Angry Activists Mobilizing to Keep Abortion in Health Care, Pro-Lifers Worried
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 17, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Angry and upset that the House-approved health care bill contains the Stupak amendment to ban virtually all abortion funding, pro-abortion activists have mobilized for a protest day on December 2 at Congress that could see tens of thousands of people attend. That has pro-life advocates worried.
As LifeNews.com reported last week, the main pro-abortion organizations Planned Parenthood and NARAL have recruited their friends in the labor union and gay rights movements to help turn out participants.
They are following the tried-and-true game plan of the pro-life community that uses buses to bring in thousands of people to the March for Life and they are working overtime to bring in massive amounts of donations for their efforts.
Last week, pro-abortion leaders from 20 different organizations met for a strategy summit at Planned Parenthood’s office to talk about next month’s "National Day of Action" and map out lobbying tactics.
In new comments to Roll Call magazine, the heads of pro-abortion groups say their members are furious at the prospects of a health care bill that stops the government from forcing taxpayers to fund hundreds of thousands of abortions.
Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, outlined the anger and frustration her members feel.
“We’re not out there enough. We have to demonstrate this is huge. I have been getting calls from people who are just beside themselves," she said.
Ted Miller, a spokesman for the pro-abortion group NARAL, told Roll Call that the fundraising levels for the organizations in response to the vote against abortion funding is “incredible on all levels.”
Ellen Malcolm, president of EMILY’s List, added that her members are "pretty upset and energized."
There is a noticeable lack of energy and punch on the pro-life side as the strong unity that existed against abortion funding and the bill has dissipated in the wake of the vote. The in-fighting over the Stupak amendment strategy has resulted in a noticeable decline of activity from pro-life groups on the health care front.
With the Senate expected to take weeks before a final vote, the pro-life movement needs that time to recharge and re-engage in the debate — though the time gives abortion advocates the ability to organize as well.
Operation Rescue president Troy Newman apparently senses the need to re-energize the pro-life movement as his sense of urgency in comments to LifeNews.com today is obvious.
"Now more than ever we must ring the phones off the hook in Washington, DC, and let the Senate know that 71 percent of the American people oppose taxpayer funded abortions," he said.
He says pro-life advocates need to take seriously comments from Obama’s advisors that he wants the abortion funding ban out of the bill.
"Don’t believe Obama when he says that there will be no federal funding for abortions in the health care bill. He has made it well known that he places a high priority on abortion funding," Newman said.
"The abortion cartel will not be happy with anything less than full tax-funding for every abortion, but the conscience of pro-lifers cannot bear even one cent going to fund abortions. There isn’t any middle ground," said Newman.
Last week Obama’s top aide, Rahm Emanuel, met with an angry group of women from pro-abortion organizations disgruntled that Obama did not ramrod abortion funding through the House.
According to the Associated Press, Emanuel told them, "We’re your friends and the president is pro-choice. There’s no need for anger here."
But the anger and energy appears to be on their side and the pro-life movement needs to get back in the saddle or a massive government-run health care bill funding 300,000 abortions a year will be reality.
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