"Death and Taxes Do Not Mix -- Help Defund Planned Parenthood!"

The Center for Reclaiming America has launched a petition drive to stop federal funding of Planned Parenthood.

While I can not endorse everything CFRA does, I support this effort as this is an abuse of tax dollars that should not be taken from our income in the first place.

The federal government should not be funding abortionists.

If you agree, please sign the petition and/or contact your Representative directly with your concerns.

From Death to Life: Office Space for Abortion Clinic becomes a Crisis Pregnancy Center

In the January 28 edition of The American View, Michael Peroutka interviews a counsellor for a Maryland crisis pregnancy center that moved into the former office space of an abortuary.

Click here for the audio interview.

This program also talks about how some pro-life leaders contradict their message and aid the abortion industry.

"New" blog: Exposetheleft.com

The Political Teen has morphed into a new blog with a focus "dedicated to exposing the liberal bias in the Main Stream Media."

Coverage of liberal bias also includes the blogosphere and other political news and commentary.

Hat tips: Expose the Left, Michelle Malkin

Alito's Abortion Points

More details are emerging about how Judge Samuel Alito opposed the right to life and/or supported Roe v. Wade.

Here are some examples:

• In 1985 as a lawyer, Mr. Alito recommended against the Reagan Justice Department asking the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Source: Townhall.com, downloaded 1/28/2006)
• Elizabeth Blackwell Health Center For Women (and others) v. Catherine Baker Knoll, Treasurer of Pennsylvania (and others) relaxed restrictions on federal funding of abortion. Judge Alito voted for this. (Source: The American View, downloaded 1/28/2006)
• In 2000, Judge Alito voted to strike down New Jersey's ban on partial-birth abortion in Planned Parenthood Of Central New Jersey v. John Farmer, Jr.. (Source: The Christian Science Monitor, downloaded 1/28/2006)
• In the 2006 Senate Confirmation Hearings, Alito said that he did not agree that "the Constitution always trumps stare decisis," allowing for the possibility of putting court opinion such as Roe v. Wade above Constitutional law. (Source: The American View, downloaded 1/28/2006)

Further information about Alito's record on abortion would be appreciated.

This entry is a participant of Right Wing Nation's Weekend Open Trackbacks.

Roe v. Wade in Retrospect

In 33 Years Later ... , Daisy Cutter evaluates the impact of Roe v. Wade on American government and the political process.

The entire article is worth reading, along with the discussion in the reader comments.

This gem is worth repeating and considering:

Simply put, how can we give the benefit of the doubt to the accused criminal but not the innocent unborn?

John's Blog on Alito Hearings

John Lofton, co-host of The American View, offers important insights to the Alito hearings in his blog.

Here are some of them:

To their everlasting shame, supposedly Christian/conservative leaders, pro-life Senators, commentators and publications have failed miserably to tell the truth about Judge Samuel Alito’s pro-abortion voting record as a judge and what he said in his Senate confirmation testimony.
...
What Alito’s pro-abortion record “indicates” is exactly what Hausknecht says it “hardly” indicates — that he endorses a legal right to abortion!!!
By voting pro-abortion Alito was not following statutes or the Constitution.
...
"By voting for abortion, Alito has proved he is not for the little guy — at least not for the little guy, or gal, in the womb."
...
Bowing the knee one more time to stare decisis (precedent), Alito said he did not agree with the “theory” that “the Constitution always trumps stare decisis.”
...
But, the supremacy of the Constitution is not a “theory.” It is what Alito will take an oath to uphold. It is what Alito will swear to God to obey. Thus, even before he is sworn in as a high court justice, Alito has repudiated his oath!
...
As a lower court judge he, in effect, voted in favor of infanticide by supporting a ruling striking down a ban on partial-birth abortion. And in his lower court rulings he has, approvingly, invoked Roe v. Wade which has led to the slaughter of more than 40 million innocent, unborn human beings.
...
Judge Samuel Alito should have been opposed because of the very things Francis Schaeffer mentions. By voting for abortion (including a vote to strike down a ban on partial-birth abortion, which is infanticide), by saying in his hearings that his Christian religion would have nothing to do with his judging, Alito has revealed himself to be a de facto secular humanist who has no Christian worldview.

The latest entry clearly exposes where many prominent professing Christians are denying Alito's record on abortion in their endorsements. Please read this if you want more information with specific examples.


Lofton also poignantly points out some doublespeak from Senator Kennedy as he questioned Judge Alito:

Kennedy badgered him about a case involving the alleged misbehavior of some U.S. arshals who went into a home and, among things, shoved a man’s wife making her sit down in a chair. Years ago, when Robert Bork was nominated to the Supreme Court, Kennedy criticized Bork’s record on women saying he was “wrong on equal rights for women.”

Kennedy is concerned about the mistreatment of women?! Yep, that’s what he wants us to believe. But, his own record on women — for example his first wife Joan — is not really all that good, to put it charitably.

More of Alito's Abortion Politics

In legal redux: Alito plays politician, Jonathan asks what exactly is Samuel Alito's view on the Bork nomination. This is a good question as Alito's answers have not made this clear.

John Lofton notes where Senator Arlen Specter agreed with Judge Alito on Griswold v. Connecticut, a case of legislation from the bench. This decision asserted a "right to privacy" and "Gave Us Roe v. Wade."

Hat Tip: Pro-Life Blogs, The American View

ADDENDUM:
In "A 'sick sideshow,' stare decisis revisited", Mr. Calvin responds to the conversation on stare decisis in (and surrounding) the Alito confirmation hearings. Calvin laments, "the baseless attacks of certain senators have gone way too far." I agree.

This post is a participant of Choose Life's Weekend Open Post and Stop the ACLU's Weekend Open Trackbacks. The former blog referred me to the latter.

THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES: A Response to Alito's Record for Abortion

I received this in E-mail today.

This essay recounts decisions in which Judge Samuel Alito reportedly ruled against the right to life. It also offers explanations of why some nominally pro-life Christians have endorsed the nomination in spite of this record.

----- Original Message -----

From: Missionaries to the Preborn, Milwaukee WI

To: Missionaries to the Preborn

Sent: Tuesday, 10 January, 2006 5:45 PM

Subject: The Emperor & Alito

Dear Friends of the Preborn,

We have heard from people who want to know what we think of the Alito nomination. Below is an article which addresses it. Would to God that we are wrong in our assessment, but the facts demand that we say what we have written.

Pastor Matt Trewhella
http://www.missionariestopreborn.com


THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES
or
The Alito Nomination
by Pastor Matt Trewhella

In the story about the Emperor's new clothes, people from all over the nation stood around and talked about how wonderful the Emperor's clothes were, how beautiful the emperor's clothes were, and how magnificent the Emperor's clothes were even though he was standing in his underwear.

When it comes to the Alito nomination we have heard pro-life and Christian leaders from across the nation talk about how wonderful Alito's nomination is, how beautiful Alito's nomination is, and how magnificent Alito's nomination is even though the man stands naked with no pro-life clothing on whatsoever.

Not only has Alito repudiated his pro-life statements from the early 80's as simply being things he said to obtain a job, and not only has he repeatedly stated that Roe v. Wade is decided law which needs to be respected, but he has also ruled on actual abortion cases and he has sided with the pro-abortion side!

In 1995, in the Elizabeth Blackwell Health Center for Women v. Knoll case, Alito ruled for federal funding of abortion for the poor who say they were pregnant by rape or incest.

In 2000, in the Planned Parenthood v. Farmer case, Alito ruled to strike down New Jersey's partial-birth abortion ban.

We do not have to sit around and wonder if Alito will be pro-life, we already know. He has said it with his mouth that he is pro-abortion and he has clearly said it with his actions.

When confronted with the facts about Alito, those who support him usually fall back and hide behind the "then why are all the pro-aborts attacking him" defense. First off, all the pro-aborts are NOT attacking him. The pro-abortion ABA has already
given him their highest recommendation and the Democrats have already declared
that they will not filibuster his nomination.

Secondly, the pro-aborts hold their convictions purer than our side does. They won't speak well of anyone who was nominated by a Republican and who does not cheer baby-murder on with pom-poms in their hands.

And finally, many of the pro-aborts want to fill their coffers with money by simply going through the motions of making Alito out to be an anti-choice bogeyman so that their minions give, give, give.

Others confronted with the facts want us to simply hold on to the elusive phantom of hope and trust that the President has done the right thing in nominating Alito (we were told the same thing about O'Connor, Souter, and Kennedy). The evidence reveals he has done the wrong thing.

The facts are Alito will keep the status quo on abortion i.e., more dead, innocent babies. Meanwhile the pro-life and Christian leaders will, yet again, betray these helpless ones and continue to reveal their fealty to a political party rather than to Christ. This charade has been going on for over 30 years now.

Please take time to read our article How Many Republican-Appointed Supreme Court Justices Does it Take to Overturn Roe v. Wade? if you doubt what we're saying at http://www.missionariestopreborn.com/default.asp?fuseaction=supremecourt.

In the story about the Emperor's new clothes, those who did not see the wonderful, beautiful, magnificent new clothes did not see them because they were supposedly incompetent and stupid. Let us reveal our incompetence and stupidity by declaring as the little boy did - "the man is naked!"

It is incumbent upon all of us to contact our U.S. Senators and tell them to oppose Alito's nomination. We hope you take time to do so.

To read more about Alito and what he actually wrote in his rulings, go to:

http://www.theamericanview.com and read the article "Alito Not Pro-life."

You can call our office at 414-462-3399 if you would like a free Alito is pro-abortion bumper sticker.

More Sources for Alito Hearings

C-Span broadcasts and webcasts live coverage.

ParableMan is summarizing each interview.

TheAmericanView.com forums have running commentary and discussion.

Michelle Malkin links and logs with ALITO WATCH: DAY 2.

Denny of VITAL SIGNS responds to the Senators' statements.

LibertyPost links current articles with live discussion.

Hat Tip: Pro-life blogs, Myopic Zeal

Sources for Alito's Record on Abortion and other issues

As the Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Samuel Alito unfold, we are learning more about his past performance on key issues in addition to his present views.

The Wikipedia entry is adding key points with references and links.

The Christian Science Monitor provides this excerpt on his past support for abortion along with case examples:

For example, of the four abortion cases in which he participated as an appeals court judge, he voted on the pro-choice side in all but one. A 1995 Alito vote striking down a Pennsylvania abortion restriction in particular is raising eyebrows among some legal scholars.

Pray for the Senate and for President Bush.

This blog and Myopic Zeal (among many others) are summarizing, compiling, and analyzing.

Hat Tip: Myopic Zeal

PHILLIPS ASKS JUDICIARY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN ARLEN SPECTER TO CORRECT HIS STATEMENT

This timely statement came from www.howardphillips.com. Phillips is a true historian that not only records history, but learns from it.

News Release - Alito Hearings January 9, 2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For further information, contact:

Charles Orndorff,
703-281-6782
PHILLIPS ASKS JUDICIARY COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN ARLEN SPECTER TO CORRECT HIS STATEMENT

Howard Phillips, Chairman of The Conservative Caucus, who led pro-life opposition to the Senate confirmation of Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor in 1981 and David Souter in 1990 has released the following statement:

"In his opening statement at the Judiciary Committee hearings concerning the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court of the United States, Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) has brazenly misrepresented the facts concerning preconfirmation positions on abortion advocated by Sandra Day O’Connor and David Souter.

"As an Arizona State Senator, O’Connor, on more than one occasion, took a pro-abortion stance. Moreover, she was a strong supporter of Planned Parenthood", Phillips stated.

"David Souter, as the Trustee of two New Hampshire hospitals, Concord Memorial and Dartmouth Hitchcock, helped change the policies of those hospitals from zero abortion to convenience abortion.

"Senator Specter should correct the record and acknowledge that he misrepresented the facts in his opening statement concerning Judge Alito."

The Conservative Caucus, founded in 1974, is a non-partisan, grass-roots public policy action organization.

Alito Audio Audit

In a recent press conference call sponsored by the Family Research Council, John Lofton inquired why certain pro-life activists assert that Judge Samuel Alito is pro-life when he has ruled in favor of partial-birth abortion and affirmed Roe v. Wade .

Lofton played a recording of this discussion on the latest installment of The American View radio program. (Click here for the mp3 download.)

This is the best political talk show on the air and on the Internet, particularly for national issues.

Human Events RE Alito: Jerry Falwell Didn't Do His Homework

Here are some key excerpts from the January 4 article by Robert B. Bluey, Jerry Falwell Didn't Do His Homework:

LOFTON: [...]"Samuel Alito, while a judge, has voted to strike down a ban on partial-birth abortion, he has repeatedly cited approvingly Roe v. Wade, which he didn’t have to do, and in a wrongful-death negligence case involving an 8-and-a-half month stillborn baby, he ruled against the mother, saying the unborn baby was not constitutionally a person. I’d like to ask Dr. Falwell: Upon what is your view based that Samuel Alito is pro-life?”

Click here for the full article with Dr. Falwell's response.

Hat Tip: John Lofton

Should Samuel Alito Be Confirmed?

Share your opinion on the Madison Journal's online survey.

Blogs4Life: I Wish I Could Be There

I am encouraged by those who speak out for the right to life in their webspace. May our heartfelt words and concerns translate into actions.

Hat Tip: ProLifeBlogs.com.

Lofton: Alito voted to strike down a ban on Partial Birth Abortion

In the 38th edition of The American View radio program, John Lofton explores decisions and statements by Samuel Alito which opposed protection of the right to life and defended taxpayer-funded abortion.

Click here to listen to the mp3 recording.