The Patriot Post® · ObamaCare Repeal: Promising Pro-Life Provisions, but Concerns Remain
Monday, Speaker Ryan and the House Republicans, with the support of President Trump, released the American Health Care Act — a single bill that would repeal key provisions of Obamacare and replace it with more conservative solutions.
We are grateful to House leadership for including the same key pro-life provisions that we supported in last year’s Obamacare repeal bill that, if not for former President Obama’s veto, would have blocked the lion’s share of taxpayer funding for Planned Parenthood for one year and dismantled large parts of Obamacare’s abortion insurance subsidies. After repealing Obamacare with a two-year delay, the American Health Care Act will replace Obamacare’s taxes and subsidies with a new refundable tax credit to individuals and families to purchase health insurance, which is adjusted for age. The bill also uses savings from repealing Obamacare’s big government spending programs to provide money to states. The funds can be used for high risk individuals with pre-existing conditions or other health care needs, based on decisions made by states, not the federal government. The American Health Care Act contains important provisions that prevent these health care credits and state block grants from paying for plans that cover abortion on demand. However, there is still a pro-life concern in the bill because it could allow funds from the refundable credits to pay for abortions in health savings accounts. We discussed with congressional leaders who agree with the importance of making sure this bill has rock solid pro-life protections.
Abortion is not health care. The government should not fund or incentivize abortion-on-demand as health care — no matter which political party is in charge. If the House pro-life language is fixed and passes, there are additional hurdles in the Senate due to strict budget rules. The Senate “Byrd Rule” governs budget bills to only allow a 51-vote threshold. Any provision that doesn’t comply with the budget rules is subject to a 60-vote threshold. In the past, efforts to add restrictions on abortion funding to a reconciliation bill that reformed Medicaid was struck down under the strict rules. If the abortion funding restrictions for health care credits and state funds in this new bill fails in the Senate, then these provisions will subsidize abortion. In that case, the pro-life community could not support the overall bill and should oppose it.
Harkening back to Nancy Pelosi, Republicans must not repeat the Democrats’ mistakes by passing the bill only to find out it funds abortion-on-demand after pro-life provisions are struck in the Senate. That said, we are encouraged that House Republicans have taken the first step to apply pro-life principles to the GOP health care replace package and must ensure all the abortion loopholes are fixed. Addressing the pro-life concerns on the replace package in the Senate is also necessary. If these provisions don’t pass, then passing the original Obamacare repeal bill is still a necessary goal.
Originally published here.
Disney Continues Its Culture War on the Family
If you’re looking for conservative values at Disney, it really is a small world after all. The company, which bears almost no resemblance to the man who created it, has transformed from a beloved American icon to one of the most reliable voices for the radical Left. From “gay days” at the theme park to its public opposition to the Defense of Marriage Act, it’s no secret who those mouse ears have been listening to.
Now, two decades into its activism, the company is breaking new ground with an intentional nod to LGBT activists. In its new “Beauty and the Beast” remake, Disney decided to throw in some gratuitous political propaganda when the character LeFou dances away with another man. Director Bill Condon describes it this way, saying that the character “is somebody who on one day wants to be Gaston and on another day wants to kiss Gaston.” He “makes something really subtle and delicious out of it — [I]t is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie.” But not everyone thinks it’s as “nice” as Condon.
Some businesses are taking matters into their own hands. In Alabama, a drive-in movie theater is refusing to show the movie after it debuts next week. “When companies continually force their views on us, we need to take a stand. We all make choices, and I am making mine,” the Christian owners of the Henagar Drive-In Theater wrote on their Facebook page. “I know there will be some [who] do not agree with this decision. That’s fine. We are first and foremost Christians. We will not compromise on what the Bible teaches. We will continue to show family oriented films so you can feel free to come watch wholesome movies without worrying about sex, nudity, homosexuality, and foul language.”
Good for them! As new numbers show, that’s not only a positive decision, but a profitable one. Even the liberal media is pointing out how unpopular shows with LGBT themes have become. Programs like “Variety,” “Doubt,” “When We Rise,” and “Modern Family” have been “plagued” by low ratings after pushing their agenda on viewers. “The ABC miniseries chronicling the history of the LGBT movement fell almost one million viewers from its premier,” according to the Advocate. Other shows like “Eyewitness” have just been straight-up canceled.
When will these CEOs wake up and realize that the surest way to sabotage their brand is to wade into the Left’s culture wars? As FRC has said from the beginning, every company should have the freedom to drive their reputation in the ground with controversial decisions like this one. But moviegoers also have a choice not to underwrite a message they oppose. And in the end, that’s the ticket — to real change.
Originally published here.
This is a publication of the Family Research Council. Mr. Perkins is president of FRC.