by Dave Andrusko | LifeNews.com | 3/10/15 9:39 AM

After a lengthy run-up, the issue of webcam abortions will come squarely before the Iowa Supreme Court this Wednesday.

The Des Moines Register’s Tony Leys, who has covered the issue for the state’s dominant newspaper, dropped a new piece of information in his story today:

When Planned Parenthood lawyers go before the Iowa Supreme Court Wednesday, they’ll be asking for more than permission to continue using a controversial telemedicine system for dispensing abortion pills. They’ll also be asking the justices to declare that the Iowa Constitution protects women’s right to abortion.

Such a ruling could give Iowa abortion-rights proponents a stronger hand in future court battles, an independent legal expert said.

“It could call into question almost any limit on abortion,” said Ryan Koopmans, a Des Moines lawyer who writes a blog about Supreme Court cases.

What to say? That while “Wednesday’s hearing is believed to be the first time in more than 40 years that the Iowa Supreme Court will directly consider the issue of abortion,” the state’s highest court does not need to address whether the state constitution “protects” a woman’s “right” to abortion, even if Planned Parenthood of the Heartland wants it to.

Obviously any pro-abortion organization would like a decision that “finds” a “right” to abortion in a state constitution. But the issue before the Iowa Supreme Court is not whether there is a “right” to abortion, but whether the kind of “care” offered by webcam abortions is legal under Iowa law.

Webcam abortions are premised around a system where the abortionist is not present when the woman receives the two-drugs that make up the chemical abortion technique. The Iowa Board of Medicine held a hearing about its proposed rule that abortionists could not dispense abortion-causing drugs via a remote video-conferencing system. According to Register’s Jason Noble

In one especially heated exchange, medical board member and West Des Moines physician Bob Bender grilled Robert Shaw, a pediatrician and Planned Parenthood board member, on physicians’ level of involvement in the examination of patients before an abortion drug is prescribed.

Bender repeatedly asked Shaw whether he had ever relied on a certified medical assistant to perform an initial patient examination – something another Planned Parenthood representative had suggested sometimes occurred in telemedicine abortion situations.

Shaw refused to answer the question, however, arguing that his personal medical experience was irrelevant to questions over the standard of care provided in telemedicine abortions.

The Board of Medicine passed the rule and when Planned Parenthood of the Heartland filed a lawsuit, the Board of Medicine responded that under state law, only physicians may provide abortions. Referring to the state’s legal brief, Leys reported

“Abortion-inducing drugs are not over the counter medications,” the state lawyers wrote. “Unless and until such a time when abortion-inducing drugs are no longer required to be dispensed by physicians, physicians must do so within the confines of the standard of care. The Board of Medicine determined the standard of care requires a physical examination prior to dispensing abortion-inducing drugs.”

Currently 16 states have laws requiring that the abortionist be in the same room as the woman when the abortion drugs are dispensed.

And while this rarely gets addressed in media accounts, the dangers of web-cam abortions are not merely speculation.

An April 30, 2011, FDA “Mifepristone U.S. Postmarketing Adverse Events Summary” found more than 2,200 “adverse events” associated with use of the abortion drugs [RU-486 and a prostaglandin], including 14 women in the U.S. who died. Women taking the drug were hospitalized with ruptured ectopic pregnancies, blood loss requiring transfusions, and infections that proved deadly in at least eight cases.

And that was nearly four years ago.

by Steven Ertelt | LifeNews.com | 3/6/15 10:56 AM

When one considers the number of abortions in any given country, the tally of human life lost to abortion is staggering

In the United States alone, 57 million unborn children have died from abortions since Roe v. Wade ushered in an era of unlimited abortions in 1973. If you factor in the number of legal abortions in the several states that legalized abortion prior to the Supreme Court;s infamous decision, that horrific total is even higher.

But what of the number of babies who have lost their lives to abortion around the world int he decades abortion has been legal in countries across the globe? The number is incomprehensible and its impact is felt in other ways apart from the genocide of an entire generation.

From Human Life International:

At a conference in Rome on Thursday, Joseph Meaney, the Director of International Coordination at Human Life International, argued that abortion not only attacks the weakest of the weak, it actually harms the economy.

Speaking with Vatican Radio ahead of the event, Meaney explained that over the past fifty years, more than two billion babies had been aborted. “So we’re talking about almost a third of the human population which has been eliminated in the last 50 years,” he said, “And that has impacts everywhere, and on all kinds of levels, and on one of those levels is the economics.”

Meaney was refuting an argument made popular in the best-selling economics book Freakonomics, which claimed that abortion in US had reduced crime rate by 50%; and offered social benefits of over 30 billion dollars annually from abortion. Meaney said, the authors “made a post hoc ergo propter hoc error — they said that just because something happened afterwards, it was caused by something that happened before… It’s a common fallacy.”

 

“Let’s be very clear,” he continued, “Abortion is never permissible. Even if there was an economic benefit to aborting children, we wouldn’t be allowed to do it. It’s immoral to kill an innocent. But it’s also important to refute negative arguments from people who think that they’re making sense. It’s important to refute those arguments so that people don’t have an additional reason to commit the sin of abortion.”

by Arina Grossu | LifeNews.com | 3/5/15 4:41 PM

A survey conducted by the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA), a national legal network of prolife pregnancy centers, showed how powerful ultrasounds are in changing the minds of abortion-minded and abortion-vulnerable patients.

NIFLA stated in a press release:

Four-hundred and ten (410) of NIFLA’s medical membership (less than one-half) reported providing 75,318 ultrasound confirmations of pregnancy in 2013 on patients identified as either abortion-minded or abortion-vulnerable. Of these abortion at risk patients, 58,634 chose to carry to term, indicating that 78% of those mothers who saw an ultrasound image of their unborn child before deciding about abortion chose life.

When asked whether ultrasound confirmation of pregnancy has a positive impact upon a mother considering abortion to choose life 83.5% said “Absolutely,” 15.76% said “More than likely,” and 0.74% said, “Only a small impact.”

Planned Parenthood and abortion advocates will do all they can to conceal the reality that abortion kills babies.  That is why they refer to preborn babies as “tissues” or “products of conception” and oftentimes dissuade women from looking at their ultrasounds.

Technology reveals the truth that they try to hide from women.  When a woman sees her preborn child on an ultrasound, with a beating heart by 22 days post-fertilization, she will most likely choose life—78% of abortion-minded or abortion-vulnerable mothers who saw their ultrasounds did!  It is not a coincidence that 83.5% said that the ultrasound “Absolutely” has a positive impact and another 15.76% said that it “More than likely” did.

We are seeing a trend in women connecting with their babies before birth.  Four dimensional ultrasounds (4-D) have done wonders in revealing to us the humanity of the child.

One ultrasound company did a 3-D/4-D photo contest asking parents to send in their child’s ultrasounds and photo post-birth, generally in the same pose as their ultrasound. The results are stunning, revealing the striking resemblance of these children’s mannerisms, both in the womb and outside of it.  There is also a new phenomenon of women doing 3-D printing of their ultrasounds for as little as $250.

A writer at the Washington Post admitted that it “could perhaps change the abortion debate.”  When the humanity of the preborn child is revealed with the help of technology, both the child and the mom win.

by Kristan Hawkins | LifeNews.com | 3/4/15 5:10 PM

What activity requires almost no money and minimal time commitment yet saves lives and impacts a whole school campus

SIDEWALK CHALKING!

With a handful of chalk and an arsenal of pro-life slogans, you can leave a lasting impression on hundreds or even thousands of people.

Step 1: Pick up sidwalk chalk (Walmart, drug stores, Hobby Lobby)
Step 2: Collect your pro-life friends (this is optional, but helpful)
Step 3: Find a heavily trafficked public area
Step 4: Chalk short pro-life messages in large letters everywhere

Example Messages You Can Use:
Abortion Hurts Women
Women Need Love Not Abortion
Restore Preborn Rights
Human Rights for All: Born & Preborn
Heartbeat Begins Beating at  21 Days
Social Justice Begins in the Womb
Adoption Not Abortion
Love them both
Abortion = Preborn Genocide
True Feminists are Pro-Life
Peace Begins in the Womb
Planned Parenthood Protects Rapists
Pro-choice = No-choice
End the War on Preborn Children
Women Regret Abortion
Equal Rights for Preborn People

OR

Draw 3,500 baby feet or hearts and chalk “Abortion Stops 3,500 Hearts Every Day

Some tips:

• Don’t get discouraged if your “artwork” is scuffed or washed off by haters – that means they saw it
• Place messages at different angles and perspectives so foot traffic from every direction will catch a glimpse
• Keep the messages short and succinct; you only have a brief moment to get your point across – make it counts
• Use bright or pastel colors like pink, blue, white and yellow

by Josh Shepherd | LifeNews.com | 3/3/15 2:56 PM

As debate heats up in Washington over the federal budget, new research shines light on the growth in taxpayers’ funding for Planned Parenthood — the largest provider of abortions in America while, according to new data, “pregnancy related services” are an ever-shrinking portion of its business.

The new report “Abortion, Inc.” from Americans United for Life (AUL) provides detailed annual figures on federal funds received — making note of Planned Parenthood’s overall $700 million profit in recent years, a significant sum for a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization.

AUL President Dr. Charmaine Yoest walks through what her group uncovered in a video accompanying the report:

Yoest brings attention to the fact of Planned Parenthood’s increased taxpayer funding since 2007, despite an economic climate where families and businesses across America have had to cut back on spending.

A mother of five herself, Yoest decries the hypocrisy of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) supposedly providing pregnancy-related services.

“Under Cecile Richards’ tenure at Planned Parenthood, the number of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood has gone up,” Yoest notes. “Other services like breast screenings have gone down.”

In a recent interview with Bound4LIFE, Dr. Michael New of Charlotte Lozier Institute backs up these statistics. “Most of Planned Parenthood’s revenue comes through performing abortions. Most people outside the pro-life movement don’t know that, because public campaigns by Planned Parenthood make disingenuous claims.”

To quote the AUL report: “Planned Parenthood’s abortion numbers remain consistently high despite the fact that its reported overall patients substantially decreased.”

Abortion-rights advocates including RH Reality Check counter that every U.S. federal budget since 1977 — including President Obama’s FY 2016 proposed budget released on February 2 — has incorporated the Hyde Amendment, which bans direct federal funding of abortion.

However, in addition to the questionable practice of funding Planned Parenthood, taxpayers have been directly paying for abortion services in recent years… due to battles the abortion giant has waged in state and federal courts.

“Currently, 17 states fund abortion through Medicaid,” notes Michael New, referencing the federal health program designed for low-income families. Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion research group, released a report only weeks ago that confirms this latest figure.

“Most of the states that fund abortion do so because of a court order,” Dr. New continues. “It’s not a measure that state legislators or the people have voted for, rather it’s under the guise of a court order.”

New reflects on the bigger picture: “Over the decades, the pro-life movement has generally been proficient at raising the alarm and ensuring the federal government is not involved in funding abortion directly. Poll after poll shows most Americans agree with this stance.”

“These 17 states happen to be the most politically liberal states, places like Oregon, California and New York,” New observes. “Some have talked of ballot measures in these states, though that has costs associated with it. I don’t see pro-life groups having the funds to run a successful ballot campaign statewide in many places.”

For the past decade, New has shown through research that cutting off public funding for abortion results in abortion numbers going down. “There is a wide consensus on this among economists, social scientists, public health researchers — Guttmacher even agrees with it.”

As to Planned Parenthood, New praises recent media-driven efforts: “The excellent work of Lila Rose and her team at Live Action, exposing the truth of what happens in these abortion centers, has tarnished Planned Parenthood’s public image.”

“That said, it would be difficult for Congress to defund Planned Parenthood’s taxpayer subsidies — though well worth pursuing to save defenseless lives,” concludes New.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, passed by the House by a vote of 242-179 on January 22, 2015, and now introduced in the Senate as S. 582, seeks to provide a “permanent, government-wide prohibition of taxpayer funding for abortion.”

Supported by major pro-life groups, the bill makes an important statement; yet, even if passed by the Senate, President Obama would likely veto it. Thus, many have honed in on making adjustments to the federal budget — considered “must-pass” legislation by the new majority, following five years of Congress failing to pass a budget.

Next steps in the complex federal budget process will happen under the oversight of Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mike Enzi (R-WY), an accountant by trade who plans to work closely with his colleagues in the U.S. House. “We will negotiate with the House,” Enzi said in a recent hearing. “We will pass a common budget resolution.”

Pro-life advocates are making the case for budget proposals that save lives, getting the government out of funding China’s one-child policy via the United Nations and out of backing America’s top abortion provider: Planned Parenthood.

“A groundswell of pro-life momentum swept many conservative leaders into office this past November,” says Bound4LIFE Director Matt Lockett referring to the mid-term elections. “Our prayer is that these men and women will now consider how they can protect innocent human lives — even in a task as complex as passing the federal budget.”

by LifeNews Staff Report | LifeNews.com | 2/27/15 4:19 PM

A new Congressional bill with 110 co-sponsors would stop the Obama administration’s HHS mandate, which requires religious businesses, colleges and organizations to pay for abortion-causing drugs in their employee health insurance plans.

Rep. Diane Black along with Congressman Jeff Fortenberry and Congressman John Fleming announced the reintroduction of H.R. 940, the Health Care Conscience Rights Act. The bill would protect Americans’ freedom of conscience and stop the Obama Administration’s attack on religious liberty.

H.R. 940 offers full exemption from Obamacare’s Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate and ensures protections for individuals and healthcare entities that refuse to provide, pay for, or refer patients to abortion providers because of their deeply held beliefs.

The legislation would also specifically address the unlawful violation of religious freedom in California, where the state Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) issued a directive requiring that all insurance plans offered on the state exchange include coverage for abortions, including plans provided by churches, religious entities, and others with conscionable objections to such procedures. The Health Care Conscience Rights Act has the bipartisan support of 110 cosponsors.

“Religious freedom is a bedrock value of our society but, on President Obama’s watch, this time-honored principle is under assault,” said Congressman Diane Black. “From Obamacare’s coercive HHS mandate to the unlawful, pro-abortion directive by the state boards in California, it is clear that Congress must act where the White House will not and reverse this infringement of our First Amendment rights. That is why our bill offers full exemption from the HHS mandate and provides needed legal protections for healthcare entities who refuse to partake in the barbaric practice of abortion. As a nurse for more than 40 years, I am proud to introduce this legislation that will safeguard the conscience rights of every American and ensure that more unborn lives can be saved in the process.”

“The rights of conscience and religious freedom preexist the government. They are rights grounded by the demands of human dignity and are enshrined in our Constitution. It is a true poverty—that in the name of health care—this most cherished American principle is under assault, violating longstanding legislative agreement and precedent. The Health Care Conscience Rights Act restores this principle for all Americans,” said Congressman Jeff Fortenberry.

“The Administration’s actions are a direct assault on Americans’ religious liberties, forcing people of faith to violate their deeply held religious beliefs,” said Congressman John Fleming. “H.R. 940 will get at the heart of the issue: providing protections against coercive government practices; codifying the Weldon amendment to allow physicians and health care entities to provide quality care without being forced to participate in an abortion;  and providing a private right of action so that victims of government discrimination can seek justice.”

The Supreme Court rejected Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate in favor of family businesses in last year’s Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stories, Inc. verdict, however Congressional action is still needed to bring clarity to this debate.

Following the court’s ruling, HHS devised an “accommodation” that still requires closely held, faith-based businesses to contract out with insurance companies that will provide coverage for the morally objectionable drugs and devices. The Obama Administration’s workaround does nothing to allow small business owners the freedom to provide health care plans that match their values, it simply removes the employers’ “fingerprints” from the transaction.

by Steven Ertelt | LifeNews.com | 2/26/15 10:28 AM

Reverend Franklin Graham, son of world-renown Christian evangelist Billy Graham, recently took to Facebook to defend New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s controversial comments concerning his opinion about President Obama.

On Facebook he wrote, “Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has taken a lot of heat from the media for his remark that he’s not sure if President Obama really loves America. I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I do know that the president defends Islam and chastises Christians, rebukes our allies and befriends our enemies, and fully supports gay marriage and abortion but denies the religious freedoms of those who don’t agree.”

According to the Christian Post, Graham added that America is “ridiculed abroad and morally crumbling within.” He said, “We are in trouble. We have turned our back on God.”

Unfortunately, Barack Obama has been the most pro-abortion president in U.S. history. From taxpayer funding of abortions in America and around the world, to stacking the Supreme Court and federal courts with abortion extremists, Obama has shown true disregard for human life. In fact, asLifeNews previously reported, during his first week in office, Obama wasted no time in overturning the Mexico City Policy that President Bush put back in place after it was scrapped during the Bush administration.

The Mexico City Policy requires the more than 600 groups that receive State Department taxpayer funding to pledge not to promote or perform abortions with it. Abortion advocates objected to the measure for years during the Bush administration because they want to use the funds to do abortions overseas or lobby pro-life nations to reverse their laws against unlimited abortions. Obama legally had the right to divert the funding, but his administration appears to have also broken the law to promote abortion overseas.

Additionally, earlier this year the Obama administration issued a veto threat indicating that the president would veto a bill to ban late-term abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy; and on the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade Obama reiterated his support of abortion on demand by saying that abortion “gives our daughters rights and freedoms.” Furthermore, President Obama is very close with Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, who has visited him on numerous occasions.

Graham’s post about President Obama has been well received by his followers and shared over 55,000 times, with fans giving the post over 140,000 “likes” on Facebook.