Roundup: Palin Not "Right Enough" for American Right to Life; Progressive Religious Leaders Speak Out Against Stupak

by Jodi Jacobson, Editor in Chief, RH Reality Check

November 17, 2009 - 9:58am (Print)

Palin Not "Right Enough"

There seems to be a purge mentality in the air. The Republican Party is throwing overboard any candidate or standing member not "fundamentalist enough" for its current litmus test. And now the anti-choice movement had adopted this tactic to attack....Sarah Palin!!!

Talking Points Memo reports that:

American Right To Life, the self-proclaimed "personhood wing of the right-to-life movement" attacked Palin today for using "liberal, pro-choice, socialist terminology" in her political rhetoric on abortion and for distinguishing "between her 'personal' and public pro-life views" ("personally pro-life means officially pro-choice," the group says.

And to think only a few months ago she was the poster-girl for those who thought McCain was wishy-washy!! Whew! How things change.

Progressive Religious Leaders Speak Out Against Stupak, For Separation of Church and State

Members of the progressive and pro-choice Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice held a news conference yesterday calling on the Senate to reject the Stupak amendment in the House health reform bill. The group is made up of a diverse array of religious denominations, including Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim groups.

"Our health care system should be inclusive and respectful of diverse religious beliefs and decisions regarding childbearing," the group said in a statement.

"A health care system that serves all persons with dignity and equality will include comprehensive reproductive health services."

A CNN report on the issue noted that:

Religious leaders have been split over the issue of abortion coverage. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops pushed successfully to amend the House bill to prohibit abortion coverage in a government-run health insurance plan, as well as in private plans that accept anyone using government subsidies to buy insurance coverage.

CNN also cited a letter signed by 90 Democrats and sent to President Obama last week stating:

"Health care reform must not be misused as an opportunity to restrict women's access to reproductive health services."

But, CNN noted:

In an example of the complicated politics of the issue, all but one of the House Democrats who signed the letter had voted to pass the overall health care bill even though it contained the amendment they opposed. Their strategy now is to work with Obama and Senate Democrats to prevent inclusion of the language of the amendment from a final health care bill.

In an interview broadcast Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," presidential adviser David Axelrod said the House bill as currently worded goes further than Obama's stated wishes.

"The president has said repeatedly, and he said in his speech to Congress, that he doesn't believe that this bill should change the status quo as it relates to the issue of abortion," Axelrod said.

"I think it's fair to say the bill Congress passed does change the status quo."

November 16th, 2009

Religious abortion rights backers push to change health care bill CNN

Pricing abortion coverage Politico

MSNBC Accuses Pro-Life Advocate of Lying About Abortion Funding in Health Care LifeNews.com

Pro-Life Group Says Palin 'Misleading And Unreliable' On Abortion ... Talking Points Memo

Health Care: Keep Your Eyes on the Prize Huffington Post

White House Advisor Indicates Obama Will Work to Abolish Pro-Life Health Amendment Lifesite

Pro-Choice Targets Senate In New TV Ads TPM LiveWire

msnbc's Snyderman: Pro-choice Ted Kennedy Was 'A Man of His Church' NewsBusters

Pregnancy Center Bill Passes Second Reading WBAL TV

Parents: talk to your children about sex The Nation