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On Monday, the Senate will begin debate on their version of health care “reform.”
The Bishops Conference have called the Senate bill an “enormous disappointment” and “completely unacceptable,” and have urged every Catholic and conscientious citizen to speak out.
Call your Senator at 202-224-3121. Send them on Thanksgiving break with a message: “NO taxpayer funding for abortion!”
Here is what we are facing…
The Senate legislation provides federal funding (taxpayer dollars!) for insurance plans that cover abortion. The plan also includes a mandatory “abortion surcharge” that would force pro-life people like you and me to pay for other people’s abortions.
Moreover, if the current legislation is approved, the Catholic Church and other religious institutions could be forced to provide contraceptives and cover other morally unacceptable treatments for its employees.
The bill also does not provide any protections for the elderly and those with special needs.
Abortion, euthanasia, rationing, threats to conscience and privacy… what are we to do?
Behind the long list of moral problems with the current Senate legislation, a fundamental question remains -- is a massive government takeover of health care the right solution to begin with?
Our view is that an entirely new approach is needed. And one that involves the ‘S word’ – subsidiarity.
Subsidi – say what?
Subsidiarity. Archbishop Naumann and Bishop Finn explained it best in their joint pastoral letter:
“Subsidiarity is that principle by which we respect the inherent dignity and freedom of the individual by never doing for others what they can do for themselves and thus enabling individuals to have the most possible discretion in the affairs of their lives.”
Practically speaking, this means that any health care solution should not begin by asking how government (the largest and most centralized organization) can be the big solution provider. Why not focus instead on solutions that respect the freedom and dignity of people, encourage competition, and enable consumers to help drive down costs? These are achievable goals. But they require a people-first mentality rather than a government-first mindset.
This is why we are now mobilizing the entire CatholicVoteAction network (nearly 500,000 people!) to stop this legislation.
There will be four weeks of intense debate on the Senate legislation with a possible final showdown right before Christmas.
The Time to Act
The issue of abortion funding, the ‘public option’ or the government insurance plan, rights of conscience, and other important issues will be debated. It is CRITICAL that every person who receives this email do something.
Call your Senator, write them a letter, pen an editorial, or visit their local office. Be respectful and courteous, but firmly tell them that you are opposed to any government funding of abortion, no compromises, period.
Second, urge them to rethink this plan altogether. Tell them there are better ways to truly reform health care. And in case they haven’t noticed the recent polls, a majority of Americans agree with us!
Finally, make sure to get your friends and family involved in this important fight. When you see them over Thanksgiving, ask them if they've ever heard of ‘subsidiarity.’ And tell them to call their Senator to oppose any government funding of abortion and any takeover of the healthcare industry.
Let’s work together to urge Congress to seek real reforms that will truly heal our health care ills.
Sincerely,
Brian Burch, President
CatholicVoteAction.org
P.S. While we may be in the throws of this health care debate, we have not forgotten about the great American holiday this Thursday. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks. But thanks to whom?
After recounting the many blessings of the previous year, President Lincoln petitioned his countrymen: “I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
Thanks be to God for his many, many blessings. And a Happy Thanksgiving to all.
NOTE: This message was paid for by CatholicVoteAction.org. As a lobbying organization, contributions to CatholicVoteAction.org are NOT tax-deductible. Contributions to CatholicVote.org remain tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
Interesting - I would think such a godly group would suggest petitioning God in prayer about this and letting the Holy Spirit guide them into any action that God wants done.
Interesting - I would think such a godly group would suggest petitioning God in prayer about this and letting the Holy Spirit guide them into any action that God wants done.
I think they did just that and they were guided to do this. 100% of the Catholics I know are pro-life.
Who cares? Abortion is here to stay and will never go away no matter what you all try to pass or say.
It is reality folks. Try to make it illegal if you want. It will still go on under the tables for big $$$.
I do agree but that's not the focus here; the issue these people are talking about is specific about tax dollars going for abortion, but I don't even know why this issue is being brought up at all, cos the real "issue" is that the right wing and as well conservative christians just want to see abortions done away with- it's not about money, it's about control. These same people would like to see abortion ILLEGAL for the most part but, again, the issue at hand- SHOULD our tax dollars fund abortion, or not?
Me, I don't really care. But in fairness, since it IS an elective procedure (unless the procedure has a factor in the mother's health, in which case it is NECESSARY- Mom always comes first, embryo/baby comes second no matter what), I can see where people might think abortion shouldn't be paid for with tax dollars. However, let's leave our feelings and moral agendas out of this and think about this logistically and in the most financially responsible manner, can we?
So based on that thinking- seeing that my tax dollars are used ALL the time to give money and pay for women who choose to HAVE children, and bring them into this world without the ways or means to pay for them, I have to say I would MUCH rather pay for a woman to have an abortion than to pay for her to raise her child. So, if we are to be completely sensible and logistic about the situation an leave "morals" out of the equation, than of course tax dollars going for abortion makes a lot more sense. And on that note, let's think about it further; more often than not, of the single, unmarried women who become pregnant, it seems it's the sensible, responsible women who are most likely to get an abortion, and the uneducated/undereducated, impoverished women who (often due to religion or culture) choose to have and keep their baby- despite the fact that they have neither the emotional or financial stability with which to raise them responsibly. Such people aren't thinking with sense and logic, or even concern for the child and how they're going to care for it for the rest of their life- they're letting morals and/or religion interfere. And many of the same people aren't even responsible enough to consider adoption either, half the time- it may be within their "culture/religion" to just have kids even in teen years irregardless of the consequences, often WITHOUT concern for proper familial structure (meaning being married and/or having the father's devotion). Please, put your religious views aside- does having a baby under these circumstances not sound utterly horrendous to any of you?!? It happens JUST like this all the time, which is disturbing!
Yeah, I hate the idea of abortion and would prefer if nobody had to ever get one, but it's WAY better than bringing an unwanted child into the world- and I say that out of concern for the child, not about money or taxes. But, again, if we're to make this about tax dollars, and tax dollars only- which is what the argument is really about- then it makes more fiscal sense to go ahead with funding abortion than funding welfare, which would cost way, WAY more- not just monetarily, but as a collective burden on we as a society to have to try to cure and correct what usually is a genetic/repetitive mistake that keeps happening- the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, so to speak. Teen mom begets teen mom. Well, let's break the cycle- let's make responsible, sensible choices, and lead by example. With some SENSE for a change.
*I do want to add that I really have no problem at all with welfare- I think that it is necessary, and everyone deserves a break/help if and when they need it. And I'd MUCH rather see a single mother on welfare so she can stay home and raise her child rather have her work and stick them in daycare. But as a ONE SHOT DEAL, not as a cumulative incentive to KEEP having children. I say one strike and you're out- after one baby, mothers on welfare should be REQUIRED to use birth control in order to maintain benefits- but that's a whole 'nother issue...
A whole lot of tax dollars are already spent on birth control for adults and teens...a sin according to the Catholic church. Why do they make such a fuss out of abortion but not other 'sins'? Isn't a sin a sin in your god's eyes? All equal none being worse than the other?
A whole lot of tax dollars are already spent on birth control for adults and teens...a sin according to the Catholic church. Why do they make such a fuss out of abortion but not other 'sins'? Isn't a sin a sin in your god's eyes? All equal none being worse than the other?
You guys never understand
It's just murder. Worse, murdering one's own developed offspring
Money and personal comfort always supercede Gods word and that is the entire problem. If everyone would return to biblical truth there would not be an issue, abortion would be eleminated.
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Is that for real?
