Injecting itself aggressively into the health-care debate, the Roman Catholic Church in America has emerged as a major political force with the potential to upend a key piece of President Barack Obama’s agenda.
Behind-the-scenes lobbying, coupled with a grassroots mobilization of Catholic churches across the country, led the House Saturday to pass an amendment to its health-care bill barring anyone who receives a new tax credit from enrolling in a plan that covers abortion, a once-unthinkable event in Democrat-dominated Washington.
The restriction would still have to be accepted by the Senate, where it will likely face a tough fight. The issue could sink the larger health legislation if the chambers fail to reach agreement, or if any consensus language leads supporters to defect.
The House vote, and the central role played by one of the country’s biggest religious denominations, stunned abortion-rights groups that had worked hard to elect Mr. Obama and expand Democratic congressional majorities. Activists on the left had thought social issues would take a back seat to economic concerns.
I am still impressed that the Get Religion website called this back in July. It took until [i]after[/i] the ammendment for the MSM to finally be able to see and report what journalists with an eye to the religious angle saw months and months in advance. This article could easily have the lede “WSJ catches up with Get Religion”.
Given that evangelicals in the U.S. seem to becoming the Republican party at prayer, this level of influence by the Roman Catholic Bishops on the Democratic party can only be good from the point of view of stopping abortion. It looks as though an anti-abortion stance may possibly become an issue that transcends the liberal-conservative divide of the two party system. That can only be good for babies in the long term. Don’t know if any Americans agree with this analysis, but it is encouraging for this interested outside observer.
1. Thanks, Mark.
I have long rued the intractable bond between Catholics and the Dem party. Now, it seems perhaps the Spirit is wiser. While the Dem leadership has wrung all the pro-lifers from its ranks, it cannot overlook their sizable numbers on the ground. While Catholics do not always vote pro-life as a first priority, they often will at critical junctures. I lived in a pro-life Dem district for the past 13 years in Northern Indiana. It is amazing what passion often lies beneath the surface on this issue and is implacably released by faithful Catholic Dems when the appointed hour arrives.
Re #1
Mark,
A very insightful post. As someone who has long been uncomfortable with the apparent union between the GOP and Evangelical Protestants I am heartened that there are apparently some Democrats who are willing to take a moral stand based on ethics and faith. Likewise I think it is unhealthy for any political party to become too closely linked to any specific religion. The GOP has been pushing that envelope for a while.
In ICXC
John