The Erie Echo “Voice for Life”
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The Erie Echo “voice for life” Vol. XLVIII No. 2 Circulation 5,375 June 2020 Most Pro-Life President Nikki Haley as United Nations Ambassador; policy under President Bush kept about $500 Reince Priebus as Chief of Staff; Sarah million out of the hands of the abortion Huckabee Sanders, daughter of the ordained peddlers, President Trump’s expanded minister and Aransas governor, Mike version protects approximately $8.8 billion Huckabee, as Press Secretary; and Charmaine from endangering the unborn children of Yost, the former president of Americans other nations. United for Life, as the Department of Health S.C. Justice Neil Gorsuch and Human Services (HHS) Assistant A few days later on January 31, President Secretary for Public Affairs. Trump announced the nomination of Judge Speaking at an event sponsored by the Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court–a pro-life Susan B. Anthony List in May 2017, conservative candidate in the mold of the late, Vice President Pence remarked, “The pro-life Justice Antonin Scalia. This was President knows that personnel is policy. exactly what the President had promised That’s why he’s literally filled this White during his campaign for the presidency. House and federal agencies with pro-life The appointment of any conservative leaders.... For the first time in a long time, jurist is automatically a victory for the pro- America has an administration that’s filled life cause. A judicial conservative is far less top to bottom with people who stand without likely to disregard the Constitution or duly apology for life.” That is the truth, and the enacted laws in order to impose personal results in terms of practical pro-life action are opinions about issues such as abortion. In this plain for all to see. case there were additional reasons for pro-life Pro-life Americans were reassured that Lockbox on $8.8 Billion Overseas optimism. As President Trump must have Donald Trump was sincerely pro-life when he The first pro-life fruits of the Trump known, Gorsuch had written that human life tapped Indiana Governor Mike Pence, a administration matured on January 23, 2017, is “intrinsically valuable and that intentional proven pro-life leader, to be his running mate. just two days after Inauguration Day. President killing is always wrong” in his 2006 book, Actions always speak louder than words. Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum The Future of Assisted Suicide and Pro-Life People in High Positions ordering the reinstatement of the Mexico City Euthanasia. Judge Gorsuch had never ruled But Mike Pence was just the beginning. The Policy, which was originally articulated by directly on the question of legal abortion, but Trump administration quickly became a President Reagan (and reversed during the several of his decisions that were indirectly who’s who list of stellar pro-life individuals Clinton and Obama administrations). The related to abortion indicated no inclination to from a wide range of professional Memorandum immediately stopped the flow interpret or stretch the law in favor abortion backgrounds. His prominent pro-life of USAID family planning funds to overseas or abortion special interest groups. The Judge appointees include: Kellyanne Conway as organizations that carry out abortions, was not reluctant to tell the unvarnished truth, Counselor to the President; Mike Pompeo as promote abortion as a method of birth either, once writing that “the right to terminate Secretary of State; Betsy DeVos as Secretary control, or campaign for the repeal of pro-life a pregnancy differs from the right to use of Education; Governor Rick Perry as laws in other countries. It also expanded the contraceptives because the former involves Secretary of Energy; Dr. Ben Carson, the original policy to cover all overseas U.S. the death of a person while the latter does renowned brain surgeon, as Secretary of health assistance funding, not just family not.” Justice Gorsuch was confirmed by the Housing and Urban Development; Governor planning funds. Whereas the Mexico City continued on page 2 Spotlight on Erie-area Candidates Here is an interesting bit of trivia for this Monroe’s enviable position this year. Only rhetoric and occasional double talk to predict presidential election year. No one has run for three have challengers. Both of our U.S. whether a particular candidate would actually president of the United States without a Representatives will also have a challenger in fight to protect unborn children and other significant challenger since 1820, when the general election this fall. vulnerable human beings or not. President James Monroe was reelected Determining where an incumbent stands It is a sign of the times, though, that fewer without meaningful opposition. He ran, rather on human life issues is usually a straightforward pro-abortion candidates now bother to fittingly, on the Democrat-Republican ticket. process of checking his or her voting record. obfuscate or disguise their true positions. A number of our northwestern Challengers can be more difficult to evaluate. Today, we see pro-abortion politicians who Pennsylvania state legislators are in President It can be tricky to cut through the campaign continued on page 3 Page 2 The Erie Echo June 2020 FROM PAGE 1 a President of the United States. Assistance,” which directed U.S. government Pro-Life President Standing with the People departments and agencies to apply the U.S. Senate on April 7, 2017, all Republicans President Trump has clearly made the pro-life provisions of the Mexico City Policy to all and three Democrats voting in his favor. cause his own, standing shoulder to shoulder grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts S.C. Justice Brett Kavanaugh with everyday pro-life Americans down in with foreign non-governmental organizations, President Trump ignited a firestorm of pro- the trenches. That solidarity is perhaps most denying over $8 billion to pro-abortion abortion outrage in July 2018 when he palpable during the annual March for Life in organizations. announced his second Supreme Court Washington, DC. January 18, 2018 - President Trump’s nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Despite a This past January, President Trump HHS announced the formation of a vicious smear campaign spearheaded by pro- became the first U.S. President in the 47 year- Conscience and Religious Freedom Division abortion senators, the nomination was long history of the March for Life to come to in the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR). It confirmed on October 6 by a vote of 50-48. the National Mall and address the marchers in was established to ensure the enforcement of In February 2019 Justice Kavanaugh wrote person. It was a March for Life like no other, laws already on the books that are supposed his own four-page dissent against temporarily so exciting, and perhaps most exiting for the to protect healthcare workers who refuse to stopping the enforcement of a pro-life tens of thousands pro-life teens who take part in abortion, euthanasia, and other Louisiana law that required abortionists to witnessed that historic event with their own procedures that violate their deeply held have admitting privileges at a local hospital. eyes. But this was only President Trump’s moral or religious convictions. OCR Director When the same case came back to the most dramatic March for Life gesture. In Roger Severino declared, “Laws protecting Supreme Court this March, Kavanaugh posed 2018, both the President and Vice President religious freedom and conscience rights are some tough questions of the pro-abortion Pence, surrounded by dozens of pro-life just empty words on paper if they aren’t plaintiffs. The case had not yet been decided students and their families in the White enforced. No one should be forced to choose when this newsletter went to print. House Rose Garden, addressed the Marchers between helping sick people and living by by live video. President Trump also spoke to one’s deepest moral or religious convictions.” Federal Courts of Appeal January 18, 2018 - Addressing the March President Trump has also filled a remarkable the marchers by live video in 2019. In 2017, only days after his inauguration, President for Life, President Trump issued a pledge “to number of open seats on the lower federal veto any legislation that weakens current pro- courts with excellent jurists. His nominations Trump was clearly there in spirit, sending Vice-President Pence and his top advisor life federal policies and laws, or that are being made in consultation with the encourages the destruction of innocent human conservative Federalist Society and its pro- Kellyanne Conway to speak on his behalf. Always on the Offensive life at any state.” life vice president and board co-chairman, January 19, 2018 - Signaled his support We do not want pro-life government officials Leonard Leo, a Roman Catholic father of for states that want to bar Planned Parenthood who are merely right to life cheerleaders. But seven. Even the strongly pro-abortion, anti- from receiving Medicaid reimbursements. He if President Trump’s only accomplishment Trump publication Vox correctly observed did so by rescinding an Obama ruling beyond stirring words was his impact on the that President Trump has already done nearly designed to intimidate these states by raising federal courts he would have already earned as much to shape the courts in less than four the threat of legal action. the title of “Most Pro-Life President Ever.” years as President Obama did in eight years. November 7, 2018 - President Trump’s But there is even more. It is hard to remember Three years into President Trump’s first term, HHS issued a rule that requires insurers who everything the President has done to advance one-quarter of all federal judges were Trump participate in the Obamacare program to the cause, but we should try.