Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America applaud White House Chief of Staff John Kelly for blasting four cabinet secretaries on ethics matters ranging from travel to office decor. They also shake their heads a day in advance of the special congressional election in Pennsylvania, as the Republican appears to be running a very weak campaign and the Democrat believes life begins at conception but opposes late-term abortions. And they get a kick out of Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren refusing to take a DNA test to resolve the controversy over her claims of Cherokee ancestry.
abortion
DHS & the Midterms, Left’s ‘Kids vs. Guns’ Premise, Did Bots Topple Franken?
Alexandra DeSanctis of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America are glad to see the Department of Homeland Security taking a thorough, pro-active approach to securing the 2018 midterms. They also slam MSNBC’s Katy Tur for being the latest liberal journalist to suggest Americans frame the gun debate as, “Kids or guns, what do you value more?” Alexandra strongly calls out the intellectual dishonesty and rampant hypocrisy involved in that approach from liberals. They get a kick out Newsweek suggesting that internet bots are really responsible for the ouster of Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, as opposed to his own inappropriate behavior. And they pause to remember the life and legacy of evangelist Billy Graham.
America Backs 20-Week Abortion Ban, Wolff’s Haley Smear, Hillary’s Grammy Cameo
Alexandra DeSanctis of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America are deeply disappointed that the Senate is unlikely to pass a bill banning the vast majority of abortion past 20 weeks of pregnancy, but are heartened that most Americans support the restrictions, including a majority of Democrats and a majority of women. They also hammer “Fire and Fury” author Michael Wolff for his sleazy efforts to suggest that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley is having an affair with President Trump and they praise Haley for her clear and dignified denials. And they roll their eyes as the Grammy Awards telecast shoehorns Hillary Clinton reading an excerpt from “Fire and Fury” into the show, a move made even more baffling in this #MeToo environment by recent reports that the 2008 Clinton campaign took no action against Hillary’s faith adviser for sexual harassment.
‘This Wasn’t About Abortion, It Was About Infanticide’
Live Action President Lila Rose says President Trump is off to a “promising” start on pro-life issues but she says the president and Congress must do what it takes to defund Planned Parenthood at a time when Democrats are voting in favor of “infanticide.”
Still in her twenties, Rose has been a leading pro-life activist for a decade, starting when she was 15. She gained notoriety for videotaping her experiences posing as a pregnant teenager at various Planned Parenthood facilities.
One year into the Trump presidency and 45 years since the Supreme Court legalized abortion nationwide, Rose gives the administration a decent grade on pro-life issues.
“I think the last year has been promising. I would use that word, especially the folks that he’s surrounded himself with, and the appointments he’s made, and the confirming of Justice Gorsuch. These are good signs,” said Rose.
“I think it’s good that he showed up to speak from the Rose Garden at the March for Life. I think his appointments are good on [Health and Human Services]. The head of the Department of Justice is now investigating Planned Parenthood. These are good things, but we really have to achieve the biggest thing, which is stopping the government forcing of taxpayers to fund abortion chains,” said Rose.
“We are urging to administration to really lean on Congress to make sure they get that bill to ensure that we’re not funding the biggest abortion chain (Planned Parenthood) $1.5 million every day,” added Rose.
Republicans did try to include defunding of Planned Parenthood in various forms of Obamacare repeal or reform legislation, only to be thwarted by the likes of Republican Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
Rose does worry that congressional leaders and members may be more eager to promise defunding Planned Parenthood than to actually do it.
“I am concerned about lip service and I think others in the movement are concerned. This is a really hard thing to do. You basically have to break 50 votes. Depending on how the rules are changed or amended, you could get the vice president to weigh in and be the tiebreaker in the Senate.
“There is a path to do it. It’s a matter of is this going to be the most important thing for the administration when it comes to upholding the first human right and protecting human life in this country,” said Rose.
While Rose and other pro-life activists pressure lawmakers to make defunding Planned Parenthood a priority, she is appalled by how Democrats approached Friday’s House vote on the Born Alive Infant Protection Act.
The legislation would require medical personnel to do whatever possible to save the life of a baby if he or she emerges alive from the mother’s womb following an attempted abortion. It reinforces existing policy on this front but also adds criminal penalties, including up to five years in prison for failing to pursue life-saving measures.
The bill passed, with all Republicans voting for it, but 183 of 189 Democrats opposed it.
Planned Parenthood denounced the bill.
“Medical guidelines and ethics already compel physicians facing life-threatening circumstances to respond. Doctors and clinicians oppose this law because it prevents them from giving the best care to their patients. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists strongly opposes this legislation, calling it a “gross interference in the practice of medicine,'” said a PLanned Parenthood statement.
Planned Parenthood official Dana Singiser took it even further.
“The political agenda here is clear: to take away access to safe, legal abortion,” said Singiser in the same statement.
But Rose says this vote just shows how radical Democrats are on abortion now.
“I think it just shows the insanity of the Democratic Party today, which is really going to hurt them in elections the more word gets out. This bill, the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, wasn’t even about abortion. It was about infanticide. It was about protecting children who have been born and who deserve to be protected,” said Rose.
“The fact that Democrats in a huge voting bloc, tried to reject a bill that would protect against infanticide is extremely troubling. Look, most of the electorate – including in the Democratic Party – want at least some restrictions on abortion. That’s the majority of Democrats, including Democrat women,” said Rose.
Rose says Democrats are increasingly marching to whatever tune Planned Parenthood is playing.
“They help elect these people so even though these folks try to mislead voters to say that they were more moderate or they cared about human rights or do what was best once in office, their elections are being funded by Planned Parenthood.
“They’re going to march to the beat of their drum, even if that beat ultimately includes shooting down protections against infanticide,” said Rose.
One of the major themes at Friday’s March for Life was how science is on the side of the pro-life movement, most especially with the advancements in ultrasound technology, but in other ways as well. Rose says the arguments that life begins at birth or viability should determine personhood are relics from years past.
“If you create an arbitrary line at birth, then you are killing children who are viable before birth, children that are separated by inches of a birth canal from human rights protections. It’s arbitrary. It doesn’t make sense,” said Rose.
And she says science is winning the viability debate as well.
“Viability is being increasingly moved backwards. Children can now survive outside the womb with medical assistance a little past 21 weeks. That’s incredible. The more we develop our medical technology, the more and more that viability line will change. People are realizing it’s an arbitrary line and that life, as science reveals, begins at the moment of conception,” said Rose.
Rose says the pro-life movement has a lot of momentum right now both politically and to some extent in the courts. However, she does contend Congress needs to seize that momentum and end taxpayer subsidies for Planned Parenthood for this Congress to be a true success.
She also claims cultural momentum, pointing out that more Americans are pro-life and young people a major reason why. Rose also says the personal stories of mothers who carry difficult pregnancies to term and the testimonies of former abortion clinic workers are making a big difference in changing minds around the nation.
Trump Hails March for Life, Highlights Pro-Life Policies
Donald Trump became the first sitting president to address the March for Life on camera Friday, hailing the pro-life activists for their love and concern for the unborn and their mothers and announcing new pro-life policies impacting conscience protections for the medical community and flexibility for how states spend Medicaid dollars.
On a sunny Friday that was considerably warmer than most recent days in the nation’s capital, tens of thousands of pro-life demonstrators descended on the National Mall to hear speeches from President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, lawmakers, and other activists before marching to the U.S. Supreme Court to denounce the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions handed down 45 years ago this month by the nation’s highest court.
Those decisions legalized abortion across America, giving women protection under the law to terminate their unborn children for any reason at virtually any point in their pregnancies.
The March for Life began soon after, but for the first 44 years no president addressed the crowd in person.
That changed on Friday.
“Today I’m honored and really proud to be the first president to stand with you here at the White House to address the 45th March for Life,” said Trump.
Trump spoke from the Rose Garden at the White House. Video was then transmitted to giant screens on the National Mall. Previous pro-life presidents spoke to the march through phone calls.
Vice President Pence introduced Trump as the most pro-life president in U.S. history. Trump says protecting life is a major priority of his administration.
“Under my administration, we will always defend the very first right in the Declaration of Independence and that is the right to life,” said Trump.
Trump then listed multiple policy moves and priorities, starting with an order he issued Friday for the medical community.
“We have just issued a new proposal to protect conscience rights and religious freedoms of doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals,” said Trump.
He also announced an end to an Obama administration directive on how states can spend Medicaid dollars.
“I have also just reversed the previous administration’s policy that restricted states’ efforts to direct Medicaid funding away from abortion facilities that violate the law,” said Trump.
States may now have the flexibility to refuse sending taxpayer dollars to the likes of Planned Parenthood. In 2016, the Obama administration warned states that refusing abortion providers that money may be a violation of federal law.
Trump also urged the Senate to follow the lead of the House and approve a federal ban on most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The legislation is known as the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.
“I strongly supported the House of Representatives’ pain-capable bill, which would end painful late-term abortions nationwide. And I call upon the Senate to pass this important law and send it to my desk for signing,” said Trump.
Earlier on Friday, the House passed the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. The bill calls for criminal penalties for doctors who fail to treat and care for infants who survive attempted abortions and fully emerge from their mothers.
Penalties include criminal fines and up to five years in prison. Current law requires physicians to care for such babies but does not detail penalties for those who refuse.
The bill passed the House 241-183. All but six Democrats opposed it. All Republicans supported it, however, Democrats are planning to kill the legislation in the Senate.
During his speech, Trump railed against America’s standing as being among the nations with the most radical abortion laws.
“As you all know, Roe v. Wade has resulted in some of the most permissive abortion laws anywhere in the world. For example, in the United States, it’s one of only seven countries to allow elective late-term abortions, along with China, North Korea, and others,” said Trump.
“Right now, in a number of states, the laws allow a baby to be [torn] from his or her mother’s womb in the ninth month. It is wrong. It has to change,” said Trump.
Trump acknowledged the marchers and praised them for keeping the pressure on government for 45 years and counting since Roe v. Wade.
“Today, tens of thousands of families, students, and patriots and really great citizens gather here in our nation’s capital. You come from many backgrounds, many places, but you all come for one beautiful cause: to build a society where life is celebrated, protected, and cherished,” said Trump.
“The March for Life is a movement borne out of love. You love your families, you love your neighbors, you love our nation, and you love every child -born and unborn – because you believe that every life is sacred and that every child is a precious gift from God,” said Trump.
In addition to applauding those who fight to save unborn lives, Trump also praised those who care after women in crisis pregnancies.
“I want to thank every person here today and everyone across our country who works with such big hearts and tireless devotion to make sure that parents have the care and support they need to choose life,” said Trump.
Trump singled out Mariana Donadio of Greensboro, North Carolina. Donadio found herself in a crisis pregnancy when she was 17 years old chose to have her baby with the support of her parents. Now the mother of six, Donadio run Room at the Inn, a facility caring for other women facing unplanned and uncertain pregancies.
“Over the last 15 years, Room at the Inn has provided housing, child care, counseling, education, and job training to more than 400 women.
“Even more importantly, it has given them hope. It shows each woman that she is not forgotten, that she is not alone, and that she now has a whole family of people who will help her succeed.
“That hope is the true gift of this incredible movement that brings us together today. It is the gift of friendship, the gift of mentorship, and the gift of encouragement, love, and support,” said Trump.
He says that spirit is the key to ultimately winning the battle for the right to life in the United States.
“We are protecting the sanctity of life and the family as the foundation of our society. But this movement can only succeed with the heart and the soul and the prayer of the people,” said Trump.
Tax Reform Passes, GOP Flirting with Taxpayer-Funded Abortions? Rosie’s Bribery
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America cheer House and Senate passage of tax cuts and tax reform, noting the vast majority of Americans will see bigger paychecks while the Obamacare individual mandate gets repealed and energy exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is given the green light. They also recoil at reports that Senate Republican leaders may have agreed to Obamacare bailouts and taxpayer-funded abortions in exchange for Sen. Susan Collins voting for the tax bill. And they discuss Rosie O’Donnell offering two million dollars apiece for Collins and Sen. Jeff Flake to vote against the tax legislation.
Gun Control Doesn’t Work, Murphy’s Abortion Mess, Pence Aide Urges GOP ‘Purge’
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America welcome research from a liberal expert showing that no policy pushed by gun control advocates would likely stop previous or future mass shootings and that focusing on people instead of weapons is likely a better approach. They also slam Republican Pennsylvania Rep. Tim Murphy for posing as pro-life while encouraging his supposedly pregnant mistress to get an abortion and urge him to leave office as soon as possible. And they react to Mike Pence’s chief of staff suggesting it was time for a purge of Republicans who aren’t sufficiently loyal to Pence and President Trump.
Trump’s Alt-Right Albatross, Pro-Life Texas Win, Eugenics Posing as Progress
David French of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America discuss President Trump defending some of the people attending the rally in Charlottesville, including those who were at the torch protest, and David explains why he sees Trump’s words as the dream scenario for the alt-right.. They cheer a new law in Texas that prevent insurance companies from requiring Texans to subsidize elective abortions through their own coverage. They are deeply disturbed, however, by a CBS report declaring Iceland has virtually eliminated Down Syndrome through abortion.
Pro-Life Court Victory, FBI Strikes Out, Social Media Gestapo
Jim Geraghty of National Review and Greg Corombos of Radio America celebrate with the pro-life community over the news that a California court is dropping 14 of 15 charges against activists David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt, whose undercover videos show Planned Parenthood illegally selling aborted baby body parts. They also express concern over the FBI’s reluctance to state that the Alexandria shooter was politically motivated. And they discuss reports that German police are raiding homes and interrogating people over controversial social media posts.
DNC Chair: Pro-Lifers Need Not Apply
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez says all Democrats should support line up in favor of abortion and calls the position “not negotiable,” a clarification for which pro-life groups are exceedingly grateful.
The issue arose after Perez publicly backed the pro-life Democratic nominee in the race for mayor of Omaha, Nebraska. After criticism from pro-choice forces, Perez released a statement insisting he and the party were not straying from their stance on abortion.
“Every Democrat, like every American, should support a woman’s right to make her own choices about her body and her health,” stated Perez. “That is not negotiable and should not change city by city or state by state.”
“At a time when women’s rights are under assault from the White House, the Republican Congress, and in states across the country, we must speak up for this principle as loudly as ever and with one voice,” added Perez.
Democrats supporting abortion is nothing new but even pro-life groups are a bit surprised that Perez would publicly such a blanket position for the party.
“I think it’s a clarifying statement but I think these are always good to really hammer home to the grassroots that there’s a huge disconnect here. There’s such an extreme disconnect about what Perez said and the way that rank and file Democrats act in their state legislatures and in the way that they vote,” said Susan B. Anthony List Communications Director Mallory Quigley.
But she appreciates Perez offering the real position of Democrats on abortion.
“He is the perfect chairman for a party whose platform says, ‘We support abortion on demand up until the moment of birth, paid for by tax dollars,'” said Quigley.
Quigley also says Democrats are stifling candidates at the state and local levels because of abortion.
“At the state level, there are still a decent number of pro-life Democrats but we see that they’re not moving up. There’s only less than a handful of pro-life Democrats in the House,” said Quigley.
She says the pro-life Democrats, like Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., are buckling under the pressure to conform.
“Joe Manchin, who for a long time now has been the only reliable pro-life vote in the Senate, took a picture with Planned Parenthood supporters and said that he’s all in for Planned Parenthood,” said Quigley.
Some Democrats tried to soften the party line, at least semantically.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., claimed the Democrats had room for pro-life lawmakers. But the number two Democrat in the upper chamber told CNN that room did not extend to actual policy.
“We need to be understanding of those who take a different position because of personal conscience, but as long as they are prepared to back the law, Roe v. Wade, back women’s rights as we’ved defined them under the law, then I think they can be part of the party,” said Durbin.
Quigley says that explanation and similar efforts by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., are really no different than what Perez said.
“That’s not a pro-life position. It is not enough for the pro-life movement for you to say, ‘I personally wouldn’t have an abortion or encourage an abortion, but I’m not going to do a single thing to help a baby at 20 weeks or beyond, capable of living outside the womb, and I’m not going to protect that child from abortion.’ That is not a pro-life position,” said Quigley.
She adds that the mild rebukes from Pelosi and Durbin are most likely just for public relations.
“What seems to be a disagreement is actually just a show to try to continue to obfuscate their abortion extremism because some people, like Pelosi and Durbin, know that it sounds better to allude to some sort of right to conscience in the Democratic Party, which of course is non-existent,” said Quigley.
With Republicans in charge of Congress and in the White House, Quigley is hopeful that this will be the year to move federal dollars away from Planned Parenthood and into community health centers that provide health care to women without performing more than 300,000 abortions per year. She also wants to see passage of the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would ban most abortions after weeks of pregnancy.
She says the shifting of money away from Planned Parenthood should happen through reconciliation on the health care bill. However, with the 20-week ban needing 60 votes to advance in the Senate, Quigley suspects the GOP will need to pick up several seats in 2018 to push that bill over the finish line.