Sen. Nelson sold himself

Sen. Nelson (D-NE) gets from Pres. Obama and Sen. Reid (D-NV) federal money for Medicaid … for Nebraska… pretty much forever?

Sen. Nelson is apparently okay with other states paying for Nebraska’s free ride.

Sen. Nelson must be okay with letting states opt out of receiving federal money for abortion. 

Sen. Nelson must therefore okay with tax payers everywhere paying for abortions somewhere.

Sen. Nelson sold himself.  

There is a another term for that, but let’s just say it that way.

I bet Sen. Nelson will run for reelection claiming that he is pro-life. 

Sen. Nelson has accepted a compromise that the USCCB should not willing to accept. 

It looks like the Hyde Amendment is irrelevant.

Did you notice that the conscience protection has been removed?

What will the USCCB do now?

Will they issue a statement that the Conference opposes the bill?

If they don’t, then the American bishop will have been rolled.

This seems to be the beginning of federally funded abortion in the USA.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

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66 Comments

  1. DebbieInCT says:

    I know, Fr., I’ve read all of this also. I have to assume that it’s really true but I am incredulous – he did this in broad daylight!

  2. sjg4080 says:

    It is such a horrible feeling to see this happen before our eyes without power to do anything about it. Unfortunately, this is the peril of living in a relatively free democracy…if the majority approves of illicit/immoral/evil activity, there’s not much those in the minority can do about it. How can at this point any Catholic support the traditionally Catholic political party in the US? The whole proposition of big government is flawed, and particularly with a government that is so obviously anti-life now, how can anyone feel confident for it to provide for him or her. There will come a time, unfortunately, for many pro-life citizens to really have to contemplate not paying any taxes and risk fines and imprisonment if this travesty of legislation passes.

  3. EXCHIEF says:

    Is ANYONE really surprised by all of this? Did anyone really believe Obama when he said funding for abortion would not be included in the so-called health care bill? Ok, well maybe some of the Bishops. But now that it must be clear to all of them what was clear to many of the faithful long ago what if anything will they do about it? Isn’t it about time that every Bishop wrote a pastoral letter clearly discussing the Church’s position on this? And isn’t it about time that they mandate the reading of such a letter from every pulpit in every Catholic Church? I can’t speak for the Church in the USA as a whole but I can say with certainty that this has not been addressed uniformly in my Diocese. My Bishop has taken a forceful and correct position but that is only known to those who read blogs such as this one. His position has been published by the media but has not been discussed in parishes with the very faithful he leads.

    This particular battle is, for all practical purposes, lost. There will be others to come. If we don’t want to loose those we need to educate Catholic voters, something the Church in this country has failed to do for over 40 years.

  4. jfk03 says:

    I am not convinced the battle is over.

    Save, O Lord, Your people and bless Your inheritance. Grant victory to orthodox Christians over their enemies, and by the power of Your Cross preserve Your commonwealth. (Troparion of the Holy Çross).

  5. Prof. Basto says:

    In the mean while, it seems that Spain – formerly Catholic Spain – is also passing one of the most radically pro-abortion pieces of legislation that has ever been conceived.

    And the heir of Isabella and Ferdinand the Catholic monarchs will soon be called to give his Assent to this abomination.

  6. JohnE says:

    So it’s looking like we will fund this monstrous health bill where most of the expenses will not kick in until 2012 during the (hopefully) next president’s term. And the future generations who will be paying off this debt will be the ones who survive the abortions that this plan funds.

    One
    Big
    Asinine
    Mistake
    America

  7. Liz F says:

    I was pretty sure he would do this. I thought he would pretend like he might not vote for it and then vote for it in the end. Senator Nelson pretends to be a conservative Democrat, but he always votes with the democrats. He was endorsed by the local Right to Life, but I am not convinced that he is really against abortion. They are having a rally to show disapproval in Omaha today. Senator Johanns (a Catholic Republican) spoke out against Nelson yesterday. I’m sad for Nebraska and I’m sad for our country. We called his office frequently begging him not to vote for Healthcare, but I don’t think he is listening to Nebraskans.

  8. wanda says:

    jfk03, I am not convinced that the battle is over, either. It seems that there will be a reconcilliation process now, combining the Senate version and the House version of the Bill. Senator Stupak’s amendment from the House will come back in to play.

    Call your Representatives and tell them to vote against any kind of funding of abortion. Then
    devote these days before Christmas to constant prayer.

    St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle..

  9. btb says:

    Yet another AlGorithm leading to the apodiabolosis of the obamanation.

  10. EXCHIEF says:

    I’m not a pessimist and I love to do battle….and I hope those who feel this battle is not lost are correct. However, if anything I expect the reconcilliation process between the house and senate bills will only make matters worse. The Dems in the house voted for their bill with the Stupak ammendment believing it would be dropped after the senate bill passed and both bills moved into reconcilliation. I do not expect the Dems will put up any fight at all to retain the Stupak ammendment as part of the final language.

  11. Jacob says:

    Not forever, Father.

    Ben Nelson secured Medicaid funding for Nebraska for a whole nother year!

    Yep, 365 extra days of Medicaid benefits in exchange for a vote on new spending that will last decades (until the US goes bankrupt…)

  12. Father Z,
    Does this mean that faithful Catholics must now in Confession confess to supporting abortions financially by paying taxes? What few people are discussing is the spiritual problems for Catholics such as the one I mentioned above what are we to do? In effect the federal government would be forcing us to fund abortions with a gun to our heads and forcing us to commit mortal sin. If we are being forced is it a mortal sin or venial sin?

  13. orthros says:

    Tridentine Catholic,

    I’m no theologian, but Paul talks pretty extensively in Romans about how we need to pay our taxes. It isn’t our accountability for how the taxes are disbursed if we’re not doing the disbursing; it is, however, our job to obey our lawful authorities.

    Jews had equal reason to have such scruples, and Paul’s response was essentially: Pay your taxes. Obey the king.

  14. Cavaliere says:

    After the main apparitions at Fatima, Jacinta received the following message shortly before her death in Feb. 1920, “Our Lady can no longer uphold the arm of her Divine Son which will strike the world. If people amend their lives, Our Lord will even now save the world, but if they do not, punishment will come.”

    Granted private relevations like these are not binding on us but seeing the punishments received in the world during the 20th Century for failing to amend our lives what can we expect as the holocaust of abortion is further sanctioned along with a number of the other moral degenerations widely accepted in the world? If WWII was the punishment for failing to heed Our Lady’s message before I shudder to think what is in store for us now.

  15. Tridentine Catholic and orthros:
    I believe there is a distinction in classical moral theology between formal cooperation in sin and material cooperation.
    I’d have to do some further research and study on this; but this is a big problem for all people who believe that life in the womb is sacred and that public funds should not be used to procure direct abortion if this abortion funding goes through. You are both correct; I’m just not sure how to untangle the issues.

  16. JosephMary says:

    Did anyone seriously think for a minute that it would not come to this? Certainly we will have federally paid abortions; that was a given when Catholics helped the current president get into the white house.

    But as one Catholic friend said to me, what is the big deal as most insurances already cover abortions and now so many will have ‘free’ health care.

    Well there is not anything free. There is a price to pay and in more than dollars.

  17. Bryan says:

    In the end…

    The bishops as a collective body are, have been, and probably will continue to be, constantly used by the Democrat party as their ‘Useful Idiots’ in the war against a Christ-ordered society. They get thrown bones from time to time, are photographed shaking hands and supping with politicians, but, in the end, their painful naivete and hand-wringing due to their detachment (necessary, but, when you have craven politicians USING them to their own ends…) from life outside the walls of the sanctuary has brought us to this.

    There’s an old saying: You lie with dogs, you get fleas. Unfortunately, you lie with politicians (who are, after all, masters of the craft of prevarication and vanity…) the deleterious effects on your health are a lot more serious.

    Sorry, I’m just not in the mood to be understanding over this. Moloch has a grip on more and more people, both within and without the walls of the Faith. In the end, it will all be sorted out at the last day. But, many souls will suffer martyrdom for it.

    Now, can ANYONE tell me that they are surprised that the tapioca-textured, smoothly-written doubletalk guidance from the USCCB that gave cover to people to vote for this abomination in the White House had no effect on generating enough votes from 53% of the self-identified ‘Catholics’ in the last election to make a difference? It doesn’t take much encouragement to allow someone an easy out with honeyed words and ‘pastoral’ guidance that neither offends nor teaches.

    So, when they mandate, without any protection from a ‘conscience clause’ that Catholic hospitals, doctors, nurses, and others must kill babies…who’s making book on the number of facilities that cut their ties to ensure the revenue stream, regardless of the morality of their actions.

    After all, we only have the example of formerly “Catholic” universities that did essentially the same thing so they could go after the state money for education (starting with my alma mater, in 1972…) as a cover that it is possible to have the veneer of Catholicism without actually being Catholic.

    St. Jude, pray for us.

  18. MarieSiobhanGallagher says:

    The federal government has been funding abortions for over ten years (I believe since 1997 and possibly prior to that) to the tune of about $100 million per year through Title X and Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood. George Bush actually increased the amounts over what Bill Clinton was appropriating by over $26 million. Of course, these funds have also been used to fund contraception and other offensive programs promoted by Planned Parenthood. PP has a $1 billion budget with $114 million in operating surplus. Hardly a not for profit! While it is technically stipulated via the Hyde Amendment that Federal dollars may not be used for abortions, it only stands to reason that if the Health and Human Services money is being used to fund Planned Parenthood, and Planned Parenthood performs abortions, well…you do the math. My point is simply that this is not a new Federal initiative. It is just more blatant. Revolution NOW!

  19. Philippus says:

    Bryan,

    Good insights. I’ll continue to echo that until I turn blue in the face. With USCCB infiltrated by SEIU, ACORN and socialist sympathizers, nobody need be surprised by all the doublespeak going on. The document put out by the USCCB on voting was very shameful. It was like reading something right out of the talking points of the Obama team. I even had other Catholics try to persuade me to vote for Obama based on what they claimed the Bishops’ document said.

    Socialism starts in small doses. We’ve gotten this far into it because we have allowed ourselves to be taken in by people who want to care for the less fortunate. And, because of this our Bishops are selling us.

    Did anyone really think the abortion language was not going to find its way back into the bill? Even if it didn’t it would be slowly added in over time. Once this public option sets in, there is no stopping it. There is no stepping back, but only stepping in–all the way.

    Of course I want to care for the less fortunate, but not through our corrupt government..not through government mandated socialism.

  20. Tantum Ergo says:

    Think of the conversation that would take place after the elephants from Orissa go to Washington…
    “Hey, what’s that squishy stuff between elephants’ toes?”
    “Slow liberals.”

  21. Father Steve says:

    I wish our Bishops would speak up about this issue. They seem to be sleeping. I would agree that sometimes the USCCB sounds like an extension of the Democratic Party. Very sad.

  22. I have not been very politically active except to vote but that has now changed. I will give money to and actively support who ever runs against Nelson in 2012.

  23. ckdexterhaven says:

    There’s no such thing as a pro life democrat. There.is.no.such.thing.

  24. Central Valley says:

    Here in the Peoples Republic of Kalifornia there was silence during the last election fron the California Bishops. Now the Bishop’s are shocked at what Obama/Pelosi are all about? Many bishops were so silent you would think they were democratic central committee members in hiding. Here in the diocese of Fresno, it is so bad that one of the imported Jesuits wrote in the diocese newpaper how he called Nancy Pelosi when she was elected Speaker to congradulate her, as they were old friends from the Bay area. The Jesuit inported from the Bay area by Bp. Steinbock never mentioned in his article that he counseled Pelosi on her abortion stance, because he probably didn’t. Truth be known many bishops were looking for free Obama money for all their social programs. They could take the Obama money and spend it like good liberals. It is always easier to spend the money of others. What will this do to Catholic hospitals? In reality probably not much as in California there aren’t realy any catholic hospitals. They are all private organizations and bishops have no control over them. Catholic hospitals here call themselves catholic just like Teddy Kennedy called himself a catholic. Before the bishops complain, they need to look in the mirror in the morning, before they fax off their resignations to the Nuncio’s office.

  25. jfk03 says:

    My “Catholic” congressman is hopelessly pro-abortion. Unfortunately, his is a safe district, so I have no hope of changing his views all by myself. Rather than donating money to some sacrificial lamb who the local Republican party puts up to run against him, I will keep my eye out for the truly close races in other parts of the U. S., and I will donate my money to any good, solid pro-life candidate who has an actual chance of winning.

    But money and politics are not our real hope, for we are involved in spiritual warfare. Regular prayer, fasting and mortification of the flesh are our most potent means of effecting change. The cross is our Invincible Trophy, the true weapon of orthodox Christians.

  26. ipadre says:

    “For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul?” Mark 8:36 How many politicians and others are in the same boat. God have mercy on them and give them the grace of conversion!

  27. Melania says:

    Clearly, not only is our present Congress among the most corrupt our nation has ever seen but it is also utterly shameless. We have a lot of housecleaning to do and a lot of rebuilding of the country, not possible without lots of prayer.

  28. Bruce says:

    Related to this discussion is Michael O’Brien’s article Three Views of the Future: The Church in A.D. 2109. You can read it at his website http://www.studiobrien.com/articles. It is included in his new book Remembrance of the Future: Reflections on Our Times, which I highly recommend.

  29. DMT says:

    There has been government funding of abortion in the U.S. of approx. 160 000 babies every year: the murders of babies conceived in rape, incest, and for risk to the mother have been fully funded under the Hyde amendment. The majority of so-called pro-lifers support and agree to fund the murder of those poor babies for 35 years and people are surprised that now other babies’ murders will be funded?

    Nelson is not pro-life since he agrees with murdering babies when there is risk to the life of the mother; that is contrary to Catholic teaching. Anyone who thinks there is ever a reason to intentionally and directly murder an innocent human being is not pro-life, therefore, he is only being consistent by not really caring a whole lot about all babies in the end.

  30. TomB says:

    I am will soon be taxed to pay for Nebraska’s share for medical “care”. Either I get to vote in Nebraska once that starts, or I’m going to be taxed without representation. There’s something basically wrong here.

  31. If this report is accurate, then I must say, with all due respect, Your Excellencies in Nebraska:
    why are you only “extremely disappointed” in Nelson? Is not this issue a central one in the USA, if not the world? I hope you were misquoted or there is more to this.
    Otherwise, we are in a very similar situation to England during the reign of Henry VIII.
    And the line from “A Man For All Seasons” comes to mind from St. Thomas More: (and I don’t have this down word for word, but you get my drift): “For Wales? You did this for Wales?”
    http://apnews.myway.com/article/20091221/D9CNBR500.html

  32. TomB says:

    Sen. Nelson: So it’s all right with you to murder babies as long as you extract a price from the government for it?

  33. I found the exact quote from “A Man For All Seasons”:
    “For Wales. Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world. But for Wales?”
    Credit to: http://digihairshirt.blogspot.com/

  34. Melania says:

    Well, after such depressing news of such sordid behavior, I personally could use a little palate-cleanser. How about Caccini’s Ave Maria? For anyone interested, here’s a link:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAULcisUEGw&feature=related

    Yes, I’m a sucker for angelic looking children singing beautiful, spiritual music.

  35. Melania: Thank you. A perfect end to this day of the Lord in preparation for His Birth. Blessings!

  36. Hans says:

    Is this really surprising? After all, Dick Durbin was once a “pro-life Democrat”, until he ran for the senate. Many people, it seems, would like a piece of Wales.

  37. isabella says:

    Senator Mark Begich (D) from my state of AK lied to me (via his staff) when he said that the bill would not provide federal funding for abortion. If they would like to call me out on that, I’ll give them the dates and they can pull the tapes of the calls. All I got in writing though was a form letter; he might be a liar, but he’s a smart liar.

    I feel sick about the whole thing – we’ll be celebrating the obligation to pay for abortion on Christmas Eve, if things go according to Obama’s schedule.

  38. kat says:

    We’re always being told to contact our Congressmen about things. I have emailed; I have called. But unless you have a “swing voter”, most of us are wasting our dime. Michiganders here…do you think Senator Stabenow and Senator Levin will do anything else but what they want? They do not feel the need to do what their constituents tell them. And they are not going to lose their jobs. Especially Levin: he will die in office. (Maybe by elephants?) And my representative here in northern Macomb county is already really good and fighting for pro-life. Calling her gives her a boost, maybe, but she is going to do the right thing. Very few changes will be made due to phone calls and emails, because these people get into their offices believing their opinions and most will not change.

    As far as conservative talk-show hosts saying “wait until 2010; these people are all going to lose their seats.” a) I don’t believe it. and b) even if they do you won’t be offered much better choices in most cases. and c) WHY WILL IT MATTER? Do you think if we got a whole new Congress in 2010 that this health care bill will be reversed? It will never be removed. May get some changes, for better or worse (mostly worse, God help our children); but it’s not going to go away. Socialism doesn’t just fade away. The “planners” who are destroying our country have it worked out, and we are getting the government we’ve “prayed for” (or … not prayed for for many years). God also punishes through bad leaders; and our country deserves punishment. The health care bill won’t even go into effect before 2010, and the majority of people who may decide they don’t like it, later, won’t make a hoot of difference that late in the game.

    It’s a frightening world in which to raise our children. My six are 12 years down to 2 years, and I fear for them. I just hope I can raise them to be good Catholics who will keep their Faith in time of persecution, mental or physical.

    May God have mercy on our country. Krushchev said Russia would never have to drop a bomb on us…

  39. Aaron says:

    Doesn’t it seem like the buying of votes has become much more blatant? I mean, I know there have always been deals, and that’s probably inevitable in representative government. But in the past, it seems like it was more subtle: someone would cross over to vote for something, and a year later a military base in his district would be expanded. I don’t remember situations where Rep. Smith was dead set against a bill on Monday and then voted for it on Tuesday, and we all knew exactly what pork he got for it, right down to the dollar amounts.

  40. smcollinsus says:

    Bryan and Philippus stated the obvious much better than I can. Just as with “liberation theology”, there are certain aspects of “socialism” that seem to suit certain bishops as being so much more in tune with the Church than anything the private sector in can ever come up with. I believe they are wrong. I think there have been complex statements from Rome that are clearly against any government running our lives, but that is the direction the USA is heading. I don’t understand how so many bishops, most of whom have multiple degrees in higher education, simply cannot, or even will not see this.

    Maybe there is a downward cycle to this: the Church in the USA actively lets all of its hospital organizations go under some style of insurance control (usually relieving religious communities and their diocese of much financial responsibility), then complains about how high the cost of insuring diocesan employees has become (because most refuse to allow the consumer/emplyee have any control as with a high deductible/HSA plan in favor of regular or HMO coverage), then they cry for a public option from the government because they will be forced to pay even more for insurance otherwise, but they hope, and pray, and spend our donations on lobbying efforts to keep abortion out of that option.

    I’m sorry, but as long as any abortion is considered a “legal” option by the government, there is no way that same government can “outlaw” abortion from anything it provides. It’s a simple 2+2=4 argument. As long as abortion is legal, we will have it, and pay for it – one way or another.

  41. Kimberly says:

    Your “right on” KAT but don’t forget the elephant story on Fr. Z’s blog.

  42. bdouglass says:

    So, what is a faithful Catholic to do when it seems that the USCCB is infiltrated by Socialists and unwilling to stand up for the Truth? It is so hard sometimes to explain the Church’s position on things and then have the person I’m talking to cite a USCCB statement that says nearly the opposite (or can be taken to mean the opposite). It is getting quite old.

  43. Sam Schmitt says:

    Here’s the email I sent Sen. Nelson. I almost never write lawmakers, but this case got me going.

    Dear Senator Nelson,

    I wrote you a little while ago thanking you for your stand against any abortion coverage in the proposed health care bill.

    It’s seems obvious to everyone except you that you blatantly changed sides on order to get money for your state. Where I come from that’s called “selling out.”

    Can’t we just have *one* senator, *one* lawmaker, *one* public official, just one! – that will stand up for principle no matter what? Wouldn’t that be refreshing? I thought to myself – look! a senator who has guts! – who stands up for what he believes! As I said – oh, well. Looks like my congratulations were misplaced.

    Even though I am ardently pro-life, in a way I respect the pro-abortion zealots – at least they don’t cave. You’re probably getting a lot of mail like this. I do feel angry about this, but towards you? – something more like pity.

    Sam Schmitt

  44. irishgirl says:

    How sad all this is. Our so-called ‘leaders’ are selling this country down the tubes.

    Mary Immaculate, Patroness of the United States, please help us!

  45. Wayne NYC says:

    Please everyone ask St.John Fisher to pray for all the Bishops
    throughout the world. Pray to Our Lady of Guadalupe protectress of the unborn.
    Too please don’t despair…it is IMPERATIVE you email your
    senators(if their phones say the voice mail is full then email
    them to ask one of their staffers to empty them and call them often).
    I live in Manhattan THE belly of the beast but I will go on notice
    that I am vehemently against this bill.They do tallies of “for” and “against.
    Even here this bill is hugely unpopular albeit for very different reasons.
    The bill mandates all Americans purchase this insurance. This is
    unconstitutional and that fact may stop it. Not one Republican voted for this bill.
    Point this out to your Senator this is not bi-partisan legislating.

  46. DisturbedMary says:

    Nelson is a Democrat. This is what Democrats do. They are the Party of Death.

  47. DisturbedMary says:

    Listen to this. Scott Brown, a Republican, is running for the Senate in Massachusetts and the election is on January 19!! That’s a month away!!!!!! He claims that the Democrats are rushing through health care terrified he could become the 41st vote. Maybe there is hope? His website is http://www.brownforsenate.com

    Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.

  48. Rob Cartusciello says:

    But Father! But Father!

    Don’t you know that “the President believes we must all come together to help reduce unintended pregnancies and the need for abortion.”? (White House web site)

  49. EXCHIEF says:

    Yep Rob, same guy that justifies abortion because he wouldn’t want his daughter burdened by a unwanted pregnancy. Typical it’s all about me liberal.

  50. wanda says:

    I beleve this guy’s actual words were (I won’t do exact quotes)..I have 2 daughters, I am going to teach them good morals and values, but if they make a mistake, I don’t want them PUNISHED with a baby..

    This was addressed to his friends who got him elected, Planned Parenthood.

  51. EXCHIEF says:

    Wanda –you are probably closer to an exact quote than I was but in either case how could anyone believe that a person with that perspective would do anything to keep abortion funding out of his health (death) bill? Well some Bishops did as they praised him for the nationally televised lie when he told the nation abortion wouldn’t be funded in the bill. Most people learn from the fool me once but don’t fool me twice method of learning….about time some of the Bishops did.

  52. John 6:54 says:

    This is Nelson’s one way ticket out of the Senate. While Nebraskan’s do grow some pork they aren’t acustomed to making others pay for it.

    Now we must pray that the Stupak 40 can correct this atrocity.

  53. wanda says:

    I’ll tell you, I’m having a hard time not lying down on the floor and giving up in despair. I have been under a cloud ever since Nov. ’08 when this country elected the most pro-death president in our nation’s history. So many souls are skipping and dancing on their merry way to Hell.

    Restore our fortunes, O Lord. May our hearts be contrite and humbled before you, forgive our sins Lord, grant your Mercy, O Lord, on this nation, do not requite us according to our crimes.

  54. Rob Cartusciello says:

    I have never worried more about the direction the nation is moving than at this time. The fact that the bill’s passage has been sealed by backroom dealings and a 60th seat won during a highly questionable election (that’s you, Sen. Franken) makes me feel even worse.

    Does anyone have a prayer out there for us to say for our nation? I’ve never found it more difficult to find one than right now. Even my search of the Psalms is failing me.

  55. Jerry says:

    “Does anyone have a prayer out there for us to say for our nation? I’ve never found it more difficult to find one than right now. Even my search of the Psalms is failing me.”

    Abp. John Carroll’s Prayer for Government: http://catholocity.net/prayers/prayer_for_government.htm

  56. Kerry says:

    There is no reason for despair. “Do ye not know…”, and “Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon, but if they mean to have a war, let it start here.”
    My rather long email to my (sic.) senator here, http://isotope37.blogspot.com/ with references to the Stamp Act, the Intolerable acts and other history. These people may have forgotten who we are, but we who have not forgotten do not.

  57. bookworm says:

    Elephants on the rampage in India, eh? Well, we can only hope GOP “elephants” throughout our nation won’t forget this, and will be on the rampage come Election Day next year!

  58. Penguins Fan says:

    It would not be surprising to see another act of mass terrorism strike this country again. Father Corapi warned us and it certainly seems most Americans have learned anything from 9/11 – or the acts of terrorism that struck this nation before.

    This bill is simply more evidence that the Democrat Party is organized crime.

  59. isabella says:

    @ Wayne NYC — As sick as I am of politics, you are correct and I heard the same thing you said from a man on my other senator’s staff (R) this morning. He said the Republicans haven’t given up yet and that they are working until 2 & 3 AM. I actually believed him – I disagree with Sen Murkowski on some things, but she isn’t a liar. There is a 300+ page amendment that they haven’t even been allowed to read yet, although that may have changed by now.

    Please keep calling and emailing all of them. They do keep tallies for and against because they want to know how their constituents feel, if for no other reason than to know what demographics and issues to target for the elections. Be succinct – I could hear typing in the background for both senators. If you have multiple issues, get together with a spouse, sibling, whatever and each of you choose one. Helps the numbers too. And call often – because the two bills still have to be reconciled, so they change almost hourly. If you quit now, it sends a message of “oh well, you know best”.

    They also still have to see if Stupak and his cohorts stand firm for the reconciliation. If Stupak is able to pull this off, he has a good shot at Senator when Levin dies in office some day. My family is in Michigan, and except for Detroit and the university towns, it is mostly pro-life. He’ll be able to get national funding from name recognition.

    There is the issue of whether or not it is constitutional.

    Finally: the taxes, etc. kick in almost right away, but the so-called benefits not until 2013 or 2014. How many “betrayed” voters are going to be howling for democrats’ blood when they figure that out? There are two elections before then, and a lot can happen to stop or repeal this atrocity of a bill.

    If anybody is in the mood for humor: When I called Begich’s staff, I reminded the girl on his staff that he was elected to represent his entire constituency, most of whom are pro-life, not just his personal beliefs. She got defensive and said that he had never hidden his “support of a woman’s right to choose”. I reminded her that he had only narrowly defeated a convicted felon (later cleared right after the election – what a setup, I mean coincidence), and didn’t exactly have a mandate up here. Her tone of voice changed when she replied that she was sure he was aware of that :)

    All the freshman democrats are being whipped like dogs to vote party line. Nelson just needed a bigger bribe than the rest and his was public. The babies are willing to just settle for another term.

    As disgusting as they are, call your democrats. This bill is still (only barely) stoppable, but if GOD can send elephants to India . . .

  60. Geremia says:

    According to Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas, “Democracy is the dominion of many aiming at the interest of the poor” which does not take “thought for the common good” and “whose end is liberty;” it is a “perverted constitution” like tyranny or oligarchy. Thus, our goal as Catholics is to transform it into a Catholic theocracy because Christ is King.

  61. DisturbedMary says:

    Any civil disobedience ideas?

  62. bookworm says:

    Well, some other conservative bloggers are already talking about refusing to pay taxes and going to jail and all that. However, those of us with families to support and debts to pay may not be quite so quick to rush into something like this.

    Years ago I read an article by a Mennonite guy who deliberately kept his income low enough to have zero tax liability (he didn’t want to pay taxes to support what he considered to be unjust wars). He didn’t take any cash under the table or try to conceal how much he made; he and his wife consciously decided they needed to make this sacrifice. They had two sons and they lived on an income of less than $15,000 per year, and he explained how they did it — lived on a farm, grew their own food, made their own clothes, etc. Granted, this is not something everyone can do, but maybe some single people who feel called to voluntary poverty might try it.

    Personally I think one way to resist that MIGHT have an effect, and is perfectly legal, might be to make sure that you claim every possible exemption on your W-4 and don’t have a single penny more than necessary withheld from your paycheck. Many people over-withhold so they can get a refund every year; but many financial experts say this is tantamount to allowing Uncle Sam to “borrow” hundreds or even thousands of dollars from you, interest-free, every year.

    If you end up owing taxes, file for an extension (I believe you can get a 6-month extension pretty much automatically if you file it before April 15) and put off paying until the last possible minute. You can go ahead and do all the calculations and fill out the forms ahead of time, just don’t send them in until you absolutely have to. Or just set aside the money, let the deadline pass and wait until you hear from the IRS before you decide to pay up.

    If Uncle Sam uses our money for immoral purposes, the least we can do is make him wait for it as long as possible and not give a single dollar more than absolutely necessary.

    Also, look into ways to reduce or even eliminate your tax liability via legal shelters, deductions, tax credits, etc. There are many perfectly legal ways to reduce your taxation or avoid being taxed altogether; why not take advantage of them — and donate the money you save to a pro-life cause?

  63. Supertradmom says:

    I think concerted efforts of civil disobedience is absolutely necessary for us to consider, and if it doesn’t hurt, it is not sacrifice. Also, for those who “thought this would happen”, I believe cynicism is a sin. Catholics must always have faith and work for truth. We cannot wash our hands of responsibility and must try, try, try to influence public policy. This is what is means to be a “good and faithful servant” as we are the stewards of our democracy. After we have really worked, and prayed, and fasted, if we are defeated, then we can discuss alternatives.

    To give up too early is not to trust in the Holy Spirit among us.

  64. Supertradmom says:

    By the way, I know more so-called pro-life Democrat priests than not. I have not convinced them to change their political allegiances, but I pray to Mary, Queen of Apostles, to change their hearts. We must have hope for them and for the country.

  65. Denis Crnkovic says:

    At my age, I am seldom made despondent by what politicians do. I am despondent.

    My daughter pointed out to me that Catholics make up 25% of the American population, more than any other single religious denomination. How is it that we are so unheeded in a so-called democracy?

  66. JonM says:

    While the GOP does have some (very few) more hopefully lights like the new Govs. of Virginia and NJ, and to an extent Rep. Boehner (hmm, all of them are Catholic…and NOT the Pelosi/Sanchez/Dood/and ‘but for Wales’ Nelson sort), don’t for a minute think the Republican Party is anything else but another gaggle of politicians with interests opposed to the well-being of the average people and our core morality. Just look at the leader of the GOP, Mr. Steele, a Catholic who supports contraception.

    The GOP can talk a pretty good game now because they know that they are in a position of powerlessness; federally, their bluster really doesn’t matter because they know that the Democratic Party has a solid majority.

    Keep in mind, a slew of Republicans are screaming about how CO is super heating the planet (so much so that we had a crippling snowstorm from Carolina to Boston). We must meditate on Dante’s writings that beautifully capture the circumstance of the freemasonic, I mean ‘liberal democratic’ West: putting political careerism ahead of God is a direct route to perdition.

    We must never make idols out of politicians, particularly those in our system who are forced to raise massive sums of money from wealth centers, which are increasingly hostile to Christ and His Church.

    (This is coming from someone who was one obsessed with politics, so I accuse myself first).

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