Sano di Pietro, The Massacre of the Innocents
Julie Schmit-Albin of NE Right to Life comments over on Jill Stanek’s blog that abortion was used by Senator Ben Nelson as a “pawn” in the healthcare debate. She and Stanek assert that when he loaded up on enough pork and perks for the folks back home, he betrayed the unborn. All true enough, except the part about abortion being used as a “pawn”.
It’s probably more accurate to say that abortion was used as a smokescreen and NE RTL and the USCCB were used as pawns. Look at the media attention for the past several weeks. It’s been all about the abortion language in the bill. In getting everyone to argue the abortion language, the Democrats got everyone to tacitly accept that this entire immoral bill was a foregone conclusion. In so doing, we took our eye off of the larger immorality of medicare cuts and the inevitability of euthanasia down the road.
That’s how we got screwed. The Washington Two-Step.
There is still hope that the firebrands in the House may cause the process to implode and that the legislation will not survive in conference. No small amount of pressure will be brought to bear on Stupak’s allies. Going forward, we need to understand that there is a larger immorality involved in this legislation.
We need now more than ever to be Pro-Life and not merely anti-abortion. This entire piece of legislation stinks. If we focus too narrowly on abortion again, I fear another betrayal will come to pass. There are far more vulnerable members of the House up for re-election this year. They need to be blistered this week by all who care for life at both ends of the spectrum and in between.
Meanwhile, Nelson has lined his pockets as he guaranteed the Slaughter of the Innocents will proceed apace. That free Medicare will avail his Nebraskans little when their treatments are denied along with the rest of us. Well done thou good-for-nothing servant.
