New Catholic Blog

New to me anyway.

She's a member of my parish and her husband is a member of my Knights of Columbus council and I only just now found out that she blogs.

Check out Prayerie Girl!

IT PASSED

I used to live in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, and I was working in the downtown area when Jimmy Johnson quit/was fired from his job as coach of the Dallas Cowboys, shortly after coaching the team to their second straight Super Bowl victory. The headline on the Dallas Morning News was only two words, in large bold letters that filled the top half of the front page:

IT'S OVER

One was tempted to wonder if the headline referred to a single man's employment with a local sports team, or Armageddon.

In the event, it wasn't the end of the world after all, and the Cowboys returned two years later under another coach to make three championships in four years.

The passage of the healthcare bill is a moment in American history which I believe will stand with the Dred Scott v. Sanford decision, the passage of the "Great Compromise" of 1850, and of course, Roe v. Wade.

Congressman Bart Stupak, on whom the hopes of so many were pinned, proved that he was a Democrat first, and pro-life second, if ever. He accepted a deal whereby President Obama promised to do with an executive order what the Congress refused to do by amendment: prevent federal funding of abortion:

The National Right to Life Committee quickly issued a scathing statement disputing Stupak's claim.

"The executive order promised by President Obama was issued for political effect. It changes nothing," the group said. "It does not correct any of the serious pro-abortion provisions in the bill."

The powerful Catholic bishops weren't on board, either.

"Without seeing the details of the executive order, our conclusion has been that an executive order cannot override or change the central problems in the statute. Those need a legislative fix," Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the bishops' conference's Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, said in an interview.

The bishops contend that the legislation before the House Sunday allows federal funding of abortion.

The bill tries to maintain a strict separation between taxpayer funds and private premiums that would pay for abortion coverage. No health plan would be required to offer coverage for the procedure. In plans that do cover abortion, beneficiaries would have to pay for it separately, and those funds would have to be kept in a separate account from taxpayer money.

Moreover, individual states would be able to prohibit abortion coverage in plans offered through a new purchasing exchange. Exceptions would be made for cases of rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother.

Abortion foes contend that the separation of funds is an accounting gimmick, and in reality taxpayers would be paying for abortion because health plans that cover abortion would be getting federal money.

Obama's executive order, the product of frenzied 11th-hour negotiations involving Stupak's group and members of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, orders federal officials to develop guidelines to carry out the segregation of private and public funds. The order also sets out a mechanism aiming to ensure that community health centers cannot use federal funds for abortions, another concern for the Stupak group.

Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., an abortion-rights supporter, said she thinks current law and the language in the health care bill go too far in restricting access to abortion. But DeGette said she doesn't have a problem with the executive order because "it doesn't change anything." [Emphasis added.]

The deal was also sweetened with a $725,000 grant for three airports in Stupak's district.

Can anyone really imagine that the president whose first executive order was to abrogate the Mexico City Policy and provide federal funding for abortion providers overseas is going to enforce an executive order alleged to prevent funding of abortion in this country?

If you are pro-life, but prefer to vote Democratic, the passage of the largest expansion of abortion access since Roe v. Wade should be disturbing to you, especially if you, like me, were counting on Bart Stupak to stick to his guns. The Republican Party, while far from perfect on our issues, now stands as the only credible game in town for any possibility of advancing pro-life legislation, or opposing pro-abortion legislation like this healthcare bill. Anyone who thought otherwise should have had their eyes opened to the truth of this point last night.

Here in Lake County, our two Congressional representatives, both supporters of abortion rights, split on this bill along party lines, with Mark Kirk (R-10th District) voting nay, and Melissa Bean (D-8th District) voting aye, despite a series of demonstrations outside her office, including one in the snow this past Saturday, which took place literally as she was announcing her decision to vote yes (look for me at the 1:24 mark):



As with the Cowboys and their coach, this is not the end of the world. It is a setback, to be sure. But while education and prayer remain important weapons in our arsenal, I think that the lesson to take from this defeat is that pro-life people must not neglect politics and political action in fighting against abortion in our country.

(Cross-posted from Lake County Right to Life Blog.)

Adam Shows Class

Adam Andrzejewski (who used to joke that his last name was Polish for "governor") endorses his former opponent Bill Brady for Governor at a rally attended by most of Brady's former primary candidates, and many other Republican candidates and officials. (H/T: Illinois Review.)



Two weeks after the election, I had a beard, too, briefly. I also appreciate that unlike many Illinois politicians, Adam includes social issues in the mix of topics he mentions. So does Brady.

St. Patrick's Parade With Joe Walsh

It was cold, breezy, and damp Saturday morning as I, the Extraordinary Boy, the Beauty Girl and John Paul (4) ventured out to join Joe Walsh to march in the Lake Villa St. Patrick's Day Parade.

The kids had had so much fun in parades for my campaign that they refused to be left behind for another, and though the weather was something less than clement, they were all real troopers.

Here are some pictures, shared with me by Tom Malinowski, who took them:

Here we are, waiting for the step-off. That's the Extraordinary Boy up on the truck, and John Paul (4) in the wagon.

Himself, as the Irish might say. Joe understands that despite the necessary form of a campaign that features the candidate's name and face, this campaign isn't really about Joe Walsh. It's about taking back the 8th District congressional seat from liberals who share neither the values nor the interests of the people of the 8th District.

Some of the group along the parade route. You can see Joe's wife, Helene, pulling John Paul's wagon, which she volunteered to do for most of the parade.

An enthusiastic group, its spirits undampened by the weather.

Joe and his wife Helene.



Joe greeted as many voters personally as he could reach along the route.



My daughter was shouting "Vote for Joe! Vote for Joe!" I hope the trailer wasn't moving when this was taken; she was supposed to be sitting down.


The whole group afterwards; Joe has his arm around John Paul.

Wrong Number, Right Result

[guest commentary by Paladin]

This was too good not to share. From the inestimable LifeSiteNews.com:

A young woman in Indianapolis, Indiana - we'll call her Erin - woke up, saw her kids off to school, dropped her preschoolers at a friend's house, and noticed that she was late for an appointment ... at Planned Parenthood ... for an abortion.

So Erin picked up her phone and called to see if she could still come in. She thought she was calling Planned Parenthood. In her haste, she dialled a wrong number.

Instead of Planned Parenthood, she got Joseph, who was answering the cell phone that's being used by ...

... get ready for this ...

... 40 Days for Life in Indianapolis!

In addition to the baby being saved, I specifically noted the following:

So what had led Erin to the abortion center? Simply put - desperation. She has four children, their father is in jail, she had lost her job, her electricity is about to be shut off, and she doesn't have enough money to pay the rent.

Sounds bad, yes? Sounds like a situation which abortion-tolerant people use when they crow, "Aha! So where are the so-called 'pro-life' people when the mother needs help? With closed pockets, crossed arms, and a 'you deserve it!' on their lips!" So... what happened next?

In the meantime, Elizabeth [the 40-Days-For-Life counselor who called Erin back] had spread the word about Erin's situation. A volunteer offered to pay her electric bill. Ten others pooled their cash to pay her rent.

Huh. Must've been fake pro-lifers; we all know that no pro-lifer would give so much as a pat on the back, to say nothing of financial support, to help pregnant women in need...

Eileen in Indianapolis says a local group is now working with Erin to help her find a job.

Yep. Definitely Planned Parenthood plants. Only PP employees would be so merciful and kind.

"She has a lot of potential," Eileen said, "but needs support since her mother and sister are still encouraging her to abort the baby."

Ah, the freedom of "choice"! Nothing quite like it, this side of... well... a rather hot place in the afterlife.

Erin has reacted with both joy and disbelief that strangers were helping her. She has called Planned Parenthood to cancel her appointment and request a refund.

'Nuff said. Now, if only that reaction would go viral...

Major kudos to 40 Days for Life, and especially to Almighty God!

Congresswoman Melissa Bean Pretends To Listen To Voters

What's more embarrassing than a congressional candidate whose condo was foreclosed?

How about a Congresswoman who fears being recorded, who refuses to listen to constituents, and who lies about her positions?

Conservatives Unite

The Revolution Will Not Be Live-Tweeted...

... After All!

It seems that in her desire to show people how safe, easy and comfortable legal abortions can really be, Angie Jackson decided to live-tweet her RU-486 abortion.

In the event, it turned out not to be the brief afternoon picnic she envisioned. Jill Stanek has the story:

Be careful what you attempt to demystify.

At 4:08 p.m. on Feb. 18 micro-blogger Angie Jackson began posting the blow-by-blows of her RU-486 abortion on Twitter. "I took the first pill a little under 2 hours ago," she tweeted.

The 27-year-old's intention, she later told ABC News, was to "demystify" RU-486 abortions.

Jackson had announced her pregnancy on Twitter Feb. 13, even before telling the boyfriend ("BF") she and her 4-year-old son have been living with since last December.

BF was on board with aborting his offspring, so when it came down to which type, four-weeks pregnant Jackson chose the RU-486 at-home medical abortion, which the FDA states can be prescribed up to 49 days, or seven weeks, after the first day of a mother's last period.

RU-486 abortions are the coming rage, much less hassle for abortion profiteers than surgical abortions. The mother takes an RU-486 pill (aka mifepristone or mifeprex) at the clinic, which kills the baby, and follows up at home with one or two doses of cytotec (aka misoprostol) pills to cause contractions to expel the baby. All for $480, as Angie tweeted.

The bonus for abortion clinics is if an RU-486 abortion doesn't work, which occurs 7.9 percent of the time according to RU-486's label, there is no guarantee, so mothers must then undergo and pay for surgical abortions – abortion double-dipping.

Notwithstanding that, along with serious, life-threatening complications that can lead to death, as has happened at least eight times in the U.S. since RU-486 was legalized in 2000, are RU-486 abortions generally less hassle for aborting moms?

Jackson thought so, basing her decision on the fact her abortion would "be over in 4-8 hrs," as she initially tweeted, and done in the comfort of her home, since she was frightened of surgery.

After visiting her local Planned Parenthood, Jackson again tweeted her abortion experience would be a "4 hour bleed-out," so this was apparently the official teaching Angie received.

But the first rule of demystifying is one must herself be demystified before attempting to demystify. If not, the demystifying process may not go as anticipated, which is what happened in Jackson's case.

Only because Angie decided to live tweet her RU-486 abortion did we learn in actuality it's a long, drawn out, painful process. For that reason I thought Angie's exposé was a worthwhile educational experience for us all.

Here are some common adverse reactions, according to the RU-486 packaging:

Nearly all of the women … will report adverse reactions, and many … report more than one. … 80 to 90 percent of women reported bleeding more heavily than they do during a heavy menstrual period. … Women also typically experience abdominal pain, including uterine cramping. Other commonly reported side effects were nausea, vomiting and diarrhea … pelvic pain, fainting, headache, dizziness... fatigue... back pain...

That's sobering enough on paper, but how does reality play out?

For nine days, from Feb. 19-27, Jackson tweeted about such severe cramps she had difficulty walking across the room. She went through 17 Vicodin in six days and at a point soon after requesting a prescription for another 20.

Jackson tweeted nausea, vomiting, backaches, headaches and bleeding. Five days into her abortion experience, Angie commented on another blog, "Honestly I had no idea this would go on so long. I thought the entire abortion would take a few hours, as I'd read in a few stories. ..."

At the bottom of this column you can read what Jackson's suffering looked like in real time, where I've synopsized nine days of her tweets.

Planned Parenthood obviously did not explain the reality of an RU-486 abortion to Jackson, nor did any of her other sources.

But Edouard Sakiz, former chairman of Roussel Uclaf, the company that developed RU-486, stated:

As abortifacient procedures go, RU-486 is not at all easy to use. ... True, no anesthetic is required. But a woman who wants to end her pregnancy has to "live" with her abortion for at least a week using this technique. It's an appalling psychological ordeal.

Dr. Etienne-Emile Baulieu, who invented RU-486, stated:

It's insulting to women to say that abortion now will be as easy as taking aspirins. It is always difficult, psychologically and physically, sometimes tragic.

Jackson stopped tweeting her symptoms on Feb. 27, when she realized I was reposting them on my blog. But she wrote the evening of March 2, "In real life, I had a terrible day & don't wanna talk about it."

So whatever the physical, emotional, psychological toll Jackson has endured up to this point, it's not over.

See the rest of the story here.

I still don't get it. If abortion is such a wonderful thing, why should it be "tragic" or a "psychological ordeal"? What other rights do we describe in such terms?

As for Miss Jackson, let's pray for her.

(Cross-posted to Lake County Right to Life Blog.)

Help Wanted, 435 Openings, Rich Applicants Only

Tom Roeser on the Daily Herald's hit piece on Joe Walsh:

The suburban-based Daily Herald... engaged in its usual task of helping elect Democrats... has just contrived a unique scandal to bar a conservative Republican from going to Congress. He is poor. He is having trouble making ends meet. The bank repossessed his condo.

Russell Lissau’s lede (aka “lead”) or beginning point in the story of March 3, says:

“A suburban congressional candidate who’s stressed the need for fiscal restraint lost a condominium to foreclosure last October, the same month he announced his bid for office, court records show.”

Hinted-at “moral” of the snidely written story by Lissau: By no means should someone who is facing this grueling experience which faces tens of millions in this recession be allowed to go to the U.S. House where matters of taxation and public spending are resolved.

Meaning that...

The House of Representatives... or “the people’s house” as Thomas Jefferson (who died in bankruptcy by the way)... described it and for which he wrote its first parliamentary rules…should not be tainted by anyone who has had trouble in making do in an economic downturn.

The Herald has found…presumably to its and its liberal editors’ presumed horror…that Joe Walsh the 8th district GOP nominee used to own a condo…which went into foreclosure and Walsh and wife and children lost it to the bank: get that!

In responding to the Herald, Walsh said “I am not a wealthy man.” He and his family lived the past few years on salary that averages $40,000 a year. Forty grand? In Washington D. C. 40 grand is what you pay a kid to do spare office work part-time on a computer (of course it’s paid by the taxpayers).

Who is this rascal wastrel Walsh, this-this shirker of fiscal restraint?

After graduating with a masters in public policy from the University of Chicago, Walsh did social work in the Chicago inner city, taught U.S. history in community colleges and ran a non-profit that rewarded the disadvantaged with private vouchers for education. After his marriage ended in divorce, Walsh got the condo. Four years later he remarried, needed a bigger place. With their family now of 5 kids, he got one and put the condo up for sale but that was 2008 at the beginning of the big downturn and no takers. So the bank has it. Big deal. And greatly different from the trials besetting the average family.

I know that when you read this you will agree with me that...

IN NO WAY SHOULD SOMEONE WHO HAS FACED THESE TROUBLES GO TO THE U.S. CONGRESS WHICH FAR EXCEEDS THE USUAL QUOTA OF MULTI-MILLIONAIRES EVEN TO BE FOUND IN THE LOCAL COUNTRY CLUBS!

Consider Lissau’s Daily Herald lede again:

“A suburban congressional candidate who’s stressed the need for fiscal restraint lost a condominium to foreclosure...”

That lede is so ridiculous I vouch it would be blue-penciled in any responsible city room... including that of The Chicago Reader where a copy editor as good as say Mike Miner (my favorite media columnist) would, I believe, shove it back to Lissau and say “please…try again. Remember our readers deserve better.” It implies Walsh lost his condo through lack of personal fiscal restraint.

Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t. Lissau doesn’t know—nor does he claim to…so why the dirty innuendo except for politics?.

And since he know, it’s an implied insult to readers who have shared Walsh’s problem to suggest lack of personal fiscal restraint caused the foreclosure when any objective study of the mortgage meltdown shows government’s responsibility in abandoning traditional lending standards and substitution of 100% loans as the Fed made banks flush with reserves to lend.

As a matter of fact, it can be argued that Walsh’s bitter personal experience with his condo makes him more highly qualified than most to Congress basis his own case history. Lincoln’s failure at storekeeping and Truman’s bankruptcy in a clothing store were not impediments—in fact they may have been advantageous since they learned from hard knocks what average folk must. [Emphasis in original.]

What I Saw At The Lake County GOP Convention

Don't get confused. The new chairman of the Lake County (Illinois) Republican Party is Bob Cook. Do NOT get that backwards and say that the Cook County GOP Chairman is Bob Lake. LAKE County. Bob COOK.

That said, I have to say that I'm very pleased to report that Bob Cook defeated Dan Venturi's bid for a third term as party chairman. Venturi had become a bit of a controversial figure for conservatives in Lake County, and while I can't recount everything that was said about him, I will say that, from my perspective as a Republican primary candidate, his dealings with me were neither as honest nor as even-handed as I might have wished (see here and here).

For those who (as I was until last summer) are unfamiliar with the process, in Illinois outside Cook County, precinct committeemen who are elected in the primary then elect the county chairman at a county convention held a month later. And so, last night, in every county in Illinois, both the Republicans and the Democrats held a county convention.

Although I lost my primary challenge for state representative I won my contested race for precinct committeeman in my own precinct, and so I was able to attend as a voting member of the convention from Avon Township.

To backtrack a bit, several months ago, my friend, Vernon Township GOP Chairman Don Castella, launched a campaign to oppose Venturi for County Chairman. He went all over the county speaking to conservatives anywhere he could find them, discussing the need for conservatives to run for precinct committeeman and elect conservative party leaders. He outlined a clear plan for what he would do as County Chairman. But, as things turned out, Castella proved to be a bit of a lightning rod for more moderate elements in the county party, and it appeared that Castella would not be able to get the votes to beat Venturi.

Then, a month or so ago, a group of conservatives prevailed on former Wauconda Township GOP Chairman Bob Cook to seek the post. While a good conservative, Cook seems more able to appeal to moderates in the party, and, I must confess, is a better public speaker than Castella. A Marine veteran, and a father of three sons who have all served in Iraq (one is currently serving in Afghanistan), Cook cannot be fairly described as eloquent, but he is forthright and energetic in his style.

It's been an interesting month as the candidates have lobbied the precinct committeemen at gatherings, by phone, by mail, and in Castella's case through email, Facebook, and a sophisticated website.

It was shaping up very much as though Castella and Cook would split the conservative vote and allow Venturi to be elected to a third term. But then, about a week ago, Castella withdrew from the race, and threw his support to Cook.

Last night, just before the voting, Venturi (evidently having canvassed the votes and realizing that he could not win) took the podium and withdrew his candidacy, asking for a unanimous consent motion to elect Cook by acclamation.

What kind of chairman will Cook be? I have high hopes. As I mentioned, Cook was a Marine sergeant, and he has a Marine's bluntness. When I spoke to him about supporting the Republican platform planks on the social issues, he didn't beat around the bush. "Killing babies is bad," he said to me. "We have to make room in the party for people who are pro-choice, but they have to understand that killing babies is bad."

Cook's clearly and consistently stated desire is to unite the party and elect Republican candidates in the general election. This is an appropriate goal for the season, but his long-term plans are more ambitious. I heard him say that he intends to increase fundraising by more than five-fold, to recruit and train more precinct committeemen (about half the precinct committeeman posts in Lake County are vacant), and improve the party's messaging. Towards this last goal, he will be ably assisted by Castella, whose understanding and use of new media and social networking tools is unequaled by anyone in the local party leadership.

Last night was a good night for conservatives in Lake County.

Joe Walsh: Good News, Bad News

My friend and Congressional candidate Joe Walsh has been getting some press lately, and frankly, it's been all over the map.

This past Sunday afternoon, with six inches or more of snow lingering on the ground, Joe took a plunge into Fox Lake:



Then, Monday, this week's Weekly Standard mentioned him in an article on conservative "rebels" putting pressure on the GOP establishment:

In still another district near Chicago, venture capitalist Joe Walsh, 48, moved back to his hometown of Barrington to run for Congress. Republican party leaders believed Walsh would finish third in the primary to two candidates better known in the district. Walsh won.

In these three primary elections on February 2, we saw something new. The conservative, anti-Washington, antispending backlash against President Obama and congressional Democrats had spread. It affected the outcome of Republican races. And this phenomenon has become a major factor in other Republican contests

But today, in what can only be described as a hit piece, the local paper, the Daily Herald put Walsh's personal finances on the front page:

A suburban congressional candidate who's stressed the need for fiscal restraint lost a condominium to foreclosure last October, the same month he announced his bid for office, court records show.

Joe Walsh, the Winnetka Republican running against Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean in the 8th House District, used to own a condominium on the 1400 block of Sherman Avenue near downtown Evanston. The two-bedroom unit went into foreclosure in 2008 and Walsh was evicted last fall, Cook County circuit court records and real-estate reports indicate.

Court papers filed in September 2008 show he stopped making mortgage payments that May.

The article goes on to revisit every invented objection to Walsh raised during the campaign. None of them amount to anything, but there seems to be some sort of idea that by stacking up enough nothings, they might equal something.

Naturally, the Walsh campaign has replied:

Statement by Joe Walsh
Regarding Personal Financial History
in Response to today's Daily Herald article

LAKE ZURICH, IL -- Our country faces critical challenges. I'm running for Congress to address those challenges. It is incredibly disappointing to me - and to the majority of voters in the Illinois 8th Congressional District - that the news media has focused not on these issues that matter to the future of our nation, but instead has consistently sought to ridicule, demean, and condescend to anyone who tries to challenge the status quo.

The politics of personal destruction is the reason we so seldom see legitimate "change agents" running for office.

I won the Republican primary by a large margin, despite being outspent because voters identified with my message. I feel like I'm losing my country and too few we've sent to D.C. are doing anything about it.

Here are the facts: I am not a wealthy man - I never have been. We have lived the past couple of years on a salary that averages $40K year, and which is more in line with the average family in the 8th. I believe that public service, including elective office, should be accessible to people of all income levels, not just the wealthy. Frankly, I believe that one of the reasons we have so many problems and we see so many bad policy choices made is because Congress is a millionaires' club. Too many of our elected officials are insulated from the devastating financial impacts of the rules and regulations they impose on us.

I know all too well what 8th district families are going through to make ends meet because I've experienced some of the same difficult and humbling financial challenges. Like so many others in Illinois in recent years, and 1 in 9 Americans nationally, I know what it's like to lose a home to foreclosure.

After graduating from the University of Chicago in 1991 with a Master's Degree in Public Policy, I chose a career in public service, knowing that the salary levels would never make me wealthy. Instead, I got satisfaction from working as a social worker in inner city Chicago, teaching American history and government at community colleges, and running the non-profit Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund. After my first marriage ended in divorce, I purchased a condominium in Evanston to be my primary residence. This was back in 2004.

In 2006 I remarried and realized that with our combined family of five children we needed a larger home. In 2006, I put the Evanston condo up for sale. By 2008 with no buyers in a down real-estate market, I found myself struggling to keep up with two homes, and five children. I accepted responsibility for the situation and worked with my bank to foreclose on the condo. It was my problem and I didn't ask anyone to bail me out. Additionally in 2008, I tried to improve my financial situation by changing careers to work with a Chicago-based boutique banking group focusing on helping new and small businesses raise investment capital. I took responsibility for my circumstances and have endured the financial consequences while working diligently to abide by my obligations.

This experience helped me gain a better appreciation for the very real economic anxieties felt by 8th district families, many of whom are just a paycheck or two away from facing similar difficulties. Frankly, the perspective I gained from this challenge helped me grow as a person and I believe will make me a better representative of working people's interests in Washington.

I knew getting into this race that the local media would do Melissa Bean's dirty work for her. And the Daily Herald has now lived down to my expectations. The media elites are part of a dysfunctional political establishment that has destroyed our economy in pursuit of reshaping America into a country working people don't even recognize and cannot afford.

I got in this race to represent the people I grew up with, the people who go to work every day and who try to make ends meet. While Melissa Bean hides from her constituents for fear that she would have to defend her radical left-wing votes for cap-and-trade and a government takeover of health care, I stand before the electorate in the light of day ready to present my views and answer all inquiries.

If enduring the ridicule of a few media types is the price I have to pay to demonstrate that a regular guy can stand up to the political establishment on behalf of middle class, working families, so be it.

The issues facing our country are too serious to allow a couple of cheap shots to get me off my message. I'm grateful for the support of fellow Republicans, specifically Gene Dawson, who told me this morning, "I'm behind you 100%." I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing since the day I started this race - talking to real voters about bringing real change to Washington D.C. [Emphasis added.]

I'm still as excited as ever at the prospect of having a fellow regular guy like Joe to represent me in Congress.

Catholic Trek

My bloggin' buddy LarryD at Acts of the Apostasy has a real gem up today!

Rationing In The Healthcare Plan

My co-blogger at the Lake County Right to Life Blog brings to our attention the latest warning on Obamacare:

Under the President's proposal, federal and or state government agencies, would be empowered to review and reject premiums charged by any health insurance plan. Rhetoric to the contrary, there is no grand-fathering clause for health care plans, which Americans currently hold.

To simplify, the primary duty of the government bureaucracies running health care reimbursements, is to hold health care spending down. This means, that we will have government officials canceling our personal health care decisions, in an effort to balance quality of treatment against cost of treatment. In other words, medicine will be all protocol. If treatment doesn't fit the protocol it won't be delivered. Protocols in medicine are a set-up for error. I can just see all the trial lawyers suing doctors for not providing standard of care treatment, because they must operate under protocol. It's an Obama nightmare.

Putting it all together, the end result is denial of life-saving diagnostic tests and treatments, because there's no money. I don't think America wants that kind of health care reform. And that's just the beginning of what's in the bill.

New Prolife Blog

Ok, well, maybe not new, but probably new to you!

Please take note of my new co-blogging spot, the Lake County (Illinois) Right to Life Blog. Going forward, I'll be a co-blogger there.

Please consider add this blog to your blogroll, your RSS feed, and "following" this blog. Check it out!

Illiinois: Human Services Committee to Take Up Illinois FOCA Bill This Week

The Human Services Committee of the Illinois General Assembly will be taking up the Illinois FOCA bill this week, possibly as soon as tomorrow.

If you were involved in fighting against this bill last year, then you will want to save the trouble of going through it all again this year, by stopping it from even getting to the House floor. Committee Chairwoman Naomi Jakobsson is a co-sponsor of the bill, and committee member Sandy Cole, whom I ran against in the recent primary, voted for this bill in committee last year, and will probably do so again. The STOP ILLINOIS FOCA blog reports:

They are the people who get to vote on whether or not this bill moves on to the House floor. It’s important that everybody contact these representatives whether or not they are YOUR representative.

They all represent you as an Illinois citizen on this committee, so they need to hear your voice.

Call, write, fax and visit these reps and tell them to vote NO on HB6205. Tell them:

• HB6205 will create a huge expansion of abortion in Illinois
  
• HB6205 will force Illinois school children into “condom training” sex-ed from pre-school
  
• HB6205 will make it more difficult for women to seek justice after a botched abortion
  
• HB6205 will pave the way for the gutting of the Parental Notice Act of 1995, which a strong bi-partisan majority of Illinoisans support

Please call, write and visit as many of these Reps as possible. Here’s the list of names and phone numbers to call. For all the details on how to contact these Reps and maps to their offices, see the full list below:

• Rep. Naomi D. Jakobsson 217-558-1009
  
• Rep. Constance A. Howard 217-782-6476
  
• Rep. Patricia R. Bellock 217-782-1448
  
• Rep. Sandy Cole 217-782-7320
  
• Rep. Annazette Collins 217-782-8077
  
• Rep. Mary E. Flowers 217-782-4207
  
• Rep. Timothy L. Schmitz 217-782-5457

I hope you'll find time today to make a call. Or six.

Cross posted to Lake County Right to Life Blog.