What about that 'Executive Order?' Abortion in Three States with Federal Money?

By Jennifer Hartline
7/19/2010
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Blood Money Held Hostage by Pro-Life Pressure

It's been quite a week for the abortion industry. First Pennsylvania, then New Mexico and Maryland; all three states released the details of their high-risk insurance pool, aka Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) - and lo and behold, these federally-funded PCIP's were all found to cover abortions. Did vigilant Pro-Life Citizens prevent further advance of the Culture of death?

Then candidate Barack Obama with Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards. Planned Parenthood was a strong supporter of the candidate and is a strong ally of the President now. Both pro-aborts and pro-lifers have known all along: Obamacare funds abortions and the Executive Order will not prevent it.

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WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - It's been quite a week for the abortion industry and their chosen President.

First Pennsylvania, then New Mexico and Maryland; all three states released the details of their high-risk insurance pool, aka Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) - and lo and behold, these federally-funded PCIP's were all found to cover abortions.

Under Obama's health care plan, each state will have its own PCIP to give temporary health coverage to those who can't presently get health insurance because of a pre-existing condition. The states can either create their own PCIP or allow the Department of Health and Human Services to run their program directly. Kathleen Sebelius has emphasized that each state's program will be "funded entirely by the federal government." $5 billion dollars is marked for this purpose.

Pennsylvania is one of 29 states who decided to write their own PCIP. DHHS approved PA's plan and the state is set to receive $160 million dollars. Once the details of the plan were examined, however, it quickly became clear that PA's program would include abortion coverage for any reason except sex-selection.

But weren't we assured repeatedly by Obama and Pelosi and Reid and Biden and Stupak that something like this couldn't and wouldn't happen? What about the Executive Order that promised not one dime of taxpayer dollars would be spent on abortion coverage?

As it turns out, the Executive Order only mentions restricting the use of federal dollars for abortion in health insurance exchanges and community health centers; it says nothing about PCIP's. The abortion lobby was well aware of this hidden loophole in the health care bill, which is why they so aggressively opposed the Stupak Amendment, because it would have plugged the hole by specifically preventing funds from covering abortion in any plans created by the bill, including the high-risk pool.

Remember, after President Obama signed his worthless Executive Order, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards herself called the order merely a "symbolic gesture" and praised the bill for providing women the "reproductive care" they need. She wasn't worried about getting her funds because she knew the money was coming, no matter what assurances were made to the pro-life community.

Well, once the National Right to Life Committee discovered the "loophole" in the law and exposed PA's abortion coverage and the Obama administration's duplicity, things got hairy. DHHS quickly backpedaled and issued a revised statement regarding the rules for the PCIP's in every state, saying that they will actually be required to follow all federal laws. It was a tacit admission of the reality every pro-life group as well as the Catholic bishops have been saying all along: Obamacare funds abortion.

The proof is in the reaction of the pro-aborts - they're boiling mad and feeling betrayed. Cecile Richards expressed her deep disappointment at the administration's decision to "unnecessarily and voluntarily" impose limits on abortion funding. NARAL sent out an email saying they are "outraged that such a decision could come from a pro-choice president we helped elect," and asking people to contact the White House and "tell President Obama that this new policy is unacceptable..." and to ask him to "remove the abortion-coverage ban immediately." (So, wait... you mean there really wasn't an abortion-coverage ban to begin with?!)

The National Women's Law Center sent a similar message to its email list, saying the Administration has in effect applied the Stupak Amendment to the PCIP's and now "vulnerable women" will not get the abortion coverage they need. They vowed they "will not rest until the restrictions on abortion coverage are fixed." NARAL, Planned Parenthood, the NWLC, and every pro-abort in the country knew that the promise of no abortion coverage in the health care bill was a lie. They knew the Executive Order wouldn't really stop the money from flowing into their bloody coffers. They were satisfied and content - until this week.

Now the gig is up. Now this back door is being closed.

But it wasn't just Pennsylvania. New Mexico and Maryland were also found to have PCIP's that would cover abortions. Now all three states have had to revise their plans and cancel their abortion coverage since the cat's been dragged out of the bag. How many other states have similar PCIP's? Each state's plan will have to be carefully examined for these ...

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1 - 10 of 21 Comments

William O'Connor
2 years ago
Thirty seven years of dialogue, and 50 million are dead. The next thirty seven years
hold more of the same- Planned Parenthood predicts an increase of 18%-30% in
abortion deaths with the new "healtcare". A radical change in leadership and strategies is needed. There is far too much internal communication, far too little with those of the opposing view.
Larry Milby
2 years ago
This was a heads up reporting job. Well done and very informing. I do think it a little misleading in that it implies that Obama knew of the loophole. Pennsylvania is a Republican controled state. True Pittsburg and Phillie are mostly Democrate, but the state by larege is Republican controled. In Blair County for instance everything, the courts, judeges, magistrates, you name it and the Republican party controles it. I still thing Obama has done more with his health care plan to limit abortions than any President or politician. If he only stops one abortion he has done more, if he only stops two abortions he will have done twice as much as any other President. Just think what could have been in the Health Care Bill if the so called religious right had joined in with him to stop funding of abortions. So why didn't the Republicans join in, the evidence is before our eyes. Pennsylvaina a Republican controled state has found loophole to fund abortions, and now Obama has hopfully closed that loophole.
Diane
2 years ago
About your posts Alex, Well Said! The basic devils lie that the leadership of proaborts has accepted is this. They and those like them will inherit the earth through their own decendants. They are managing to destroy the families and babies of others, especially the poor. Note this administations push to promote abortion in all poor countries via taxpayer funded abortion when Obama overturned the Mexico City policy on his 3rd day in office. Good God! Now add pride and greed to murder on their part. Such cunning! Their activity is srtaight out of Hell. Their kind of hatred cannot be reasoned with. It can only be confronted with the truth and courage. Those in power expect to control the earth or they are the lackeys of those who do.
augustine
2 years ago
I agree with everything both maryann and Mellisa said. I will add the president is nothing but an untrustworthy serious contradiction period. That is the bottom line. And yes people need to get their heads ouf of the sand and stop being decieved. What we need to pray for is a NEW president and not this liar for another 4 years. He will do what he wants for now and continue to do nothing but make a big mess of our country as well as destroy our Christian values.
Anne
2 years ago
An executive order does NOT trump a law that was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President.
The President has no authority to add to, delete or change laws by himself.
Any attempt to change a law by executive order would be turned over in any Court of Law. Obama and Members of Congress are well aware of this. Attorneys for Planned Parenthood and the ACLU are also aware of this.
In addition, any executive order that is legitimate can be changed at any time by the stroke of a pen.
Obama's executive order is indeed worthless.
US Tax dollars are also used in foreign aide packages for abortions. Obama and his Secretary of State appointee, Hillary Clinton, actively support abortion funding at the United Nations.
Bulbajer
2 years ago
Alex, I agree, Democrats are just as bads Republicans. That is why I (and others on this site, I have found) try to stay away from partisanship.
Melissa
2 years ago
Thank you Jennifer. As usual, you are SPOT ON! I am exasperated by your comment Robert. You seem to fail to realise that the very same people who oppose abortion are usually those who also oppose contraception, the contraceptive mentality and the push for disgusting and perverted sex education that very young school children are being assaulted with (as Jennifer also wrote about in another excellent article) in school. That horrendous sex education, pushed by abortion provider Planned Parenthood, results in increased sexual activity and more unwanted pregnancies. As a single woman, I participated in prayerful protest outside an abortuary every Saturday morning (while you were probably still asleep) for a couple of years. We offered whatever support we could to the women who were entering the abortuary, so that they would not kill their babies. Now that I am a mother, I am homeschooling my children and doing everything I can to protect their innocence and ensure that they grow up to respect life and live virtuous lives. I don't care what "party" a politician belongs to. If he or she is pro-abortion, then I will NOT vote for him/her. That you remark that pro-lifers don't care about the women and babies is insulting at the very least. All we care about is tax cuts for the rich? How dare you make such idiotic and ignorant remarks. Have you ever stood outside an abortuary, to try to save an innocent life, while having eggs thrown at you, heinous things shouted in your face by people who want to support the murder of the innocent and whatever else came our way? Judging by your comment, I would think that you have not! How dare you indeed! And by the way, I am not rich either. Far from it.
Alex
2 years ago
Michael Russell, you bring up another good point. I for one am tired of hearing people who falsely believe Democrats are somehow the "party of the poor." THESE PEOPLE OWN PRIVATE JETS, VACATION HOMES, AND SPEND MORE MONEY ON JUNK THAN ANY HONEST CITIZEN I KNOW. Want to know how much Obama gives to charity? Do a google search, you will be surprised at how little he cares about anyone less fortunate than himself. These people are politicians, nothing more. And if you believe for an instant that ANY politician "cares" about poor people, congratulations you are a giant sap.
Michael Russell
2 years ago
Dear Jennifer, another strong and meaningful article. To Robert, I would have to ask if he lives in a cave. In the first place, Catholic organizations, like Priests For Life, have long been offering support and care for any woman seeking help with her pregnancy. Furthermore, abortion is not about Republicans or Democrats. It's about the murder of the unborn, which is against the Fifth Commandment. Abortion is also contrary to the United States Constitution. Ever hear of LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Life is the right of every person. By the way, a lot of the folks in Washington that supported funded abortion in Obama's "health" plan are VERY RICH.
Sara Palen
2 years ago
Does Congressman Oberstar, like Pelosi and Stupak also hide behind the executive order and the habit (or whatever) of the nun with the presidential pen? Does he consider her comments more authentic in Catholic teaching and social justice than the bishops? Does he hide behind "theologians"? Does he even take seriously his constituent's concerns when they warned this would happen? Did his staffers laugh at these concerns, phone call after phone call during the debate? Can he not see beyond these things to the rotten fruit of those who will run these programs? JPII said a nation that kills its own children is a nation without hope-opposite of the ideology of the Executive, which Congress has enabled to make (and then remake) laws on our deepest and most intimate health care issues. The congressman from Minnesota heaped praise upon the head of a nun weilding a pen to his constituents, yet ignored any comments from his bishops. The people he represents want to know how this can be happening. He and his staffers promised abortion would not be covered by federal funds. That could never happen. Unless we are vigilant this, pollution will invade more and more the rivers of funds flowing from the federal tax payer. Can my congressman be trusted to remain vigilant? Can yours? Call them out in November. My congressman has lost my vote. I'm voting for Chip.

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