America Is Pro-Life On 37th Anniversary of Roe. Abortion Advocates Have Reason To Be Alarmed.

I think I'm going to start blogging again.  There's too much to comment on right now to leave to updates for the Nevada LIFE email newsletter. 

Here are comments from a press release I wrote for Nevada LIFE on the 37th anniversary of the notorious Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions which struck down abortion laws in all 50 states, made abortion legal throughout pregnancy for almost any reason and have led to 52 million abortions. Don't let anyone (pro-abortion, pro-life or pro-choice) discourage you. We've made tremendous progress that other special interest groups can dream about.  We document below.  This is the nuts a bolts of the short talk I gave at the Second Annual Carson Douglas Pro-Life Rally.

America Is Pro-Life On 37th Anniversary of Roe. Abortion Advocates Have Reason To Be Alarmed.

The following statement can be attributed to Nevada LIFE President Don Nelson:

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Supreme Court decisions which struck down abortion laws in all 50 states, made abortion legal throughout pregnancy for almost any reason and have led to 52 million abortions. But despite thirty-seven years of abortion on demand, abortion advocates have reason to be alarmed at the pro-life movement's progress. Thirty-seven years after Roe, America has become a pro-life nation, the young are profoundly pro-life, political efforts are failing despite control of all three branches of government, and more and more abortion limitations supported by wide majorities of Americans are being passed in state legislatures.

1. America is a pro-life nation. A series of polls over the last 10 years, including the 2009 Gallup poll, show that a majority take a pro- life position on abortion. 51 percent in Gallup described themselves as pro-life. 42 percent said they were pro-choice. More are pro-life than realize. 60 percent told Gallup that abortion should either be illegal in all circumstances (23 percent) or legal in only a few circumstances (37 percent). 37 percent said abortion should either be legal under any circumstances (22 percent) or under most circumstances (15 percent). 56 percent said abortion was "morally wrong." Only 36 percent said abortion was "morally acceptable".

2. Young people are pro-life. Nearly 70 percent of high school seniors believe abortion is always or usually "morally wrong." 80 percent say that pregnant seniors should either keep her baby (26 percent) or place the child up for adoption (54 percent). Only 13 percent proposed abortion.

3. Abortion advocates are hemorrhaging politically. State legislatures have passed hundreds and hundreds of "anti-choice" laws and regulations. These include abortion limiting laws and funding prohibitions like the Hyde Amendment, informed consent, parental involvement, clinic regulations, waiting periods, conscience protections, the born alive infants protection act, the partial birth abortion ban, unborn victims of violence act and more. These laws and regulations are largely responsible for the large decrease in abortions in the United States. Abortion advocates oppose all of these widely supported laws and regulations. And despite abortion advocates control of all three branches of government, pro-life political efforts have stopped the Freedom of Choice Act and the health care bill appears to be dead, in large part due to abortion funding provisions of the Senate bill.

4. Science and technology undermine abortion propaganda about the unborn. Ultrasound and other technologies expose abortion's lie that the unborn is a blob of tissue, a clump of cells, mere contents of the uterus, products of conception, a pregnancy mass etc. These technologies show that the unborn is a someone, not something; a person with great potential, not a potential person, unique human being not part of his mother's body. It's no wonder that abortion advocates oppose laws requiring ultra sound and materials describing the unborn to be seen and explained to women considering abortion. Some have even called ultra sound a pro-life weapon.

5. Abortion advocates are also losing their argument that abortion is good for women. 60 percent of aborting women say "part of me died." As many as 65% report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. 53 percent say abortion is almost always a bad thing and a tiny 13 percent said abortion is almost always a good thing for women. Tomorrow, 30,000 people will be marching in San Francisco behind the banner "abortion hurts women." (note: read more about the impact of abortion at www.unfairchoice.info.)

6. Americans are finding common ground on abortion but abortion advocates aren't part of it.Wide majorities of Americans, including many who are pro-choice on abortion, support government funding bans, bans on brutal partial birth abortion and parental notification. They also support proper informed consent, waiting periods to think it over, anti- coercion requirements, conscience rights, laws that treat the unborn as a victim when assaulted by murderers like Scott Peterson and they oppose abortion alternatives provided by Crisis Pregnancy Centers and more. Millions and millions of Americans are alive today because of these limitations supported by wide majorities of Americans. Abortion advocates like Planned Parenthood, NARAL, the ACLU, NOW and others oppose them all.

Abortion advocates have reason to be alarmed. 37 years after Roe, America is pro-life and abortion advocates are getting farther and farther in the rear view mirror of growing majorities of Americans. 30-

Americans Are Becoming More Pro-life

Here is an op-ed I wrote that was published in the Reno Gazette Journal last month.

January 28, 2010
Reno Gazette Journal

Don Nelson: Americans Are Becoming More Pro-life

Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Allison Gaulden's op-ed "There are good reasons to celebrate Roe v. Wade" [Voices, Jan. 21] illustrates important differences between pro-life and abortion advocates on abortion issues, and who is shaping the direction America is heading on abortion.

First, Gaulden's reference to German pastor Martin Niemoller speaks volumes. Niemoller lamented that his failure to speak up about injustices against other groups at the hands of the Nazis led to a Holocaust and his own victimization.

Second, it's striking that a Planned Parenthood spokesperson would quote Niemoller. There have been 52 million abortions since Roe and nobody has done more abortions, operates more abortion clinics, advocated or profited more from abortion than Planned Parenthood.

Third, abortion feminists' presumption to speak for women is false. Not only do abortion feminists not speak for women on abortion since more women are pro-life, the founding feminists were, without known exception, opposed to abortion. Susan B. Anthony said that abortion was child murder. She and the early feminists would forcefully oppose the 52 million abortions since Roe and be revolted at celebrations of Roe.

Abortion advocates' opposition to parental notification, waiting periods, bans on partial-birth abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion demonstrates abortion advocates' extremism. These measures are supported by wide majorities of Americans, including many who are pro-choice. So are true informed- consent, anti-coercion screening, conscience rights, alternatives provided by crisis pregnancy centers and laws that treat the unborn as a victim when killed by murderers like Scott Peterson. Abortion advocates oppose them all.

There are good things to celebrate 37 years from Roe. Americans are making steady progress to reduce abortion. The percentage of women having abortions is down one-third. Yearly abortions are down 25 percent while our population increased 20 percent. The ratio of abortions to live births is down. Teen abortions are down a stunning 50 percent!

This dramatic decrease is largely due to the widely supported limitations. The Guttmacher Institute says 35 percent of women who would have aborted didn't because of the ban on taxpayer funding through the Hyde Amendment. Millions of Americans born since 1976 are alive today and owe their lives to these provisions opposed by abortion advocates.

Not only are abortions down, a series of polls also shows that Americans are pro-life and that America's youth are profoundly pro-life. State legislatures have passed hundreds of widely supported laws and regulations. And despite abortion advocates' control of all three branches of government, the Freedom of Choice Act is dead and the health-care bill appears doomed in large part due to the Senate version's abortion funding provisions.

Thirty-seven years from Roe, there are some things to celebrate. America is pro-life, abortions are down and Americans are moving toward a more pro-life policy on abortion.

Don Nelson is president of Nevada LIFE (Life Issues Forum and Education).

Terms "Medically Necessary” Or Medically Appropriate Abortions Means Any Abortion.

Abortion advocates and supporters like Senator Barbara Mikulski use phrases like “medically necessary” or “medically appropriate” abortions or services to hide what they really mean when talking about abortion.  What they really mean is abortion on demand-abortion for any reason that a woman may give for an abortion-not abortion because the unborn presents a threat to the mother’s life or even her physical health.  National Right to Life notes that “with respect to abortion, the term ‘medically necessary’ merely meant that the woman was pregnant and desired an abortion, not that some health-related criteria were involved. (See p. 3)  National Right to Life quotes a former Planned Parenthood VP to substantiate this

 

“In 1993, William Hamilton, vice president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, told Knight-Ridder Newspapers that “medically necessary” abortions include “anything a doctor and a woman construe to be in her best interest, whether prenatal care or abortion” (Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 8, 1993). The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) defined “medically necessary” as “a term which generally includes the broadest range of situations for which a state will fund abortion” (Who Decides? A Reproductive Rights Issues Manual, 1990). A senior Clinton Administration health official told Congress, “When we're talking about medically necessary or appropriate [abortion] services we are also talking about all legal services” (Judith Feder, principal deputy assistant secretary for planning and evaluation, Department of Health and Human Services, Jan. 26, 1994). (See footnote 5)

 

When you hear people like Mikulski talk about "medically necessary" or "medically appropriate" abortions or procedures, it’s code language for abortion on demand-throughout pregnancy for any reason.

Planned Parenthood Accuses But Ducks Debate. Nothing New.

The local and national Planned Parenthood offices have accused opponents of taxpayer funding of abortion  reform of lying, spreading misinformation, scaring and attacking women and more, locally and nationally.  They’ve say this in regards to our claims that current health care proposals will fund abortion.  The Family Research Council has challenged them to a debate.  They won’t anymore than Harry Reid will stand in front of his constituents at a town hall meeting. 

 

From FRC. 

 

“Nearly two weeks ago FRC couriered a letter to the president of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, inviting her to debate the question of taxpayer-funded abortion and whether or not citizens would be forced to fund abortion under the current health care reform bills.

 

“We have been met with silence.

 

“Please help us by contacting Ms. Richards and asking her to accept the debate.  Planned Parenthood and their allies continue to mislead the American public about taxpayer funding of abortion in the current health care bills.

 

“We keep insisting that if there isn't a prohibition of federal funding of abortion-like the Hyde Amendment-then federal money will flow into the abortion industry.  This is exactly what Planned Parenthood wants.  They currently receive almost one-third of their clinic income from abortion.

 

“Just think what they would do if even more federal dollars were funneled to them!  Email Ms. Richards today.  Tell her its time she showed up to the debate instead of issuing proclamations through the media.”

  

If you are going to call people liars, accuse them of spreading misinformation, say they are reprehensible, accuse them of using red herrings and call them “evil mongers,” you ought to have the guts to debate. 

What's In Health Care Reform For Planned Parenthood? Money.

Planned Parenthood has been accusing opponents of taxpayer funding abortion through health care reform of lying, spreading misinformation, scaring and attacking women and more, locally and nationally, to keep the truth from coming out that the health care reform plans as written will fund abortion through the taxpayer and our taxes will flow to Planned Parenthood.  Senator Barbara Mikulski has already said that money will go to groups like Planned Parenthood.  What’s in it for Planned Parenthood?  As usual, a boat load of money.  They already received $300 million in taxpayer funding for US operations alone.  Unless abortion is explicitly excluded, it will include abortion too.

Check out this video of Senator Mikulski and Senator Hatch.  Note, when Mikulski says anything deemed medically necessary or appropriate, she means any abortion.  Why can’t they just say abortion and abortion on demand, anytime a woman wants one? 

 

Planned Parenthood in Spokane Fined 700K for Medicaid Overbilling on Abortion

Another Planned Parenthood was charged and this one fined for overbilling Medicaid on abortion.  What else is new?  From the story at LifeNews.com

Planned Parenthood tries to project a professional, ethical image, but they can't stop things like this from popping up and it seems that every month another video surfaces with a Planned Parenthood employee telling a young woman in stings who is pretending to be a teen pregnant by an older man, how to help her sexual predator boyfriend keep from getting caught by the law.  Here's the story on overbilling from LifeNews.com

Spokane, WA (LifeNews.com) -- The Planned Parenthood abortion business in
Spokane, Washington has been hit with a $700,000 fine from the state health
department. The result of an audit by state officials shows it was routinely
overbilling Medicaid for abortions as well as contraception and family planning
services.

According to
the audit, state health officials found Planned Parenthood of Spokane was
"unbundling" abortion claims and falsely billing for doctor visits when
customers were picking up prescriptions.

Mary Emanuel
and Jonathan B, who run the web site Abortion in Washington (AIW), obtained
copies of the audit documents from the Department of Social and Health
Services.

They say they
show Planned Parenthood has been ordered to reimburse the state $630,000 plus
interest for the overpayments.

"The audit did
not get into the question of whether the overbilling was part of a systematic
fraud scheme, but it also was clear that if this practice continued PPS would
lose its Medicaid billing privileges," they write.

AIW says the
audit found five categories of overbilling.

One involved
"unbundling" post-abortion drugs and billing them to Medicaid as family
planning, which is prohibited. The practice appears at odds with longstanding
Planned Parenthood claims that family planning money doesn't pay for abortions
or abortion-related services.

Other cases
included billings for pregnancy tests done on women who never said they thought
they were pregnant and without any indication the tests were medically
necessary. Read more at LifeNews.com.

The Health-Care Bill Will Increase Abortions In The U.S.

This is an opinion I wrote that was published in yesterday's Reno
Gazette Journal regarding the health care reform bills under
consideration in the Congress and the massive increases in the number
of abortions that will occur every year in the United States unless
abortion is explicitly excluded.

Reno Gazette Journal

July 30, 2009

Don Nelson: The Health-Care
Bill Will Increase Abortions In The U.S.

Massive
increases in abortion, the largest since Roe v. Wade, are looming because
health care proposals such as HR 3200, "America's Affordable Health Care
Choice Act," will not only fund abortion, they also will mandate coverage
of abortion on demand in virtually all of America's health care plans, preempt
abortion-reducing state limitations and protections, and create an abortion
clinic mandate. These proposals will reverse America's steady reduction in
abortions.

HR 3200 might
not use the word abortion, but unless Congress excludes abortion from being
defined as an "essential benefit," the broadly worded mandatory
categories of coverage will be interpreted by courts to include abortion. And
that's how President Barack Obama and abortion advocacy groups believe it
should be interpreted.

In July 2007,
Obama told Planned Parenthood that "reproductive care is essential care,
basic care, so it is at the center, the heart of the plan I propose."
Private insurers will "have to abide by the same rules in terms of
providing comprehensive care, including reproductive care..." The Obama
administration said "reproductive care" includes abortion.

HR 3200 also
will create an abortion clinic mandate by requiring plans that use a provider
network to ensure the "adequacy of such network" so enrollees have
access to services covered. And once abortion becomes a federally mandated
"essential benefit," networks will need to take steps, including
establishing new abortion sites in the service area, to meet standards required
by the "health choices commissioner."

HR 3200 will
bring huge increases in abortion. The American taxpayer paid for 300,000
abortions every year between Roe in 1973 and 1976, when the Hyde Amendment
excluded abortion funding. In 1993, the Congressional Budget Office wrote that
"the federal government would probably fund between 325,000-675,000
abortions each year" if taxpayer funding were resumed. It would be much
higher because under HR 3200, populations receiving federally funded health
care would be much larger than populations on which the 1993 estimates were
based.

Abortion advocates'
claims that 18 percent to 35 percent or even 50 percent of women who would have
aborted did not abort because of the Hyde Amendment mean that there could be
200,000-500,000 more abortions every year. Sixty-nine percent of Americans
oppose lifting the Hyde Amendment.

HR 3200 makes
clear that standards in the bill or written by the "Health Choices
Commissioner" will preempt state abortion laws. This could nullify
limitations on abortion such as waiting periods, parental involvement and other
laws that could be regarded as impeding access to a federally guaranteed
benefit. (There wasn't room for this comment we submitted: These protections
and limitations, along with Hyde, have been the backbone in reducing abortions.)

Abortion must
be excluded from any health care reform bill or a massive taxpayer-funded increase
in abortions will ensue.

Don Nelson
is president of Nevada
LIFE (Life Issues Forum and Education).

Learn
More:
Click
here to read National Right to Life's briefing on abortion and health care
reform. The author, Douglas Johnson, is one of the pro-life geniuses and
tireless leaders responsible for the steady, decade's long drop in the rate and
numbers of abortion in the United
States. His policy of specific targeted
goals and public education are very much responsible for America's
pro-life shift.

It's always
an honor to participate in the public square in one of Nevada's most important and vital
newspapers, the Reno Gazette Journal.