Abortion attempt survivor. Voice for the voiceless.

It’s amazing….I went to bed last night thinking that I was “okay” with the passing of the healthcare legislation, only in the sense that I knew that this was just the beginning, and there are many battlefronts yet ahead for it.  Of course, I was also thinking about how the Lord will surely not fail us in this time of uncertainty.  Then, not surprisingly, it hit me like a ton of bricks this morning as I dropped Olivia off at daycare and had some time alone to myself on my long drive to work today…..I am leaving my fate in the hands of a President who has thus far made it blatantly clear that he is NOT pro-life, nowhere close to it.  And despite my belief in a power much greater than him, I got angry and scared, and I cried.  And I cried, and I cried, and I cried (to the trucker who saw me sobbing hysterically on the Interstate today, my apologies….I bet my driving scared the heck out of you).

Like always, though, my anger and my sadness washed away pretty quickly, and I felt full of passion and strength, and I knew the Lord was filling me with the Holy Spirit and sending the message that the passage of the healthcare bill and whether or not it provides funding for abortions WILL NOT get me down, it WILL NOT slow me down, it WILL NOT quiet my voice.  On the contrary, I feel like the battle lines have been even more deeply drawn, and I have been called to fight.

Then, tonight, I read my scripture for the day, and it was from Ephesians 6:  10-11:

The Armor of God

^“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

Looking back on this morning, it all makes sense.  I felt like I was being called to battle by the Lord, and felt as if He was wrapping himself around me when I felt such despair.  And certainly, He was….He was wrapping me in His armor to prepare me for the battles that lie ahead for me.

And then, because the Lord does such an awesome job of sending me multiple messages like I’ve often asked Him to when I am unsure of His plans for me, I came across this article from the National Right to Life committee from earlier in the day entitled:  “This will not stand.  The fight has just begun.”  Oh, the Lord is good at sending me the not-so-subtle hints.  Not only am I called to bear witness to His grace and the true reality of abortion, but I am called to fight for the rights of my unborn brothers and sisters and not be silenced by fear or threat of retaliation.  If I ever doubted for a second in the past if I was ready to take this fight for life on, head on, I don’t anymore.  I know that we have a war waging in this world on the value and dignity of human life, and I am ready to fight for the rights of the millions of unborn children just like me, and all of those whose lives they could have touched.

This Will Not Stand. The Fight Has Just Begun
Part One of Four By Dave Andrusko

Lots to read today. Part Two is a brilliant examination of the rationing components of ObamaCare. Part Three is an Alert which lays out the basics of what happened yesterday in the House of Representatives. Part Four is a statement from the Christian Medical Association. Please send me your comments at daveandrusko@gmail.com.  And don’t forget to visit our newest information source www.nationalrighttolifenews.org.

Last night the House of Representatives’ lamentably voted 219 to 212 in favor of ObamaCare. The outcome–including the underhanded manner in which it happened and the names of all those who voted in favor–is seared into our memories.

The regrettable basics are straightforward. All 219 votes in favor were cast by Democrats. Of the opposing (pro-life) votes, 178 were cast by Republicans and 34 by Democrats.

You have to hand it–sort of–to President Barack Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. They could not have dragged this lemon of a bill over the finish line if they were not as wedded to their anti-life views as we are married to finding life-affirming solutions for both mother and child.

A few weeks ago it looked like this abortion of a bill was stalled. When other Democrats looked at the massive opposition and asked why they should throw themselves under the bus, Pelosi, in particular, never wavered. (It helps brace you spine when, like Pelosi, you represent a congressional district that will never vote you out.)

Their tactics were a witch’s brew of deception, misdirection, out-and-out lies, enforced by political muscle. But blithefully free of conscience, this did not even give them reason to pause. Collectively, they did what they needed to do to win and never looked back.

Now it’s up to Americans who disagree with commandeering control over one-sixth of the American economy, and in the process multiplying the number of dead babies, to prove that Obama/Reid/Pelosi ought to have been more careful what they asked for.

Let me offer a few quotes to put what follows in context.

“The executive order promised by President Obama was issued for political effect. It changes nothing. It does not correct any of the serious pro-abortion provisions in the bill. The president cannot amend a bill by issuing an order, and the federal courts will enforce what the law says.’
– National Right to Life, March 21.

“President Obama is set to begin an immediate public relations blitz aimed at turning around Americans’ opinion of the health-care bill.”
– From “Obama plans blitz to boost public opinion of health-care effort” in this morning’s Washington Post.

“Yes, With Trepidation”
– Headline of a Friday Washington Post editorial endorsing House passage of a massive health care restructuring bill strongly opposed by the National Right to Right.

“The final numbers for Congress before passing the health care proposal showed that just 11% believe the legislature is doing a good or an excellent job.”
– Rasmussen Reports, March 22

What do these four representative quotes tell us?

First, the genius of ObamaCare proponents was to understand that if they could not coerce wavering Democrats into line, they had to find a quasi-plausible cover story. It was like watching somebody go up into the attic, open up a trunk and pull one shirt/pants/dress after another. Eventually, they found rhetorical garments that fit the need of hesitant Democrats who felt exposed.

The last fig leaf was the worst: that Obama would sign an executive order after the bill was law “affirming prohibitions in current law and in the health legislation against taxpayer money going to abortions,” as the Associated Press described it. In announcing the agreement Sunday, which brought several pivotal votes over to the “yes” column, Rep. Bart Stupak offered a very unfortunate and completely inaccurate assessment: “Make no doubt about it,” he said. “There will be no public funds for abortion.”

As if an executive order could trump statutory law�.As if Obama, joined at the hip to the Abortion Establishment, would stand over like sentinel, watching how the law played out to ensure that public funds AREN’T used for abortion. Such an assurance was/is as misguided as it was/is wrong

Second, Obama will be on the hustings, we are told, persuading the people that ObamaCare is the greatest thing since sliced bread, probably better. As further protection we’ve been told that the American public supposedly has the attention span of a gnat. By the time November rolls around, the public will be concerned with something else.

Of course if you are Democrat who has voted for a massively expensive, intrusive health care castle built on sand, you have to believe, or at least hope, this is true. It is–unfortunately for them–180 degrees off. If anything, the debate will grow fiercer, as we will see over the next month.

Third, publications such as the Washington Post and the New York Times ran interference for Obama/Reid/Pelosi.

But not only did they block below the knees, they were repeatedly guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct.

It’s bad enough that the Democratic leadership threaten to run primary challengers against reluctant Democrats or to make sure their financial contribution dry up. But what’s worse is the conduct of so many established media outlets.

Opponents of ObamaCare were attacked so fiercely it almost gave demagoguery a bad name. Their arguments were either dismissed using guilt by association (you can always find somebody who will say or do something stupid), caricatured, or treated as if was beneath their dignity even to respond. But even if you were half-awake when you read last Friday’s Post editorial, you couldn’t miss that the writer was likely trying to talk himself/herself into believing what they were writing.

“Yes, with trepidation” was the headline. “Yes, even though 90% of the evidence in this editorial demands a ‘no’” would have been much more accurate.

Finally, the prestige of Congress, never high to begin with, has tanked. There’s an old joke that “Law and sausage are two things you do not want to see being made.” In fact, if Democracy is going to flourish, we must see how laws are made.

And in the case of ObamaCare, not only did the Republican Party kept from seeing what was going on until the final hours, so was the American public. Over the next few weeks the details of what was hidden away in this 2,000+page monstrosity will gradually see the light of day. It will not be a pretty sight.

Keep coming back to TN&V over the next weeks; to our new outlet www.nationalrighttolifenews.org; to http://nrlactioncenter.com; to http://nrlactioncenter.com and to National Right to Life News. We will keep you constantly updated.

Let me conclude with what you already know: The fight has only begun. This will not stand. If you agree, write me at daveandrusko@gmail.com.

I know it’s been shared all over the place, but as an abortion attempt survivor, I just think it bears sharing over and over again and repeating…..

Statement by the National Right to Life Committee
on abortion “deal” on health care legislation

WASHINGTON — (Sunday, March 21, 2010, 6 PM EDT) –  In response to today’s announcement regarding an agreement between Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mi.) and President Obama on the pending health care bill (H.R. 3590), the following statement was issued by the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of right-to-life organizations in the 50 states:

The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) remains strongly opposed to the Senate-passed health bill (H.R. 3590).  A lawmaker who votes for this bill is voting to require federal agencies to subsidize and administer health plans that will pay for elective abortion, and voting to undermine longstanding pro-life policies in other ways as well.  Pro-life citizens nationwide know that this is a pro-abortion bill.  Pro-life citizens know, and they will be reminded again and again, which lawmakers deserve their gratitude for voting against this pro-abortion legislation.

The executive order promised by President Obama was issued for political effect.  It changes nothing.  It does not correct any of the serious pro-abortion provisions in the bill.  The president cannot amend a bill by issuing an order, and the federal courts will enforce what the law says.

To elaborate:  The order does not truly correct any of the seven objectionable pro-abortion provisions described in NRLC’s March 19 letter to the House of Representatives, which is posted here:  www.nrlc.org/AHC/NRLCToHouseOnHealthBill.pdf.

Regarding Community Health Centers (CHCs), NRLC has documented the problem created by H.R. 3590 here:  www.nrlc.org/AHC/NRLCMemoCommHealth.html.

Prof. Robert Destro, a professor of law and former dean of the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America, and an expert on abortion-related litigation, has sent lawmakers a letter explaining why the bill opens the door to direct federal funding of abortion in Community Health Centers:  www.nrlc.org/ahc/DestroLetterToStupakOnCommHealthCenters.pdf.

Prof. Destro clearly explains why it is the statutory language that will govern.

Regarding the new program to provide tax credits to purchase private insurance, the executive order merely tinkers with the formalities of a bookkeeping scheme under which federal subsidies will pay for plans that cover elective abortion — a break from the longstanding principles of the Hyde Amendment.

The order does nothing at all to mitigate the other abortion-related problems described in the NRLC letter, dealing with bill provisions that create dangerous regulatory mandate authorities, revise Indian health programs, and create pools of directly appropriated funds that are not covered by existing restrictions on funding of abortion.  Nor can the order correct the omission from the pending legislation of the necessary conscience-protection language that had been included in House-passed health care legislation last November (the “Weldon language”).

For additional information regarding the abortion-related components of the legislation, and NRLC’s assessment of the gravity of these issues, please refer to the March 19 letter linked above, and other materials posted on the NRLC website at www.nrlc.org/AHC/Index.html.

For interviews on this issue, please call the NRLC Communications Department at (202) 626-8825.

www.nrlc.org/AHC/Index.html

I’m sure most of you have read this article already today, or one similar to it, updating us on the House’s healthcare vote tomorrow.  I have so many things I want to say about the pending healthcare vote, but truthfully, it’s all pretty much been said.  I came across a great quote today, however, that I thought was really fitting for the current state of political affairs here in the U.S. and this pending vote tomorrow:

“The 7 modern sins: politics without principles, pleasures without conscience, wealth without work, knowledge without character, industry without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice”– Canon Frederic Donaldson.

My final words for the night go out to Rep. Bart Stupak.  Mr. Stupak, God bless you! I have no doubt that taking a stand and keeping your stance on the healthcare bill has been a “living hell” for you.  Please know that no matter how the vote goes tomorrow, you have shown an commitment and love to children like me that is seldom seen in Washington.  I have no doubt that you have left a legacy, and you have had a positive impact on the world.

Breakdown: Pelosi’s 11th-Hour Pitch for Pro-Life Dem Votes Crumbles

By Kathleen Gilbert

Updated 2:52 pm EST

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 20, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A desperate compromise attempt by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to snatch up the votes of pro-life Democrats led by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) appears to have disintegrated under intense pressure from pro-abortion lobbyists, various sources report Saturday.

The dramatic bid reportedly fell apart one day before the House’s final vote on the Senate health care bill scheduled for Sunday.

Capitol Hill sources reported Friday that Stupak was in dialogue with Pelosi over allowing a vote on the Stupak language, which would bar federal funding of abortion after the pattern of the Hyde amendment, in a vote “tie-barred” to the health bill vote.

Stupak seemed to be giving Speaker Pelosi an offer she couldn’t refuse: her nail-biting search for 216 votes – the minimum needed for the bill’s passage – has so far come up just short, according to various whip counts. Even should she sway all the “undecideds” to her side, she would reportedly have only 214 votes if she is unable to peel any more off the small band of pro-life Democrats held together by Stupak.

Yet, a furious cadre of pro-abortion women descended upon the Speaker’s office Friday evening to inform her that as many as 40-55 “yes” votes would jump ship should she abandon the abortion funding embedded in the bill. When the House voted in the Stupak language last year, pro-aborts had reluctantly agreed – but vowed to ensure the language would be removed for a final vote.

“We are holding firm this time,” Rep. Diana Degette, D-CO, told reporters Friday. “If Mr. Stupak and a few members along with the Republicans decide to use this to take health care down, that loss of health care will be in their hands.”

A press conference Stupak and his group had scheduled for Saturday morning was abruptly postponed, although no reason was given. Stupak spokesperson Michelle Begnoche said later that “discussions are continuing,” according to Politico.

UPDATE (2:01pm EST): Pelosi has confirmed that there will be no separate vote for abortion language. National Review Online reports, however, that Pelosi continues to meet with members of the Stupak band, specifically Reps. Driehaus (D-OH) and Dahlkemper (D-Penn.), who said they were “still working on” the issue. Meanwhile, according to NRO, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says he is working on an executive order involving “Stupak-like” language to appease the group.

UPDATE 2 (2:52pm EST): Politico reports that the House will abandon the controversial “deem and pass” solution, and will instead vote on the actual Senate health care bill Sunday.

FireDogLake.com listed eleven “undecideds”: Brian Baird (D – WA), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Glenn Nye (D-VA), John Tanner (D-TN), Melissa Bean (D-IL), Chris Carney (D-PA), Bill Foster (D-IL), Paul Kanjorski (D-PA), Solomon Ortiz (D-TX), Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), Zack Space (D-OH), Mike Michaud (D-ME). Bill Owens (D-NY) has come out as a “yes” vote, it was reported Saturday morning.

Currently, there are 11 confirmed members of Stupak’s band – which, under unrelenting pressure, has reportedly seen many leave and others join the ranks in recent days. They are: Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), Marion Berry (D-Ark.), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Jerry Costello (D-Ill.), Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Penn.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Steve Driehaus (D-OH), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), Alan Mollohan (D-WV), Nick Rahall (D-WV).

Earlier this week, Stupak said that he was undergoing a “living hell” over his opposition to the abortion-expanding bill, and complained of lobbyists threatening to take out “ethics complaints” against him should he not switch his vote.

Visit http://stoptheabortionmandate.com/ or the NRLC website for information on contacting U.S. lawmakers.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times, and I will likely say it thousands times more throughout my lifetime.  I NEVER cease to be amazed by the pain and suffering that men, women, family members, friends, and communities experience as a result of abortion.  Certainly, I can relate.  I can’t relate, however, to the terrible grief, the shame and guilt, that so many experience and feel as a result of the role that they played in aborting a life.  Each week, I receive a handful of emails and letters from people who have been impacted by abortion and feel compelled to share their story, their pain, with me.  I am saddened by the depths of their pain, but I am grateful that they share their stories with me.  Sometimes I am the only person that they have told about the abortion, many times they just feel the intense need to share their story with a child, just like their own, who miraculously survived, when theirs did not.  Whatever the circumstances, abortion HURTS EVERYONE.

With all of the fanfare surrounding Pam and Tim Tebow’s Superbowl ad tomorrow night, I felt it fitting to share the following letter with all of you.  Certainly, I feel that the Lord intended for me to receive this letter this week and share this unknown woman’s story with all of you.  She may be nameless, but I feel driven to give her a voice.  She needs to be heard.  Here is a letter (with any identifying information removed) I received this week from a woman here in the U.S.  Please pray for her, just as you would for my own biological mother and all of the men, women and other family members and friends whose lives have been impacted by abortion.

Hi Dear Melissa,

I read your article in our local paper-Wow—what a positive attitude-and of course I cried—Back in 1974, I was a single lady who had an abortion-the father didn’t know anything about it-I was a drunk-would have been my parents first grandchild and of course I was all alone-didn’t know what to do or who to talk too.  So, of course, I found a doctor in the cities-had money and no one to drive me to or from the clinic, so slept in their parking lot overnite-after the abortion, they asked if I had a ride home and of course, I said “yes” even though I didn’t-barely made it home after sitting in their cafeteria for most of the day reading.  Now it’s been 35 years and I’m still alone.  I promised God I’d never bring a child into this world, so I met another guy (another drunk like I) who didn’t want kids either-so I’m still married to a drunk and I don’t drink much, so we’re both unhappy and waiting to die.  No matter what I do is wrong, just like the rest of my life.

Thanks for listening and enjoy your little Olivia-aren’t kids great-bring joy and love into our lives.  Take care, love, peace.

To this dear woman who sent me this letter, please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.  The Lord has forgiven you if you’ve asked for forgiveness….I hope that one day you can forgive yourself.  You are loved, my dear sister in Christ.

I came across this letter the other day that I wrote Olivia for her first birthday and was so moved by reading it again, that I thought that I’d share it with all of you. For anyone out there who still doubts the impact of abortion, please read my love letter to my firstborn below.

Just think, if that abortion would have been successful in ending my life, I never would have had the opportunity to be a mother. I never would have had the opportunity to be HER mother. Just think, my daughter would never have lived if I had not survived.

April 26, 2009

My dearest Olivia, Today is your first birthday! I just can’t believe how fast the year has gone! It seems like just yesterday I was lying in bed at the hospital, anxiously awaiting your arrival! You have grown so quickly from a little baby into a big girl!

I will forever cherish the memories of my pregnancy with you, and I will never forget just how active you were in my belly—no one really could believe or understand me when I told them that you never rested in there, but I think now that they’ve seen how active you are over the past year, they can start to believe me now! And oh, what a stubborn little thing you were on the night of your birth! You were not coming out of there without a little bit of a push (or actually pull)!

You made the Dr. look for more help with getting you out, but in true Olivia-style, you decided to come out at the last minute, after having pushed him to look for other options! In that moment that you arrived into the world, I could feel your strength and your will—you are such a strong girl, already at your young age. And you were so beautiful! A head full of dark hair, a beautiful, dark complexion, and plump, the Dr. even had to remark about how fat your little cheeks were! You didn’t cry much when you came out, even when the nurse pushed you to do so.

Your birth was the most wonderful night of my life.  I would do it all over again, because you are worth every ounce of pain that I experienced.  Just as your birth was the most wonderful night of my life, this past year has been the best year of my life (even though at the time I am writing this you STILL don’t sleep through the night!)

There are so many things that I can say about your first year of life, but I will try to keep this as short as possible.  You have brightened the lives of everyone that you have come into contact with, especially mine.  Everyone who knows you, loves you, not just me.  Your daddy adores you, you have your grandpas and grandmas wrapped around your little finger, random strangers are struck by your beauty and your funny personality.  Seriously, we can’t take you anywhere in public without someone remarking about how pretty you are!

What are my favorite things about you?

You are so funny! Never before have I met a child who makes people laugh like you do.  Whether you are playing peek-a-boo, chasing me around the house, screeching and babbling, waving, or simply just hugging on someone, you are just a delight to be around.  You have the most wonderful little belly laugh—I love to tickle you just to hear it!

You are a beautiful girl, period.  I love everything about you from the top of your head to the tip of your toes, but most of all I love your big eyes and your beautiful smile.  I suspect that you will grow up to be like me, and you will tell a lot through your face and your gestures; you already tell a lot through the flash of your eyes—it is easy to see if you are happy, sad, or just plain mischevious.  You have been quick to smile ever since you were just a few months old, but for a long time, you only flashed that beautiful smile to those that you REALLY liked.  Now you smile more often than not, and your wide grin, full of teeth (a couple of them crooked), is just a beauty to behold.

Believe it or not, I have always loved your hands and feet! Let me explain why….Your hands never stop moving (nor do your feet really, either).  Just like when you were in my belly, you are constantly touching, twirling, pinching, grabbing, pulling and scratching at things.  Even when you were just a few months old, you loved to take your index finger and scratch at new textures that you came across.  Of course, you using those little hands to pinch and scratch yourself so you stay awake is not so fun, but it is pretty funny!

As for those cute little feet of yours, I have known you had monkey-feet like me since your birth, and boy, have you figured that out.  You love to pick things up with your toes, rub your feet up against things to feel their texture, and you are not crazy about wearing socks or shoes.  Someday I will share stories with you about how you used to cry when I put your socks and shoes on you!

What are some of my other favorite things about you?  You are strong, physically and mentally.  You are not a delicate girl, by any means.  You play hard, you are rarely phased by falling down, you like to be active, and you sure communicate to us what you want and need.  You are a very determined girl, to the point that many others have noticed this about you, too.  Whatever you want to do or get, you work at it until you get it.  Of course, you are likewise a stubborn little thing, like your Mom and your Dad.  Once you set your mind on something, there is no one or not one thing that is going to change it.  Ahhh….I can see the power struggles that we will have in your teenage years, already!

My list of what I love about you could go on and on and on, but my last one for this letter is this:  I love that you are my daughter! I am so blessed to have you in my life, and I look forward to all of the rest of the years of my life with you in it.  Thank you for being you and for loving me!

What is my favorite memory of you from this past year? I have way too many to count, but I will share a few of them with you:

∙The moment you were born.

∙All of your firsts-Your first smile, your first laugh, first time of rolling over, first time sitting up by yourself, first time pulling yourself up, first time standing, first steps, first time saying mama, dada, hi, waving bye.  Even the first time that I saw you hit another kid at daycare was a favorite memory of mine!

∙Even though I am not fond of being up all hours of the night, I love snuggling with you in the rocking chair in the deep, dark of night, while you play with my hair; I will treasure those memories forever.

∙I love story time with you and have lots of great memories around it.  I enjoyed rocking in the rocking chair and reading to you when you were in my belly.  I started reading to you when you were just a few weeks old, and although you’ve always seemed to enjoy it, you have taken a huge liking to it since you were about 10 months old.  You like to point to the books you would like to read, and you definitely have your favorites—The Can Do Choo-Choo and all sorts of pop up books.

∙You waking up in the morning.  You have been a morning person from the very beginning, but as you have gotten older, you have been more and more vocal about it.  Some of my favorite memories from this past year involve you waking up and chattering away, climbing all over your Dad and I in bed, looking for the dog or cat to pet.  I tell you, you are not one who takes awhile to wake up.  The minute those eyes of yours pop open in the morning, that’s it—you are ready to take on the day!

∙Our family time each evening.  Although what this looks like has changed as you have gotten older, I have wonderful memories of the times that your dad and I have spent with you each night.  When you were first born, this usually consisted of you cuddling up with us and watching tv or going for a walk.  As you have gotten older, it progressed to working with you on rolling over, sitting up, standing, walking, playing with toys, dancing and singing, playing outside, and most of all, climbing and hugging all over us!

∙Your attendance at the Siouxland Interfaith Prayer Service and my speeches in Storm Lake were very special to me.  You are an important little girl in the pro-life movement already!

This letter will be the first of many letters that are written to you on your birthday.  My plan is to write you a letter for each of your birthdays and leave them for you to read when you are old enough to read and understand them.  I hope that you enjoy them when you get older.

Although you are not old enough right now to understand why I am crying tears of love and joy as I write this letter, someday you will understand.  You have been the greatest gift of my life, and I love you more than I could ever put into words.  You are by far the most amazing little person that I have ever met, and I can’t wait to see the amazing big person that you will become.

All my love, Mommy