Robert Schindler, Sr. 1937-2009

Robert Schindler arrives at the courthouse for a hearing, requesting that his daughter's feeding tube be reinserted. March 21, 2005.

On August 29, Robert S. Schindler, Sr., father of Terri Schindler Schiavo, passed away from heart failure at the age of 71.

Statement from Wisconsin Right to Life:

Wisconsin Right to Life joins with right-to-life supporters throughout the nation in mourning the death of Robert Schindler, Sr., the father of Terri Schindler-Schiavo. Mr. Schindler died this past Saturday morning in St. Petersburg, Florida.

"Robert Schindler will remain a constant source of inspiration for us," said Barbara Lyons, Executive Director for Wisconsin Right to Life. "He and his wife Mary, along with with their children, showed the nation what it truly means to be pro-life. The death of Robert Schindler is a profound loss to the right-to-life community."

The Schindler family fought courageously to defend the right of Terri to receive food and fluids despite numerous legal setbacks. Their brave and constant struggle ended on March 31, 2005 when Terri died as result of a court-ordered withdrawal of food and fluids.

After Terri's death, the family founded the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation in order to advocate for patients with disabilities facing circumstances similar to Terri's.

Barbara Lyons writes on Life Voice Blog:

Everyone should have a father like Robert Schindler, Sr. It would be the greatest gift imaginable.

Mr. Schindler did not aspire for celebrity, status, or importance. He merely loved his family exquisitely and unconditionally. None can forget what this unassuming and noble man endured in his family’s quest to save his daughter, Terri, from public death. The Schindler family surely labored together to save Terri, and it was Robert who supplied the rock-solid strength which fueled the super-human effort to protect Terri from her unspeakable death.

Robert may have believed he failed his daughter in her greatest time of need. But, in his quest for justice, Robert is and always will be a legend for life and humanity. Rest in peace, great and gentle man.

Barbara Lyons

Here's the statement from Bobby Schindler, regarding the death of his father, Robert Schindler:

I am heartbroken over the loss of my father and yet I know at this moment he is rejoicing with my sister, Terri. My dad was a man of integrity, character and compassion who was blessed with a close and loving family. He taught all three of his children to respect and value life and to love our fellow man.

Even at the height of the battle to save my sister Terri’s life, when his patience and temperance was near exhaustion, he managed to display a gentleness of spirit. Yet it was his unfathomable strength that allowed him to shoulder up his own heartache and lead us through our darkest hour.

What greater legacy could a man leave behind?

Robert Schindler wasn't a powerful world leader. He wasn't an elected official. He didn't have political clout. But he was a great man.

He lived his faith and he loved his family.

In his fight to save his daughter, Terri, he became a champion of the weak, the vulnerable, and the innocent.

Robert Schindler set a beautiful example of what it means to be a loving parent. I am thankful for the tremendous inspiration he provided.

As so many times before, my prayers are once again with the Schindler family.

James Carville: Obama and Katrina

James Carville describes himself as "slighty miffed" that Obama hasn't been to New Orleans as president.

From CNN:

A prominent Democrat who is also a Louisiana native said Sunday he was somewhat offended that President Obama has yet to pay a visit to New Orleans, a city trying to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina four years ago.

“I’m a Democrat and this is a Democratic president. I would describe myself as slightly miffed that he hasn’t been down yet,” Democratic strategist and longtime Clinton ally James Carville said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union, “but he says he’s coming down before the end of the year. And we’re hospitable people and we certainly will welcome him.”

...Carville’s words were echoed by one of the Louisiana’s senators, Democrat Mary Landrieu.

Also on State of the Union Sunday, Landrieu said she was “a little concerned” that Obama had not paid a visit to New Orleans yet. But she noted that Obama has many other issues to deal with in his young administration.

“The president’s heart is there,” Landrieu told [CNN Chief National Correspondent John King], “and I know that.”

In his weekly Internet and radio address Saturday, the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the president noted that 11 members of his Cabinet have visited the country’s Gulf Coast region. “I’m looking forward to going to New Orleans later this year,” he added.

I'm surprised Obama hasn't visited New Orleans.

He and Michelle should have scheduled a "date night" there.

Video, Breitbart.

Pastor Steven Anderson

Pastor Steven Anderson, an alleged man of God, doesn't sound like one.

He's a variation of Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Both preach some truly horrible stuff.

From KSAZ-FOX 10 News:

Anderson is standing by his controversial sermon, entitled "Why I Hate Barack Obama."

...Sunday at church, Anderson told FOX 10, "I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy and I hope it happens today."

Anderson is continuing to encourage his parishioners to pray for the president's death, but says he doesn't condone killing.

"I will not take the law into my own hands. I will not take up any arms. It's a spiritual battle, spiritual warfare."

...Anderson says his sermon about wanting Obama to die was not meant to rile people up. "If anything, I was talking him down," he said, "Not riling him up."

Pastor Anderson says his hatred of Obama and former president Bush stems from his views on abortion and the Iraq War.

"Look up the word hate. Look up the word abhor, the word loathe. You'll see there are a lot of people that God hates, and so we should hate. But see, I didn't write that, that's in the Bible."

Anderson reminds me a lot of Jeremiah Wright, preaching hate.

It's absolutely sick that Anderson would pray for Obama to die and encourage his congregation to do the same.

No decent person would be a member of Anderson's church and listen to that sort of preaching.

Period.

Anderson should be delivering his sermons on an empty street corner, mumbling to himself, not to a room full of churchgoers.

If I were at Mass and my parish priest said, "I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy and I hope it happens today," I would not sit quietly and accept that. I would contact the archdiocese and take appropriate measures to work to have that priest replaced if possible.

Under no circumstances would I attend a Mass with that individual as the presider.

Yes, I pray that Obama finds it in his heart to respect and protect the lives of the unborn. There's no way that I would ever pray for Obama to become ill and die. No way.

Watch Anderson's sermon.

Afghanistan, Obama, and Russ Feingold

I can't believe it's already the last day of August. Summer flew by.

Obama really has to be dreading the end of his summer vacation.

Things aren't looking very good him.

Steven R. Hurst, AP, writes:

President Barack Obama confronts a tortuous September — and it's not just the divisive political fight over health care.

Back from his first presidential vacation, a break truncated by the death and remembrance of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and the nomination of the Federal Reserve chief to a new term, Obama settles back into the Oval Office well aware his approval ratings have fallen.

He now must spend heavily from that shrinking fund of political capital — with a highly uncertain outcome — if his vision of a health care overhaul is to emerge from Congress.

...That plan faces fierce opposition among Republicans and many conservative Democrats, and it will take a huge amount of White House muscle to keep it alive.

It would be bad enough if health care were Obama's only challenge.

He has a plateful of problems, including growing anger and discontent over a number of issues from his supporters on the Left.

A major issue: Afghanistan.

As Obama escalates the war in Afghanistan, Americans are becoming increasingly weary of the conflict.

...Then there is Afghanistan and declining support nearly eight years after the U.S. invaded and drove the militant Islamic Taliban from power, forcing its al-Qaida allies — including Osama bin Laden, it is believed — to scatter to mountain hideouts across the border in Pakistan.

The administration has said it plans this month to finish a reassessment of the war to which Obama has already dispatched nearly 20,000 additional troops, raising the total to about 68,000 by year's end.

As part of the study, commanding Gen. Stanley McChrystal is widely expected to ask for even more forces, as he tries to implement the kind of counterinsurgency strategy that prevented Iraq from descending into all-out civil war two years ago.

While American support for the Bush administration's conduct of the Iraq war quickly vanished after the 2003 invasion, backing for the U.S. mission in Afghanistan had held steady. But a recent Washington Post-ABC news poll shows that only 49 percent of Americans now think the fight is worth it. Sliding confidence may diminish further as American troop deaths increase.

That would put Obama at odds with a slim majority of Americans who doubt the U.S. mission and his promise to free Afghanistan from the brutal and resurgent grip of the Taliban while making the region unsafe for al-Qaida.

Mavericky Russ Feingold determined it was time to get on Obama's case for his handling of the war in Afghanistan.

In an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal, Feingold calls for (What else?) a timetable for troop withdrawal.

He writes:

After nearly eight long years, we seem to be no closer to the end of the war in Afghanistan. In fact, given the current buildup of U.S. troops and the possibility that even more may be deploying soon, many Americans, and many Afghans, wonder what we hope to achieve—and when our service members will start to come home.

We went into Afghanistan with a clear mission: to destroy those who helped to perpetrate the horrific 9/11 attacks. I voted to authorize sending our forces there because it was vital to our national security, and I strongly criticized the previous administration for shortchanging that mission in favor of a misguided war in Iraq.

President Barack Obama is rightly focusing on this critical part of the world. But I cannot support an open-ended commitment to an escalating war in Afghanistan when the al Qaeda operatives we sought have largely been captured or killed or crossed the border to Pakistan.

Ending al Qaeda's safe haven in Pakistan is a top national security priority. Yet our operations in Afghanistan will not do so, and they could actually contribute to further destabilization of Pakistan. Meanwhile, we've become embroiled in a nation-building experiment that may distract us from combating al Qaeda and its affiliates, not just in Pakistan, but in Yemen, the Horn of Africa and other terrorist sanctuaries.

We need to start discussing a flexible timetable to bring our brave troops out of Afghanistan. Proposing a timetable doesn't mean giving up our ability to go after al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Far from it: We should continue a more focused military mission that includes targeted strikes on Taliban and al Qaeda leaders, and we should step up our long-term civilian efforts to deal with the corruption in the Afghan government that has helped the Taliban to thrive. But we must recognize that our troop presence contributes to resentment in some quarters and hinders our ability to achieve our broader national security goals.

Some may argue that if we leave now, the Taliban will expand its control over parts of Afghanistan and provide a wider safe haven for al Qaeda. But dedicating a disproportionate amount of our resources to the military occupation of one country is not the most effective way to combat the terrorist threat we face. Even if we invest billions more dollars annually for the next 10 years and sacrifice hundreds more American lives, we are unlikely to get a credible government capable of governing all Afghan territory.

Instead, we should seek to deny al Qaeda a safe haven in Afghanistan in the long term with a civilian-led strategy discouraging any support for the Taliban by Pakistani security forces, and offer assistance to improve Afghanistan's economy while fighting corruption in its government. This should be coupled with targeted military operations and a diplomatic strategy that incorporates all the countries in the region. We will never relent in our pursuit of al Qaeda, nor will we "walk away" from Afghanistan. But our massive military presence there is driving our enemies together and may well be counterproductive.

Feingold thinks he has all the answers.

...While we have many important goals in Afghanistan, we must be realistic about our limited ability to quickly change the fundamental political realities on the ground. The recent presidential election shows there will be no easy solution to the sectarianism, corruption and warlordism that plague that country. We should seriously question putting so many American lives at risk to expand, through military force, the reach of a government that has failed to win the support of its own people.

Instead of increasing troop levels in Afghanistan, we should start talking about a flexible timetable to begin drawing those levels down. It is time to ask the hard questions—and accept the candid answers—about how our military presence in Afghanistan may be undermining our national security.

This is just the beginning of Feingold's push.

He's very vague about his timetable, no specific dates. Perhaps he learned his lesson after proposing date after date for American troop withdrawal from Iraq.

In any event, it's significant that Obama is being criticized by elected officials and others in his own party, whether it's on health care or Afghanistan or gays in the military or climate change.

This being president stuff isn't that easy.

Democrat Rep. Alcee L. Hastings told Bloomberg News Service, "The bloom is off the rose as far as Obama-mania is concerned."

Milwaukee Urban Music Awards Shootings, Antonio Greer

There's a serious problem in the community when an event honoring an anti-violence crusader and slain singer is marred by gun violence.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The promoter of an urban music awards event in Milwaukee was one of two people shot during the Saturday night show, which drew 300 people in honor of local artists and anti-violence crusader Jeannetta Robinson.

Antonio Greer, CEO of So Be It Management, said Sunday he was shot in the foot on the sidewalk outside the Agape auditorium, and a second victim was inside the door at 3610 W. Villard Ave.

Police are seeking the shooter and trying to sort out what happened.

Greer said the episode could drive him out of the business after 10 years promoting acts here and around the country, ranging from comedians to R&B singers. Greer, 40, of Milwaukee, said he also runs awards events and charity basketball games.

"I'm about to hang my shoes up with this," Greer said. "This is a wake-up call."

His wife, Shawnda, dived into the doorway of a tavern to avoid the shots, and his daughter Ciarra, 19, was right next to the shooter when he started firing, Greer said.

"It's sad," Greer said. "You think you are doing something good and this happens."

...He and his wife were outside Agape briefly because someone affiliated with the building's owner asked them to move their cars, Greer said.

He said he peered back into the entrance to the theater and saw the shooter inside pointing a gun at someone, he said.

The man fired a shot inside, and then outside as Greer and his wife fled, he said.

"Everybody started running out the door," Greer said.

The Milwaukee Urban Music Awards were hosted by Pierre, a comedian. The show, which started with a red-carpet event outside the auditorium, was held last year for the first time, at the Miramar Theatre. The event promised live performances for the $15 advance ticket price.

Tributes included candlelight vigils for Robinson, the longtime executive director of Career Youth Development who died last year. Also honored was Yolanda "LaLa" Brown, an R&B singer who was slain in her west side recording studio in 2007 along with her boyfriend and producer, JeTannue Clayborn.

The second shooting victim at the event, police said, was a 27-year-old woman wounded in the right buttock.

Thankfully, no one was killed or critically wounded. When that's the good news, there's not much good news.

Of course, Greer is angry and disappointed that he ended up being shot when he set out to stage a positive event.

Gunfire at a show with tributes including candlelight vigils to honor the memory of Jeanetta Robinson and the murdered singer Yolanda "LaLa" Brown?

It's sick.

 

Kennedy Funeral: Prayer of the Faithful

The intercessions read by Kennedy's grandchildren, nieces, and nephews at Ted Kennedy's funeral Mass have been the subject of debate.

Was it inappropriate to have them make such overtly political comments?



Transcript

KATHERINE "KIKI" KENNEDY: Now we pray to the Lord. Not only for Teddy, but for all of us he leaves behind. Among his brothers and sisters, he was the youngest. So now his grandchildren, his younger nieces and nephews, and the youngest child of one of his nieces will offer the intercessions.

Each time, please respond, 'Lord, hear our prayer.'

Teddy served for 47 years, and he summoned us all to service. And so these intercessions are in his words, for the work of his life is our prayer for our country and our world.

I think it's important to understand that the Prayer of the Faithful, the intercessions, is part of the Liturgy of the Word in the order of the Mass.

This was not something that was staged expressly for Ted Kennedy's funeral.

KILEY KENNEDY, granddaughter: For my grandfather's commitment and persistence, not to outworn values, but to old values that will never wear out. That the poor may be out of political fashion, but they are never without human need. That circumstances may change, but the work of compassion must continue. We pray to the Lord.

RESPONSE: Lord, hear our prayer.

GRACE ALLEN, granddaughter: For my grandpa's summons, that we will not in our nation measure human beings by what they cannot do, but instead value them for what they can do. We pray to the Lord.

RESPONSE: Lord, hear our prayer.

MAX ALLEN, grandson: For what my grandpa called the cause of his life, as he said so often, in every part of this land, that every American will have decent quality health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege. We pray to the Lord.

RESPONSE: Lord, hear our prayer.

JAKE SCHLOSSBERG, nephew: For a new season of hope that my Uncle Teddy envisioned where we rise to our best ideals, and close the book on the old politics of race and gender, group against group, and straight against gay. We pray to the Lord.

RESPONSE: Lord, hear our prayer.

ROBIN LAWFORD, niece: For my Uncle Teddy's call to keep the promise that all men and women who live here, even strangers and newcomers, can rise no matter what their color, no matter what their place of birth. For workers out of work, students without tuition for college, and families without the chance to own a home. For all Americans seeking a better life in a better land, for all those left out or left behind, we pray to the Lord.

RESPONSE: Lord, hear our prayer.

KIM SMITH, niece: For my uncle's stand against violence, hate, and war, and his belief that peace can be kept through the triumph of justice and the truest justice can come only through the works of peace. We pray to the Lord.

RESPONSE: Lord, hear our prayer.

ANTHONY SHRIVER, nephew: As my Uncle Teddy once told thousands and millions, 'May it be said of us, in dark passages and bright days, in the words of Tennyson, that my brothers quoted and loved, that have a special meaning for us now: I am part of all that I have met. Though much is taken, much abides; that which we are, we are; one equal temper of heroic hearts, strong in will to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.' We pray to the Lord.

RESPONSE: Lord, hear our prayer.

RORY KENNEDY, niece: For the joy of my Uncle Teddy's laughter, the light of his presence, his rare and noble contributions to the human spirit. For his faith that in heaven his father and mother, his brothers and sisters, and all who went before him, will welcome him home. And for all the times to come, when the rest of us will think of him, cuddling affectionately on the boat, surrounded by family as we sailed in the Nantucket Sound. We pray to the Lord.

RESPONSE: Lord, hear our prayer.

TEDDY KENNEDY II, grandson: For my grandfather's brave promise last summer that the work begins anew, the hope rises again, and the dream lives on. We pray to the Lord.

RESPONSE: Lord, hear our prayer.

It is somewhat unusual to refer so blatantly to politics in the Prayer of the Faithful.

But it's not unusual to pray for the sick and the poor, justice and peace. It's not unusual to pray for our elected officials, for God to grant them strength and wisdom.

What was a bit much in this case was that it seemed as if the Prayer of the Faithful was being exploited to advance a specific political agenda. I think that was because in some instances the intercessions appeared to be quite partisan, especially in the context of the current heated debate over health care.

Overall, I think the political nature of many of the intercessions come less from the words themselves and more from judging them through the prism of Kennedy's well known political leanings. It's a matter of how one interprets them.

I think Kiki Kennedy's introduction made it clear that the intercessions were adapted from Ted Kennedy's own words and service. In effect, the work of Kennedy's life was framed in the prayers; and his grandchildren, nieces, and nephews offering the prayers pointed to a living legacy of service that would be carried on through the subsequent generations. I think the idea was to celebrate Kennedy's legacy while providing a hopeful message for the future.

Concern and care for the needy, in body and spirit, isn't a partisan thing. It's a human thing.

Something worth mentioning--

I think what wasn't said in the Prayer of the Faithful is as significant as what was said.

One intercession that was notably missing at Kennedy's funeral was a prayer for the unborn and their mothers. It was a striking omission. The right to health care was mentioned but not the right to life, God's most precious gift. There was no nod to respecting and promoting a Culture of Life.

So, in sum, I don't think the petitions were terribly out of line, at least not as out of line as some commentators are suggesting. Nevertheless, a few did border on being inappropriate due to the overt politicking.

Mercury Marine: Goodbye, Fond du Lac

UPDATE, from the Fond du Lac Reporter:

While union officials blame Mercury Marine for killing an 11th hour vote that might have kept more than 800 manufacturing jobs in Fond du Lac, many union workers say union leadership did too little, too late.

“Why did the union wait so long to call a vote? They knew last Thursday that there was great interest among members in having a re-vote, so why didn’t they call for a vote on Friday,” said union worker Fred Toth Jr. “The union leaders dragged their feet on the whole thing, and in my opinion, alienated their members.”

___________________

In labor negotiations, there are offers. Union members vote. There are deadlines.

It's total BS for these union workers in Fond du Lac to be whining about rejecting a contract, and then failing to hold a second vote before the deadline expired.

Mercury Marine aren't the bad guys. The union members voted down a contract, had an opportunity to reconsider, and dragged their feet.

They sealed their fate. It was in their hands. They blew it.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A last-minute decision Saturday to have a second vote on a labor contract at Mercury Marine Inc. was effectively killed early Sunday when the company said it would not accept the results of any ballots cast after midnight.

Late Saturday night, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Lodge 1947 announced there would be a second vote on the contract proposal that was scheduled to expire at midnight. Voting began at the union hall in Fond du Lac shortly after 10 p.m., was expected to last until midnight and continue on Sunday until 6 p.m.

But early Sunday morning, union officials said a Mercury Marine executive told them the company would not accept any ballots cast after midnight.

Why should Mercury Marine accept ballots cast after the deadline?

That's an unrealistic expectation on the part of the union members. That's not how negotiations work.

...In a statement released at 2:15 a.m. Sunday, Mercury said:

"The IAM conducted a last-minute vote on the original proposal terms and conditions but did not complete the process to a definitive conclusion prior to the expiration of the proposal. As a result, Mercury said it will continue to operate the Fond du Lac facility under the terms and conditions of the existing contract, which expires in 2012. Manufacturing workers in Fond du Lac are represented by the IAM, Local chapter 1947. As previously announced, the company will now begin the transition planning process to its Stillwater, Okla., facility."

Of course, those jobs are going to Stillwater.

The workers had a choice. They made it.

Now they want a do-over?

Forget it.

Why did they wait until the last minute to vote again?

The union screwed up, not Mercury Marine.

In an interview with FOX 6 News, Fred Toth, with Mercury Marine for 15 years, says, "People are changing their minds. They're saying, 'Wait a minute. I didn't understand this. I looked at it wrong. I got hopped up on my emotions.' There's a lot of different feelings out there."

I suppose the reality of being unemployed would cause one to change one's mind.

Congratulations, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Lodge 1947. You voted to send Mercury Marine packing. That was your choice.

Deal with it.
___________________

Read the entire statement from Mercury Marine.

Video, FOX 6 News.

 

Carol Shea-Porter: "Teabaggers"

Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter of New Hampshire, no stranger to making questionable remarks, has stepped in it again.

During a contentious town hall meeting on health care, held in Portsmouth, Shea-Porter wouldn't directly address the issue of Obama's army of czars nor would she acknowledge the far Leftist ideology of some in Washington.

Watch Shea-Porter dance around the fact that Obama appointed a self-proclaimed communist, Van Jones, to serve as his "green jobs" czar.



In addition to these remarks, Gateway Pundit reports that Shea-Porter referred to the opposition as "teabaggers."

From Fosters.com:

Before Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter arrived at a backyard picnic-styled health care rally Thursday night, she stopped at a downtown hotel where her staff is staying and found herself face-to-face with those who say she's promoting a government takeover of the nation's health care system.

"Find those tea-baggers who don't like the idea of this and talk to them. You won't get all of them, but I think when they realize we're still going to be an employer-based insurance system in this country, and that it is a choice — one choice among many choices — it takes away that sense of fear, that sense that they're losing control over their lives. They're not. What's happening is we're giving some people who haven't had any choice, a choice."

...Speaking to reporters, Shea-Porter didn't say why her staff was at the hotel, but she's holding a public town-hall meeting in the city Saturday. She said the "tea-baggers" were quizzing her on the logistics.

Good grief.

Has Shea-Porter been hanging around with Anderson Cooper, Keith Olbermann, and Janeane Garofalo?

Granted, Shea-Porter has had problems with the Tea Party Movement, but I don't think it's appropriate for a member of Congress to adopt such a crass term as "teabaggers" to refer to Americans who disagree with her views.

Ted Kennedy's Letter to the Pope

At the graveside service, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick read from a letter Ted Kennedy wrote to Pope Benedict XVI, delivered by Obama when he visited the Pontiff in July.

Cardinal McCarrick also read from the Vatican's response.

Text, from the New York Times:

Most Holy Father, I asked President Obama to personally hand-deliver this letter to you. As a man of deep faith himself, he understands how important my Roman Catholic faith is to me, and I am so deeply grateful to him.

I hope this letter finds you in good health. I pray that you have all of God's blessings as you lead our church and inspire our world during these challenging times. I am writing with deep humility to ask that you pray for me as my own health declines. I was diagnosed with brain cancer more than a year ago, and although I continue treatment, the disease is taking its toll on me. I am 77 years old and preparing for the next passage of life.

I have been blessed to be part of a wonderful family. And both of my parents, particularly my mother, kept our Catholic faith at the center of our lives. That gift of faith has sustained and nurtured and provided solace to me in the darkest hours. I know that I have been an imperfect human being, but with the help of my faith, I have tried to right my path.

I want you to know, Your Holiness, that in my nearly 50 years of elective office, I have done my best to champion the rights of the poor and open doors of economic opportunity. I have worked to welcome the immigrant, to fight discrimination and expand access to health care and education. I have opposed the death penalty and fought to end war. Those are the issues that have motivated me and have been the focus of my work as a United States senator.

I also want you to know that even though I am ill, I'm committed to doing everything I can to achieve access to health care for everyone in my country. This has been the political cause of my life. I believe in a conscience protection for Catholics in the health field and I'll continue to advocate for it as my colleagues in the Senate and I work to develop an overall national health policy that guarantees health care for everyone.

I have always tried to be a faithful Catholic, Your Holiness, and though I have fallen short through human failings, I have never failed to believe and respect the fundamental teachings of my faith. I continue to pray for God's blessings on you and on our church and would be most thankful for your prayers for me.

McCarrick said a reply from the Vatican came two weeks later. He read excerpts aloud.

The Holy Father has read the letter which you entrusted to President Obama, who kindly presented it to him during their recent meeting. He was saddened to know of your illness, and asked me to assure you of his concern and his spirtual closeness. He is particularly grateful for your promise of prayers for him and for the needs of our universal church.

His Holiness prays that in the days ahead you may be sustained in faith and hope, and granted the precious grace of joyful surrender to the will of God, our merciful father. He invokes upon you the consolation and peace promised by the risen savior to all who share in his sufferings and trust in his promise of eternal life.

Commending you and the members of your family to the loving intervention of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Holy Father cordially imparts his Apostolic blessing as a pledge of wisdom, comfort and strength in the Lord.

This is a remarkable glimpse into Ted Kennedy, the private man, seeking prayers and guidance, and, I think, forgiveness from the Pope.

Obviously, like all Catholics, Kennedy was not perfect. He fell short, and in some major ways. Aside from his personal failings, there are his public actions.

He fought for an extreme pro-abortion agenda.

Kennedy's support of abortion is one that's difficult for me to reconcile with his strong faith.

He even opposed a ban on the horrific procedure of partial-birth abortion.

This champion of the poor and the sick was not a champion of all human life.

When it came to unborn infants, Kennedy did not recognize their value, nor did he use his power to protect them.

I don't see how one can get around the reality of that incongruity.

Another observation--

Kennedy's letter to the Pope reveals just how much clout and power he wielded.

How many of the sick and dying have the opportunity for the president of the United States to hand-deliver a letter to the Pope, asking for prayers? How many would love to be able to tell their story to the Holy Father in their time of suffering?

And how many would treasure a response from the Vatican?

Such privilege is reserved for very few.

Ted Kennedy Funeral Mass

Watching the funeral Mass for Ted Kennedy yesterday, and reading media reports of the proceedings, I was struck by how awkward and over-the-top some of the coverage was.

As expected, some of the comments made on the air during the televised "event" were a bit much.

TV Newser has assembled some quotes from the coverage of the funeral.

I completely understand why the family permitted the funeral Mass of such a prominent public figure as Ted Kennedy to be televised. It allows millions of people to take part beyond the relatively few that filled the basilica. Still, I'm not entirely comfortable with the spectacle nature of these occasions.

As a Catholic, I think the significance of the Mass gets lost amid the often lame commentary from anchors and pundits, the celebrity sightings, the inappropriate political speculation about who will fill Kennedy's senate seat and the impact his death will have on health care reform.

The New York Times offered some rather odd observations in its account.

At the blessing of the Eucharist, the Kennedy family kneels — an old-school Catholic tradition. On the other side of the aisle, so do Vice President Biden and his wife while Mr. Obama and his wife sit.

The “Ave Maria” — sung by Susan Graham here — draws tears from Kara Kennedy, the senator’s daughter, a lingering sadness and gulp from Vicki Kennedy, and as the cameras pan in, former President Bill Clinton seems equally moved.

"Old-school Catholic tradition"?

I do it every week.

The play-by-play aspect of the coverage somewhat diminishes the beauty of the Mass of the Resurrection.

Who's gulping? Who's crying and when? Who's moved?

It's so intrusive. I can't imagine having cameras and reporters document my behavior and reactions at the funeral Mass of a loved one.

Moreover, I don't like the liturgy being analyzed from a secular perspective, without explanation as to the significance to the faithful of what's taking place.

I was surprised that Rev. Mark Hession's homily didn't place a greater deal of emphasis on the Resurrection, eternal life, and Jesus' triumph over death, opting instead for pretty much another run-down of Kennedy's life. Fr. Hession did provide insight into the experience of ministering to the Kennedys, but the broader message of our faith took a bit of a back seat.

It could be that this most powerful and poignant rite and the spiritual peace and assurance that comes when celebrating the Mass of the Resurrection just don't translate well on TV.

I hope the Kennedy family and other mourners found comfort in the Mass, and their grief was tempered by the promise of eternal life and the presence of Jesus encountered during the liturgy. If that was their experience, then that's all that really matters.

To me, Obama's eulogy seemed distant. I think that was probably due to the fact that he made his remarks after Ted Kennedy's sons, Ted Kennedy, Jr. and Patrick Kennedy, each spoke about their dad.

Naturally, their tributes included very personal stories. Although certainly acknowledging their father's public role, they were speaking mostly as children dealing with the loss of a parent, a pivotal moment in any individual's life.

They expressed the love they have for their dad, and each other, beautifully.


Edward Kennedy Jr., hugs his brother Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I.,at the Roman Catholic Funeral Mass for Sen. Edward M. Kennedy at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica in Boston Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
__________________

Video of Ted Kennedy, Jr.'s remarks.

Video of Patrick Kennedy's remarks.

Ted Kennedy's Funeral: VIPs in Attendance

The Boston Globe offers a list of the dignataries who attended Ted Kennedy's funeral yesterday.

President Obama
Vice President Joe Biden
Former President George W. Bush
Former President Bill Clinton
Former President Jimmy Carter
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Former Vice President Al Gore
Former Vice President Walter Mondale
Former Vice President Dan Quayle

Senator Orrin Hatch
Senator Christopher Dodd
Senator John McCain
Senator John Kerry
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse
Senator Roland Burris
Senator Susan Collins
Senator Olympia Snowe
Senator Harry Reid
Senator Jay Rockefeller
Senator Judd Gregg
Senator Jeanne Shaheen
Senator Russ Feingold
Senator Charles Schumer
Senator Al Franken
Senator Max Baucus
Senator Dick Durbin
Senator Tom Harkin
Senator Patrick Leahy
Senator Mark Warner
Senator Robert Byrd
Senator Claire McCaskill
Senator Daniel Akaka
Senator Richard Lugar
Senator Bob Casey
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Senator Bob Menendez
Senator Dan Inouye
CIA Director Leon Panetta
Attorney General Eric Holder
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
Energy Secretary Steven Chu
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke
Education Secretary Arne Duncan
HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan
First Lady Michelle Obama
Former First Lady Laura Bush
Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter
Former Senator Phil Graham
Former Senator John Warner
Former Senator Tom Daschle
Former Senator John Edwards
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick
Former Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis
New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley
US Representative Barney Frank
US Representative Stephen Lynch
US Representative Jesse Jackson III
US Representative William Delahunt
US Representative Ed Markey
US Representative Michael Capuano
US Representative John Lewis
US Representative Jesse Jackson Jr
Martin Meehan, former US Representative and chancellor of UMass-Lowell
Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowan
Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Shaun Woodward, secretary of state for Northern Ireland
Martin McGuinness, deputy first minister for the Northern Ireland Assembly
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley
Gerry Adams, leader of Ireland's Sinn Fein
Harvard University President Drew G. Faust
Actor Jack Nicholson
Singer Tony Bennett
Joan Kennedy
Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell
Actor Jack Nicholson
Massachusetts Treasurer Tim Cahill
Massachusetts Auditor Joseph DeNucci
Singer Placido Domingo
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma
Walter Isaacson, biographer
Keith Motley, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts
Tony and Heather Podesta, lobbyists
Michael Collins, University of Massachusetts Medical School chancellor
Robert Travaglini, former president of the Massachusetts Senate
James Aloisi, Massachusetts secretary of transportation
Harold Ickes, former administrator under President Bill Clinton
Graham Allison, director of the Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and former assistant secretary of defense
Steve Grossman, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and Democratic party in Massachusetts
Jack Wilson, president of the University of Massachusetts
Charles R. Stith, founder and director of Boston University’s African Presidential Archives and Research Center and former ambassador to Tanzania
Nadav Tamir, Israeli consul general for New England
Boston Red Sox owner John Henry
Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino
Boston Red Sox chairman Tom Werner
Stephen Pagliuca, managing partner and executive committee member of the Boston Celtics; managing director of Bain Capital Partners
Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich
Journalist David Gregory, moderator of "Meet the Press"
Peter Meade, president and CEO of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the US Senate
Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley
Gary Gottlieb, president of Brigham and Women's Hospital
Cameron Kerry, Boston attorney and general counsel for the US Commerce Department; brother of Senator John F. Kerry
Adam Clymer, Kennedy biographer
John Podesta, co-chairman of President Obama's transition team
John Sasso, veteran Democratic political consultant
Al Hunt, Washington managing editor for Bloomberg News
Hubie Jones, longtime civil rights advocate and dean emeritus of the Boston University School of Social Work
Bob Woodward, investigative reporter and associate editor of the Washington Post
John Walsh, Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman
Rev. Eugene Rivers, minister in Boston
Paul Begala, Democratic political consultant
Gwen Ifill, journalist
Martin Luther King III, activist
Tom Brokaw, former NBC anchor
Boston City Council President Michael Ross
Massachusetts House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo
Massachusetts President Therese Murray
Former Massachusetts Senate President Bill Bulger
Chris Gabrieli, Massachusetts venture capitalist and former gubernatorial candidate

Steven Joseph Christopher: Obama Assassination Threat

Steven Joseph Christopher has some bizarre ideas.

When he made online postings threatening to assassinate Obama, he went from being just bizarre to being criminal.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty to threatening to assassinate Barack Obama in January, but said he was just trying to get word out about the apocalypse.

Forty-two-year-old Steven Joseph Christopher told U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate on Friday that he is the second coming of Christ, and wanted people to know that much of the world will be destroyed in 2012.

According to the indictment, the message reported Jan. 11 by the administrator of a Web site called "Alien Earth" asked readers to donate a gun and bus fare from Mississippi to Washington.

Very strange.

I wonder where Christopher is getting his information.

Wingate scheduled sentencing Nov. 6; Christopher could get up to five years in prison.

Prosecutors told Wingate last month that a psychologist had found Christopher mentally incompetent, but the judge ruled otherwise.

If Christopher goes to prison for five years and his message is true, that means he'll be behind bars when much of the world is destroyed in 2012.

Poor Christopher. He'd miss the apocalypse.

Here are some of Christopher's "warnings":

Below are three of Christopher's alleged postings on www.alien-earth.org. The postings are drawn from an affidavit filed by special agent Kelly Adcox with the United States Secret Service – parts of which were provided in a Department of Justice press release....

ok we have 6 days until my Presidential Assasination.
Yes, I have decided I will assasinate Barack Obama. It's really nothing personal about the man. He speaks well, has a loving although controlling wife and two cute daughters. But I know it's for the country's own good that I do this. And I'm not racist either, my family is a little, but isn't all Italian and european families? I mean how many times have you heard the word (racial slur) in the comforts of your home? I have a lot, and it really bothered me and I would confront them about it. No, it's not because I'm racist that I will kill Barack, it's because I can no longer allow the Jewish parasites to bully their way into making the American people submit to their evil ways. How many of you Obama supporters are now disappointed after some of his arm-twisted Jewish appointee decisions??? Make's you think he's not really in charge(which he isn't). No it's the same old, same old filthy (expletive) (racial slur) who are poisoning America, who have murdered thousands of innocent lives on 9-11-01, and are thinking that they are going to get away with it again.

Barack, I view more as a sacrificial lamb, but the sacrifice MUST take place. He had good intentions, but like the Steve Taylor song goes, "a politician next door, swore, he'd set the Washington arena on fire, thinks he'll gladiate them, but they're gonna make him a liar."

So, I'm stuck here in Mississippi, and I'll need bus fare or some way of getting to Washington. I don't own a gun, so maybe someone can give me one. And I'll need a leak in the secret service to get a close up shot, somewhere close to the podium, since I've never fired a gun, so I need to get an easy shot off. Wattdysay fellas? Any help?

You all know we can't live with the jewscum anylonger, dont cha? You got a better solution? I'm all ears.

Stevie

RE: ok we have 6 days until my Presidential Assasination.

Why is your heart so wicked?

I can get away with actually murdering Barack Obama OR just threatening to do it.

hth

To those who still think I'm a nobody, who antagonize me, who seek for my capture and arrest.....

I wll have you found, arrested and executed, if you push me too far.

Christopher should be held accountable for his actions.

Such threats aren't harmless.

Wesley Cheeks, Jr.

DissentFromDayOne posts:

This video was taken on Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 at Rep. Jim Moran's (D-VA) Town Hall meeting on Obama Deathcare (Howie Dean was there too) held at South Lakes High School in Reston, VA.

Many people were left outside when the school filled to capacity. School security officer Wesley Cheeks, Jr. did not like my anti-Obamacare poster which used one of the gone-viral "Joker" graphics.

When I said to Officer Cheeks, "This used to be America!" his response was: "It ain't no more, OK?"

"This used to be America!"

"It ain't no more, OK?"

No.

Not OK.

Steven Crowder: "Astroturf Jerks!!"

Mark Levin: A Conservative Manifesto

Here is the full last chapter of Mark Levin's best-selling book, Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto.

He has made it available on his website in a pdf. You can read it, print it, and share it.

In his epilogue, Levin spells out a course of action for Conservatives.

Levin concludes with a quote from President Ronald Reagan and some words of encouragement:

President Reagan said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

We Conservatives need to get busy.

Ted Kennedy Joked about Chappaquiddick

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think the drowning death of 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne is a laughing matter.

From Ed Morrissey, Hot Air:

One of Kennedy’s close friends, former editor of Newsweek and New York Times Magazine Ed Klein, tells the Diane Rehm Show that Chappaquiddick jokes were high up on the list:

[W]hat kind of jokes did the late Ted Kennedy like to tell his closest friends? I don’t know if you know this or not, but one of his favorite topics of humor was indeed Chappaquiddick itself. And he would ask people, “have you heard any new jokes about Chappaquiddick?” That is just the most amazing thing. It’s not that he didn’t feel remorse about the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, but that he still always saw the other side of everything and the ridiculous side of things, too.

Oh, my God!

That's horrible!

If true, Kennedy couldn't have been more callous and disrespectful and shameless regarding Kopechne's death.

What was Klein thinking to tell the world something like that? Didn't he realize how offensive people were likely to find the thought of Kennedy enjoying making light of Chappaquiddick and Kopechne's death?

Clueless, all around.

Obama: Biking, No Helmet

Where's your bike helmet, Mr. Obama?


President Barack Obama, second from left, pauses on his bike ride with his family and friends including Sasha Obama, 8, right, while on vacation on Martha's Vineyard on Lobsterville Beach in Aquinnah, Mass. Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Obama's daughters are wearing helmets. That's good.

Unfortunately, Obama opted to go without one. I guess he's too cool for a helmet.

Considering the Obama administration wants to reach into what seems like every aspect of our lives and control what we do, especially when it comes to our bodies, it seems odd that Obama would exercise his freedom to choose to ride without a helmet. His choice is kind of reckless and certainly not setting a good example for adults.

He's putting his safety at risk.

The lib media like to call Obama the "Father-in-Chief."

Father Obama isn't being a very good role model. He's not making a healthy choice.

There must be something in the 1018 pages of H.R. 3200 that demands people wear bike helmets. It's got to be in there somewhere.

Maybe that rule would be just for those caught in the public "option" and Obama, members of Congress, other government employees, and members of unions would be exempt.

Eugene Robinson: Prince Ted Kennedy

Eugene Robinson obviously was donning rose-colored glasses when he wrote the column that appears in today's Washington Post, "A Prince's Fate."

He writes:

That the nation is so moved by the passing of Edward Moore Kennedy testifies to his skill, grace and determination at playing a role that must have been infinitely more difficult than it sounds: a prince fated never to be king.

Ted Kennedy was the youngest of nine children in a family whose ruthless patriarch was intent on building an American dynasty. The old man, business titan Joseph Kennedy, was a king. Ted's older brother Jack, the handsome young president, was a king. The other two brothers, Joe and Robert, were slated for the throne but died too soon. Ted made a run for president, but with the air of someone who didn't really believe he was meant to win. He was the baby brother, the eternal prince.

Princes often have lives that are difficult, even within a context of wealth and privilege. They have to find ways to keep from being eaten alive by ambition that can never be requited. Some become sage counselors in the affairs of state; some become wastrels who lose themselves in women and booze; some fade away and become hobbyists who go off and pilot sailboats or collect butterflies or something. It's fair to say that at various points in his life, Ted Kennedy tried all of these identities.

The hardest task for an eternal prince is to construct an original identity of which he can be proud -- an identity that allows him to live a life of purpose, meaning and impact. Ted Kennedy accomplished this feat by becoming the greatest senator of our age and serving as the liberal conscience of the nation.

...The cause of his life, however, became health care -- changing the unacknowledged system of rationing under which we apportion care according to an individual's ability to pay. There are those who believe that if Kennedy had not been ailing, President Obama's attempt at health-care reform might be further along. I doubt that, given the Republican Party's strategy of intransigence and fear-mongering.

But we sorely miss Kennedy's moral clarity. He believed our nation has the responsibility to ensure that every American has the right to affordable health care. Perhaps his life as an eternal prince taught him that happiness and salvation lie in sacrificing self-interest for the greater good.

Where to begin....

Ted Kennedy did not play the role of prince to "near-perfection."

No. No, that's just not true.

We cannot change the past. We cannot rewrite history. I don't need to get into the details during this time of mourning, out of respect for the Senator and his family, but we all know that this prince had extremely serious lapses in terms of judgment and character, both personally and professionally.

I don't think Kennedy should be considered the "greatest senator of our age."

For all his accomplishments and hard work and devotion, I don't think Kennedy should be given that title, for the reasons I alluded to above.

Furthermore, I think it's terribly crass of Robinson and other liberals to exploit Kennedy's death in the health care debate. I don't think it's right to reduce him to a political trump card. It's unseemly.

And regarding "moral clarity," Kennedy's life story holds many struggles with morality.

All human beings are faced with issues of morality in their lives.

Let's not pretend that Prince Ted, Robinson's term, dealt with those issues in an ultimately moral fashion and with a commendable clarity.

ObamaCare, Abortion, and Lies

From Wisconsin Right to Life:

"First it was the Associated Press, then FactCheck.org and now Time Magazine. All of them agree with the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), Wisconsin Right to Life (WRTL) and other leading right-to-life organizations that the health care bills backed by the Obama White House will result in government funding of abortion," said Susan Armacost, Legislative Director of Wisconsin Right to Life.

On August 19, 2009, Obama said that it is "not true" and a "fabrication" to say that his health plan "will mean government funding of abortion." But it is the President of the United States who is the real fabricator.

NRLC and WRTL have been pointing out for months that both H.R. 3200 in the House and the "Affordable Health Choices Act" in the Senate would create huge new federal programs that would cover abortion for any reason:

Both bills would result in government funding of abortion. FactCheck.org reported in an August 21, 2009 analysis, "Despite what Obama said, the House bill would allow abortions to be covered by a federal plan and by federally subsidized private plans." FactCheck.org also wrote: "Obama has said in the past that 'reproductive services' would be covered by his public plan, so it's likely that any new federal insurance plan would cover abortion unless Congress expressly prohibits it. Low and moderate-income persons who would choose the 'public plan' would qualify for federal subsidies to purchase it. Private plans that cover abortion also could be purchased with the help of federal subsidies." This is also true of the Senate bill.

On August 5, AP blew the cover off a phony abortion "compromise" that was crafted and passed in the House Energy and Commerce Committee to allow supporters of Obamacare to "claim" that a compromise on abortion acceptable to both sides had been reached. The AP headline said it all: "Gov't insurance would allow coverage for abortion." In describing the phony "compromise", NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson said, "It's a sham. The plan pays for abortion, and the government subsidizes the plan."

The AP story also exposed another ruse being used by pro-abortion supporters of Obamacare .. that the Hyde Amendment would prohibit taxpayer funding of abortion in the plan. AP explained that "the health overhaul would create a stream of federal funding not covered by the [Hyde] restrictions."

Time Magazine this week has joined AP and FactCheck.org in concluding that Obamacare allows taxpayer funding of abortion. "The health-care reform proposed by the House Democrats, if enacted, would in fact mark a significant change in the Federal Government's role in the financing of abortions," said Time. The article went on to say, "So, in effect, anyone who wanted to sign up for the public option, a federally funded and administered program, would find themselves paying for abortion coverage." Time concluded by saying, "the new system differs markedly from the old federal policy of not involving the government in abortion services."

NRLC's Johnson expands further: "Federal agencies receive funds from many sources, but once the government has the money and is writing the checks, they are public funds, federal funds. And if they are spent on abortions, then that is government funding of abortion."

"Obama and his pro-abortion allies in Congress want health care reform to include government-funded abortion but they don't want to admit it to the American public who oppose federally-funded abortions by wide margins," said Armacost. "So instead, they brazenly and falsely misrepresent the abortion-related components of health care legislation to the American people. The right-to-life movement will not rest until abortion is explicitly excluded from the plan."

Obama has to stop lying about abortion and his health care government takeover plan. He's embarrassing himself.

ObamaCare and Catholic Bishops

Finally, some leaders in the Catholic Church in America are speaking out against aspects of Obama's government-run health care plan.

To date, there haven't been many statements of disapproval coming from the Church. For the most part, there has just been support from groups like Catholic Charities USA, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and the Catholic Health Association.

Thankfully, that's changing a bit.

From the New York Times:

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has been lobbying for three decades for the federal government to provide universal health insurance, especially for the poor. Now, as President Obama tries to rally Roman Catholics and other religious voters around his proposals to do just that, a growing number of bishops are speaking out against it.

As recently as July, the bishops’ conference had largely embraced the president’s goals, although with the caveat that any health care overhaul avoid new federal financing of abortions. But in the last two weeks some leaders of the conference, like Cardinal Justin Rigali, have concluded that Democrats’ efforts to carve out abortion coverage are so inadequate that lawmakers should block the entire effort.

Others, echoing the popular alarms about “rationing,” contend that the proposals could put a premium on efficacy that could penalize the chronically ill.

“No health care reform is better than the wrong sort of health care reform,” Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City, Iowa, declared in a recent pastoral letter, urging the faithful to call their members of Congress.

In a diocesan newspaper column this week, Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver agreed, saying the proposal was “not only imprudent; it’s also dangerous.”

The bishops’ opposition — published in diocesan newspapers, disseminated online by conservative activists, and reported in a Roman Catholic newspaper to be distributed this weekend at churches around the country — is another setback for Mr. Obama’s health care efforts. His administration has been counting on the support of Catholic leaders to help rally believers behind his health care plan. Just last week, he held a conference call with 140,000 religious voters to appeal to what he called their “moral convictions.”

I don't see how the bishops could support the bill, given that it clearly will cover killing the unborn under the guise of health "care."

Anti-abortion groups and pro-abortion groups agree: Abortion is covered. It seems that almost the only one unwilling to admit that abortion will be covered by the bill is Obama himself.

Is he still lying about that?

The bill does not promote a Culture of Life. H.R. 3200 would be a cornerstone of the Culture of Death, creating a lasting foundation for the assault on life in the United States.

It shouldn't be surprising that bishops would come out against it. What's surprising is that Catholic groups like Catholic Charities USA did not. It's disturbing that Catholic leaders haven't been more vocal and unified in their opposition to a national health care bill that funds abortion.

The audacity of Obama to try and frame the health care debate as "a core ethical and moral obligation" is sickening when you consider that Obama and the Democrats support and created a bill that includes abortion coverage and measures that will inevitably lead to the rationing and denial of health care services to the elderly and the terminally and chronically ill.

Unfortunately, the bishops' opposition to the bill is not a setback for Obama, as claimed in the New York Times.

Why would Obama care what leaders in the Catholic Church think about him and his health plan, at least in the short-term? Obama won't be needing the support of Catholic voters for quite a while.

Obama and the Dems can ram the legislation through. They can do whatever they want. I know Obama wants to be able to say that he brought all Americans together, blah, blah, blah, and accomplished the alleged great goal of government-run health care.

Bottom line: It would be a betrayal of fundamental Catholic values for Church leaders to support ObamaCare as it stands now.

If they're on board with Obama on this bill, then they are rejecting the belief in a consistent ethic of life, the "seamless garment."

ObamaCare and IRS Tax Data

Since Obama and the Democrats took over the federal government, their displays of arrogance have been stunning.

Their power has gone to their heads. They're attempting to grab more and more, weakening the people in the process.

What makes them think Americans will be passive and accept all this proposed government intrusion into our lives?

What makes them think we'll agree to give up our privacy?

From CBS News:

One of the problems with any proposed law that's over 1,000 pages long and constantly changing is that much deviltry can lie in the details. Take the Democrats' proposal to rewrite health care policy, better known as H.R. 3200 or by opponents as "Obamacare."

Section 431(a) of the bill says that the IRS must divulge taxpayer identity information, including the filing status, the modified adjusted gross income, the number of dependents, and "other information as is prescribed by" regulation. That information will be provided to the new Health Choices Commissioner and state health programs and used to determine who qualifies for "affordability credits."

Section 245(b)(2)(A) says the IRS must divulge tax return details -- there's no specified limit on what's available or unavailable -- to the Health Choices Commissioner. The purpose, again, is to verify "affordability credits."

Section 1801(a) says that the Social Security Administration can obtain tax return data on anyone who may be eligible for a "low-income prescription drug subsidy" but has not applied for it.

Over at the Institute for Policy Innovation (a free-market think tank and presumably no fan of Obamacare), Tom Giovanetti argues that: "How many thousands of federal employees will have access to your records? The privacy of your health records will be only as good as the most nosy, most dishonest and most malcontented federal employee.... So say good-bye to privacy from the federal government. It was fun while it lasted for 233 years."

...A better candidate for a future privacy crisis is the so-called stimulus bill enacted with limited debate early this year. It mandated the "utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014," but included only limited privacy protections.

It's true that if the legislative branch chooses to create "affordability credits," it probably makes sense to ensure they're not abused. The goal of curbing fraud runs up against the goal of preserving individual privacy.

If we're going to have such significant additional government intrusion into our health care system, we will have to draw the privacy line somewhere.

There is no fear mongering here, just facts.

Is Obama going to deny this attack on privacy?

Is he going to lie and say the health care bill doesn't permit the government to access individuals' IRS data?

Since this article was written, CBS has posted this update:

Marc Rotenberg of the Electronic Privacy Information Center says in e-mail: "We would oppose section 431(a) of the bill because it violates the intent of the Privacy Act which generally requires agencies to obtain information directly from individuals and not from other agencies." EPIC still hasn't updated their Web site to reflect this sentiment, but it's good to know that other folks have concerns too.

Obama and the Democrats are truly out of control.

And to think they were hoping to get this mess masquerading as health care reform (aka health insurance reform) passed before the recess!

These privacy issues should concern every American.

They should give even the most lefty Lefty pause.

ABC and NBC Refuse to Air Anti-ObamaCare Ad

From FOX News:

The refusal by ABC and NBC to run a national ad critical of President Obama's health care reform plan is raising questions from the group behind the spot -- particularly in light of ABC's health care special aired in prime time last June and hosted at the White House.

The 33-second ad by the League of American Voters, which features a neurosurgeon who warns that a government-run health care system will lead to the rationing of procedures and medicine, began airing two weeks ago on local affiliates of ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS. On a national level, however, ABC and NBC have refused to run the spot in its present form.

"It's a powerful ad," said Bob Adams, executive director of the League of American Voters, a national nonprofit group with 15,000 members who advocate individual liberty and government accountability. "It tells the truth and it really highlights one of the biggest vulnerabilities and problems with this proposed legislation, which is it rations health care and disproportionately will decimate the quality of health care for seniors."

Adams said the advertisement is running on local network affiliates in states like Louisiana, Arkansas, Maine and Pennsylvania. But although CBS has approved the ad for national distribution and talks are ongoing with FOX, NBC has questioned some of the ad's facts while ABC has labeled it "partisan."

By refusing to approve the ad for national distribution, ABC and NBC expose the liberal bias that permeates their networks' decisions.

The censorship is not surprising.

ABC and NBC serve as mouthpieces for the White House. They don't even pretend to be fair and balanced.

Pathetic.

Watch the ad.

Milwaukee Health Care Event: Wisconsin Congressional Send-Off

Organizing for America has an invitation for you!

Friend --

With just days remaining before Congress returns to D.C. to tackle health insurance reform, we're organizing our biggest push yet to show local support for change -- our "Health Insurance Reform Now: Let's Get It Done!" events.

There are thousands of gatherings across the country, and the event this Saturday in Milwaukee could be one of the best. I hope you can be there as we hear from local leaders -- including Rep. Gwen Moore -- and present the thousands of declarations of support for reform that we've been collecting in your area for months.

The media and Congress are closely watching every sign of opposition and support, and a huge turnout is the most powerful way to show them that lies and fear-mongering have not deterred the majority of voters. This is the time to stand up for reform.

Don't miss this critical event -- click here to RSVP today. Here are the details:


What: Wisconsin Congressional Send-Off on Health Reform

Where: Across from main entrance to Meier Festival Park
200 N. Harbor Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53202

When: Saturday, August 29th
6:00 p.m.

RSVP Now

Special interests know how closely members of Congress are paying attention to public opinion, and they'll stop at nothing to gin up fear and distrust. But they can't match the power of thousands of people who know the truth, demanding that Congress enact real reform in 2009 -- and thanking those already working for reform for their efforts.

Every person who shows up to this event -- and each friend they bring -- makes an enormous statement about the depth of local passion for reform.

Please join us:

http://wi.barackobama.com/MilwaukeeHIRN


Thanks,

Dan

Dan Grandone
Wisconsin State Director
Organizing for America

P.S. -- Before the event, please print off a flyer to display and make sure that your support is visible.

This is an outdoor event.

Space isn't limited.

As Dan Grandone writes, "Every person who shows up to this event -- and each friend they bring -- makes an enormous statement about the depth of local passion for reform."

It follows that "every person who shows up to this event -- and each friend they bring -- makes an enormous statement about the depth of local passion for" PREVENTING THE DISASTER OF OBAMACARE FROM BECOMING A REALITY.

If you don't want the government to ration care and intrude on your personal medical care decisions and those of your family, then show up and make a statement.

If you're happy with your doctor and your current health care plan, and you don't want to trade that to become trapped in the bureaucratic nightmare of socialized medicine, then show up and make a statement.

Show up and be heard. Counter Obama's health care lies.

ObamaCare DOES cover abortion, although Obama denies it.

ObamaCare DOES cover ILLEGAL immigrants, although Obama denies it.

ObamaCare DOES mean the rationing of care, the elderly and the seriously ill being the first victims, although Obama denies it.

ObamaCare WILL CRIPPLE the economy.

I want reform. Fix what's broken, but don't rip apart what's working.

The U.S. provides the best health care in the world, not Cuba.

NO TO OBAMACARE OR KENNEDYCARE OR CASTROCARE OR WHATEVER OBAMA AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE SELLING.

DON'T BUY IT.

Madeleine Albright: Lockerbie Bombing a 'Terrible Accident'

Let's get this straight.

Pan Am Flight 103 being blown out of the sky was NO accident. It was an intentional, murderous, evil act.

Madeleine Albright doesn't see it that way. On MSNBC, Albright referred to the terrorism as an "accident."

Video, from Breitbart.

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT: I think we have to take the British and the Scotch at their word, that there were no deals. Uh, the issue itself is most unfortunate, because so many Americans and other nationals died in that terrible, terrible accident.

How could a former secretary of state call the intentional slaughter of hundreds of innocents an accident?

Disgraceful.

Obviously, Albright has problems recognizing terrorism.

If she does recognize it, she apparently doesn't have the spine to call it what it is.

9/11 Day of Service - Free Concert

As the eighth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act is creating some controversy.

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE EDWARD M. KENNEDY SERVE AMERICA ACT
March 26, 2009

I’m so pleased that the Senate overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act -- legislation that will usher in a new era of service. I want to applaud all those who have worked so hard to see this bill through, and I am eager to sign it into law.

This legislation will help create new opportunities for millions of Americans at all stages of their lives. From improving service learning in schools to creating an army of 250,000 volunteers a year dedicated to addressing our nation's toughest problems. From connecting working Americans to a variety of part-time service opportunities to better utilizing the skills and experience of our retirees and baby boomers. This legislation will help tap the genius of our faith based and community organizations, and it will find the most innovative ideas for addressing our common challenges and helping those ideas grow.

It is fitting that this legislation is named after Ted Kennedy, a person who has never stopped asking what he could do for his country. This legislation is not just a tribute to the service to which he has dedicated his life, it is a call to action for the rest of us. Our work is not finished when I sign this bill into law – it has just begun. While our government can provide every opportunity imaginable for us to serve our communities, it is up to each of us to seize those opportunities. To do our part to lift up our fellow Americans. To realize our own true potential. I call on all Americans to stand up and do what they can to serve their communities, shape our history and enrich both their own lives and the lives of others across this country.

What's with this "legislation that will usher in a new era of service" stuff?

Encouraging Americans to volunteer and serve their communities isn't a new idea at all. Can you think of a president who didn't call on Americans to make the country a better place?

President George W. Bush repeatedly called on the nation to volunteer.

Does the USA Freedom Corps sound familiar?

President Bush challenged the nation Monday to rekindle the volunteer spirit it had after the worst terrorist attacks in U.S. history, when people rushed to help others however they could.

"The truth of the matter is, the farther we've gotten away from 9/11, that memory has begun to fade," Bush told an audience of volunteers on the South Lawn.

"And some are saying, 'Well maybe I don't need to volunteer. Maybe the crisis has passed.' The aftermath of 9/11 isn't nearly as intense as it was," Bush said. "My call to people is, there's always a need. You should be volunteering not because of 9/11; you should be volunteering because our country needs you."

Bush spent most of his comments praising the strength of volunteerism around the country. But his call to service, coming on the week of the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, underscored worries that volunteering can tend to drop off after big tragedies.

The White House event also gave Bush a platform to tout what aides say is a little-known part of his legacy.

In 2002, Bush created USA Freedom Corps, a program that helps connect people to volunteer opportunities. It also helps bolster the many national service programs that existed before he took office. Since then, the White House says, the number of volunteers has jumped by more than 1 million people.

...In his 2002 State of the Union address, he made a request that he repeated on the warm South Lawn on Monday: each person should serve about two years of their lives helping neighbors in need.

The president said that's a lot to give over the course of a lifetime, but that those who do it end up as enriched as those they help.

He also reminded people of a point he made in his first inaugural address in 2001 — that Americans should be "citizens, not spectators."

Clearly, service is not something that is an Obama White House creation. Helping others is hardly a controversial matter.

However, controvery is brewing over the National Day of Service, as designated in the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.

From Matthew Vadum, The American Spectator:

The Obama White House is behind a cynical, coldly calculated political effort to erase the meaning of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks from the American psyche and convert Sept. 11 into a day of leftist celebration and statist idolatry.

This effort to reshape the American psyche has nothing to do with healing the nation and everything to do with easing the nation along in the ongoing radical transformation of America that President Obama promised during last year's election campaign. The president signed into law a measure in April that designated Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service, but it's not likely many lawmakers thought this meant that day was going to be turned into a celebration of ethanol, carbon emission controls, and radical community organizing.

The administration's plans were outlined in an Aug. 11 White House-sponsored teleconference call run by Obama ally Lennox Yearwood, president of the Hip Hop Caucus, and Liv Havstad, the group's senior vice president of strategic partnerships and programs.

...On the Aug. 11 call, Yearwood and other leaders kept saying repeatedly that they wanted 9/11 to be used for something "positive," "forward-leaning," and "productive," said a source with knowledge of the teleconference.

The plan is to turn a "day of fear" that helps Republicans into a day of activism called the National Day of Service that helps the left. In other words, nihilistic liberals are planning to drain 9/11 of all meaning.

"They think it needs to be taken back from the right," said the source. "They're taking that day and they're breaking it because it gives Republicans an advantage. To them, that day is a fearful day."

A coalition including the unsavory left-wing pressure group Color of Change and about 60 far-left, environmentalist, labor, and corporate shakedown groups participated in the call. Groups on the call included: ACORN, AFL-CIO, Apollo Alliance, Community Action Partnership, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, 80 Million Strong for Young American Jobs, Friends of the Earth, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Mobilize.org, National Black Police Association, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, National Council of Negro Women, National Wildlife Federation, RainbowPUSH Coalition, Urban League, and Young Democrats of America.

...With the help of the Obama administration, the coalition is launching a public relations campaign under the radar of the mainstream media -- which remains almost uniformly terrified of criticizing the nation's first black president -- to try to change 9/11 from a day of reflection and remembrance to a day of activism, food banks, and community gardens.

I have a problem with this.

This National Day of Service seems to be an attempt to transform the way Americans mark the anniversary of 9/11.

Anything that's a political ploy designed to take away from the solemn remembrance of 9/11 is a disgrace.

Intentionally orchestrating a makeover of the way we recognize 9/11, done for political purposes, is disgusting.

As with most Democrat organized events, there's going to be a free concert.

From the Associated Press:

Some prominent performers are saying thank you to the people who have answered President Barack Obama's call to volunteer and to people connected to 9/11—relatives of victims, recovery workers and those who served tours in the military after the attacks.

Gavin DeGraw, The Roots and other musicians are performing in a free concert this Sept. 11 to mark the first time that the anniversary of the terrorist attacks is being recognized as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, organizers announced Thursday.

Members of the Sept. 11 community and volunteers will be among the first to receive the free tickets. Other people can try to snag one of a limited number of tickets being distributed by lottery.

Actor Gary Sinise, talk-show host Jimmy Fallon, the Harlem Boys and Girls Choir, and singer Anjulie will be among the performers at the Beacon Theatre show. It's part of an effort to encourage more people to serve as volunteers, organizers said.

"Our ultimate goal is to leave a positive legacy that honors the victims and those who rose in service," said David Paine, the president of MyGoodDeed, one of the organizations responsible for the event. "We hope to rekindle the spirit of unity and compassion that followed the terrorist attacks."

Paine's organization, which pushed to establish Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service, was also launching a Web site on Thursday. People planning to give of their time on Sept. 11 can go to http://www.911dayofservice.org to share their plans and learn about volunteering opportunities.

This sounds like a noble enough venture, but is it really? Is it a sleazy political move?

I don't question the sincerity of the celebrities and entertainers participating in this free concert, unless they are aware of the August 11 White House-sponsored teleconference call and on board with the political agenda of "reeducating" the public on how to think about 9/11.

For me, 9/11 will always be a day of mourning.

Republicans don't own 9/11. Democrats can't transform it into their day.

Good Lord, if we won't put aside politics on 9/11 and come together as one nation on that day, when will we?

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Visit 911dayofservice.org .