LifeVoice - November / December 2007

Wisconsin Right to Life
Captures Hearts and Minds Online

A New Online Community Creates Innovative Opportunities to Save Human Lives

It is the wave of the future – gathering information, building friendships, and conducting business online. Young people are doing it in large numbers. Those 30-40 represent the largest population of online users. The fastest-growing segment of Internet involvement is among those in the 55+ age bracket.

In a bold, ambitious and pioneering effort, Wisconsin Right to Life is proud to unveil a new website dedicated to reaching more people more often right where they are – online. After a year of study, this initiative has come to fruition with the November 7 introduction of a cutting-edge website at a familiar address: www.WisconsinRightToLife.org

Now, you can view videos; gather the most current information on right-to-life topics; participate in surveys; send e-cards to relatives and friends; contact your legislators; tell a friend about the latest right-to-life initiatives; learn which candidates are right-to-life; enter contests; take quizzes; learn more about Wisconsin Right to Life programs; know where to send a pregnant woman seeking help; as well as quickly and conveniently donate online. You don't want to miss this exciting opportunity to become a vibrant member of the Wisconsin Right to Life online community. Provide your email address and other information at WisconsinRightToLife.org and you will receive, without the high cost of snail mail, all of the information needed to make you a life-saving champion!

New TV Ad Premiers on Wisconsin Airwaves

New ad uses dramatic in utero footage

2007 marks our Veritas Society's 12th year of life-saving work in Wisconsin. There is a lot to celebrate! During these 12 years, thousands of lives have been saved and countless hearts and minds changed to value life as a result of this powerful state-wide media program.

Beginning September 10th through the first week of December, our new Veritas television ad is running in the Milwaukee, Green Bay and La Crosse/Eau Claire media markets. Watch for it or view the new ad online by joining our online community and logging in at WisconsinRightToLife.org.

"Healthy Wisconsin" Means Taxpayer-Funded Abortion

In past issues of LifeVoice, we have alerted you to the fact that the Senate Democratic "Healthy Wisconsin" state health care insurance plan would place Wisconsin taxpayers in the unacceptable position of paying for the abortions of any woman and her dependents, for any reason, at any time during pregnancy. "Healthy Wisconsin" had been part of the Democrats' version of the state budget. A conference committee has been meeting for weeks to resolve the wide differences between the Democratic and Republican versions of the state budget.

Because there was such an outcry from opponents of "Healthy Wisconsin" for a variety of reasons, including taxpayer funding of abortion, the Democrats told the Republican members of the conference committee they would remove the "Healthy Wisconsin" plan from their version of the budget.

In the meantime, Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton), the chief architect of "Healthy Wisconsin," announced that he will introduce the controversial plan as a separate piece of legislation.

This issue is far from over! Rest assured, Wisconsin Right to Life will continue the fight to protect taxpayers from having to pay for the destruction of human life!

For a complete explanation of how "Healthy Wisconsin" would require tax-funding of abortion, visit our Legislation page at WisconsinRightToLife.org.

Gonzales v. Carhart -
A Litmus Test for Democratic Presidential Candidates

"This decision marks a dramatic departure from four decades of Supreme Court rulings that upheld a woman's right to choose and recognized the importance of women's health. Today's decision blatantly defies the Court's recent decision in 2000 striking down a state partial-birth abortion law because of its failure to provide an exception for the health of the mother. As the Supreme Court recognized in Roe v. Wade in 1973, this issue is complex and highly personal; the rights and lives of women must be taken into account. It is precisely this erosion of our constitutional rights that I warned against when I opposed the nominations of Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito."
–Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), 4/18/2007

"I could not disagree more strongly with today's Supreme Court decision. The ban upheld by the Court is an ill-considered and sweeping prohibition that does not even take account for serious threats to the health of individual women. This hard right turn is a stark reminder of why Democrats cannot afford to lose the 2008 election. Too much is at stake–starting with, as the Court made all too clear today, a woman's right to choose."
–Former Senator John Edwards (D-NC), 4/18/2007

"I strongly disagree with today's Supreme Court ruling, which dramatically departs from previous precedents safeguarding the health of pregnant women.  As Justice Ginsburg emphasized in her dissenting opinion, this ruling signals an alarming willingness on the part of the conservative majority to disregard its prior rulings respecting a woman's medical concerns and the very personal decisions between a doctor and patient.  I am extremely concerned that this ruling will embolden state legislatures to enact further measures to restrict a woman's right to choose, and that the conservative Supreme Court justices will look for other opportunities to erode Roe v. Wade, which is established federal law and a matter of equal rights for women."
–Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), 4/18/2007

"Today the Supreme Court took a dangerous step backward in regard to Americans' rights to personal choice and privacy... While not unexpected, I believe this unfortunate decision is a clear signal that the Supreme Court is opening the door to further challenges to personal medical decisions between patients and doctors that should not involve the government. I am concerned, as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg stated so clearly in her dissenting opinion, that this vote could be the beginning of 'an effort to chip away a right declared again and again by this court.' I sincerely hope that is not the case."
–Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM), 4/18/2007

In a rousing indictment of the Bush administration and the Supreme Court it created, Senator Barack Obama told a Planned Parenthood convention here on Tuesday that the next election would decide a fundamental question: "What kind of America will our daughters grow up in?"

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton declared that President Bush had consistently "played politics with women's health." She added, "He has chipped away at reproductive rights..."

She added, to cheers, "I want you to know that when I'm president, I will devote my very first days in office to reversing these ideological, anti-science, anti-prevention policies that this administration has put into place."

Mr. Obama's speech – and the reception it received from the Planned Parenthood Action Fund – underscored the power of the Supreme Court as a galvanizing issue for Democratic primary voters [emphasis added].
–Robin Toner, New York Times, 7/18/2007

In a speech on Tuesday, Barack Obama told his audience that the 2008 presidential election would answer the question: "What kind of America will our daughters grow up in?" What, one might wonder, does he want to protect our daughters from? An oversexualized culture? Predators on the Internet? Alas, no. Mr. Obama was addressing a Planned Parenthood convention and worried that if the wrong person got into the White House, our daughters might grow up in a country without . . . partial-birth abortions.

[A] donkey with a halo over his head graces the cover of Time magazine this week and the story inside chronicles "How the Democrats Got Religion." From faith working groups to faith breakfasts, Mr. Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards are all participating in what strategist Mike McCurry tells Time is "a Great Awakening in the Democratic Party."

Ms. Brown, the coordinator of the Faith in Action initiative at the Democratic National Committee, says she is working for a "big tent party," with plenty of room for people of faith. She tells me, for instance, that "evangelicals often get painted in broad strokes, as a monolith," but they're not.

Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women, is probably less than excited by such initiatives. She recently said in a speech, "I don't want a progressive evangelical movement any more than I want the conservative one we have right now."
–Naomi Schaefer Riley, Wall Street Journal, 7/20/2007

To paraphrase NOW's Kim Gandy: we don't need pro-partial-birth-abortionists "who got religion" any more than the ones we already have.

All that hand waving about "Faith in Action" and "a Great Awakening in the Democratic Party" is the same deceitful baloney as Bill Clinton gave us with his vision of making abortion "safe, legal, and rare." It's naive to assume that these candidates' defense of the indefensible is "just" catering to the activist left during the Democratic primaries. They won't become less extremist on abortion after the primaries.

Remember the "centrist" Democrat Bill Clinton. On his first day in office as president, he reversed the pro-life policies of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush by executive order. Later, he appointed the extreme, pro-abortion feminist Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the successor to pro-life Justice Byron White. So much for moving to the "center."


Thanks to Wanda Franz and National Right to Life News for this article.

Where do the candidates for president stand on life?

Find out! When you download the comparison, you'll find "Where Do the Republicans Stand on Life?" (in red) and "Where Do the Democrats Stand on Life?" (in blue).

Available here:
Download the Presidential Comparison (PDF)

Secret Planned Parenthood Abortion Facility
in Aurora, Illinois Stirs Conflict

A secret abortion clinic built by Planned Parenthood, in Aurora, Illinois, under the name of Gemini Medical Office Building, failed to open as planned and caused local controversy.

Throughout the construction of the abortion facility, Planned Parenthood maintained secrecy about it and did not disclose ownership of the building until a contractor alerted a local right-to-life organization. Chicago Area Planned Parenthood CEO Steve Trombley admitted that his group attempted to pull the wool over the public's eyes. "Frankly, I'm surprised we were able to keep it a secret for so long." www.LifeNews.com

An ongoing investigation into paperwork filed for the building was recently completed. Evidence surfaced that the abortion business may have failed to obtain a special use permit and hold a public hearing on how it would use the new facility.

However, independent reviews of the permit process have resulted in the Aurora facility being granted a permanent residency permit which allowed it to begin doing abortions on Tuesday, October 3rd, at the massive multimillion dollar facility. The decision was made without city council approval. The independent reviews said that Planned Parenthood's use of the name Gemini Development corporation on its paperwork misrepresented the operator of the abortion center but wasn't serious enough to deny the occupancy permit.

While Planned Parenthood/Chicago Area is a non-profit organization, the group applied for and obtained permits for constructing the new abortion business under the name Gemini Office Development, a for-profit corporation.

As a result of these new developments, a local pro-life group is planning to file a lawsuit to prevent Planned Parenthood from operating and citing another issue, that it failed to get a special use permit.

Planned Parenthood has a practice of trying to latch onto whatever political trend is popular, no matter how tenuous the connection. Trombley said that " Aurora is the second-largest city in Illinois and in dire need of medical services." What would be the need? Aurora has two major hospitals, several clinics and hundreds of doctors listed in its yellow pages. The opening of the Aurora mega-clinic was tied to the release of "the shocking statistic that 47 million Americans are uninsured." (8/31/07 release "New Clinic Fills Health Care Need," www.plannedparenthood.org).

It should be noted that lack of insurance would impact only Planned Parenthood's ability to collect payment, not to see patients. If the patient lacked money, nothing would stop it from "nobly" treating the patient for free.

National Right to Life News, September 2007, and www.LifeNews.com , 09/27/07.

Coercive Abortion Prevention Act (AB 427) Approved by Assembly Committee

Assembly Action Expected This Fall

At a public hearing held Sept. 13, the Assembly Judiciary & Ethics Committee heard dramatic testimony from women who told heartwrenching stories about being coerced into having an abortion. These courageous women came to Madison to urge the committee to pass Assembly Bill 427, the Coercive Abortion Prevention Act. This legislation would protect women who are being forced to have an abortion against their will.

Current Wisconsin law prohibits an abortionist from performing an abortion on a woman against her will. Women entering Wisconsin's abortion clinics are not aware of this law and the abortionist is not required to assess whether the woman is being coerced into having an abortion. AB 427 would remedy this shortcoming.

Under AB 427, the abortionist must assess whether an abortion is voluntary or coerced and would be prohibited from performing a coerced abortion. A woman who is being threatened with physical harm will no longer be without assistance and will be informed of resources available for victims of domestic abuse and provide her with assistance in contacting those resources. The committee approved AB 427 on a vote of 8–2. The bill is ready to be scheduled for a vote by the Assembly. To find out how members of the committee voted and how you can support AB 427, visit our Legislation page at www.WisconsinRightToLife.org.

Students Spend Vacation Learning Right-to-Life Issues

Wisconsin Right to Life conducted two weeks of summer leadership camps, bringing together young people ranging in age from 12 to 21 (with a few cool adults thrown in for good measure) for intensive pro-life education and training. These camps, now in their fifth summer, combine education on issues ranging from abortion and stem cell research to euthanasia and health-care rationing with recreational activities like "The Human Race" and games like Pro-Life Clue and Pro-Life Taboo.

The focus of the entire camp experience is to equip young people to carry the truth about abortion and euthanasia back to their schools and communities and to have some fun in the process of learning. Judging from some of the responses of students reprinted below, the camp program has been a real success!

"This camp really inspired me to be active in the pro-life movement. It was great to be surrounded by others who feel the same way. I am going to get involved in the local Right to Life chapter in my area." -- Girl, 17

"I think I will be able to fight more intelligently because of how this camp has helped me get the right information. I will probably be way more involved now." -- Girl, 13

"I really feel as though I needed to be here and it is more than coincidence that I'm here now. I am joining the pro-life group at my college and I will inform pretty much all of the people I ever see." -- Guy, 19

The lives of the unborn and the fate of the medically dependent and vulnerable will soon rest in the hands of these young people. It is critical to ensure that they are well-trained, passionately dedicated to the cause of life and ready to take on leadership roles in decades to come. And from all accounts, they are more than up to that task.

For more information on upcoming right-to-life youth events contact Joleigh Little at jlittle@wrtl.org.

News Capsule

Adult Stem Cells Revolutionizing Heart Care

A small Australian trial using patients' own stem cells to treat heart disease has been termed a success, with all six patients showing "significant" improvement after six months without side effects. Stem cells from the patient's own bone marrow were cultured for about eight weeks and then reinjected into the patients' heart muscle. Of the six, four had reduced heart failure, three showed significant improvement in their heart function and five had less chest pain and needed less medication. NRLNews, September 2007. www.NRLC.org

Hillary-Care Would Hinge on Rationing

Presidential candidate Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) unveiled a proposal for universal health care, but her plan, similar to the one she introduced in 1993-94, still rations health care, despite new language. The new plan would effectively impose price controls on drugs, through the fiction of government "negotiation" of their Medicare prices. This would limit access to innovative drugs and significantly curtail research on new drugs. (See NRL News, February 2007, p. 1.) NRLNews, September 2007. www.NRLC.org

Year-End Tax-Friendly Giving...

IRA: The Pension Protection Act of 2006: This Act may offer you new opportunities for tax-free charitable giving. Congress is allowing individuals with traditional or Roth IRAs, age 70 ½ or older, to make tax-free gifts of up to $100,000 directly to qualified charities. If you are required to take unneeded IRA withdrawals or have experienced limitations on tax benefits in the past, you may find this new law of particular interest. This law will expire at the end of 2007.

Planned Gifts: You can leave a Legacy to Life by including the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund in your will.

Gifts of Appreciated Stock: You can save lives and receive a tax advantage by donating shares of stock to the Veritas Society or the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund.


If you have questions about Planned Gifts or donating an IRA or shares of appreciated stock, please call Mary Phillips, Director of Development. at 414-778-5780 or toll free at 877-855-5007.

Memorials and Honorariums:
Honor a loved one’s anniversary or special occasion with an Honorarium gift, or celebrate the life of a loved one with a Memorial gift. Special cards in honor of your gift are sent to your loved one’s family and their names will be published at our website: www.WisconsinRightToLife.org/memorials.htm

United Way:
You may be able to designate your United Way gift to us. Contact Mary Phillips in our development office, toll free at (877) 855-5007 or (414) 778-5780.

Sign Up for E-Voice

Sign Up for E-Voice at WisconsinRightToLife.org and you can be a strong voice in the legislature on behalf of the unborn by joining the E-Voice network.

Or, print, complete and mail this form to Wisconsin Right to Life E-Voice, 10625 W. North Ave. Suite LL, Milwaukee, WI 53226-2331.

You Can Help Save Lives by Donating
Your Vehicle to Wisconsin Right to Life!
Donated cars benefit the Wisconsin Right to Life Education Fund and you receive a tax deduction for your donation.

It’s a win-win for you, the babies and the Education Fund. Be sure to check with a tax professional to determine how you can benefit.

Learn more and print donation forms online.