Mail Bag: Letter to Fr. Landry and Deal Hudson on SCHIP

Dear Fr. Landry and Mr. Hudson,

On October 12th and October 22nd of this year, you individually posted comments regarding SCHIP on your blogs. While we congratulate you on your attempt to educate Catholics on important public policy issues such as SCHIP, we found several erroneous statements in your posts. We would like to offer corrections to your statements as we are sure you would like to correct them and provide the most accurate information you can to Catholics.

Your blogs state: “Among other things, the rewritten SCHIP pays for contraceptives to be distributed to teenagers without parental permission or oven knowledge.”

THE FACTS ARE: The bill vetoed by the President makes no change to current laws regarding parental notification and permission for contraceptives, which vary from state to state.

Your blogs state: “It authorizes the diversion of previously allocated abstinence education funds to condom pushing campaigns.”

THE FACTS ARE: An earlier House version dealt altered abstinence programs, but those provisions were not included in the version vetoed by the President. In other words, the current rules supporting abstinence programs were unaffected by the final bill.

Your blogs state: “It permits tax dollars to be used for sterilizations according to individual state policies.”

THE FACTS ARE: Some current state laws allow this for adults, not children. However, the bill vetoed by the President removes adults from the SCHIP program over the next two years, so this would no longer be an issue if the President had not vetoed it.

Your blogs state: “And worst of all, it promotes and funds abortions.”

THE FACTS ARE: Not true. The bill vetoed by the President retains in full the longstanding “Hyde amendment” provisions of current law that allow abortions in SCHIP and Medicaid only in cases of rape, incest or when the life of the mother is threatened.

If states provide abortion funding, they can do so with their own state funding, but the bill that President Bush vetoed does not change that, and it has been true since the inception of SCHIP. Federal funds under SCHIP or Medicaid cannot be used for abortion since federal funding of abortion is prohibited by the Hyde Amendment.

The euthanasia claim made in your posts may have been in response to the House bill which had proposed cuts in Medicare that would not have led to the kind of denial of services that some claimed would lead seniors to be w/out medical services, and thus “euthanized.” These provisions were in the House bill, but they were removed since the Senate would not consider Medicare provision in a SCHIP package.

States have considerably leeway when it comes to SCHIP. They can design their own programs in effect within certain guidelines. The bill the President vetoed does nothing to promote any particular procedures. Don’t you both think if there were anything affecting abstinence funding, teen access to contraceptives or any of the other inflammatory issues claimed, we all would have heard about it long ago and certainly during the very long debates in both the House and Senate.

Your blogs are both widely read and you have credibility with the constituency that follows your work. We know that you only want to provide the best and most accurate information to these readers.

We therefore respectfully request that you re-examine your posts and your sources and post statements reflecting the true contents of the SCHIP bill so that the Catholics who read your blogs will be accurately informed.

You might also mention that the USCCB supports SCHIP expansion, as noted by a recently letter to NCR from Richard M. Doerflinger, Secretariat for “Pro-Life” Activities USCCB. As you note in your posts the Catholic Health Association and Catholic Charities USA also support the bill. We have found that many Catholic Conferences and many Diocesan offices around the country also support the bill.

We know you only want the best information shared with your readers, and we look forward to the updated posts with the corrections.

Blessings,

Eamon

Hudson Blog

Fr. Landry Blog

Respect for Life - from Conception to Natural Death

As I ponder on the recent writings of some of our Neo Con friends regarding what is "Pro-Life", I am reminded of some of the basic teachings of the Catholic Church.

We are taught respect for the dignity and life of the human person, from conception to natural death. The foundation of all Catholic Social Teaching is an unwavering commitment to the dignity and worth of every human being without exception. The Book of Genesis teaches that every person is created in the image and likeness of God. Thus all human life, at every stage from conception through natural death, is sacred. The human person is the clearest reflection of God among us. We are therefore called to revere and cherish the life of every person.

In this day in our world, the climate is threatened, countries are at war, children go with out health-care, genocide goes unchecked, human rights are abused, abortion continues to be widely available, and millions live in poverty, Catholics should take the time to look into the mirror and then in the faces of those close to them, and then into the face of a stranger. The reflection should reveal what is sacred to us not only as Christians, but as humans sharing the same home.

The right wing SCHIP myth.

Deal Hudson is claiming there is a “Catholic” problem with SCHIP. He references Father Roger Landry, a Pro Republican Priest from Massachusetts as his reference. In his blog post, Deal points to the wild assertion that Fr. Landry makes regarding SCHIP

” It permits tax dollars to be used for sterilizations according to individual state policies. And worst of all, it promotes and funds abortions."

Well Deal – here are the facts: As you know, SCHIP is just a block grant to states, which set most of the eligibility and coverage guidelines, so it's doubtful that one could claim the bill "promotes" any type of medical procedure, including abortion or euthanasia. If anything, the individual states would be favoring or promoting one procedure over another. Giving the states the power to determine what they'll pay for (or "promote") isn't the same thing as forcing them to promote certain procedures. Deal, you should know this.

Deal should also know that even if it had gotten through, the Hyde amendment is still in place, which prohibits any federal money to fund an abortion.

In an October 2nd, 2007 letter to the National Catholic Register, Richard M. Doerflinger, Secretariat for “Pro-Life” Activities USCCB further debunks the myths reported by Fr. Landry and Hudson even further.

“it (SCHIP) does not turn the entire federal program into a nefarious plot to maximize abortions. Some political obstacles to the "unborn child" amendment, in fact have nothing to with abortion.

The Catholic Bishops' conference strongly supports retaining and expanding SCHIP, and we are working at every step of this process for the best possible legislation to safeguard the life and health for all children, born and unborn - notwithstanding obstacles to this goal coming from any part of the political spectrum.”

Surely Deal and Fr. Landry do not see themselves as obstacles to health-care for all children – born and unborn.

There is no Catholic problem with SCHIP - Only broad support.

Deal should take a closer look at the facts and who he is quoting in the future. We look for Deal to examine the fact further and to update his blog entry regarding SCHIP. With the Church firmly behind SCHIP expansion, we would hope Deal would not be the one lone dissenter.

B16 and Poverty - Do the poor really have a voice?

CNS reports: "Pope calls for greater effort to reduce poverty"

The extreme poverty in which millions of the world's people live is an offense to their human dignity, Pope Benedict XVI said at his weekly general audience.

Focusing on the problem of poverty, the pope said, "The disparity between rich and poor is becoming more evident and disturbing, even within the most economically advanced nations."

According to the United Nations, 980 million people live in "extreme poverty," struggling to survive on less than $1 per day.

"This worrying situation calls on the conscience of humanity because the condition in which a great number of people live offends the dignity of the human person and consequently compromises the authentic and harmonious progress of the world community," Pope Benedict told the estimated 30,000 people at his general audience.

Read more...

And on it goes. In my life time I have witnessed endless calls to end poverty. Endless books have been written and articles published. Politicians pander to religious groups and tell them how they are concerned with those impoverished at election time and vow to implement policy to uplift those impoverished. Celebrities band together and raise money to help those in poverty and community groups organize. And so it goes.

But who speaks for the poor? Do the poor themselves have a voice? Do they tell us what they need? Do they tell us what would truly alleviate their suffering? Do we hear their cry? Their voice? Often not. Often the story of those impoverished is told by those at high altitudes. They have good intentions, but they are not speaking for the impoverished, they are speaking for their own vanity.

As the disparity between the rich and poor increases, so does the experience that many of previous generations had in experiencing hard times.

We have a whole class and generation of Americans who have never really experienced hard times. Americans have become soft, thus it becomes difficult for their conscious to become outraged. A vast majority of Americans can not even relate to poverty.

B16 is correct. Extreme poverty, any poverty is an offense to human dignity, not just to those impoverished, but to all of humankind.

Until those impoverished are organized into a constituency and they have a voice that is actually heard by the politicians, the poor as Jesus tells us, will always be among us.

B16 has tied extreme poverty to human dignity as a life issue. At this time of presidential elections when poverty polls low on the issue totem poll, will we hear the same pandering as before, or maybe at the Popes urging, Catholics will insist, no demand that politicians finally begin to work for the common good.

Bishops' document to offer new guidance on Catholics' political role

CNS is reporting on this new document due out when the hats meet in Baltimore this November.

That engagement must be "shaped by the moral convictions of well-formed consciences and focused on the dignity of every human being, the pursuit of the common good and the protection of the weak and vulnerable," they said. - This may put some emphasis on such issues as the war, poverty, children's health care and climate change, while drawing the ire of our Neo Con friends over in the corner on the right.

The bishops also are to vote on a shortened version of the text, designed for use as a parish bulletin insert. - Our fear here is the the powerful conservative influences on the council might have them produce just another version of the 5 non-negotiable issues. Our experience though tells us that most of the time these guides from the conference rarely make it out to a large audience.

"As Catholics, we should be guided more by our moral convictions than by our attachment to a political party or interest group," the draft document says. "When necessary, our participation should help transform the party to which we belong; we should not let the party transform us in such a way that we neglect or deny fundamental moral truths."
- Indeed it is true that we Catholics are in a political limbo at times. Sometimes we can't tell the difference between the parties. At other times it is easy, as the recent example of the SCHIP vote gives us.

Read More....

Blogosphere Treker

Taking a look see around the Catholic Web world....

Currie joins Colbert

Pillow fight says Mark Shea is "snarky"

Privatization Gone Amok

Pastor Dan on the Values Voter gathering

FIPL - First Impressions of Tony P.

Whispers - TB and the Dark Side

Judy Brown takes aim at the Cardinal

Father Landry still shilling for President Bush -this time on SCHIP

Deal realizes that the GOP should stop targeting Bush's "haves"and the "have mores"

Wow - One Nation Under God is picking on Ah-nold for not being Republican enough

More Catholics ignoring the Vatican on climate change

Some clergy bashing

Rep. McCotter - Pro Life apparently does not include poor children

Either Rep. Thaddeus McCotter is just another flip flopper or a Catholic who is simply not familiar with what his Church advocates.

In a 2002 Michigan Catholic Conference candidate questionnaire, candidate McCotter answered “Support” to the following question:

Health Care
14. Access to services. Will you support or oppose Legislation to provide government-subsidized health-care services to individuals who are not eligible for Medicaid, but who live below the
poverty level (e.g., $15,020 for a family of three)?

McCotter recently voted no for SCHIP and then again no to over ride the Presidents veto of a piece of legislation that over 80% of Americans including an overwhelming number of Catholics support.

In a recent article penned by McCotter , he stated:

“The insidious result is that pro-life Representatives, who supported S-CHIP’s extension but not proposed expansion, are smeared by Catholics United as being neither pro-life nor pro-family. Ergo, these Catholics United ads constitute a lie spoken publicly to establish false public criteria that abets their powerful Leftist friends within the state.”

BUT!

McCotter is a Catholic from Michigan. On its website, the Michigan Catholic Conference lists under its Public Policy section the following advocacy regarding Health Care.

From the Conference:

Health Care

Equitable, accessible and ethical health care is an essential safeguard of human life. Health care is a basic human right, and genuine health care reform, recognizing the dignity of persons and the unique needs of the poor, is a matter of fundamental justice. The Conference supports:

• Expansion of health coverage for low-and moderate-income uninsured individuals and families,

• The protection of adequate Medicaid funding, and

• Opposition to legislation that threatens the institutional integrity of faith-based providers.

It would seem to that SCHIP would fit nicely into this advocacy. Apparently according to McCotter’s thesis, the Michigan Catholic Conference is among those powerful Leftist friends of Catholics United. In his article McCotter notes that Catholics United is not a Catholic Church sanctioned organization. We are guessing the Michigan Catholic Conference is sanctioned by the Church.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, another organization "sanctioned" by the Catholic Church, has supported SCHIP reauthorization that includes higher levels of funding, provides flexibility to cover more immigrant children, allows states to serve more youth aging out of foster care, expands eligibility and income thresholds, and makes it easier for all eligible children to apply.

Clearly McCotter is out step with our Catholic Bishops, the Michigan Catholic Conference and the Catholic Social Teaching we are sure he was taught at Catholic Central High School in Detroit.

Are Romneys flip flops on Pro Life issues running down the GOP ticket now?

Romney, Anti Catholics, Flip Flops, Hypocrisy, Bob Jones and some "Surprising Fruit"

First a bit of history:

March 16, 2000

"In order to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind of the Catholic League’s integrity and absolute commitment to its Catholic principles, our previous accusation that Bob Jones University is anti-Catholic has been reaffirmed by the president’s latest decision." – William Donohue, President of the Catholic League. Read more: Bob Jones just can’t give it up. and Bob Jones makes changes, but not enough.

Then: "The problem with Bush ... is that he just doesn't get it. But I don't think he's a bigot." However, Donohue says he thinks the Republicans will suffer as Catholics "connect the dots" between the B.J.U. issue and the fact that "Timothy O'Brien is being screwed." – William Donohue of the Catholic League. Read more…

Note: We don't think Bush is a bigot either. Bigots while always wrong and misguided, usually exhibit some form of intelligence. This would rule Bush out as a bigot.... or maybe not. Something to ponder.

Bush apology accepted – case closed (there used to be a release on the Catholic League site where Mr. Donohue thoroughly chastised Bush for his embarrassing visit to Bob Jones, but it has since been removed. Only the apology has been retained.

Then: John Ashcroft visits the anti Catholics in 2001 and Donohue exclaims it is much ado about nothing and uses the opportunity to attack NARAL. (of course! Anti Catholics who say the Catholic Church is a Satanic Cult – OK as long as you are a Republican and Neo Conservative) Read More..

So to the present:

Mitt Romney whose numerous Flip Flops on Abortion, Stem Cells, Gay Marriage and a host of other issues, have just given fits to the small but vocal Neo Conservative Catholic movement, recently received an endorsement from the good ole boys down at Bob Jones. Now it seems that not only do the ole boys down there hate Catholics, they consider Mormons to be cult like as well. Mitt’s campaign however gleefully accepted the nod. It seems that endorsements from Militant Fundamentalist Extremists are some how considered important in the South Carolina primary.

Deal Hudson described the endorsement as “surprising fruit” Fruity indeed! Read more..

Deal goes on to give Bush another pass for his Anti Catholic actions in 2000. (we love how the Neo Cons take any opportunity to suck up to Bush, even down to the bitter end)

So in the end, the Neo Cons consider it a smart strategy to consort and take endorsements from Militant Fundamentalist Extremists. The Catholic League, of course ignored it. Romney after all is not Catholic. Now, we suspect that William is busy getting ready a slew of releases to aim at the Democratic nominee next year. That person will also most likely not be Catholic.

The hypocrisy continues. What’s next for the Neo Cons? More surprising fruit? The Hamas endorsement?

As for Romney - was Mitt Pro Catholic before he was Anti Catholic?

Mail Bag: Follow up letter to Deal Hudson

In our last letter, we wrote our friend Deal Hudson. He never replied. We are hurt.
He did make this post on October 8th that still has us scratching our heads. Read here.

So we try again – just a short note today.

Dear Deal,

In your blog posting of October 8th, you assert that “Global Warming is a Natural, not Man-Made, Phenomenon.”

Now we understand that Neo Conservatives such as you are unable at times to separate the politics of issues from the facts. Al Gore is a politician. So let us put him aside.

What has us scratching our heads is that the “Vatican” has stated Climate change is an international concern, and Catholics have a moral imperative to protect environment.

In a Sept. 24 statement to the U.N. General Assembly session on climate change entitled “The future is in our hands: Addressing the leadership challenge of climate change,” Msgr. Piero Parolin, Vatican undersecretary for relations with states, stressed that, despite various interpretations, the “best scientific assessments” have established a clear link between human activity and global warming, which requires the adoption of a “coordinated, effective and prompt international political strategy.”

So we are curious. Deal you have presented yourself as an authority of Catholicism and Catholic issues. You advise very powerful men and women on Catholic issues. So we are wondering how you are reconciling your obvious difference with the Vatican on Climate Change?

Blessings,

Eamon

Ann Coulter and the "Catholic Encyclopedia"

There were those in the 1930s and 40s who wanted to eliminate Jews from the world. Today people of similar thought just want to “perfect” them. Last week the infamous right wing shrill Ann Coulter told CNBC’s Donnie Deutch (A Jew): “We just want Jews to be perfected, as they say … Christians believe the Old Testament (Jews) don’t believe our testament.”

Apparently Ann Coulter is under the impression that “everyone” should be a Christian. This bible lesson is brought to us by the foul mouthed Coulter, whose fashion apparel is more suited to walking the boulevard in Las Vegas than teaching a bible study class. When Ann is done teaching Christianity 101 to the nation, we suggest she take some history: "The constitutional freedom of religion [is] the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights." --Thomas Jefferson: Virginia Board of Visitors Minutes, 1819. ME 19:416

Today from a Newsmax report (online news entertainment for conservatives), an obviously incoherent Ann Coulter replied to criticisms by the National Jewish Democratic Council and Catholics United.

First up was the NJDC statement. Ann says: "Let's rewrite the NJDC statement to refer to what I actually said: 'How does someone who says it would be better if everyone were a Christian or practicing Jew continue to receive a megaphone and platform from the news networks? When will the media say ‘enough is enough’?

Indeed. When will the media say enough is enough of Ann Coulter. At times, watching Ann stumble over herself is more disturbing than Brittney Spears at the MTV awards. They do dress the same it seems.

Next in the ambush set up by Newsmax was Catholics United and their director Chris Korzen.

Korzen stated: "For her to suggest somehow we'd all be better off if we were all Christian is not only insulting to millions of people who aren't Christian, its completely un-American."

Ann says: "That's interesting. Korzen shills for the pro-abortion Democrats and the anti-war left. He used the Catholic label to oppose the nomination of John Bolton to be ambassador to the United Nations. “

The list of the wingnuts, Republicans, Neo Cons and Nutjobs that Coulter shills for would require another post or maybe an entire website.

Now for the translation: Ann and her Catholic consultants (Deal Hudson) are upset because Catholics United has supported SCHiP legislation and challenged the pro life credentials of so called “pro life” Republicans. Apparently Ann and her consultants find it very un Catholic to support health care for poor children. This type of thinking is at the core of the conservative conscious. After all wasn’t Ronald Reagan who poked fun of President Kennedy who once referred to hungry children in America going to bed hungry, by saying it was not hunger, but simply a diet the children were on. The conservative conscious would say that poor kids simply need to build up a natural resistance to disease and do not need health care. Pull up your boot straps.

“He sneered at this year's National Catholic Prayer Breakfast at which President Bush spoke, saying: 'Let's be honest, this event would be more accurately labeled the 'Republican Catholic Strategy Breakfast.”

Umm? What is your point Ann? It is doubtful Mr. Korzen sneered, but you would be the expert on sneering. This so called “Prayer” breakfast has long been a gathering paid for and attended by well healed Neo Con Catholics on the fringe. No Democrats or mainstream grassroots Catholics allowed.

“He was quoted in the Christian Science Monitor of August 27, 2007, defending pro-abortion Democrat politicians: 'There are those who say that Catholics should be robots. There's a formula, and if we don't follow that formula, we shouldn't present ourselves for communion on Sunday morning. That's an absolute misuse of Catholic teaching,' he said, referring to the call of several Catholic bishops in the 2004 campaign to deny communion to Senator Kerry and other Catholic politicians who did not vote in line with Vatican teachings on abortion. “So Korzen believes Catholics should not be 'robots' when it comes to opposing abortion. He believes Catholics should be robots in opposing the teachings of the New Testament - as clearly stated in the Catholic Encyclopedia.”

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA?? Is this something that we missed when we were young? Was it a special edition sold along side World Book Encyclopedia?? So Ann is an expert on Catholic Teaching now and she gets her word straight from the “Catholic Encyclopedia”? Obviously her consultant missed this part of the interview. We suggest that when Ann recovers from her hangover that she look up “prudence” in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Of course then under the advice of her Catholic Consultants, Ann throws in the complimentary Fr. Richard John Neuhaus.” quote. Yawn…. we won't reproduce it here. It is the usual right wing blah blah blah.

Said Ann: "Korzen speaks for Catholics like Barry Lynn speaks for Christians or Gloria Steinem speaks for women - or I speak for Muslims."

Aren't Catholics Christians?? Poor Barry - only speak to Christians - leave those Catholics to Ann. And if it weren't for women like Gloria, Ann would be barefoot in some kitchen in Kentucky cooking up bacon for her man and tending to her 12 kids. (ok -we digress - but it is fun to dream)

Our advice to Ann – Don’t try and speak to Catholics or for Catholics again. Better yet – just don’t speak.

The world could not be that fortunate.

BUSH: 190 Billion for WAR: Yes - 35 Billion for Healthy Children: NO

Congress is poised to give Bush 190 Billion more for his bungled war in Iraq. Bush of course will sign it to prolong his bloodbath in Baghdad. Meanwhile here at home, there are approximately 9 million uninsured CHILDREN in the United States. George W. Bush has vowed to VETO any funding that will help insure these children.

As a result of SCHIP, the number of uninsured low-income children has fallen significantly, but a substantial share of this progress will be undone if SCHIP funding is Vetoed by Bush.

Due in large part to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the percentage of low-income children in the United States without health coverage has fallen by one-third since SCHIP was created in 1997, despite the erosion of private health coverage over this period. More than 4 million low-income children, most of whom would otherwise be uninsured, are enrolled in SCHIP.

This remarkable success, however, is now threatened. Unlike Medicaid, an entitlement program whose federal funding increases automatically to compensate for increases in health-care costs (as well as increases in caseloads), SCHIP is a block grant with a fixed annual funding level. Consequently, the federal SCHIP funding that states receive has not been keeping pace with the rising cost of health care or population growth.

If Bush Vetoes SCHIP, funding will be frozen at its 2007 level and states will face a shortfall of $12.3 billion to $13.4 billion for 2008-2012.

If SCHIP funding is frozen, 20 states will face a shortfall in 2008 equivalent to the average, annual cost of covering up to 940,000 children. In 2012, some 36 states will face a shortfall equivalent to the average, annual cost of covering up to 1.9 million children.

A new Washington Post - ABC News Poll indicates that 7 out of 10 Americans support an increase to SCHIP. The same poll indicates a vast majority of Americans want Congress to cut funding to the Bush war effort.

Clearly Bush is out of step with the wishes of the American people.

Children's health matters in America. Access to affordable care is especially important to the vulnerable children who live in low-income families in our great country. As a Catholics who believe in the Common Good we believe all children have the right to adequate and affordable health care. What does George W. Bush believe in?

Mail Bag: A letter to Deal Hudson

Dear Deal,

Your post regarding the Vatican's supposed rejection of our current Climate Crisis was indeed a compelling argument to a very select few.

Now I realize you have burned all of your Catholic bridges and your sole use now is that of a Republican operative, but how sad it must be to you and your few conservative comrades that the Neo-Con Pope you had hoped for seems to be broadly Orthodox and concerned with more than your short list of wedge issues. I realize that it must be tough for you to accept that the Holy Father realizes that "Pro-Life" has a little something to do with global enviromental catastrophes.

I also know you may find it repugnant that B16 is using carbon offsets like Al Gore, but have strength my friend, an Encyclical explaining all this Climate mumbo jumbo for the non-believers is on its way.

In the meantime I would like to suggest some reading. His Excellency, Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations gave a speech in Ohio earlier this year on Climate Change. He made reference to how humans are part of the problem and part of the solution. Surprisingly enough, he also made reference to tilling and taking care of, of course referencing our responsibility to the earth we all live on. You might even be stunned to read the part where Archbishop Migliore talks about a more detailed Catholic vision for common action. Read more of the Archbishops speech here.

You know Deal, the reality is, if we do not have a planet to inhabit, at the end of it all, no other issues really matter, do they?

Best Regards,

Eamon