Just WHOSE plan is ‘Family Planning’ anyway?

Plans were on a fast track to reverse a decades-old ban on federal taxpayer funding of family planning groups that perform or promote abortions overseas, but instead were derailed in a victory for the sanctity of human life! Leading Democrats in congress had tried to reverse the ban (called the Mexico City policy) by adding language to a $500-billion spending bill.

You may recall the recent full page ads by Pennsylvania Family Institute and Focus on the Family calling on Sen. Bob Casey to “come home” to his pro-life roots after he cast key votes to REVERSE the pro-life Mexico City policy. Many constituents have told us that the senator’s office reiterated that he favors family planning as a method of “reducing abortion.” However, a quick fact check confirms that the largest recipient of such funding, International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) performs and promotes abortion. On its website, it lists what they call their “5 As” and numero uno is (surprise!) Abortion and no. 4 is Advocacy - described as campaigning and lobbying for abortion! So we taxpayers would help fund their campaigns to change both the abortion laws in underdeveloped countries and poor women’s attitudes toward getting abortions. So, whose plan is ‘family planning’ anyway? Answer: Apparently it’s groups like Planned Parenthood’s, many times pitted against the family values, cultures and governments in other countries.

‘Christmas Tree’ and Crosses in Pennsylvania’s Capitol!

Each December, it thrills my heart to see the annual display of a Christmas tree in our magnificent state capitol rotunda, set for official lighting (and live simulcast to troops overseas this year) on Dec. 12th. And wow! Imagine our surprise that the traditional handcrafted ornaments include designs with crosses, that’s right, crosses! We can still remember the controversy a few years back that was stirred up by the anti-Christmas killjoys over cross ornaments under the cry of “separation of church and state.” Here’s to religious liberty in the commonwealth founded by William Penn! HANDCRAFTED ORNAMENTS DONATED FOR CAPITOL CHRISTMAS TREE BY SENIOR CENTERS

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
- Isaiah 6:9

Victory for sanctity of life, victory for religious conscience! Good riddance to the short-lived ‘emergency contraception’ mandate bill

House Bill 288, a bill that would mandate hospitals and physicians to offer the “morning-after-pill” to rape victims despite any religious objections, has been withdrawn by the sponsor due to a lack of support for the legislation. This is a victory for the freedom of conscience of the Christian doctors and hospitals that consider the “morning-after-pill” to be an abortifacient.

Thanks go out to State Rep. Rich Grucela, D-Northampton, Rep. Tom Tangretti, D-Westmoreland, Rep. Kathy Rapp, R-Warren and others who raised enough objections to derail this fast-moving train that was speeding through the PA state House! Thanks also to the compassionate expert testimonies from Dr. Karl Benzio, Lighthouse Network and Dr. Anne Marie Manning, Holy Spirit Hospital. Read the Morning Call story.

PA’s Cyber schools threatened by legislation, 20,000 kids stand to lose their best options!

Pennsylvania’s public cyber charter schools and the 20,000 kids who rely on them are set to take a big hit from the state legislature - to the delight of those opposed to parental choice in education, not the least of which is the state’s teachers union lobbying machine. It’s akin to Micky D’s trying to make Burger King illegal or forcing them to make and sell Big Macs! One of the few school choices available to every student is gone….unless: Pennsylvanians who believe in school choice, who believe that parents know best, who believe that competition should bring out the best in schools, can save the day by contacting their own state representative and state senator to vote against the efforts of Rep. Karen Beyer, R-Lehigh to triangulate cyber schools through her amendment in the House Education committee. See this column in today’s Express-Times by a cyber school CEO. She is right on the money, no pun intended!