Abortion Policy and "Health Care Reform"

NRLC Media Backgrounder: Abortion Policy and "Health Care Reform"

The above link is for anyone who would like details on the current pro-life opposition to the Senate health care reform bill that Nancy Pelosi et al. are trying to push through Congress.

You can say whatever you want about the need for health care reform, but I think a little respect for our position is in order. This is a principled stand. It is not asking a lot that the federal government spending shouldn't fund abortion. The vast majority of Americans agree, but Pelosi and her fellow crusaders can't give us the simple dignity of a guarantee. The argument that "we wouldn't be changing current federal law" is simply not good enough.

Here's a simple question: if current law supposedly already prohibits federal money from being spent on abortions, then how can it possibly hurt to respect the conscience of millions of Americans by stating in clear, simple language that health care funding will not go toward abortions? As superfluous as that may be (and my hunch is that it isn't) it would at least show some basic respect.

Pro-choicers, you might think that pro-lifers are trying to take away your personal choices. But we think you're trying to kill people with our money. Which of these really carries more weight? Be honest with yourself, and have a little respect for us.

There are plenty of us pro-lifers who would be fine with seeing this health care reform bill pass, as long as we had a guarantee that federal money couldn't be spent on abortions. So wouldn't the most prudent thing to do be simply to give us what we want? We're not asking a whole lot.

But just as I was saying back before the election in 2008, I fear people too often underestimate the abortion lobby's power over seemingly virtuous politicians. I guess "change" doesn't come without collateral damage, namely thousands more children each year being killed thanks to government spending.

Or so I am led to believe.