an idea of "how it "should" be, suddenly is in the the position of deciding "how it is." BUT, there is no qualification on their perspecitve other than maybe, , . , "what Glen Beck or Rush Limbaugh said in his last radio show.' I have lived this. I lost my baby and almost my life because of some "Southern" Conservative Rush Limbaugh-esque figure--Psuedo-consrvatuve staff===== who was a devoted listener of Rush,Beck et al, deciding that my baby and I were not not worth the effort at the time. This was my reality.

This was my and my husband's reality on an August night in August 2004.

I almost died by this. So, no Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachman, whatever her name is, can speak for me. For when I am close to death and am watching my fetus dye on the songram, and these self-appointed life moral "gods" are allowing me and my baby to die because they THINK God has spoken to them through Glen Beck or whoever they tnink God has spoken to them through "feel" justified letting me and my baby suffer-----I am sorry but I can't go on. I think you know the reality I suffered. One day I will have the strength to fight these villians through legal means but for now I am glad I can even articulate what I went through. These were CONSERVATIVES making my nightmare. Do Not BE SWAYED BY THESE DEMONS GREEDERS. They will throw you in the fires of hell if THEY think they are justified. AND they can do this for just not "liking" you or just not "wanting" to. NO LAWS. Just Their Own Moral Justification. I Hope the Catholic Church Finally realizes this.

One can only hope that the misguided myopic Conference of Catholic bishops heed this important letter and get better informed. they risk health care refrom and access for almost 50 million people all because they don't have enogh insight and open mindedness to read the facts.

Are you listening bishops?

Stop being so stupid. Republicans are so wrong on the health care bill. Pro-life medical groups are not pro-life at all. There are southern medical groups that promote the killing of fetuses to older mothers , whom their nurses treat with utter disrespect due to their advanced ages. They are a farce. They kill fetuses of older maternal patients while arguing for the pro-life agenda. They are not pro-life at all. They allow the for medical neglect of mothers in allowance of disregard for feuses of mothers of advanced age that are in disstress.

Please note that all of the "Catholics" who signed on to this letter are raging secularists. Catholics do not support abortion period and this bill does which is why the Stupak language is critical. It really tells you something about how "Catholic" a person is when they go against the will of the USCCB. Also, did can we talk about how the Catholic Health Alliance paid 1 million dollars in support of the Senate BILL which DOES support abortion. Thou shalt not kill (including unborn humans, Catholics)

Its amazing the lies conservative factions are trying to spread that say there are federal tax dollars that will be going to fund abortions.

Thank you God for encouraging these folks to go public with what they have used their ears and eyes to hear and see. The truth shall set you free.

pl.ease send to congregations in my city of Baltimore to all catholic civic groups within the church and EMTN

Please take a moment and read this brief statement from the USCCB.
http://www.nrlc.org/AHC/USCCBfactsheetOnSenateBill.pdf

When I finally become jaded after so often seeing facts being turned inside out by those that call themselves catholics, it is so refreshing to see people of faith be unemotionally analytical and stand up for what's true. I mean, I know that you're not all bible-thumping politicians with crooked agendas, but I see it so often now that I'm afraid I'd been in danger of becoming biased. Thank you for restoring my wonder in and appreciation for organized religion.

It's nice to see these people, with whom I disagree on many points, make a strong and principled argument in favor this bill.

It's worth noting also that fewer sick kids and parents = fewer abortions.

This letter is the only bright spot in a long few weeks of reading objections and accusations about abortion coverage in health care. Thank you to these brave people and organizations who are speaking out to try and give people the truth.

And shame on groups like Operation Rescue who are spreading the biggest and most egregious lies I've seen, calling this bill "the largest expansion of abortion funding in history" -- and then asking for donations to stop it.

Health care reform will save millions of lives. How can anyone call themselves "pro-life" and be fighting against life-saving reform? If this legislation does not pass, it will be the so-called "pro-life" groups with death on their hands.

I do not understand how people can vote against their own self interest. People rather die than to allow their government to act on their behalf as opposed to the governments. The bill clearly does not use federal funds for abortion. People who believe that a fetus should have consitutional rights as a "person" (who fit the legal definition of a person) do not understand the legal pitfalls such would cause. Once a fetus is considered a person, the fetus is guaranteed constitutional rights at the moment of conception.
Which means, if a woman crosses the border conceives while in the US and deported thereafter prior to giving birth, such deportation would be unconstitutional as the government would be deporting a US citizen, i.e. the fetus. If a mother was arrested for a crime and expecting, how would you protect the 4th amendment rights of the fetus, would you force her to give birth at 15 weeks? What if a mother slips and falls down her steps rushing to work and has a miscarriage. Should the father be able to bring a wrongful death suit on behalf of his child against the mother? Health care is necessary for the survival of the people. Iam not surprise at the negative reaction to health care and helping others as we are one of the few countries that actually place our family members in nursing homes. If we choose to put our families in the hands of strangers instead of our own, its not surprising that we will do little for a stranger.

It's been shown that universal health care reduces the number of abortions. It's happened in many countries that have universal health care and it can happen here -- this reform is just the start of it.

Anyone who sees abortion funding in this bill isn't reading the same bill I am. But it's great to see that the people who wrote and signed this letter are actually reading the bill, because it seems like most of the "pro-life" community and movement is convinced because of the lies and false information spread by so many who want to see this bill fail.

People are dying every day because even though we have the best health care in the world here in this country, there are tens of millions of Americans who don't have access to it. (Being able to go to the hospital and get treated when you're sick, which is followed by tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in bills, does not count as access.) Fear of being pulled under and into serious debt and bankruptcy keep people from seeing their doctors until they are dying or dead. And women who can't afford to pay for pregnancy/prenatal care, labor, and delivery choose abortion. By providing health care access through insurance plans for (nearly) every American, this bill is the start of a better system, one that doesn't discriminate based on how much money you make or whether you have a pre-existing condition.

Thank you. I am Catholic, Pro-Life, and Pro Healthcare Reform. Your position is logical and ethical. I've spent 30 years in healthcare administration, and I know this bill is the right thing to do for all Americans.

Health care is what everyone need for this would help us to stay healthy. If a person is not physically fit, for sure he won’t have the capacity to perform his job well. The House is going to vote on the health care bill on Sunday, and there are additional Democrats crossing the line to vote for it. After first opposition, Dennis Kucinich decided to vote yes and John Boccieri (D-OH) recently decided to vote yes as well. The CBO can't decide if will trim the deficit, or send the government sprinting for payday cash advances if it passes, and honestly, they have about as much accuracy as chance. Health care reform should indeed be an important issue, but I'm still not entirely sold that we need government in on the action.

I do not think it's a good idea.this health care bill is a matter of argument.Pro-life group are trying but efforts are not sufficient.there are a huge doubt that it will not go so far.
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