Bush Isn't Pro-Life and I have the numbers to prove it

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Just as I don’t think it is such a good idea to always argue abortion as murder because, well, a lot of Catholics feel more strongly about abortion than they do about certain things that many in secular society consider murder, I think not understanding our history and teachings hurts debate as well. Some secularists will point to our history and claim that the Church has periodically been ‘pro choice’. This is false, but unless you can put the comments and documents the secularists will fling at you in proper theological context it is hard for non Catholics to understand.

Best Regards
I agree. The problem with calling abortion murder is murder is legaal term and we end up spening far too much time arguing over semantics than we do about the actual evil that has been done.

I have noted this in many discussions with for abortion people. They would rather draw you into a discussion about whether abortion is murder and whether the unborn should be described as a fetus or child than actually have to defend what abortion entails.
 
I think the OP is, to be charitable… well, I can’t think of anything charitable at the moment. This title is dreadful.

In case some posters haven’t noticed, we live in a Republic, not a dictatorship. He can’t control everything, and I wouldn’t want to live in a country where a president could. Congress has a HUGE role in this, as do many of our bureaucratic agencies.

I’d love abortion to stop as well, but this country is not ‘stroke of the pen, law of the land’, thanks be to God. The same power could be used to reverse all the good that has happened.

I think REFLECTION prior to posting an inflammatory post is warrented. I’m sorry that I am being so harsh, but to blame one man because an issue which is ripping apart the whole world hasn’t changed as quickly as we’d like it to change is ridiculous.

What next? A traffic light being out down the street is Bush’s fault? I never blamed Clinton for the increase in traffic - by analogy, perhaps I am wrong and everything is the fault of the one holding the Office of the President.

:mad:
 
The fact that clearly states the difference is that

the Democratic platform is very clearly pro abortion

the Republican platform is very clearly pro life (anti abortion)

It is not a stretch to generalize and say that the republican party is pro life and the democratic party is pro abortion.
Political platforms are what the groups SAY.

More important is what they DO.
IMHO, generalizing about what they say, and ignoring what they do is a mistake.

No, Bush isn’t personally to blame, as the president isn’t a dictator.

Republicans say they are pro-life, but only make excuses why they can’t do anything about it.

I have to wonder if the GOP is pro-life in speeches & their platform only to make sure that those willing to vote for “the lesser evil” keep voting R.

Chris
 
Political platforms are what the groups SAY.

More important is what they DO.
IMHO, generalizing about what they say, and ignoring what they do is a mistake.

No, Bush isn’t personally to blame, as the president isn’t a dictator.

Republicans say they are pro-life, but only make excuses why they can’t do anything about it.

I have to wonder if the GOP is pro-life in speeches & their platform only to make sure that those willing to vote for “the lesser evil” keep voting R.

Chris
Now please tell me what the Democrats say they are.
 
Political platforms are what the groups SAY.

More important is what they DO.
IMHO, generalizing about what they say, and ignoring what they do is a mistake.

No, Bush isn’t personally to blame, as the president isn’t a dictator.

Republicans say they are pro-life, but only make excuses why they can’t do anything about it.

I have to wonder if the GOP is pro-life in speeches & their platform only to make sure that those willing to vote for “the lesser evil” keep voting R.

Chris
Did you read post 25 ?

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=2712248&postcount=25

It appears that they are doing something.
 
It is not a stretch to generalize and say that the republican party is pro life and the democratic party is pro abortion.
It is not a stretch to say that one party claims to be pro life. I am simply suggesting that if someone, or a group of someones claim to believe something is wrong, but then directly profit from it it is reasonable to question their sincerity.

But lets back up to something you said earlier, about everything else being ‘debatable’. I must respectfully disagree. I am a Roman Catholic. That means that I strive to obey the Magesterium, even when I don’t agree. However, look at last Sunday’s reading (Luke 14:25-33). Using provocative language Jesus appears to be saying, if anything in your life is more important than God your priorities are screwed up. So, although I strive to obey I must, ultimately, answer to God.

Now, sometimes what God wants is not so clear. This is why, of course, the Gift of Authority and obeying the Magesterium is important. But other times, what God wants can seem very clear. For me a good example would be to look at Matthew 25:31-46. A graphic description of how the Son of man will gather all nations and judge them worthy of salvation or damnation. There are six specific examples of how we will be judged and each is repeated four times. None are new, they can all be repeatedly found throughout the Bible.

Having accepted the Church teaching of Christ as my Savior, God’s expectations for Nations are not “debatable” for me. Like many US Catholics I have historically voted ‘pragmatically’. But that does not mean that absolved of my Christian responsibilities. In other words, it is not appropriate for me to place my priorities above God’s, particularly not on the basis of something as hollow as a politician’s claims.

Best Regards
 
It is not a stretch to say that one party claims to be pro life. I am simply suggesting that if someone, or a group of someones claim to believe something is wrong, but then directly profit from it it is reasonable to question their sincerity.
In both state and federal government and federal government every bit of progress on the abortion issue has come out ofRepublican Party. To deny this is specious. With all due respect when somebody starts telling me that Republicans are not pro-life I alwasy get the feeling they are getting ready to vote for a candidate he who supports abortion.
Now, sometimes what God wants is not so clear. This is why, of course, the Gift of Authority and obeying the Magesterium is important. But other times, what God wants can seem very clear. For me a good example would be to look at Matthew 25:31-46. A graphic description of how the Son of man will gather all nations and judge them worthy of salvation or damnation. There are six specific examples of how we will be judged and each is repeated four times. None are new, they can all be repeatedly found throughout the Bible.
We can take up as to whether God is clear are not at some other time but the Catholic teaching on abortion is crystal clear. No issue or a combination of issues trumps abortion, none. Not the war, not the death tpenalty, not ones opinion of social justice
Having accepted the Church teaching of Christ as my Savior, God’s expectations for Nations are not “debatable” for me. Like many US Catholics I have historically voted ‘pragmatically’. But that does not mean that absolved of my Christian responsibilities. In other words, it is not appropriate for me to place my priorities above God’s, particularly not on the basis of something as hollow as a politician’s claims.

Best Regards
I suspect by pragmatic you mean you put your political views about the teachings of the Church. I know that sounds harsh but when you couple it with “the not making your decisions based on political claims” it is obvious to all where you’re going. It appears you’re saying that it’s okay not to vote for someone who claims to be pro-life because you’re afraid they’re not but fine to vote for somebody who proclaimes they are pro abortion. My apologies in advance if I’m wrong
 
With all due respect when somebody starts telling me that Republicans are not pro-life I alwasy get the feeling they are getting ready to vote for a candidate he who supports abortion.
From what I have seen, the only people who make this argument are pro-life Democrats. Pro-abortion Dems are eager to pronounce Republicans as anti-choice, and while Republicans themselves disagree about how well their team is moving the ball forward, none of them disputes that they are at least lined up in the right direction.
  • When Republicans controlled congress they passed a bill banning partial birth abortions. The Democrat president vetoed it.
  • When they passed it again with a Republican president it was signed into law.
  • When the Democrats took control of congress, the first day after the Supreme Court ruled the ban was constitutional the Democrats introduced a bill to overturn the legislation.
This same pattern is repeated on virtually every issue touching on abortion. It is stunningly inaccurate to imply that there is virtually no difference between the two major parties on this issue.

For someone who is anti-abortion, a rational (although, to me, unconvincing) argument can be made that neither party deserves your vote, but there is no rationalization that can justify voting for the party of death.

Ender
 
I suspect by pragmatic you mean you put your political views about the teachings of the Church. I know that sounds harsh but when you couple it with “the not making your decisions based on political claims” it is obvious to all where you’re going. It appears you’re saying that it’s okay not to vote for someone who claims to be pro-life because you’re afraid they’re not but fine to vote for somebody who proclaimes they are pro abortion. My apologies in advance if I’m wrong
Actually, you are completely backwards. I have been voting for self proclaimed Pro Life candidates who are weak on other Christian values. Now I have reached the conclussion that there is no progress at all and that many of these same politicians are anything but sincere.

When all the top tier candidates for leader of a party are abortion profiteers, it seems to me we might have different values. Throw in chronic fidelity problems and it seems clear that our understanding of “family values” probably differs as well.

Next, sprinkle in millions of dollars from abortion profits into Congress. Funneled, I might add, through politicians that the party saw fit to elect as leaders. Next, have those same leaders help cover up pedophile and other predatory sexual practices - again, just doesn’t seem to be something I can relate to my own values.

Now, what is our massive achievement? The so-called partial birth ban? Having read the court decisions I’m inclined to think this way:

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/03/AR2007060301218.html?hpid=topnews

When our ‘friends’ on the right quietly concede that it is incredibly doubtful that the ban will stop a single abortion, what was the point? If anything, we were lied to. Third trimester aboritons are already banned in 40 states. So we mobilized to go after a procedure that is most often used in the second trimester for health reasons.

From a Catholic teaching point of view, this is fine. We believe that abortion is wrong even to save the life of the mother. But it is to the right of much of the secular public, which seems inclined to agree with us on at least 80% of all abortions, and even to the right of many self-described conservative US Catholics. Remember, Catholic hospitals in the US perform about 100,000 abortions each year for health reasons, we just argue that they are not ‘direct’.

So, we mobilized pro-abortionists, push part of the public more inclined to side with us towards them, and for what? The majority opinion, signed by three ‘Catholics’ reaffirms parts of Roe v. Wade and provides a blue print for circumventing the ban. The concurring opinion, signed by two more ‘Catholics’ indicates that they would have quite likely held the ban to be unconstitutional if the COMMERCE CLAUSE(!!!) had been raised as an issue.

Others are welcome to disagree, but I’m sick of being ‘had’. The GOP had no trouble using its super majority in government to push through massive amounts of corporate welfare. And it seems to have plenty of spine when it comes to pursuing an unpopular war even at the cost of that super majority. So I’m sick of excuses when it comes to issues that matter to me. I’ve been listening to them from my congressman since Reagan first reached out to us. Now I’m still waiting and he is sitting in jail for taking forced abortion money and selling out national security for a big boat and antique furniture. I guess I am supposed to be relieved that he only accepted trysts with female prostitutes instead of publicly soliciting gay sex… :mad:

Sorry, I know the above sounds harsh, but you touched a nerve. I’m getting up in years, recently had a reminder of my own mortality and have concluded that I don’t want to be on my hands and knees at the gates of heaven with ‘I voted a straight party ticket!’ as my only defense.

Best Regards
 
Actually, you are completely backwards. I have been voting for self proclaimed Pro Life candidates who are weak on other Christian values. Now I have reached the conclussion that there is no progress at all and that many of these same politicians are anything but sincere.

When all the top tier candidates for leader of a party are abortion profiteers, it seems to me we might have different values. Throw in chronic fidelity problems and it seems clear that our understanding of “family values” probably differs as well.

Next, sprinkle in millions of dollars from abortion profits into Congress. Funneled, I might add, through politicians that the party saw fit to elect as leaders. Next, have those same leaders help cover up pedophile and other predatory sexual practices - again, just doesn’t seem to be something I can relate to my own values.

Now, what is our massive achievement? The so-called partial birth ban? Having read the court decisions I’m inclined to think this way:

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/03/AR2007060301218.html?hpid=topnews

When our ‘friends’ on the right quietly concede that it is incredibly doubtful that the ban will stop a single abortion, what was the point? If anything, we were lied to. Third trimester aboritons are already banned in 40 states. So we mobilized to go after a procedure that is most often used in the second trimester for health reasons.

From a Catholic teaching point of view, this is fine. We believe that abortion is wrong even to save the life of the mother. But it is to the right of much of the secular public, which seems inclined to agree with us on at least 80% of all abortions, and even to the right of many self-described conservative US Catholics. Remember, Catholic hospitals in the US perform about 100,000 abortions each year for health reasons, we just argue that they are not ‘direct’.

So, we mobilized pro-abortionists, push part of the public more inclined to side with us towards them, and for what? The majority opinion, signed by three ‘Catholics’ reaffirms parts of Roe v. Wade and provides a blue print for circumventing the ban. The concurring opinion, signed by two more ‘Catholics’ indicates that they would have quite likely held the ban to be unconstitutional if the COMMERCE CLAUSE(!!!) had been raised as an issue.

Others are welcome to disagree, but I’m sick of being ‘had’. The GOP had no trouble using its super majority in government to push through massive amounts of corporate welfare. And it seems to have plenty of spine when it comes to pursuing an unpopular war even at the cost of that super majority. So I’m sick of excuses when it comes to issues that matter to me. I’ve been listening to them from my congressman since Reagan first reached out to us. Now I’m still waiting and he is sitting in jail for taking forced abortion money and selling out national security for a big boat and antique furniture. I guess I am supposed to be relieved that he only accepted trysts with female prostitutes instead of publicly soliciting gay sex… :mad:

Sorry, I know the above sounds harsh, but you touched a nerve. I’m getting up in years, recently had a reminder of my own mortality and have concluded that I don’t want to be on my hands and knees at the gates of heaven with ‘I voted a straight party ticket!’ as my only defense.

Best Regards
  1. The imortance of the Partial Birth abortion ban was that for the first time the Court held that the health of the mothert exception was not absolute. This is a HUGE victory in light of what Doe vs Bolton had originally set out as to what the health of the Mother entailed.
  2. I believe being pro-life is just the the primary qualifier for getting my vote. it doesnt praticularly mean they will get my vote.
  3. Even if the republican Party is as bankrupt on pro-life issues as you say it is how does that justfy voting for a party that supports taxpayer funded abortions up unitl the monet the childs head fully exits the womb.
  4. When you get on your Knees before the Lord are you going to be comfotrable telling him “well it true I voted for those who aided and abetted the sluaghter of our children but you see my republican congressman was a hypocrite…”
 
When our ‘friends’ on the right quietly concede that it is incredibly doubtful that the ban will stop a single abortion, what was the point? If anything, we were lied to.
The point is that this battle highlighted the grotesqueness of some of the procedures and showed the extent to which pro-abortion forces are willing to go to fight **any **restriction on abortion. The recognition that this legislation would not prevent many (or possibly any) abortions was known beforehand; it was not something that was suddenly realized only after the court ruling. You should ask yourself this: if the ban doesn’t ban anything, why was it relentlessly opposed by pro-abortionists? What motivated the Democrats to submit legislation the day after the court ruling that would overturn the “ban” on partial birth abortions? Even if you see it as useless they clearly saw it then - and see it now - as a threat.
Third trimester aboritons are already banned in 40 states.
Regardless of what state laws have been passed an abortion can be procured at any time if the “doctor” performing the abortion claims the procedure is necessary to protect the health of the mother. Since “health of the mother” is something the abortionist himself can define there is no functional legal ban on third trimester abortions in any state.

Ender
 
. Since “health of the mother” is something the abortionist himself can define there is no functional legal ban on third trimester abortions in any state.

Ender
Correct. Abortions up until the head fully exits the womb can NOT be denied a woman in ANY of the 50 States if she delares having the child would harm her either physically or emorionally. the idea that 3 trimester abortions are banned in 40 states is another myth perpetuated by the pro-abortion crowd.
 
a procedure that is most often used in the second trimester for health reasons.
I haven’t time to do anything else but pop in now and again, but had to reply to this glaring untruth. “Partial birth abortions” were never done for the health of the mother. There is no health reason that would call for a partial birth abortion. This over-riding fact was testified to in court.
 
You should ask yourself this: if the ban doesn’t ban anything, why was it relentlessly opposed by pro-abortionists? What motivated the Democrats to submit legislation the day after the court ruling that would overturn the “ban” on partial birth abortions?
For the same self serving reasons that Dobson’s group supported it even, as they conceded in the interview, many people there did not believe a single abortion would be stopped. You fire up your base and let the money motivated volunteers come your way.

I am sorry, but it is a tremendous stretch of the facts to imply that the Gonzales ruling changes the legal precedent set in Casey. Just as the ruling reaffirmed Roe v. Wade, it reaffirmed the health and welfare of the mother aspect of Casey. Instead of changing legal precedent, the court argued that the health of the mother was simply not an issue because there was no medical necessity for the banned procedure over any others.

There are two problems with this, first, it adds more legal precedent to things we ultimately would like to be overturned. Second, most folks who bother to look closely know it is false. Again, look at the article I posted. The one proponent who thought the ban would deter some abortions based his argument on the idea that the increased risk of uterine bleeding from alternate procedures would scare some women off.

Wow, that’s helpful. Now let some pro abortionist take one of the briefs to the court, like the real case involving a woman dying along with a pair of twins inside her. Without the ban, she had three choices, abort one fetus and try to save the other, abort both, or all die together. With the ban, she now has two choices. Now the pro abortionist asks Joe public, ‘do you really think the increased risk of uterine bleeding and sterility is going to change her decision?’

Forget what you think, or what the Church teaches, in a public where substantial numbers of self described conservative Christians support abortions in the case of rape and incest how do you think that will play? How about when you back it up with Ginsberg’s dissenting opinion which keeps stressing that the one precedent the court is setting is that politicians, not doctors, should determine medical necessity?

Face it, a lot of people hate their lousy HMO and are really nervous about their health benefits. Everyone knows that 18% or more cost growth a year is unsustainable - we spend 5% of our total GDP on health care administrative costs now. The idea that politicians, not doctors, should be making health decisions is just one more way to obscure the real debate.
 
That is what I said, though, technically, Guttmacher founded the institute.
Yeah, Guttmacher, Planned Parenthood Federation of America Past President and leader in the International Planned Parenthood Federation. You are nit-picking.
 
I haven’t time to do anything else but pop in now and again, but had to reply to this glaring untruth. “Partial birth abortions” were never done for the health of the mother. There is no health reason that would call for a partial birth abortion. This over-riding fact was testified to in court.
You are welcome to call me a liar, but the overwhelming testimony from the medical community, both before Congress and in briefs to the court, was that the procedure is medically necessary.

Simply arguing that the doctors are all wrong or that somehow everyone in obstetrics, who most people realize work long hours for less money primarily helping people have babies have sinister motives is, I think, counter productive.

Ectopic pregnacies touch hundreds of thousands lives in the US each year. 13 woman die from childbirth out of every 100,000 live births in the US still. People know that child birth can have serious risks, arguing that is simply not so makes us look out of touch.

About nitpicking - yes, that was the whole point. When we exaggerate we just give the other side more chaf to bog down the discussion.
 
Not sure if this fits here or not, but in any case, I’m sure many of you here (as I once did), believe that President Bush is Pro-Life like he claims to be. Well I’m here to tell you that’s he not, and the numbers back it up. Take a look here:

opa.osophs.dhhs.gov/titlex/ofp-funding-history.html

This is a history of Title X funding since it was introduced back in 1971. Per the site linked above:

The Title X Family Planning program “Population Research and Voluntary Family Planning Programs” (Public Law 91-572)], was enacted in 1970 as Title X of the Public Health Service Act. Title X is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing individuals with comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services. The Title X program is designed to provide access to contraceptive services, supplies and information to all who want and need them. By law, priority is given to persons from low- income families.

Keep in mind of course that Planned Parenthood gets quite a bit of their money from this funding.

plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/birth-control-access-prevention/title-x-13163.htm

Now notice just how much government funding Title X has received since Bush came into office. It’s quite a bit isn’t it? Also notice how it increased each year through 2005. If Bush was truly as pro life as he has said he is:

a. why would he continue to fund Title X

and b. why would it be seeing an increase in funding for his first 4 years in office?

Quite simply Bush is nowhere near pro-life as the numbers I have shown here prove.
Congress sets the budget. Even where Congress and the President are of the same party, Congress pursues its own interests through the budget.

A more accurate view would be to look at the budget as submitted to Congress by Bush. Then one needs to consider any additional funding buckets within Title X.
 
I haven’t time to do anything else but pop in now and again, but had to reply to this glaring untruth. “Partial birth abortions” were never done for the health of the mother. There is no health reason that would call for a partial birth abortion. This over-riding fact was testified to in court.
This was preety much refuted in congressional testimony. The man who developed the procedure said they were almost never done for health of the Mother reasons.
 
You are welcome to call me a liar, but the overwhelming testimony from the medical community, both before Congress and in briefs to the court, was that the procedure is medically necessary.

.
That simply is not true.In fact the exact opposite is true. No one could prove that it ever was medically necessary.

Do you know of any doctors who prefer to deliver a child breach?
 
That simply is not true.In fact the exact opposite is true. No one could prove that it ever was medically necessary.

Do you know of any doctors who prefer to deliver a child breach?
The actual Supreme Court opinion can be read here (warning, gruesome):

supremecourtus.gov/opinions/06pdf/05-380.pdf

You’ll note right on the first page that what the ban is primarily covering is typically a second trimester procedure and is similiar to a “conventional D&E”. The principal difference is that there are fewer “passes” and the fetus is removed intact.

In the dissenting opinion, Ginsberg brings up the position of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynocologists (ACOG), which filed what is called an “Amicas Brief” with the court and noted that the less intrussive nature made the procedure medically nec. in some cases. If you pull all the related docket material you will see that ACOG was far from alone. A number of state Medical Associations, public health groups, and even the American Medical Student Association, all have taken stances against the ban because of “medical necessity”.

I wasn’t aware that either Dr. Haskell or Dr. McMahon had altered their positions. I’ve read Haskell’s papers and both have previously asserted that the less intrussive nature makes the procedure preferrable in certain high risk situations.

*** Break *** This is truly gruesome stuff. But lest anyone start thinking that all doctors are heartless SOB’s, some of the doctor testimonials do carry a lot of compassion. For example, one doctor who specializes in difficult pregnancies wrote that in cases like hydrocephalus, he not only preferred the procedure because it requires no abdominal surgery, but also because he felt that the intact fetal body helps the parents with the grieving process: “As doctors we tend to think of the body, not the mind and spirit. But never doubt for a minute that my patients are parents who have lost a child they already love dearly. I have no prescription for that pain, but I sincerely believe that being able to say good bye to their loved one is the first small step towards mending the giant hole in their hearts.”

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that the Mother Church is correct. But I see little point in a seemingly ineffectual ban that only relates to 0.17% of the abortions each year in the US.
 
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