While millions of people were, and still are, trying to process the events of the past several weeks, here’s what has been happening on the abortion front.
Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the highly flawed Roe v. Wade decision, there has been an ongoing attempt by the Democrats to reverse the reversal.
It has taken a number of different forms.
*Vice President Kamala Harris has been off on a state-to-state tour in which she has made a series of speeches, held meetings with pro-abortion leaders, and denigrated the U.S. Supreme Court for its reversal of Roe v. Wade.
*Democrats, including the president, have pushed to negate the Supreme Court's ruling by “codifying” Roe.
To this end, the president signed an executive order, which, under the auspices of “federal non-discrimination laws,” directs Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to utilize “all appropriate actions” in carrying out abortions.
The order additionally directs HHS to consider actions that enable women to travel across state lines to obtain abortions. This order from the executive branch came after Democrats were unable to implement the same policies via the legislative process.
*Numerous Democrat leaders have publicly scorned the Supreme Court, referring to the overturning of Roe, as well as the High Court itself, as illegitimate; this while simultaneously proposing that the federal government offer abortions at national parks and military facilities and on Native American territory.
Additionally, major companies that are allies of the Democrats have committed to dole out travel dollars so that their employees, when necessary, can secure their abortions out-of-state.
*Meanwhile Congress was hard at work on a ridiculously titled piece of legislation known as the “Inflation Reduction Act,” which was recently approved and awaits the president’s signature. It is another massive spending bill to the tune of $740 billion.
Hidden in the pages of this tax and spending spree is a provision that thwarts the will of the majority of Americans and is also a possible violation of law.
The bill provides $64 billion in funding for tax credits related to Obamacare plans that cover abortions. It further extends the tax credits through the year 2025, continuing subsidies for health insurance plans on Obamacare exchanges that fund abortion on demand.
This provision of the Inflation Reduction Act is in direct violation of the Hyde Amendment, a law that specifically bars the use of federal funds to pay for abortions, exceptions being pregnancies arising from incest or rape or those deemed necessary to save the life of the woman.
Interestingly, polls consistently indicate that a solid majority of the public opposes taxpayer funding of abortions. In January 2022, a Marist University poll found 54% of Americans oppose using tax money to fund abortions and 73% oppose using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions in countries outside of the U.S.
Andrew Guernsey, executive director of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, said that the provision expanding Obamacare exchange plans that cover abortions is a “blatant” violation of the Hyde Amendment.
“Many of the estimated 10 million people affected by expanded subsidies, including an estimated 3 million Americans who would drop out of, or be ineligible for, Obamacare exchange plans but for these expanded subsidies, have been driven into taxpayer-funded plans that cover elective abortion,” Guernsey said.
The HHS has proposed a rule change that would combine payment and accounting requirements related to abortion together with general health care costs.
A group of concerned Republican senators recently addressed a letter to Secretary Becerra, voicing opposition to the proposed change.
One thing is crystal clear. The battle to save the lives of our babies and grandbabies is far from over.
James Hirsen, J.D., M.A., in media psychology, is a New York Times best-selling author, media analyst, and law professor. Visit Newsmax TV Hollywood. Read James Hirsen's Reports — More Here.
© 2023 Newsmax. All rights reserved.