Commentary

The vote yesterday in the United States Senate to end our public partnership with Planned Parenthood was truly historic.  We believe it is the first time since President Nixon championed the notion of taxpayer funding for birth control that the U.S. Congress has voted to sever that multi-million subsidy of the Abortion Industry.

Obviously the president will veto the measure.  But that, too, is historic.  The American people will be the judge between the evil espoused by Obama and the new social justice demanded by most Republicans.  Let Obama defend the idea that American taxpayers should be forced to transfer their wealth to an organization that not only kills innocent babies – but harvests their organs for resale in the back room.  Let Obama defend a value system which says it is okay to trade baby parts for Lamborghinis.

We are grateful for the leadership of Idaho’s congressional delegation in this matter, particularly from our two U.S. Senators.  They have been engaged and inspired in helping to bring this vote to fruition, and we are proud that Idaho is served by such men in Washington, D.C.

Hours after the dastardly shoot-out in Colorado Springs ended, Planned Parenthood pounced to proclaim itself the victim of wanton violence.  Marching on the Left’s maxim that no crisis should be wasted, the public relations teams at Planned Parenthood saw an opportunity to cynically turn the page on their public relations disaster by proclaiming that the violence at their abortuary was “inspired” by “hateful” rhetoric.  Therefore, all pro-Lifers were to blame for the shootings.

On cue, their most powerful ally, Barack Obama, moved in to reinforce the message point.  Then came insightful leaders like Sen. Harry Reid blabbing into DC microphones.

Pseudo reporters on networks like CNN and MSNBC have dutifully delivered the message that the crimes of Colorado Springs were the handiwork of those evil undercover agents at the Center for Medical Progress who shamefully recorded abortionists trading baby parts for Lamborghinis.  How mean!

A few obvious things need to be stated.

First, the whole episode exposes the pathetic state of our national media.  Not simply its blatant bias, but its complete lack of professionalism.  There is virtually no evidence that the shooter in this incident had any ties whatsoever to any pro-Life cause or organization.  The only thing we know for sure is that this man is deeply disturbed.  But don’t complicate a good liberal storyline with facts.

Second, the basic message from Planned Parenthood is simple insanity.  To blame its public relations problems on the Center for Medical Progress is like the crooked politicians recorded in the 1980’s  ABSCAM scandal blaming the FBI for undermining the public’s trust in government.

The shootings in Colorado Springs do nothing to vindicate Planned Parenthood as an organization worthy of continued public funding; the incident does nothing to change the fact that Planned Parenthood is an evil enterprise which slaughters helpless babies for profit.  And no matter how loudly the Abortion Empire proclaims its victimhood, they cannot erase the tapes of their employees trafficking in baby parts while slurping a fine red wine.

A Thanksgiving Reflection

It is sometimes difficult to extricate one’s self from the daily struggle of defending babies long enough to see the glory and wonder of the many gifts God has given us. But at this time of year we naturally do—and should—focus on those blessings, especially when we consider what it means to be pro-life in America today.

The single defining characteristic we all hold in common is our love of family and our love of God, who is the Author of Life and who created each and every one of us. Without Him there would be no family; without Him there would be no opportunity to love others for His sake.

We recall how each individual human life was defined so clearly by St. John Paul II with these words: “The life which God gives man is quite different from the life of all other living creatures, inasmuch as man, although formed from the dust of the earth is a manifestation of God in the world, a sign of his presence, a trace of his glory.”

We thank You, Lord, for the gift of life—for our lives and the lives of those we love.

We recognize that, in this battle to defend the most defenseless among our brothers and sisters in Christ, the babies we represent and defend do not know us. Yet we are given this awesome responsibility of being their voice when we witness to the expectant mother considering abortion, at the local clinic where these babies are killed, and amidst the lawmakers and others in the public arena who need to hear the truth.

We thank You, Lord, for the gifts of fortitude and counsel which motivate us to discern what is right and to take the actions necessary to remind others of this even when it is extremely difficult or uncomfortable to do so.

We understand the many challenges that confront our fellow human beings on a daily basis and the temptations that abound to stray from what is right and at times to do so without realizing the consequences of their actions.

Thank You Lord for the gift of compassion that helps us reach out to others in times of great pain or suffering. We know that in You, Lord, all that we do bears fruit as long as we entrust our actions to You with a sincere and humble heart.

We thank You, Lord, for this special time of togetherness with our loved ones and the opportunities we have to be with family members, to embrace those we love, cherishing moments of peace and joy that accompany the celebration of Thanksgiving.

And so we pray:

Thank You, Father, for having created us and given us to each other in the human family. Thank You for being with us in all our joys and sorrows, for Your comfort in our sadness, Your companionship in our loneliness. Thank You for yesterday, today, tomorrow and for the whole of our lives. Thank You for friends, for health and for grace. May we live this and every day conscious of all that has been given to us. Amen.

We wish you, your families, and loved ones a very happy and joyous Thanksgiving.

In Christ, the Author of Life,

Judie Brown and the American Life League family

Conservative Commentator/Author Austin Hill Passes Away.

It is with great shock and sorrow that we announce Austin Hill unexpectedly died on Friday

night, November 13th. At this time, doctors suspect the cause of death was cardiac related.

As a follower of Jesus, Austin’s faith permeated and influenced all aspects of his life. He was

committed to speaking the truth and engaging people in thoughtful conversation. In addition to

writing and public speaking, Austin had a national radio presence with dedicated listeners

across the country. Most importantly, he was a loving husband, and as his son describes him,

an avid father.

Details concerning a memorial service will be posted on Austin’s Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, it is requested that gifts be sent to a college fund for his son, Graham, a high

school senior: https://www.youcaring.com/graham-hill-469855

– The Family of Austin Hill

We had a great deal of hope going into this latest Congressional effort to defund the abortion mafia known as Planned Parenthood.  It seemed that the reconciliation process offered a perfect opportunity to obtain a clean Senate vote and avoid the filibuster by Planned Parenthood’s Democrat patrons in that body.  The reconciliation process requires only a simple majority to pass.

The measure to defund Planned Parenthood has already passed the House by a large margin, and awaits Senate action.

Yesterday, the Senate Parliamentarian gave her approval to the measure, certifying that the bill could be enacted through the “Byrd Rule” – allowing a simple majority.  Everything seemed on course for an historic vote to end the unholy partnership between the American taxpayer and Planned Parenthood – forced upon us for over forty years by a badly misguided Congress.

And now we learn that our hope hangs by a thread.  It is no surprise that the liberal Republicans in the caucus are balking.  But there are still enough votes if conservatives stand tall.  But that weird purity virus has surfaced – threatening to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Sens. Mike Lee, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are threatening to vote against the reconciliation bill because it doesn’t go far enough in repealing provisions of ObamaCare – another feature of the bill.

What makes this so darn frustrating and even silly is the simple fact that Obama will veto the measure in any event.  Purity makes little sense in this context.

What does make sense is for the entire Republican Congress to make a final and clear statement about ending our partnership with Planned Parenthood.  While the effort to improve health care for women will require a new president to take effect – Republicans are foolish not to force an Obama veto heading into a critical election year.  Instead of losing this fight over defunding in the byzantine halls of the Senate – let us expose Obama as the champion of abortion, the defender of human baby organ trafficking.

Please take a moment to call the offices of the normally pro-Life Senators having trouble figuring this situation out:

Sen. Marco Rubio:           202-224-3041

Sen. Ted Cruz:                   202-224-5922

Sen. Mike Lee:                  202-224-5444

For more background on the issue click here.

The new Speaker of the House is proceeding with plans to thoroughly investigate Planned Parenthood’s role in the national baby organ trafficking ring revealed over the summer. At first, Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi indicated that she would refuse to appoint Democrats to the panel.  But she has changed her mind.

Pelosi announced last week that six Democrats would represent her party on the select investigation committee. Not too surprisingly, all six members are candidates with ties to Planned Parenthood.  In fact, between them, the Democrat members have collected over $81,000 in campaign checks from Planned Parenthood’s PAC over the years.

It would seem unlikely, therefore, that these particular congressional members will be too energetic in looking at Planned Parenthood. Rather, we can expect that they are on the panel to undermine the investigation by any means necessary.

The Democrats appointed to panel are: Jan Schawkowsky of Illinois; Jerrold Nadler of New York; Diana DeGette of Colorado; Jackie Speier of California; Susan DelBene of Washington and Bonnie Coleman of New Jersey.

In a further demonstration of the present perversion of the Democratic Party, Pelosi has denounced the panel as the “Republican’s Select Committee to Attack Women’s Health”.

Honestly, in what perverse universe does the chopping up and trafficking in babies have anything to do women? Or even abortion?  The Select Committee is not charged with investigating abortion or abortion rights.  It is tasked with looking at Planned Parenthood’s horrific side business, whereby it obtains additional profits by treating human babies as mere commodities.

One would think that there are enough Democrats left with a moral code strong enough to find such practices abhorrent and unacceptable in a nation like the United States. Perhaps we will yet see such persons stand up in coming months.  But it is already clear that Leader Pelosi will once again use her power to protect the terribly guilty.

On Friday, Speaker John Boehner announced the Republican members of a special select committee charged with investigating Planned Parenthood. The panel will have unique powers to collect documents and subpoena witnesses as it searches for answers to the scandalous trafficking in baby organs and tissue.

The panel will be chaired by Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. Boehner offered an accompanying statement:

“Recent videos exposing the abortion-for-baby parts business have shocked the nation, and demanded action. At my request, three House committees have been investigating the abortion business, but we still don’t have the full truth.  Chairman Blackburn and our members will have the resources and the subpoena power to get to the bottom of these horrific practices, and build upon our work to protect the sanctity of all human life.”

In accepting the leadership post, Rep. Blackburn argued that, “No issue is more deserving of our undivided attention than protecting the dignity of human life. This will be a broad based- information gathering – fact finding mission – to answer questions about how we treat and protect life in this country.  This is a discussion that this country must have.  This is a discussion we should not shy away from.”

Among the numerous questions the panel is charged to investigate is the issue of federal funding for tissue and organ procurement. In addition, the committee will look into profit margins, abortion procedures and whether Planned Parenthood is harvesting organs from babies born alive.

In addition to Blackburn, other Republican members of the panel are Joe Pitts (PA), Diane Black (TN), Larry Bucshon (IN), Sean Duffy (WI), Andy Harris (MD), Vicki Hartzler (MO) and Mia Love (UT).

This is extraordinarily important work, and we are hopeful it will produce meaningful reforms at the federal level. In addition to severing our partnership with Planned Parenthood, Congress must overhaul the law and regulations governing tissue donation and harvesting.

It is obvious that we need to recover sound moral standards to govern medical research, particularly when human beings are the subject. Legalized abortion has degraded the sensitivities and collective conscience of this society and a battle must be waged to re-establish proper standards of conduct.  Human beings cannot be treated like so much waste product, to be scrounged through for valuable parts and profit.

Hopefully Congress can help lead the way back through the work of this panel.

The U.S. House of Representatives again voted yesterday to defund Planned Parenthood. This is something like the fourth time the House has voted to cut funds this year.  While previous efforts have foundered on the Democrat Abortion Phalanx in the Senate, this bill stands a very good chance of getting to President Obama’s desk.

The House passed HR 3762 by a vote of 240-189. One lone Democrat voted with Republicans to place a one-year moratorium on any federal funds going to Planned Parenthood.  Both Idaho congressmen supported the measure, which could cost America’s leading abortion chain over $550 million in government funding.

What makes this effort unique is the parliamentary procedure being used. HR 3762 is positioned under the rules as a budget reconciliation measure; this means that Democrat cheerleaders of abortion in the Senate cannot hide behind the filibuster rules of the Senate to block a vote.

We are very hopeful that the Senate will consider the measure next week, which can be sent to Obama’s desk with a simple majority.

Of course, Obama will once again come through for his pals at Planned Parenthood.

But that doesn’t diminish the significance of what the Congress will have accomplished by the vote. The fact is, for the first time in history, a majority of both houses will have rejected the notion that Planned Parenthood is somehow entitled to public welfare; or that women’s health care needs can only be provided through a discredited abortion chain.  That hasn’t happened in over forty years.

It seems that all we need is a modestly righteous occupant of the White House in 2017 to finally put an end to our sordid partnership with Planned Parenthood. The end of public funding for this organization will be a serious body blow to their operations.

Congress created this evil behemoth by allowing Planned Parenthood to mainline directly into the U.S. Treasury for massive, reliable funding year in and year out. And only Congress can end this evil arrangement.

Despite the best efforts of federal courts and the Abortion Industry, free speech lives in America. More video files have emerged this week documenting the callous and unethical practices of Planned Parenthood and other abortionists.  Among other horrible revelations, it is indisputable from the new videos that the Abortion Industry is profiting handsomely from the sale of baby organs and tissue.

Hours and hours of video tapes were reportedly recorded at a national convention of abortionists sponsored by the National Abortion Federation this past summer. Numerous conversations were recorded about baby parts trafficking.  Realizing that the whole industry was about to be exposed, the organization sought a court order from a federal judge to prohibit the Center for Medical Progress from publicly releasing the recordings.  And, despite the First Amendment, a federal judge has happily slapped a gag order on the Center for Medical Progress.

However, several committees in Congress have obtained copies of those video recordings. Someone on the staff apparently made those censored videos available to various websites.  Now the public has a chance to witness how deeply integrated organ trafficking has become with the practice of abortion.

You can watch the new videos for yourself:

Hillary Clinton was among those celebrating Planned Parenthood’s 99^th Birthday celebration this weekend.  In comments tweeted from her account, Clinton wrote:

“On October 16, 1916, Planned Parenthood opened their first health center and changed life women in America. Here’s to the next 99 years!”

The disgusting trafficking in human baby organs and tissue has done nothing to diminish Clinton’s enthusiasm for the nation’s largest Abortion Factory. In fact, she seems to be going out of her way recently to demonstrate her fealty to the criminal enterprise.

Clinton is right about one thing, though: Planned Parenthood has had an undeniable impact on American society. The cost of that transformation has, indeed, been unimaginably huge.

As Planned Parenthood throws itself another birthday party, we can’t help but grieve for the millions of babies who have been denied birthday celebrations of their own.