By Dave Andrusko

Part Two discusses a remarkably thoughtful and insightful explanation of the Pro-Life Movement by an academician who has written a new book. Please send your comments on either part to daveandrusko@gmail.com.  If you'd like, follow me on http://twitter.com/daveha.

Pro-abortion President Barack Obama

Let's cut through the spin. By tabling an amendment sponsored by Senators Ben Nelson and Senator Orrin Hatch, 54 senators voted yesterday to keep abortion covered in the proposed federal government insurance program, and to subsidize private insurance plans that cover abortion on demand. No amount of after-the-fact rationalizations or misdirection can change the grim reality that the 54-46 vote killed an amendment to remove elective abortion from the new federal programs that would be created by pending health care legislation.

But while this is a setback, it is only step one. The key vote now becomes on cloture--whether to cut off debate--which would require 60 affirmative votes. NRLC opposes cloture on the bill. In the absence of 60 affirmative votes, pro-abortion Majority Leader Harry Reid's bill would not go forward.

As NRLC pointed out last night, there is an additional consideration: "a number of pro-life Democrats in the House, who supported passage of health care legislation on November 7, will not vote for the Senate bill in its current form. So, this is a long way from over."

The Senate chose not to follow the lead of the House of Representatives on this matter. On November 7, the House voted 240-194 to adopt the Stupak-Pitts Amendment. The Nelson-Hatch amendment contained the same substance.

Pro-abortion Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

Both would prevent the federal government insurance program (the famous, or infamous, "public option") from paying for abortion (except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest). In addition, both amendments would prevent federal subsidies from being used to purchase private health plans that cover elective abortion. Contrary to much commentary, neither amendment would restrict the sale or purchase of such policies with private funds.

President Obama backs Reid's "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act." It would authorize the federal government to pay for any and all abortions through a huge new federal health insurance program, the "public option," and would also subsidize purchase of private plans that cover abortion on demand.

As we have discussed numerous times, President Obama and Senator Reid know they are on the wrong side of popular opinion. That is why, as NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson has explained, "they seek to conceal the reality with layers of contorted definitions and money-laundering schemes."

All pro-lifers should contact their two U.S. senators and ask them to vote against cloture on the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" which would provide government funding for abortion on demand.

Part Two