A Prescription for the Health Care Debate [2009-07-21]
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"Truth in Charity" Offers Needed Guidance
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Time Magazine Blasted, Accuses Bishops of Promoting Pro-Abortion Health Care
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Time magazine is coming under fire for a new article from staff writer Amy Sullivan that makes the wild accusation that the nation's Catholic bishops allowed or supported language in one of the House health care bills that paves the way for government funding of abortions. As Sullivan tells the story, the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops is guilty of an "inconsistent approach to the issue" of abortion which "created confusion that has hampered Democratic attempts to accommodate their concerns." The Time staff writer contends a letter from Cardinal Rigali on behalf of the bishops in July tells Congress to oppose "direct funding of abortion" in the health care bill. Members of a House committee then endorsed the Capps Amendment that allows for indirect funding of abortions -- whereby the public sends money to the government that, in turn, pays for abortions. In a followup letter in August, Cardinal Rigali rejected this approach, saying, "Funds paid into these plans are fungible, and federal taxpayer funds will subsidize the operating budget and provider networks that expand access to abortion." Sullivan claims the letters are an inconsistency -- that the bishops only opposed "direct funding" this summer and came back with opposition to indirect funding as well. She goes as far as saying the Catholic bishops either misrepresented their position or essentially supported indirect funding of abortions. Ref. Source 4