Obama's Choice of Sebelius Heats Up the Pro-life Battle

Inside Catholic ^ | March 2, 2009 | Deal Hudson

[NYer]

President Barack Obama has selected a pro-abortion Catholic governor, who has been told by her bishop not to present herself for communion, to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Writing last year in his diocesan newspaper, Bishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, discussed a meeting with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius where he told her "that someday she's going to have to stand before God and account for her public service."

 

The Catholics United/Catholics in Alliance/Catholic Democrats axis of Obama supporters immediately cheered the selection of Sebelius, with Catholics United having enough notice of the pick to put up a Web site called "Catholics for Sebelius." The site presents a list of "Catholic leaders" supporting the nomination, including Doug Kmiec; Nicolas Cafardi; Margaret Steinfels, former editor of Commonweal; and Father Thomas Reese, former editor of America.

 

When Sebelius's name was first floated for HHS, Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, that almost every Obama appointee is pro-abortion, but the selection of Sebelius would create "a battle between those Catholics who are honestly pro-life, and those who feign a pro-life position while always embracing the likes of Sebelius."

 

The battle may have already started. Obama's Catholic supporters are definitely feeling confident, as they have attacked both Bishop Naumann and Donohue for their criticism of Governor Sebelius. They seem unconcerned with the recent wrist-slapping given Speaker Nancy Pelosi by Pope Benedict XVI at the private audience she requested in Rome, or the subsequent statement of Denver's Archbishop Charles Chaput that Pelosi should not present herself for communion.

 

Sebelius's record on abortion refutes any attempt she or her supporters may make to soften her image. She has claimed to "have worked hard to ensure that abortions are rare, safe, and within the bounds of the law." But Sebelius vetoed bills that would have created abortion safety regulations and protected women from being coerced into having abortions.

 

Most notoriously, Sebelius hosted a 2007 party honoring Wichita late-term abortionist George Tiller, who by his own account has performed over 60,000 abortions. Two months after the Sebelius party in Tiller's honor, he was arrested and arraigned on 19 criminal counts for illegal late-term abortions.

 

Obama's selection of Sebelius came the day after he rescinded the HHS "conscience exemption" put in place by the Bush administration. In December, Sec. Mike Leavitt announced a "right-to-refuse" rule allowing medical care personnel not to participate in practices they found morally objectionable, such as abortion.

 

 

As expected, the new Obama administration is removing, one by one, all the restrictions set up against abortion and its federal funding, that have been put in place since Roe v. Wade in 1973. Obama lifted the Mexico City policy only days after his inauguration, allowing federal dollars to be given to organizations performing abortions overseas.

 

Although the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) has not yet been introduced, the strategy of the Obama administration appears to be pursuing the equivalent outcomes of FOCA without passing FOCA itself. Putting someone like Governor Sebelius at the helm of Health and Human Services will put tremendous pressure on all health-care institutions to provide abortions under the cover of "women's health care."

 

The first Catholic hospital system to bend to the pressure is Caritas Christi, owned and operated by the Archdiocese of Boston. Only a few days ago, maybe eager to cozy up to the Obama administration and Sebelius, Caritas Christi announced a joint venture with the Centene Corporation to join a state-mandated health-insurance program that would include coverage for abortion and contraceptives -- what the Catholic hospital system calls "confidential family-planning services."

 

[NYer]

As expected, the new Obama administration is removing, one by one, all the restrictions set up against abortion and its federal funding, that have been put in place since Roe v. Wade in 1973.

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DC (LifeNews.com) -- The following is a compilation of bill signings, speeches, appointments and other actions that President Barack Obama has engaged in that have promoted abortion before and during his presidency. While Obama has promised to reduce abortions and some of his supporters believe that will happen, this long list proves his only agenda is promoting more abortions.

Post-Election / Pre-Inauguration

November 5, 2008 - Obama selects pro-abortion Rep. Rahm Emanuel as his White House Chief of Staff. Emanuel has a 0% pro-life voting record according to National Right to Life.

November 19, 2008 - Obama picks pro-abortion former Sen. Tom Daschle as his Health and Human Services Secretary. Daschle has a long pro-abortion voting record according to National Right to Life.

November 20, 2008 - Obama chooses former NARAL legal director Dawn Johnsen to serve as a member of his Department of Justice Review Team. Later, he finalizes her appointment as the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of the Legal Counsel in the Obama administration.

November 24, 2008 - Obama appoints Ellen Moran, the former director of the pro-abortion group Emily's List as his White House communications director. Emily's List only supported candidates who favored taxpayer funded abortions and opposed a partial-birth abortion ban.

November 24, 2008 - Obama puts former Emily's List board member Melody Barnes in place as his director of the Domestic Policy Council.

November 30, 2008 - Obama named pro-abortion Sen. Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State. Clinton has an unblemished pro-abortion voting record and has supported making unlimited abortions an international right.

December 10, 2008 - Obama selects pro-abortion former Clinton administration official Jeanne Lambrew to become the deputy director of the White House Office of Health Reform. Planned Parenthood is "excited" about the selection.

December 10, 2008 - Obama transition team publishes memo from dozens of pro-abortion groups listing their laundry list of pro-abortions actions they want him to take.

Pro-Abortion Presidential Record - 2009

January 5, 2009 - Obama picks pro-abortion Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine as the chairman of the Democratic Party.

January 6, 2009 - Obama chooses Thomas Perrelli, the lawyer who represented Terri Schiavo’s husband Michael in his efforts to kill his disabled wife, as the third highest attorney in the Justice Department.

January 22, 2009 - Releases statement restating support for Roe v. Wade decision that allowed virtually unlimited abortions and has resulted in at least 50 million abortions since 1973.

January 23, 2009 - Forces taxpayers to fund pro-abortion groups that either promote or perform abortions in other nations. Decison to overturn Mexico City Policy sends part of $457 million to pro-abortion organizations.

January 26, 2009 - Obama nominee for Deputy Secretary of State, James B. Steinberg, tells members of the Senate that taxpayers should be forced to fund abortions. Nominee erroneously says limits on abortion funding are unconstitutional.

January 29, 2009 - President Obama nominates pro-abortion David Ogden as Deputy Attorney General.

February 12, 2009 - Obama nominates pro-abortion Elena Kagan to serve as Solicitor General.

Source

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To that illustrious record, he can now add Governor Sibelius.

[pnh102]

Why can’t we have more Catholic leaders like Bishop Joseph Naumann?

[eleni121]

“...someday she’s going to have to stand before God and account for her public service”

Bishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas speaks for all Christians. Bravo to him!

[Professor_Leonide]

This is dissapointing to us as conservatives not just because the Pro-Abortion forces are getting their funds and have control of the government, but think about it! We conservatives allegedly had a conservative for eight years who wouldn’t even back us on the border.

A lefty wins the WH and goes to work fulfilling the leftwing vision for the future... Our side doesn’t fight for our ideas even thwen they have complete control!

[NavVet]

Is this the nutcase that claimed a tornado killed 10,000 in her state when it only killed 5 or 10, and then claimed that the National Guard wasn’t available because it was deployed to Iraq, only to have her own National Guard, issue a statement that they had more resources available than she had requested.

[ex-snook]

It’s not only liberals who want government to bail them out.
Conservative Bishops also expect government to do their work. If the Bishops directed their teaching charisma about abortion toward women, it would have a greater impact than mandating politicians to pass laws. BTW They could also write a letter or two about shacking up and hooking up which might also have something to do with abortions. If the Bishops convinced women, they would not have to depend on politicians.

[Kansas58]

Yep
You got her pegged!

This woman says dumb stuff all the time.

She will make as many gaffes as Biden, trust me!

Also, her former position as “Kansas Insurance Commissioner” saw a drastic reduction in the number of health insurance companies doing business in Kansas. This, of course, forced premium rates upward through lack of competition.

She is very very smart, politically. In that regard only her undisciplined mouth is a negative.

However, policy wise, she is not nearly the “policy wonk” or “policy nerd” her supporters claim that she is.

The media, in Kansas, protected her to the hilt.

I am thinking that the National Media will not be so kind.

One other observation: Our Gov was going to run for US Senate. This move indicates, to me, that she knows Kansas is going dark, dark RED next year!

[Kansas58]

Yep
You got her pegged!

This woman says dumb stuff all the time.

She will make as many gaffes as Biden, trust me!

Also, her former position as “Kansas Insurance Commissioner” saw a drastic reduction in the number of health insurance companies doing business in Kansas. This, of course, forced premium rates upward through lack of competition.

She is very very smart, politically. In that regard only her undisciplined mouth is a negative.

However, policy wise, she is not nearly the “policy wonk” or “policy nerd” her supporters claim that she is.

The media, in Kansas, protected her to the hilt.

I am thinking that the National Media will not be so kind.

One other observation: Our Gov was going to run for US Senate. This move indicates, to me, that she knows Kansas is going dark, dark RED next year!

[Smokin' Joe]

Isn't a pro-abortion Catholic a little like Miss Nude Islam?

It just doesn't work.

[Kolokotronis]

Very fair observations, e-s, very fair.

[ardara]

This fight will have to be led by the laity as the anti-abortion fight has always been led.The minority of Bishops that support us will gladly join in.

[the invisib1e hand]

apparently few things are more useful in the hands of evil than an apostate.

Thinking Judas Iscariot, at the moment...

[the invisib1e hand]

Conservative Bishops also expect government to do their work.

what nonsense...built in with assumptions that the Church doesn't address women about abortion, and apparently a complete disregard for the bishop's obligation to the souls of all Catholics, including those who happen to be lawmakers; and to the jurisdiction of their diocese, to insist upon just laws.

Thinking like yours is what got us here to begin with. Touchy-feely VII all the way.

I'll bet you think Obama's stimulus package is a winner, too, given your apparent penchant for betting on manifestly bad ideas.

[stuartcr]

I would think that God already knew what she was going to do, before He even created her.

[NYer]

Why can’t we have more Catholic leaders like Bishop Joseph Naumann?

The list is growing ... Bishop Chaput, Bishop Martino, Archbishop Burke ... to name a few.

[mta504nola]

Yes. I was living in Kansas City, MO at the time. This woman is pure evil; as is the rest of this administration.

[CommerceComet]

I think the George Tiller connection could prove to be Kathleen's undoing. If the press got busy on this, I think it could be shown that Sebelius' administration provided political cover for George Tiller in exchange for big campaign contributions funneled through political action committees Tiller had established.

Of course, I don't really expect the press to lift one finger to investigate the connection. They are too busy going after former-State-AG Phill Kline who tried to bring Tiller to justice.

[eleni121]

I would think that God already knew what she was going to do, before He even created her.

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That is right.

She chose wrong. Cataclysmically wrong for her.

[stuartcr]

And God knew she would, and still created her.