Trump’s pro-life commitment
On January 18, President Trump sent a video message to participants in the annual March for Life, the nation’s largest pro-life demonstration. Trump promised, “Today I have signed a letter to Congress to make clear that if they send any legislation to my desk that weakens the protection of human life, I will issue a veto. And, we have the support to uphold those vetoes. When we look into the eyes of a newborn child, we see the beauty in the human soul and the majesty of God’s creation. We know that every life has meaning and that every life is worth protection. As president, I will always defend the first right in our Declaration of Independence, the right to life.”
Three weeks later, in his annual State of the Union speech on February 5, Trump again delivered a forceful pro-life message, saying, “There could be no greater contrast to the beautiful image of a mother holding her infant child than the chilling displays our nation saw in recent days. Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother’s womb moments before birth. These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and dreams with the world. And then, we had the case of the governor of Virginia where he stated he would execute a baby after birth. To defend the dignity of every person, I am asking Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother’s womb. Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life. And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth — all children — born and unborn — are made in the holy image of God.” [Lifenews.com, 1/18/2019, 2/5/2019]
Daleiden videos authentic
In 2015, undercover videos by the Center for Medical Progress exposed Planned Parenthood officials selling parts of aborted babies. The nation was shocked by the callous way in which prices for tiny baby hearts, lungs, livers, and brains were negotiated. Investigations by the U.S. House and Senate recommended that the Department of Justice investigate Planned Parenthood due to strong evidence that the abortion business broke the law.
Planned Parenthood asserted that the videos were deceptively edited. However, a decision by a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed the validity of the videos. In fact, a forensic analysis of the videos, commissioned by Planned Parenthood, also confirmed “the video was authentic and not deceptively edited.” [Lifenews.com, 1/18/2019; Family Research Council Washington Update, 2/1/2019]
Planned Parenthood’s annual report
Planned Parenthood set a new record, reporting 332,757 abortions in 2018. This number represents 911 abortions every single day — and 11,373 more than in 2017. The nation’s largest abortion business took in a record $1.66 billion in revenue, showing a profit of nearly $250 million, which is a 150 percent increase according to its own accounts. Planned Parenthood CEO Leana Wen admitted recently, “Our core mission is providing, protecting, and expanding access to abortion and reproductive health care. We will never back down from that fight. It’s a fundamental human right, and women’s lives are at stake.”
The abortion giant saw 2.4 million patients in 2018. The report shows the organization provided fewer health services than the previous year. Contraception decreased by 80,000, cancer screenings by 45,000, and well-woman exams and prenatal services decreased by 13,000. Adoption referrals dropped by more than 25 percent, with one adoption referral for every 117 abortions.
In 2016, the abortion business received $543.7 million in taxpayer dollars. That number increased by $20 million to $563.8 million in 2017-2018.
Planned Parenthood’s claims that abortion procedures make up three percent of its services was given three pinocchios by The Washington Post. National Review writer Alexandra Desanctis explains the deceptive statistics saying, “If a woman enters a Planned Parenthood facility to obtain an abortion and, while she’s there, is also given a pregnancy test, a STI test, a cancer screening, and contraception, the abortion procedure would be just 20 percent of the ‘services’ she receives. Actual patients who visit Planned Parenthood are there, first and foremost, to receive an abortion.” [Lifenews, 1/22/2019; Family Research Council Washington Update, 1/22/2019]
OB-GYNs say abortion “never” necessary to protect women’s health
Abortion advocates have long claimed that pregnancy complications can make abortion medically necessary to save the mother’s life. Kansas Representative Roger W. Marshall, an obstetrician who has delivered more than 5,000 babies over 25 years says, “Contrary to the pro-abortion movement, regardless of the mother’s underlying medical health, I never saw a scenario where we had to choose between a mom’s life and a baby. Point blank, late-term abortions are unsafe and more dangerous than naturally occurring childbirth in almost any situation.” Marshall cited a much higher risk of uterine perforation, life-threatening hemorrhaging, infection, permanent scarring, and infertility during late-term abortions.
Medical leaders and groups representing more than 30,000 doctors signed on to a letter published at The Public Discourse (2/17/2019) saying, “There is no scientific or legal reason to distinguish human beings born after an attempted abortion and human beings born after attempted birth. We can, and do, save the life of the mother and her newborn can receive the care that it needs. There is no medical reason to intentionally kill that fetal human being through an inhumane abortion procedure.” [Lifenews.com, 2/12/2019; 3/5/2019]
Polls shows significant pro-life shift
The Marist Poll taken February 12-17 found a large 17 percent shift toward the pro-life side on the heels of a month when Democrats supported and cheered a new law in New York legalizing abortion up to birth and failed to support the Born Alive Abortion Protection Act, thereby allowing babies to die from infanticide. Americans now are as likely to say they are pro-life (47 percent) as pro-choice (47 percent). Democrats moved from 20 percent to 34 percent in their pro-life identity. Poll director Barbara Carvalho explained, “Current proposals that promote late-term abortion have reset the landscape and language on abortion in a pronounced — and very measurable — way. The recent legal changes to late-term abortion and the debate which followed have not gone unnoticed by the general public. In just one month, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of Americans who see themselves as pro-life and an equally notable decline in those who describe themselves as pro-choice.”
An early January Marist poll showed an overwhelming majority of Americans (75 percent) want abortion limited to the first three months of pregnancy. By 54 percent to 39 percent, a majority of Americans oppose taxpayer funding of abortion. A survey by Students for Life of America showed only seven percent of millennials (ages 18-34), now the largest voting bloc in America, support the Democrats’ platform on abortion — no legal limits and taxpayer funding. [Family Research Council Washington Update, 1/14/2019; Lifenews.com, 1/15/2019, 2/25/2019]
Trump’s rule defunds Planned Parenthood
In February, President Trump’s Health and Human Services Department issued a new rule, the Protect Life Rule, that requires that Planned Parenthood separate its abortion business from its family planning operations. The purpose of the rule is to prevent the abortion giant from using Title X taxpayer dollars to promote abortion. The new rule doesn’t cut Title X funding at all — it simply enforces existing statutes that draw a line of separation between abortion and family planning. Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser says the new rule will prevent Planned Parenthood from using the Title X program “like their own multimillion-dollar slush fund.”
Planned Parenthood said it will refuse to abide by the new regulations and will, if the rule is implemented, forfeit $60 million tax dollars in annual Title X funding. Lawsuits in California and 20 other states, including Oregon, were filed. The states include: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C.
California ProLife Council Executive director Brian Johnston believes that the liberal Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will likely side with California and expects the legal challenge to make it to the Supreme Court. The new rule is scheduled to go into effect in May unless blocked in court. [www.wng.org, 3/4/2019; Lifenews.com, 3/5/2019]
