Has America Ever Been A Christian Nation?

At one Church which I attend, the priest often prays that America will repent of her sins and return to God.  Many Christians lament that America is forgetting her Christian heritage.  Certainly there can be no doubt that the majority of the founding fathers of our nation were Christian.  Our laws were most certainly based upon Judeo-Christian values found in the Bible, i.e., the ten commandments.

But has America ever been a truly Christian nation living by Christian principles?

Republicans Vote To Fund Planned Parenthood and Obamacare

One person after another has told me that I MUST vote for Mitt Romney and the Republicans because they are the lesser of two evils and anything is better than Obama.  Really?  I will readily agree that it doesn't get much worse than Barack Obama, our abortion-loving, anti-Catholic president whose goal is to completely socialize and secularize America. 

The Republicans put on a much better face than what we see with Obama and the Democrats, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, the Republicans are no better.  The House Republicans just voted for a bill that funds Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.  This bill also funds Obamacare, including the HHS Mandate forcing Catholic institutions to provide free contraception to their employees,

 Back in February of this year, thehill.com told us this:

Senate Republicans are pushing legislation to overturn the Obama administration’s decision that the health plans of faith-based organizations must cover contraception if they serve people of multiple religious backgrounds.

Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) are leading the effort.

“This is about whether the government of the United States should have the power to go in and tell a faith-based organization that they have to pay for something that they teach their members shouldn’t be doing,” said Rubio.

“I hope that the Senate and the House will act on it as well because the American people are asking us to,” he said.

Well, the House Republicans seem to have forgotten about this as on Thursday, September 13, they passed legislation that not only funds Planned Parenthood, but also funds Obamacare including the HHS mandate. 

Here is the story from cnsnews.com:

House Republicans Pass Funding for Planned Parenthood, Obamacare and Regulation Forcing Catholics to Act Against Faith

By Matt Cover
September 13, 2012



House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy and House Speaker John Boehner (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

(CNSNews.com) – The Republican-majority House of Representatives on Thursday passed a $1.047 trillion bill funding the federal government through March 2013 that will permit funding for Planned Parenthood and ObamaCare--including the regulation that took effect on Aug. 1 that will require virtually all health plans in the United States to cover, without fees or co-pay, sterilizations and all FDA-approved contraceptives, including those that induce abortions.

The vote was 329-91, and the bill now goes to the Senate for expected approval next week.

The bill funds the government for six months into the new fiscal year and for almost five months after the November elections. Congress turned to the stop-gap measure after failing to pass any of the 12 appropriation bills necessary to fund day-to-day government operations.

The Catholic bishops of the United States have unanimously declared the Obamacare sterilization-contraception-abortifacient regulation an "unjust and illegal mandate" that violates the right to free exercise of religion not only of Catholic institutions but also of Catholic business owners and workers.

The bill, a continuing resolution (CR), does not prohibit funding for either ObamaCare programs or Planned Parenthood. Nor does it stop the government from enforcing regulations, such as the mandate from the Health and Human Services Department that nearly all health insurance plans provide contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-inducing drugs free of charge.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who supports the CR along with the GOP House leadership, earlier this year described the health insurance mandate as an “unambiguous attack on religious freedom in our country” and a violation of the First Amendment protecting the free exercise of religion.

The CR does prohibit the government from initiating any new programs or using the $1.047 trillion in the bill to carry out any programs or functions it was not engaged in during fiscal year 2012.

The resolution also extends for six months the federal pay freeze enacted in FY 2012 and the welfare reform legislation enacted in 1996.

Further, the bill prohibits grant programs that spend their allocations all at once--block and other types of grant programs--from doing so with the money allocated in this bill.

In terms of policy, the bill allows the government to continue executing the functions under ObamaCare that it was carrying out last year and that Congress had funded. In other words, the government cannot move forward on implementing ObamaCare outside of what it was doing last fiscal year.

The bill does not prohibit funding of Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.

According to its 2009-2010 annual report, Planned Parenthood received $487.4 million in government money; and according to its fact sheet, Planned Parenthood performed 329,445 abortions in 2010.

The bill represents a slight increase in spending over fiscal year 2012--about $4 billion--keeping to the spending cap outlined in the Budget Control Act of 2011. [I thought Republicans were going to cut spending.  Hmmmm.  That promise seems to have disappeared somewhere along the way.]

The CR is a product of a deal announced in July between House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to extend federal spending past both the November election and the following lame-duck session of Congress.

* * *

Even Chris Smith of New Jersey, supposedly pro life, voted for this bill which funds Planned Parenthood and Obamacare.   Paul Ryan, the Republican VP candidate, voted yes on this bill.  I'll give Michelle Bachman credit, she voted against the bill.  Interestingly, Speaker John Boehner did not cast a vote.  Todd Akin also was not present for the voting and did not cast a vote.

As redstate.com tells us, only 70 Republicans voted against this bill, along with 21 Democrats. 

As we noted earlier this week, the Continuing Resolution voted on in the House will increase spending, fund Obamacare, and extend the main welfare program without forcing Obama to reinstate work requirements. This bill is really an embarrassment to everything House Republicans professed to stand for. It will delay the major battles until March 27, 2013. And let me tell you, they will really really really take the Democrats’ lunch money then. Just wait and see. 

We have one party in this nation, and that party is out only for its own interests, not ours.

Karl Rove Wants Akin Put Permanently Out of Action

I have been following the Todd Akin story, absolutely fascinated at how the Republicans have turned on this 100% pro life candidate and attempted to destroy him.  I expect the Democrats to be out for blood against any one who is anti-abortion, but the Republicans are suppose to be pro life.  Why, it was even in their platform at the Republican National Convention, as CNN told us:

Republicans drafting their party's official policy platform on Tuesday ratified a call for a Constitutional ban on abortion that makes no exceptions for rape or incest.

* * * 

The CNN report came out on August 21, just two days after Rep. Todd Akin, who is running for senator in Missouri, said he was against abortion in cases of rape.  Akin was slammed on all sides for using the term "legitimate rape" and saying that pregnancy is rare in cases of rape, which is statistically true. But everyone knows that Akin's vocal faux pas was just an excuse to attack him. The real reason he was being attacked is because he is against abortion in cases of pregnancies resulting from rape. So despite Akin's admittedly stupid use of the word "legitimate", you would think Republicans would run to defend him since he is completely in line with their platform.  Well, if that is what you would think, you would be wrong. Republicans could not distance themselves from Akin fast enough, condemning him and calling for him to step down from the race and telling him they were cutting off all political funding for his senate race.

One of the main cheerleaders in the effort to dump Akin is the Republican candidate for president, Mitt Romney.  The VP candidate, Paul Ryan, despite being on the record for being against abortion in cases of rape and despite having drafted a pro life bill with Todd Akin, also turned against his colleague, phoning him and telling him to get out of the race.  Loyalty has no place in politics. 

Paul Ryan and Todd Akin when they were
on friendlier terms

One of the big guns in the Republican party calling for Todd Akin to find another planet on which to live was Karl Rove.  And Rove seemingly wants Akin permanently gone, as he talked about the murder of Todd Akin.  See the story from the Washington Post below:

Karl Rove jokes, ‘We should sink Todd Akin,’ report says

Posted by Sean Sullivan on August 31, 2012 at 10:11 am

Bloomberg Businessweek reports from inside a donor briefing Karl Rove hosted in Tampa on the final day of the Republican National Convention, where the Republican reiterated his desire for embattled Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) to end his Senate campaign in Missouri.

Rove explained to an audience dotted with hedge fund billionaires and investors—including John Paulson and Wilbur Ross—how his super PAC, American Crossroads, will persuade undecided voters in crucial swing states to vote against Barack Obama. He also detailed plans for Senate and House races, and joked, “We should sink Todd Akin. If he’s found mysteriously murdered, don’t look for my whereabouts!”

Fortunately, there are some people who are seeing that something is not right here.  Finally here is someone who has some strong words about Karl Rove. 

Phyllis Schlafly Calls on Karl Rove to Resign

Karl Rove has made himself toxic to Republicans by his incredibly offensive and dangerous statement suggesting the murder of Congressman Todd Akin of Missouri. Any candidate or network who hires Rove will now be tarnished with this most malicious remark ever made in Republican politics.  [Don't bet on it, Phyllis.]

Just imagine if someone had made that statement about Barack Obama. The Secret Service would go on Red Alert and you can bet that the author of that remark would be in jail by now. As quoted by a Businessweek reporter and now on the internet, Rove in Tampa told some 70 big donors to his Super PAC, American Crossroads, that every attendee should apply pressure to "sink Todd Akin" and force him out of the Senate race for which Missourians had nominated him. Then Rove said that if Akin were "found mysteriously murdered, don’t look for my whereabouts."

This stunning attack on Akin is now reported as a joke. Sorry, Karl, it isn’t funny to joke about murdering a Congressman.  [Let's hope he was joking.]

Rove has disliked Akin ever since Akin was one of the principled members of the U.S. House who voted against George W. Bush’s extravagant expansion of Medicare when the vote was called at 5:53 am in November 2003. Akin is a man of principle who doesn’t cave in to political pressure, so he’s not Rove’s kind of politician.

Rove tried to excuse his obscene joke by saying he would not have said it if he had known a reporter was in the room. That makes his statement worse! Is murder the kind of secret political advice Rove gives to Republican donors and candidates who hire him?  [Your guess is as good as mine.]

A private phone call by Rove to Akin to sort of apologize does not erase the public offense. At the very least Rove should make a public apology. But even that can’t wipe out his gross political mistake.

Karl Rove is an embarrassment to the Republican Party. [Phyllis, here is a news flash:  Rove IS the Republican Party.]  We don’t want any more of his advice in secret briefings or publicly on Fox News. Missourians don’t want politicians from other states telling us who to run for the Senate.

Rove has been calling on Todd Akin to resign, but the one who should resign because he made an embarrassing, malicious, and downright stupid remark is Karl Rove. 
 

Sigh.   Hey Phyllis, have you or anyone else noticed that Romney hasn't said a word about Rove's "joke?"  We have seen Mike Huckabee and, amazingly, Newt Gingrich criticize Rove for the remark.  But everyone else is remaining completely silent on this issue.

Karl Rove will suffer no political repercussions as the result of his hateful remark and everyone will continue to tell me that I must vote for the Republicans because it's the only way to stop the Democrats.  Will someone just tell me the difference between the two parties?

The Republicratic Party

Who Needs Democrats?  Republicans gladly
do the work of beating up each other.

I am becoming completely fascinated with the Todd Akin story which is currently in the news.  Republican Rep. Todd Akin (Mo.) made a statement on Sunday that threw pro-abortion advocates into a tizzy.  He said that very few pregnancies result from rape and that abortion should not be the answer to rape because it involves the killing of an innocent life, that of the unborn child who has done nothing to deserve death.  He criticized the Romney/Ryan campaign because they do favor abortion in cases of rape.  As a practicing Catholic, I am in total agreement with Rep. Akin. 

However, Rep. Akin made one very bad mistake.  He used the words "legitimate rape."  This was all the pro abortion advocates needed to direct all of their ire against Rep. Akin.  Forget the fact that he spoke absolute truth in what he said, that there are very few pregnancies resulting from abortion, as proven in my prior posting on this subject, and that to abort a child conceived as a result of rape is to kill an innocent life.  As one would expect, pro abortion advocates accused Rep. Akin of coldness and indifference to rape victims.  The couldn't care less about the innocent child, or the fact that the mother of that child will not only have to suffer with the trauma of rape, but also with the trauma of having killed her child.

But it wasn't just Democrat pro-abortion advocates who went ballistic over Akin's remarks.  Some of the most vociferous attacks against Rep. Akin are coming from Republicans, supposedly the pro-life party, calling for Akin to immediately step down from his senate race against Senator Claire McCaskill.  As reported in my prior posting, the Romney/Ryan campaign denounced Rep. Akin's comments and said they absolutely do support abortion in cases of rape. 

Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh said:  "Akin's Remark was Stupid and Untrue -- Now He Must Put the Nation's Future First."  He said on his show:

"And this whole business of a woman's body shuts down in rape, there's no evidence for that. But this is the kind of thing that people who do nothing but talk amongst themselves will conjure up, a belief system like that, and they'll grab on to anything they can to support what their empirical belief is because their ultimate aim is to save life." [There's something wrong with that?]

Limbaugh went on to say:

Their [pro life group's] ultimate aim is to protect the baby no matter what circumstance the conception occurs in. And I think that's just who the guy is, but he doesn't know how to explain it. He has no clue how to make his case for it. And so he hangs around people who are like-minded and they've devised this belief. He's not the first guy to say this. I've had people tell me that a woman's body shuts down in rape. There's no evidence for this. I mean it's absolutely absurd. This leads to the second problem. This is absurd. That belief that a woman's body shuts down and the whole notion of legitimate"/"illegitimate" rape, that's the thing that bothers me about it. That's just absurd. It's not intelligent."

Really, Mr. Limbaugh?  You don't think the trauma of being raped would have any effect on a woman's ability to conceive, despite all the evidence that it does?  Why would you not even bother to look into this instead of making such uninformed statements?  

Then Limbaugh tries to convince us Republicans need to get rid of Akin because the Democrats love him so much!!

Well, he won a three-way race in which the Democrats could vote, and the Democrats were running ads suggesting that this guy win. They couldn't wait to run against this guy because of the issue of abortion and this whole War on Women. They just couldn't wait! McCaskill was salivating to get Akin as the nominee, and she got what she wanted. There's a poll out. I don't know if you've seen this. You probably have seen it because it's a little after noon and this poll has been out since yesterday.

It's from Public Policy Polling, a liberal Democrat polling firm from North Carolina. Even after all of this they say Akin still leads McCaskill by one point. But have you seen the sample breakdown on that poll? You haven't? Well, I'll tell you about it. There are 9% more Republicans in the sample than Democrats. This poll is part of the whole strategy to keep Akin on the ticket, to keep him as the nominee. Public Policy Polling with a poll out, after all this, that shows this guy leading McCaskill by one point.

So Limbaugh says the Democrats are skewing the polling in favor of Akin and that is why we must get Akin out.  Don't you love the logic in this, as if it makes any sense whatsoever? 

Limbaugh actually goes on to say that Akin isn't a bad guy, he wants to save lives, he just makes stupid, uninformed statements (unlike Limbaugh, of course).  Limbaugh's contention is that Republicans just can't have distractions like Rep. Akin, that they can't give the Democrats any ammunition against them.  Why, Akin gave Obama an opportunity to call a rare press conference and come out against the Republicans!  And Republicans just can't take that kind of action.  It puts the country at stake!

Here is Limbaugh's parting shot on why Akin has to go:

And, Bobby [a caller he was talking to], I hear what you're saying. You don't want to run around and defend stupidity [that's why I never defend you, Rush]. What's in it for anybody to defend stupidity? "Well, Rush, didn't you do that?" No. I know what he was trying to say. I know what's in the guy's heart. But, I'm sorry, if he can't 'splain it, then get out! [And certainly don't listen to any further statements that he does make in which he clarifies his statements!] It's not that hard. It's not that hard to say, "It's not the baby's fault." [And that's not exactly what Rep. Akin was saying?] That's all he's trying to say. Just say that instead of this rigmarole about the woman's body "shuts down"? For crying out loud! I just... Aaaugh! Where are some brains? Just get some brains! Let's have some people we can look up to!  [And you, Rush, are certainly not someone that anyone can look up to.]

Ann Coulter

Ann Coulter, the right-wing bomb thrower who is the darling of so many conservatives, titled her column:  "If Akin Loves His Country, He Will Step Aside."  She gives us the dire warning:  "This is no time for another foot-in-the-mouth, Trent Lott Republican to be dominating the national political discussion. The country is at stake." 

Oh, she is so right.  The country is at stake.  But isn't it much more important to get behind someone who is so strongly pro life, despite his "gaffe", rather than to throw him under the bus because he made a mistake?  As we are told, news cycles are always changing, and in less than two weeks time this story will be almost completely forgotten as the next big story takes its place.  So why the rush among Republicans to get Akin out of the race when he is leading over the Democrat incumbent?  Why did the Romney/Ryan campaign waste no time in denouncing Rep. Akin? 

Here is a story from foxnews.com about the Republican criticism of Rep. Akin and the strong calls for him to step down.  Ask yourself why the self-proclaimed "pro life" party is not supporting and defending this strong pro-life candidate.  Why do they, in no uncertain terms, want him out of the race?

Rep. Akin resists mounting calls to withdraw from Senate race after 'rape' comment

Missouri Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin resisted calls to withdraw from the race Monday over his controversial comments on rape, despite mounting pressure from GOP leaders who roundly condemned his remarks and threatened to cut off funding. [Let's not even give Akin a chance, despite the fact that he is leading his race.  Let's immediately take away all his support from the Republican party.]

Republicans really know how to throw
each other under the bus

 "I am in this race to win. We need a conservative Senate," Akin tweeted Monday afternoon, as he solicited new donations. He also told Fox News' Sean Hannity on his radio show that "we're going to stay in." [I only wish I was in a position to vote for Rep. Akin.]

The tweet followed scattered and unconfirmed reports that Akin was moving to withdraw from the race. Akin, though, rejected those claims publicly even as Republican leaders leaned on him hard to reconsider his bid for Senate.

A source within the National Republican Senatorial Committee told Fox News that Sen. John Cornyn, head of the Senate GOP campaign arm, already has told Akin that if he stays in the race, the $5 million set aside for the Missouri race will be withdrawn. Cornyn, according to the source, told him the party is concerned his presence in the race could imperil Republicans' chances of winning the Senate majority.  [Don't ever look for loyalty from the Republicans.  The Democrats, with all their faults, would never do this to one of their own.  VP Joe Biden is the sterling example.  He makes gaffe after gaffe, yet the Democrats stand solidly behind him.]

Akin, a six-term GOP congressman, is challenging Democratic Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill for her seat. His chances looked fairly sunny -- up until he told an interviewer with Fox affiliate KTVI that a woman's body can typically prevent pregnancy during a "legitimate rape," as he argued against allowing abortions in cases of rape, claiming such pregnancies are uncommon in the first place. [Rep. Akin is still ahead in this race]

"It seems to me first of all, from what I understand from doctors, that's really rare," Akin told KTVI. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

Akin has since backed off the comment, saying he "misspoke." Akin apologized for the remark Monday. [That will never be enough for the Republicans.]

Adding to the wave of condemnation, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell called his comments "totally inexcusable."

Sen. Mitch McConnell

 "What he said is just flat wrong in addition to being wildly offensive to any victim of sexual abuse," McConnell said. "Although Representative Akin has apologized, I believe he should take time with his family to consider whether this statement will prevent him from effectively representing our party in this critical election."

Several other GOP Senate candidates were also putting serious distance between their campaigns and his, as they tried to head off Democratic efforts to link Akin's comments to other members of the party.

GOP Sen. Scott Brown [who is pro abortion], who's in a tough race against President Obama ally Elizabeth Warren in Massachusetts, tweeted that he found Akin's remarks to be "outrageous."

He followed up with a written statement calling on Akin to bow out.

"As a husband and father of two young women, I found Todd Akin's comments about women and rape outrageous, inappropriate and wrong," Brown said. "There is no place in our public discourse for this type of offensive thinking. Not only should he apologize, but I believe Rep. Akin's statement was so far out of bounds that he should resign the nomination for U.S. Senate in Missouri." [Why should we care about the views of a pro-abortion politician, no matter what party he is from?]

Further, NRSC Chairman Cornyn used a brief written statement to nudge Akin to reconsider his bid for Senate.

"Congressman Akin's statements were wrong, offensive, and indefensible," Cornyn, R-Texas, said. "I recognize that this is a difficult time for him, but over the next 24 hours, Congressman Akin should carefully consider what is best for him, his family, the Republican Party and the values that he cares about and has fought for throughout his career in public service."

Obama, speaking in the White House briefing room, also called the comments "offensive." "Rape is rape," Obama said, and the idea of distinguishing among types of rape "doesn't make sense to the American people and certainly doesn't make sense to me." [Ah, Rep. Akin - you are one powerful man.  You have united the Republicans and Democrats!  Who would have ever thought that was possible?]

Aside from Brown, other Republicans in tough Senate races were similarly critical, without calling on Akin to step aside.

Rep. Jeff Flake, who is running for Senate in Arizona, tweeted that Akin's comment was "wrong."

"I oppose abortion, but exceptions must be made for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother," he said. [If you believe this, then you are not truly pro life.  Only the Catholic Church understands this.]

Virginia Senate candidate George Allen and Montana Senate candidate Rep. Denny Rehberg reportedly have joined in the rebuke -- as has Akin's former primary opponent Sarah Steelman, who tweeted that she found the comments "inexcusable, insulting and embarrassing to the GOP."

Mitt Romney gave a similar verdict in an interview with The National Review.

"Congressman Akin's comments on rape are insulting, inexcusable, and, frankly, wrong," Romney said. [Oh, Governor, we can always count on you to be pro life, can't we?]

Nevertheless, the Akin remarks became fast fodder for the Democratic National Committee, as Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz tried to link Akin's stance to the Romney campaign.

"Now, Akin's choice of words isn't the real issue here. The real issue is a Republican Party -- led by Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan -- whose policies on women and their health are dangerously wrong," she said in an email directing supporters to sign an anti-Romney petition on the DNC website.

She cited Romney's past comments on wanting to "get rid" of federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

The DNC email follows a pattern of trying to characterize the Romney ticket as "dangerous" to women, fueled in this case by comments from a congressman not tied to the presidential campaign.

McCaskill, who is seeking a second term, said in an emailed statement Sunday that she found the comments "offensive."

"It is beyond comprehension that someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape," McCaskill said. "The ideas that Todd Akin has expressed about the serious crime of rape and the impact on its victims are offensive."

Akin clarified his remarks in a written statement.

"In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year," Akin's statement said. "Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve."  [No one is going to let you clarify anything, Rep. Akin,  Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter and all other Republican leaders will make sure of that.]

Akin also said in the statement he believes "deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action." [God bless you, Rep. Akin.  Please hang tough.  We need you.] 

Fox News' John Brandt and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Why would the Republicans be doing what one would think is the job of the Democrats - attacking a pro life Republican candidate?  Because the Republicans don't want this country to be pro life anymore than the Democrats do!  Republicans and Democrats are both working for the same goals.  They fuss and yell at each other, pointing out their "differences."  But don't kid yourself.  The Republicans have had plenty of chances over 40 years to overturn Roe v. Wade .  They've never done it and they never will do it, and they will keep anyone out who gives the slightest indication that they actually do want to overturn this evil law. 

Rep. Todd Akin made the mistake of letting it be known that he is truly pro life, that he defends innocent life no matter what the circumstances, and for this, both Republicans and Democrats - The Republicrats, as it were -  are aiming all their guns at him.

Think there is a difference between the Republicans and Democrats?  You're living in a fantasy world.