Catholic Bishops Vs. Obama on Health Bill

(AP)  The White House is on a collision course with Catholic bishops in an intractable dispute over abortion that could blow up the fragile political coalition behind President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

A top Obama administration official on Thursday praised the new Senate health care bill's attempt to find a compromise on abortion coverage even as an official of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said Sen. Harry Reid's bill is the worst he's seen so far on the divisive issue.

The bishops were instrumental in getting tough anti-abortion language adopted by the House, forcing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to Despite criticism, there were growing indications Reid would prevail on an initial Senate showdown set for Saturday night. He needs a 60-vote majority to advance the bill toward full debate, expected to begin after Thanksgiving and last for weeks. It's during that debate that the battle over abortion will be joined in earnest. Reid will need to clear other 60-vote hurdles before senators cast their final vote on the bill.

At the White House on Thursday, health reform director Nancy Ann DeParle praised Reid's effort to find a compromise on abortion.

"It was carefully worked through by the leader, who cares a lot about making sure this maintains the status quo on abortion policy," DeParle told reporters. Obama has said he wants the bill to remain neutral on abortion, and DeParle said Reid struck just the right balance.

But Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the bishops' conference Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, said Reid's "is actually the worst bill we've seen so far on the life issues."

He called it "completely unacceptable," adding that "to say this reflects current law is ridiculous."

CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care
Track the Progress of Health Care Reform

The bill would forbid including abortion coverage as a required medical benefit. However, it would allow a new government insurance plan to cover abortions and let private insurers that receive federal subsidies offer plans that include abortion coverage.

In all cases, the money to pay for abortions would have to come from premiums paid by beneficiaries themselves, kept strictly separate from federal subsidy dollars. Government funds could be used for abortions only in cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother reflecting a current law known as the Hyde amendment.

The Hyde amendment restrictions apply to Medicaid, military health care and the federal employee health plan. Many states provide abortion coverage to low-income Medicaid beneficiaries, but they must do so separately with their own funds.

Abortion opponents say Reid's bill circumvents Hyde. For example, they say that any funds a government insurance plan would use to pay for abortion would be federal funds by definition even if the money comes from premiums paid by beneficiaries.

"All the money the government has starts out being private money," said Douglas Johnson, legislative director for National Right to Life. "Once the government has them, they're federal funds."

The restrictive language passed by the House would forbid any health plan that receives federal subsidies from paying for abortions, except as allowed by the Hyde amendment. Women would have to purchase separate coverage for abortion services.

Abortion rights supporters say that fencing off government funds from private premiums would achieve the same goal, without forcing women to get special coverage for a legal medical procedure now routinely included in many private health insurance plans.

[DoubleHappiness88]

Why would Americans allow these sick catholic perverts to influence ANYTHING?!

ASSOCIATED PRESS Thursday, November 26, 2009
DUBLIN ? The Roman Catholic Church in Dublin covered up decades of child abuse committed by priests because bishops wanted to protect the church's reputation at the expense of victims, an expert commission reported Thursday after a three-year probe into previously secret church records.

Abuse victims said they welcomed publication of the probe into the mishandling of 1975-2004 child-abuse cases in the Dublin Archdiocese, home to a quarter of Ireland's 4 million Catholics. But they said government and church leaders still had far to go to compensate for past wrongs.

The government said the investigation "shows clearly that a systemic, calculated perversion of power and trust was visited on helpless and innocent children in the archdiocese."

In May, the government published an investigation into decades of child abuse in Catholic-run schools, workhouses and orphanages. That probe also found that thousands of boys and girls suffered rape, beatings and mental abuse by members of Catholic religious orders.

[mmvale]

I do not want my tax dollars to be spent to kill innocent babies.

[joelwisch]

Catholic Bishops may urge their Church Members to protects and talk about this issue... they may not enter the fray in the name of the church. They may congregate and as citizens, comment, but not as an offical function of the Church.

During the last Immigration Reform efforts, the Church summoned Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Reid, and Ms. Pelosi among others,to their chambers. That was totally unacceptable. The Church may advise from the pulpit. The church keeps it behind their doors.

[IrishWench01]

I'm really beginning to dislike this country in many, many ways.

[quapawsix]

I have a Dream! I dream of a world in which all religions butt out of peoples personal lives and stay out of politics their job is saving souls not passing the laws. And If they want to lobby Washington then I suggest they start paying their fare share of the Taxes. So until they do start paying taxes sit down and shut up.

[RonPaul2012]

I have a Dream also. That my money where not used for things that I believe to be wrong. When ones money is stolen in the form of taxes then that person has the right to fight for it's lawful return or how that money is spent. And since I am part of the Catholic Church and I am ecstatic this has occurred, albeit I am totally against any increase in government intrusion in my life. By the way, this holds true not only for healthcare, but war, energy, cap and trade, fire departments, police etc. The idea some person several thousands of miles away knows more what's better for me than I, amazes me.

[ajvw]

we could solve this whole abortion issue if you ladies would just keep hold of a quarter between your knees

[mmvale]

I will be happy to vote out anyone who votes for this healthcare bill. "Reproductive Rights" is just another name for abortions and we know it.

[aldon61]

Bishops have the right to speak their minds, but only as private citizens. Any attempt to punish their parishs for individual thought is against everything this country was founded on. Our fore-fathers WERE NOT Christians, they were secularists that believed that everyone should beleive in their god, not just the Christian'Judo GOD. They therefore set out a separation of religion and state. There are a great number of people that want to revert our Republic to a theocracy. I am oppossed to all that seek this end.

[proman24]

im sure plenty of catholics care what the bishops say. but like i said, separation of church and state. a government bill affecting everyone in the country shouldn't be tailored to please catholics.

[RedWings_ninety_one]

I never said that they should be taylored to fit them.

[chitown639]

Who cares what these sanctimonious con-men have to say about how our government funds are spent. Don't they know we have two wars going on, how come these pious hypocrites aren't up at Capitol Hill everyday demanding that our tax dollars not be spent on murdering poor people in other countries?