Op-Ed: Liberal group calls Pro-Lifers "extremists," lies about abortion coverage in Obamacare

Today’s daily funny comes compliments of the so-called “Texas Freedom Network.” In a March 5 op-ed, the laughs start as early as the title: “Extremists Push to Make It Even Harder to Access Abortion Care in Texas.” The “extremists” are us – dedicated Pro-Life Texans who think that there’s something wrong with butchering helpless, preborn humans (for the author, this act of killing is “abortion care”).

The author, “Dan,” goes on to share some disturbing misinformation about abortion coverage in the Affordable Care Act. Rather than relaying how abortion coverage in Obamacare actually played out, Dan opts to cite what was supposed to happen, failing to mention that the law was wildly abused in the first years of Obamacare implementation. Dan says that the “ACA doesn’t change” the fact that federal funds – per the Hyde Amendment – cannot go to non-excepted abortion funding (in other words, federal funding can cover abortions on children conceived in rape and incest, and pregnancies purported to “endanger” the life of the mother).

Here’s the kicker: last year, a government watchdog group blew the lid off of 1,036 Obamacare health plans that covered non-excepted abortions – aka, abortion on-demand. In each of the 1,036 cases, abortion coverage was illegal. As much as abortion advocates like Dan would like to believe that Obama didn’t lie when he said, “under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortion,” he did. In Dan’s world, though, Pro-Lifers are somehow the ones who “haven’t been telling the truth.” (Actually, that’s precisely what we have been doing.)

The article becomes more entertaining as Dan explicitly calls out Texas Right to Life as a “radical organization.” How did we earn this charming characterizing? Answer: by introducing a piece of legislation that will put an end to the insidious abortion funding that is still taking place under our noses right here in Texas. In a bizarre twist, Dan explains that SB 575 and HB 1435, respectively, will “essentially bar any health insurance plans on the state exchange in Texas from offering coverage for abortion care, except in cases of rape or incest or when the life of the mother is in danger.” Wait… isn’t that exactly what Dan already said Obamacare is committed to doing? If holding the Obama Administration to its own law makes us “radical,” our supporters appreciate our radicalness.

The accolades continue into Dan’s conclusion: “Of course, the ultimate goal of extremist groups like Texas Right to Life is to end access to safe, legal abortion care completely and permanently.” If “safe, legal abortion care” is code for dangerous, illegal abortion funding, then yes. Dan is correct.

We aren’t sure whose freedom the Texas Freedom Network intends to preserve, but one thing is certain: the preborn and Texas taxpayers are conspicuously excluded.

Lauren Enriquez is a freelance writer, wife, and mother. She is a graduate of Ave Maria University, where she studied Classics and Early Christian Literature. Over the last seven years, Lauren has worked with Texas Right to Life in the capacities of intern, student fellow, legislative associate, and communications consultant. She specializes in helping Pro-Life organizes maximize their written and media presence.