1.   The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has sent three e-mail messages to its supporters saying that persons who don’t want federal funds to be used to pay for elective abortions are “extremists.”

The ACLU is upset the House voted 240-194 for the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which prevents the "public option" from paying for abortion (except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest) and prohibits federal premium subsidies to purchase private insurance plans that cover abortion (except to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest).

Louise Melling, Director of ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project, wrote, “Pro-choice advocates had hoped beyond hope that abortion would be treated like any other health care service” in the Obamacare Bill.

She equated abortion on demand with government funding of contraceptive services and prenatal care.

And Vania Leveille, the ACLU Legislative Council, wrote, “Even though the odds seem daunting, I know we can win.”

Of all the organizations in the nation, the ACLU is the very last one that should ever call anyone an “extremist.”  The positions the ACLU takes on a wide range of issues are indisputably far out of the mainstream of public opinion.

More importantly, the very reasonable position taken by the pro-life community in regard to Obamacare is that abortions for convenience should be paid for by individuals or their health insurance, not the taxpayers.

A recent CNN poll found only 37% support federal funding of abortions.
 

2.  Responding to pro-abortion Congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) announcement that Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin of Rhode Island told Kennedy not to receive Holy Communion, Tobin pointed out this was in a private letter back in February 2007.

It is unclear why the Congressman chose to pick a fight with the Bishop over a confidential communication almost three years old.

Since Kennedy made the matter public, Tobin released the contents of the letter that explained, “In light of the Church's clear teaching (against abortion), and your consistent actions (supporting abortion), I believe it is inappropriate for you to be receiving Holy Communion.”

The Christian Science Monitor quoted a 2004 memo from then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who at the time was head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which stated that, if a Catholic politician manifests “formal cooperation” in abortion or euthanasia by “consistently campaigning and voting for permissive laws,” the politician’s pastor should “meet with him, instructing him about the church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.”

The Associated Press reported that Tobin’s action was praised by C. J. Doyle, Executive Director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts.  "Bishop Tobin is being a good pastor by urging Congressman Kennedy not to commit the mortal sin of receiving Communion while in a state of grave sin," Doyle said.

However, LifeNews.com reported, “Kennedy has said he continues to receive the sacrament.”