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OBAMA FORCING ALL DOCTORS TO PERFORM ABORTIONS!: Doctors No Longer Allowed to Have Consciences
Change is here: Barack Obama just changed the rules on doctors being allowed to opt out of performing abortions as a matter of conscious. Obama’s new rule: Perform abortions or you’re fired!
On March 6 Barack Obama’s Dept. of Health and Human Services put on display notice at: http://www.federalregister.gov/inspection.aspx
notice of intent to strip out the conscience clause, thus forcing doctors to perform abortions.
But the official publication date in the Federal Register for this significant, highly controversial change is set for Tuesday, March 10, 2009, triggering the 30-day time period for public comments and objections, when the change becomes etched in governmental stone and reversing the conscience clause put in by President George W. Bush. Public date of unprecedented magnitude is expected between pro-life and pro-abortion for 30 days following March 10.
One noteworthy point is that Obama’s pick for Health and Human Services Secretary, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, is militantly pro-abortion, so much that she actually supported the infamous Dr. George Tiller of Kansas, who specializes in performing late term ‘partial birth abortions.’ (See USA Today article below titled, “Choice of Sebelius likely to renew abortion debate”).
Commenting on the ethics of the removal of conscience clause for doctors is James Lansberry, vice president of Samaritan Ministries International. According to Lansberry, regardless of whether a person supports or opposes abortion, it is unconsciounable to forbid doctors to ‘choose’ (in ‘pro-choice’ jargon) to refuse to perform abortions. Furthermore, James contends that women in the stressful position of having an unexpected pregnancy should put them selves in their baby’s tiny shoes and think, “What choice would I want my mother to make, to save or take my life?”
James Lansberry reminds Barack Obama that his own mother opted to choose life during very difficult times and circumstances when it appeared her son might have a bleak future. Instead, today he is sitting in The White House and that he needs to allow doctors to give today’s babies the same opportunity for life.
ABOUT JAMES LANSBERRY AND SAMARITAN MINISTRIES…
James Lansberry, president of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, is a Peoria-based expert available to comment on a variety of issues related to health care, including alternatives to traditional health insurance, the economics of health care, health care public policy, health care and tax policy, and the health care industry in general.
Lansberry also is vice president of Peoria-based Samaritan Ministries International. He is a frequent radio guest and an occasional preacher/speaker at churches and conferences. His articles have been published in Heritage Forum, the Journal of Modern Ministry, and Every Thought Captive. He has been interviewed by the CBS Evening News, U.S. News and World Report and the Washington Post.
The Alliance, with offices at 2400 W. Altorfer Drive, Peoria, was formed in 2007 to track and address public policy developments that could affect member ministries, which include Samaritan and Medi-Share. The two ministries provide health care cost-sharing arrangements among persons of similar and sincerely held beliefs.
Additional information on the Web:
www.healthcaresharing.org
www.samaritanministries.org
The following article may be helpful with show prep:
THE NEW YORK TIMES/ February 28, 2009
Obama Set to Undo ‘Conscience’ Rule for Health Workers
By DAVID STOUT
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration moved on Friday to undo a last-minute Bush administration rule granting broad protections to health workers who refuse to take part in abortions or provide other health care that goes against their consciences.
The Department of Health and Human Services served notice on Friday, through a message to the White House Office of Management and Budget, that it intends to rescind the regulation, which was originally announced on Dec. 19, 2008, and took effect on the day President Obama took office.
When the administration publishes official notice of its intent, probably next week, a 30-day period for public comment will begin, after which the regulation can be repealed or modified.
It has been known for weeks that President Obama intended to review the rule and other last-minute regulatory actions once he took office, so the notice on Friday beginning the process was not a surprise. Even so, considerable emotion surrounds the issue, as illustrated by the shorthand used to describe the Dec. 19 rule. Its supporters called it the “provider conscience regulation,” while the Planned Parenthood Federation of America disdained it as a “midnight regulation.”
The rule prohibits recipients of federal money from discriminating against doctors, nurses and other health care workers who refuse to perform or assist in abortions or sterilization procedures because of their “religious beliefs or moral convictions.” Its supporters included the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Catholic Health Association, which represents Catholic hospitals.
In praising the Bush administration last fall, Sister Carol Keehan, president of the Catholic Health Association, said that in recent years “we have seen a variety of efforts to force Catholic and other health care providers to perform or refer for abortions and sterilizations.”
But opponents of the regulation, including the American Medical Association, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and Planned Parenthood, said it could have voided state laws requiring insurance plans to cover contraceptives and requiring hospitals to offer emergency contraception to rape victims. It could also allow drugstore employees to refuse to fill prescriptions for contraceptives, critics of the regulation have said.
Moreover, opponents of the regulation have said, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 already offers broad protection against discrimination based on religion, spelling out that an employer must make reasonable accommodations for an employee’s practices and beliefs.
“Today’s action by the Obama administration demonstrates that this president is not going to stand by and let women’s health be placed in jeopardy,” Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, said on Friday.
Planned Parenthood and several states filed legal challenges against the Dec. 19 regulation. Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who sued in federal court on behalf of his state and several others, issued a statement on Friday saying that his suit would remain in effect until the rule is “finally and safely stopped.”
“Dismantling this dangerous rule is a historic step toward preserving profoundly significant health care rights for women, and vital constitutional rights for all,” Mr. Blumenthal said. Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company
ANOTHER ARTICLE THAT MAY BE HELPFUL WITH SHOW PREP:
USA TODAY/ March 2, 2009
Choice of Sebelius likely to renew abortion debate
The news this first Sunday in March is led by reports that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has accepted President Obama's offer to be the next secretary of Health and Human Services.
It's not a surprise. Since former senator Tom Daschle withdrew his nomination last month following reports about $140,000 in back taxes and interest he had to pay to make up for not having previously told the IRS about a car and driver he had been loaned, Sebelius' name has been prominent on the list of likely replacements.
Now, though, it appears the wait is over. The Associated Press says it's been told by a "White House source" that the announcement about Sebelius' nomination will be made tomorrow.
Politico, which says it got its information from a "senior administration official," writes that "Obama will introduce Sebelius Monday afternoon at the White House. ... He begins his push for a health-care overhaul in earnest Thursday with a forum that brings together members of Congress, health care interest groups and everyday Americans."
The Washington Post adds that "an administration source said it is likely that Obama will nominate someone else for a second post Daschle had created for himself: director of a new White House Office of Health Reform. One name mentioned for the job is former Clinton administration adviser Nancy-Ann DeParle, who would take over the effort to conceive, sell and implement a wide-ranging health-care overhaul."
As for how news of the nomination is being received, The Topeka Capital-Journal writes that:
Sebelius, who has called for higher state tobacco taxes to finance health programs, is unlikely to face broad opposition at her confirmation hearing. Her voting record as a Kansas House member and positions as governor on abortion could draw the greatest scrutiny. She has sought to reduce the frequency of abortion, but she blocked efforts to deny women access to the procedure.
And, indeed, Christian Broadcasting Network's David Brody thinks the president is "about to get pummeled by pro-life groups. They view the Kansas governor as way out of the mainstream on abortion."
Groups are already alerting the news media about where they stand. The Christian Defense Coalition is opposed to the choice of Sebelius. Catholic United says it favors the choice.
Want to know more about Sebelius? Her official bio is here. The Wichita Eagle has gathered its reporting about the governor here.
Care to join a Forum discussion about the Sebelius news? Click here to do that.
© 2009 USA Today/Gannett
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