By Matthew Anderson
August 19, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) – As the health care debate has heated up around the country, a large coalition of pro-life and religious organizations have stepped up their efforts to inform the public of the dangers of the Capps Amendment and any other provisions in the Obama health care reform plan that would federally fund abortion.
And it appears their efforts are working.
In a recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 50% of Americans believe it is likely that the current health care plan will use taxpayer dollars to fund abortion.
This is in contrast to only 37% who believe it is unlikely the bill will fund abortion.
The news that the pro-life message about health care is being effective comes at the same time as the American public is losing confidence in Obama's plan.
The same poll found that only 36% of Americans thought that Obama's healthcare plan was a good idea, while 42% thought it was a bad idea.
The recent poll shows that efforts by organizations such as the National Right to Life Committee and Family Research Council are convincing Americans of the dangers posed to life by the health care bill HR 3200.
According to the NRLC talking points, if HR 3200 passes, “the federal government will be running a nationwide abortion-on-demand insurance plan.”
“The federal agency will collect the premium money, receive bills from abortionists, and send the abortionists payment checks from a federal Treasury account.”
This shuffling of money allows the federal government to fund abortion indirectly since it cannot directly fund abortion to the Hyde Amendment.
Perhaps one of the most effective, and thus most controversial, contributors to the cause to educate the public has been the website stoptheabortionmandate.com, sponsored by a large coalition or pro-life groups, which has recently published a video on its website.
The video, about two minutes long, is a collection of leaders of pro-life organizations explaining the dangers in the current healthcare bill. Some of the leaders on the video include David Bereit of 40 Days for Life, Marjorie Dannefelser of the Susan B. Anthony List, and Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life.
Further, stoptheabortionmandate.org also has quick fact sheets to educate people on the current proposals, as well as a section to dispel myths about the legislation.
The website has done so well, in fact, that it has gained the attention of the pro-abortion group Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
On its website, the RCRC posted a July 31 statement in which it “calls on the Family Research Council and other leaders of the pro-life movement to shut down the inflammatory 'stoptheabortionmandate' website.”
“The prominent politicians and activists who have put their names and reputations behind this campaign are misleading their constituents.”
Further, the RCRC claims “the fact is that there is no 'mandate.' “
However, as LSN reported on August 5 the Associated Press recently confirmed what stoptheabortionmandate.com had been claiming, namely that the public plan would cover abortions, thus significantly opening up federal revenue streams to abortion mills.
See related LifeSiteNews reports:
Over 36,000 Participate in Webcast to Stop the Abortion Mandate in Obama Healthcare