Commentary

A teenage girl in Omaha has been given probation after being found guilty of throwing her newborn baby out of a second story window. The baby died from blunt force trauma after smashing onto the sidewalk below.

Judge Christopher Kelly sentenced 16-year old Antonia Lopez to probation, 50 hours of community service and ordered her to stay off Facebook.

That’s it. A dead baby.  And no more Facebook.

Lopez’s defense attorney, according to the Omaha World-Herald, argued that her client didn’t plan on killing the newborn. But after throwing the just-delivered baby out of her bedroom window, Lopez went on Facebook pleading for friends to help her dispose of the body.

Can there be any doubt that this situation can only be explained by a reference to society’s tolerance of legalized abortion? Is there any other rational explanation for a court being so blind to the crying need for justice on behalf of this precious baby killed with such contemptuous brutality?  How else are we to understand a sentence which might be appropriate for habitual parking violations – not for the murder of an innocent baby?

This is just outrageous. And it is a graphic warning of the huge cost we are paying to maintain abortion “rights” in this nation.  Our medical, legal and judicial systems are daily being more corrupted in order to accommodate this heinous evil.

The battle is now pitched in Washington over whether and how to repeal ObamaCare. The whole question of repealing and replacing this disastrous take-over of health care is a vital pro-Life matter.  From the beginning of life, to how we deal with Americans facing end-of-life medical questions, the legislative battle is marbled with profound issues.

As the political struggle over numbers and special interests rage, it is important to remember that this fight is about more. It is a reflection on how we view and value human life.

Those central value questions are highlighted by the Congressional Budget Office’s scoring of the proposed Ryan replacement bill. In the midst of its numbers and charts, the CBO takes notes of the bill’s provision to end (at least temporarily) taxpayer subsidy of Planned Parenthood – America’s largest abortion provider.

The number crunchers “warn” Congress that eliminating tax funding of Planned Parenthood will most likely lead to thousands of additional births across the nation each year. This shocking confession is buried in paragraphs about federal budget issues – but the reality is that this official, non-partisan analysis lays bare the nation’s great scandal:

Congressional funding of Planned Parenthood leads directly to the deaths of thousands of innocent babies each year. This horrific reality exists despite the Hyde Amendment and so-called “protections” against direct payment for elective abortion.

The first duty of government is to protect the lives and well-being of its citizens – not destroy us. That must be a central focus of this Congressional action on restoring America’s health care system.  The measure to defund Planned Parenthood is, therefore, not a tangential issue – but a core principle which must be included in any repeal legislation.

We must be in prayer for our national leadership as they wrestle with the exceedingly complex questions presented by trying to replace ObamaCare with a life-affirming, affordable health care system.

The House State Affairs Committee on Monday (03.06.17) took the unprecedented step of approving a bill to repeal part of a law approved in 2015 regulating chemical abortions in Idaho.

HB250 was brought forward by Idaho Chooses Life as a tactical response to the disastrous lawsuit still pending before federal Judge Lynn Winmill. After telling the Legislature in 2015 that it did not perform telemed abortions – and had no intention of giving out RU-486 after a “doctor” talks with a woman over an internet connection – Planned Parenthood sued the state in December of 2015.  It claimed a “constitutional crisis” and demanded that Winmill issue a temporary restraining order to protect their “constitutional right” to kill more babies with greater economic efficiency.

The Attorney General’s office decided not to fight Planned Parenthood. Instead, it signed an agreement in the spring of 2016 saying it would not enforce Idaho law against the abortion chain.

So, effectively, webcam abortions became legal in Idaho last year. Planned Parenthood has been using the dangerous procedure at its Twin Falls facility for almost a year now.

We protested the move, but were told that it was part of a “larger strategy” to ultimately win the lawsuit. The state needed more time to organize its defense.  Not to worry.

Well, by last December, it became abundantly clear that there is plenty to be outraged about. The Attorney General’s office signed a document, largely prepared by Planned Parenthood, called a “Stipulation of Facts” in the lawsuit.  It is a twenty page document outlining the evidence developed by the parties – and the basis for any ruling by Judge Winmill on whether Idaho’s ban on webcam abortions is constitutional.

Our attorneys reviewed the document, after it was signed and entered into the court record, and came to the painful conclusion that there was no way the state could win the lawsuit. There is not a single piece of evidence before the court defending the Legislature’s decision to outlaw webcam abortions.

The Attorney General’s office apparently ignored the committee records developed through lengthy hearings in the 2015 Session. None of the expert testimony we presented was used in federal court.  None of the research papers and studies we presented to the Legislature were given to Judge Winmill.

In lobbying the 2015 bill, we showed the Legislature that webcam abortions are dangerous and a disservice to women and girls choosing to undergo a chemical abortion. Women using RU-486 have died as a result of hemorrhaging, or undetected ectopic pregnancies and infection.

But none of that information was presented to the federal district court.

So not only can the state now not win in Winmill’s court – there is no record by which an appeal could be successful.

Given this disgraceful state of the case, we are asking the Legislature to amend the law in order to moot the lawsuit. This reduces the amount of money that state will have to pay Planned Parenthood in attorneys’ fees.  More importantly, it stops Winmill from issuing a final ruling declaring our law to be “unconstitutional”.

That means Planned Parenthood can’t take his ruling to attack pro-Life laws in other states. And it means that we will have an easier time coming back to the Legislature to get these protections restored.  It also means that we have protected the rest of the chemical abortion regulations approved in 2015 from Judge Winmill’s lethal overreach.

Make no mistake: This turn of events is tragic. We spent some three years getting those protections into Idaho Code.  A number of legislators did a lot of heavy lifting to restrict the use of RU-486 in the state.  Much more importantly, the legalization of substandard medical care for women and girls undergoing chemical abortions is going to lead to higher abortion rates in Idaho and greater health problems for women.

But our only rational course at this point is to minimize the damage being wrecked by this lawsuit.

Have you noticed the increasing public presence of liberal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg?

During the last presidential election, the Supreme Court Justice made numerous political statements, which raised eyebrows in some quarters. Since President Trump’s election, Ginsburg has become even more outspoken in her politics and public criticism of the president’s agenda.

This past week, she made a trip to George Washington University to encourage the liberal faithful. It seems the 83 year-old jurist has become more of a cheerleader for the Left than a Supreme Court Justice.

She made it clear that she has no intention of leaving the bench to make room for another Trump appointee.

Ginsburg also went out of her way to praise the liberal press, defending outlets like the New York Times as purveyors of truth.

And then she went into her admiration for the thousands of women who turned out in Washington to defend legalized abortion and protest the anticipated policies of a Trump Administration.

“I have never seen such a demonstration, both the numbers and rapport of the people in that crowd. There was no violence, it was orderly.  So yes, we are not experiencing the best of times, but there is reason to hope that we will see a better day.”

It is unseemly for a sitting justice to publicly advocate for such a blatantly partisan agenda, as if she were a candidate for the U.S. Senate. There can be no serious debate that such political organizing confirms our worst fears of a badly compromised federal judiciary.  So we can’t feign surprise that judges like Ginsburg are partisan hacks; but it is nevertheless sad that she is so brazen about leading the liberal social revolution. And even sadder that her behavior has largely gone without criticism.

UPDATE:

In a rather amazing turn of events, Judge Laurence Silberman of the US Court of Appeals for DC wrote a guest opinion in the Wall Street Journal this weekend, lamenting Justice Ginsburg’s sharpening political posture.  He writes that Ginsburg’s comments are, perhaps, the most political ever made by a sitting Justice of the Supreme Court.

“I knew Justice Ginsburg once as a disciplined, relatively restrained colleague on the District of Columbia Circuit, and therefore I regret very much her evolution,” Silberman wrote.

Some might be tempted to dismiss Judge Silberman’s public protest because he was appointed by President Reagan in 1985.  But we should cheer his courage in standing up to defend the ideal of a truly independent judiciary.

Pro-Life advocate Norma McCorvey passed away in Texas this past week, after spending almost two decades defending preborn children. She was 69.

McCorvey’s life is a prime example of God’s love and mercy. She was brought into a relationship with Christ after spending about half of her adulthood advocating for abortion rights.  In fact, Norma is the woman around whom the Supreme Court concocted its infamous “Roe v. Wade” edict in 1973.

Norma revealed to the world in the 1980s that she was “Jane Roe” and that the factual basis for the lawsuit out of Texas was, in fact, not factual at all. Though she was still “pro-choice” at the time – Norma told the public that she lied about being raped, which was a key ingredient in a public relations campaign to seduce people into accepting the crime of abortion as the new normal in America.

McCorvey even went to work for Planned Parenthood for a time.

But in 1995, the Lord rescued her and she became a Christian.

By 1998, she was prepared to proclaim that she had become pro-Life:

“I am 100 percent pro-Life. I don’t believe in abortion even in an extreme situation.  If the woman is impregnated by a rapist, it’s still a child. You’re not to act as your own God.”

We were honored to have Norma McCorvey as our guest speaker at the annual Christmas Dinner in December of 2010.

I don’t believe Norma ever underwent an abortion, but the horror of abortion largely defined her life. She became the poster child for abortion rights at just 22, and spent her remaining time here struggling with the moral and emotional consequences of being sucked up into that evil vortex.  It was clear from our time together that she still carried wounds and many scars.  There was a sadness about her, as well as a powerful strength.

It is good that she has now received her complete healing and is at peace with the Lord who always loved her.

We have previously expressed concern about Congress fulfilling its commitment to defund Planned Parenthood. The much anticipated vote on a Reconciliation bill to both defund the Abortion Giant and Repeal ObamaCare seems to be on hold. Rather than cap the pipeline of federal funding, the Congress appears to be shifting responsibility back to the states for action.

This last week, Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) introduced a measure to repeal rules Obama punched through at the end of his presidency to protect Planned Parenthood’s tax subsidies. The House Rules Committee will meet next week to consider HJRes 43, which would restore the ability of states receiving Title X monies to direct those funds away from Planned Parenthood.

While this is a positive trend, it suggests that Congress is far from ready to strip monies from the abortion provider. It seems odd, for example, to go after an underlying rule – which will take weeks to successfully repeal – rather than the whole program.

It also suggests that Congressional leaders may be trying to shift the battle with Planned Parenthood from Washington, D.C. to the various states.

Hopefully, we are misreading the dynamic at work.

The simple fact is, Congress has created the behemoth which is Planned Parenthood through its decades-long steady subsidy of millions in tax dollars. Particularly in light of the corrupted federal court system now oppressing America – containing Planned Parenthood’s toxic effect on American culture will require genuine, courageous leadership from the U.S. Congress.

Let us pray they find the will to act.

Various media outlets have obtained a draft of a proposed Executive Order being prepared for President Trump’s signature. Liberals in the media, Abortion Industry and homosexual agitators are, predictably, “outraged”.  They claim he is on some dangerous, radical mission to persecute them.  But the simple truth, as with so much of the Trump agenda, is to restore a respect for fundamental American principles, law and culture.

Reportedly, the draft EO insists that the federal government and its agencies adhere to Supreme Court decisions and statutes which safeguard the religious liberties of American citizens. The only thing radical about this action is the focus it puts on the Obama government, which waged all-out war on the First Amendment and the religious beliefs of many millions.

For example, it was the Obama Administration which repeatedly forced Little Sisters of the Poor to mortgage its very existence by waging expensive lawsuits to defend its right not to pay for, or otherwise subsidize, abortion through bizarre ObamaCare regulations. And, in fact, Trump’s Executive Order specifically instructs the Departments of Labor, Treasury and Health & Human Services to provide proper relief to this order of Christian nuns.

The Order would further order all federal agencies to protect the religious liberties of federal employees, and would stop the government from discriminating against private Christian charities because they uphold traditional beliefs in the sanctity of Life and Marriage.

News reports suggest that Trump’s action will provide comprehensive protections to religious practice and restore much of what Obama tried to destroy. It is a moment to be celebrated, not only because of it marks a recovery of religious freedom, but a recovery of Constitutional government.

But be prepared for more protests, car burnings and frivolous lawsuits.

After an amazing start on the pro-Life agenda, there are reports indicating that the new Republican government may be having trouble finding the will to defund Planned Parenthood. The problem lies not with the White House, but with the Congress.

There were hopes that the Congress would defund Planned Parenthood last week, after staging an historic vote to do so last year. That previous attempt was vetoed by Barack Obama, who went down swinging for his comrades in the Abortion Industry.  With a new pro-Life president in charge of the government, hopes remain high among pro-Lifers that the evil partnership between American taxpayers and the nation’s largest abortion chain will finally end.

The plan was to use the Reconciliation procedure to defund Planned Parenthood and repeal ObamaCare in one fell swoop. This mechanism means that Congress can move legislation with simple majorities in both the House and Senate.

Unfortunately, a number of Republicans have become anxious about repealing ObamaCare as there is not yet consensus about how the Republicans will reconstruct the health care insurance market place. In fact, one report indicated that Speaker Ryan may hold the reconciliation vote until the spring and summer.

That means the money pump is still running, transferring the nation’s treasure to Planned Parenthood’s bank account.

Utah Senator Mike Lee issued a statement yesterday, urging Congress to take action on defunding Planned Parenthood.   He rightly called the continued tax subsidies of Planned Parenthood a “stain” on our nation’s great history.

We ask for your prayers on behalf of the Congress. May our nation’s leaders find the courage and resolve to end this gross injustice.

President Trump issued an Executive Order yesterday which puts America back where it should be: A light to the world. He has restored the Mexico City Policy, first articulated by President Ronald Reagan.

This policy forbids the use of American tax dollars to export abortion to other nations. Specifically, it forbids giving foreign aid dollars to organizations (e.g., Planned Parenthood International) which use that money to perform and promote abortions in other nations.  It is a policy which has proven to be a central dispute between Democrat and Republican administrations ever since.

One of Obama’s first actions as the new president was to restore funding for PPI, and its evil support of abortion and oppressive practices like the one-child policy still destroying families and women in China.

President Trump’s action – and the clear priority he placed on getting America’s moral compass re-calibrated – is a tremendous encouragement to the conservative citizens. It serves as a down-payment against our hopes for a new regime in America – one in which the vulnerable are protected and valued.

Thank you, Mr. President!

America has endured a long, cold winter. Some eight years long.  But, by the grace of God, we have survived and there is promise of a vibrant spring.

Barack Obama has been relentless in his assault on America’s core values and conventions. He has rigidly pushed abortion, sexual perversion and illegal immigration.  Obama has seriously damaged a once-premier health care system.  He has freed drug lords, terrorists and traitors from prison – while fostering wide-spread hostility toward law enforcement.  He has expanded the capricious power of the presidency while undermining the public’s appreciation for the rule of law.  He has attacked free enterprise while greatly expanding dependency upon government.  He has imported Muslim terrorists while turning his back on Christians around the world who are fighting for their very lives.

Like a very bad winter, the snow storms and cold snaps have continued to come. Americans have been shoveling, sanding and huddling around wood stoves praying for spring.  Scraping the ice and snow off roofs, hoping we won’t see water spots in the ceiling.  Eight very long years.

Obama has assaulted our Jewish friends in Israel while making nefarious deals with our Iranian enemies. He has refused to address the mounting violence and hopelessness of America’s greatest cities, while insisting that those Americans still pulling the cart accept greater responsibility. He has encouraged ignorance of, and contempt for, the Constitution.

Freezing rain, followed by subzero temperatures. Slick roads for the morning commute.  Long nights of fatigue, afternoons of seething incredulity that another snowstorm has arrived.

Yet, today, America marks a time of renewal. The Republic has somehow survived the worst that Obama and his anarchist streetwalkers have thrown at Her.  Winter has come to an end as Obama flies off to play more golf in Palm Springs.

President Trump and Vice-President Pence have a daunting job before them. Rebuilding the Constitution’s institutions and restoring America’s core values to government will take time.  Surely they will make mistakes and good-hearted Americans must be willing to forgive and lend them a hand.  But spring has finally arrived.  Hope has returned to the land.

That proud, tattered flag still stands.

Thank you Lord.