Election of Pro-Abortion Scott Brown Ironically Helps Pro-Lifers on Health Care
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 21, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The election of Scott Brown took the political world by storm as Americans used his candidacy to express their own opposition to a pro-abortion health care bill. Two pro-life advocates have written new editorial columns suggesting that Brown’s election, even as an abortion advocate, helps the pro-life cause.
Brian Burch, the president of Catholic Vote Action, says the "people of Massachusetts ignited a political firestorm on Tuesday by electing Scott Brown to the seat vacated by the late Senator Kennedy."
Though his group did not endorse Brown or urge voters to elect him, "we fired back at Martha Coakley’s assault on Catholic doctors and nurses with phone calls to nearly 200,000 people in Massachusetts."
Burch tells LifeNews.com that pro-life Catholics are asking, "if Scott Brown supports abortion, is CatholicVote happy that he was elected?"
Burch points out how the race was a contest between a thoroughly pro-abortion candidate in Coakley and a candidate in Brown who supports some abortion limits.
"Brown opposes using taxpayer funds for abortion, opposes partial-birth abortion, and supports other laws that would provide parents and women notice, counseling, and information prior to an abortion. But his opponent Martha Coakley was proudly 100% pro-abortion," he said.
"Scott Brown is certainly not an ideal candidate. After all, he supports Roe v. Wade," Burch says.
But killing the pro-abortion health care bill may be a good enough reason to be glad Brown won anyway, Burch explains.
"The surge that propelled Scott Brown into office was largely a response to Congress’ overreach on health care. Americans of both political parties, and huge numbers of independents elected Scott Brown because of what he represents – a chance to stop the government first “reform” crusade. And because Scott Brown was elected, the health care ‘reform’ debacle may finally be stopped," he says.
Burch also says Brown’s candidacy should remind Catholic voters of the principle of subsidiarity –a key principle of Catholic social doctrine, and a foundational principle of American self-government.
"Thus, while Scott Brown is ultimately wrong about abortion, he is definitely right in urging us to think anew about the proper size and role of government in a free society. And for this reason, CatholicVote is happy he won," he says.
"Make no mistake, we need leaders willing to stand for the principle that every life is sacred. Scott Brown is not that candidate. At least not yet," Burch concludes. "But his victory set in motion a movement that many Americans thought was no longer possible. This movement — call it ‘the subsidiarity movement’ – may very well carry us to the political place where life, faith, and family are truly victorious."
The view that Brown is helpful to the pro-life cause isn’t limited to Catholic pro-life advocates.
Matt Barber, the director of cultural affairs development for Liberty Counsel, a pro-life legal group, offered LifeNews.com his own insights.
"The seismic political shift that occurred in Massachusetts Tuesday night can’t be overstated," he says.
"Old Teddy’s baby, of course, was socialized medicine, and Brown’s election may well force both Teddy’s and Obama’s signature issue off the duo’s Faux-topian ‘bridge to nowhere,’" he said. "Those of us who prayed for a miracle to derail this ObamaCare monstrosity – passage of which seemed a foregone conclusion just weeks ago – have witnessed, along with the rest of the world, perhaps the greatest political upset in American history."
"Now, to Scott Brown: Many social conservatives (of which I’m one) have complained that the senator-elect is woefully flawed on social issues – particularly abortion. This is true," Barber continues.
Barber offers an analogy to make his case.
"Still, to my pro-life, pro-family compatriots, I offer this: While bleeding to death, one may be left no choice but to apply a tourniquet. A tourniquet is less than ideal. It may even cost a limb; however, it’s also likely to save one’s life," he told LifeNews.com. "By providing Senate Republicans the crucial 41st vote needed to filibuster, Scott Brown supplies the tourniquet."
"Consequently, ObamaCare may well wither on the vine. From a practical standpoint, countless innocents may be spared. How? We know that Obama’s preferred Senate plan would require taxpayer funding for abortion on demand," he says.
"This means that millions of Americans – in violation of their conscience – would, through force of law, be made complicit in serial prenatal homicide. Therefore, it’s no stretch, in my opinion, to conclude that Brown’s election – should ObamaCare go down as expected – may have saved untold thousands, if not millions, of lives," Barber concludes.
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