More And More Abortion
By BARBARA SIMPSON
It appears that no matter what laws are passed to make abortion easier and easier to obtain, there seems to be no limit. You can add the state of New Jersey to that.
Long considered a state that didn’t rattle too many cages, things are changing now under the auspices of Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration.
The state already has some of the most permissive pro-abortion laws and one of the highest abortion rates in the country. It’s reported that more than 22,000 abortions are performed in the state annually.
Right now, New Jersey forces taxpayers to pay for elective abortions through Medicaid. Considering how little publicity the state gets on this issue, most people would be surprised at the facts.
Despite that, however, the proposals from Murphy are making it easier for elective abortions to be available and to require that private health insurance will pay for them. Murphy’s administration asserts that the regulation is necessary because some woman can’t afford abortions.
The state Department of Banking and Insurance released a report in December that state insurance plans should cover elective abortions because state law preserves the right to terminate a pregnancy without government interference. This requirement is now in effect as of January first and will expand to cover school and government employees by 2024.
In addition to the state providing more money to pay for abortions, New Jersey is now providing money to train abortion providers. The state Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced a $5-million taxpayer-funded grant to train more students and medical workers to become abortionists.
In New Jersey, physicians are permitted to perform abortions but now the state will allow midwives, advance practice nurses, and physician assistants to do the same.
It should be noted that several states already allow this, despite the fact that a 2013 California study found that abortions done by non-physicians were twice as likely to have complications as those done by licensed physicians. There is research to indicate that many doctors refuse to do abortions and that the number of abortionists is decreasing.
The Guttmacher Institute reported in 1982, that there were 2,918 abortion doctors in this country but by 2011, that number decreased to 1,720. A Bloomberg study in 2016, shows that a number of abortion clinics have closed in the last few years and have not been replaced.
In its effort to help the situation, and according to the New Jersey announcement, Rutgers University will receive grant money to create and implement the new “New Jersey Reproductive Training and Education Initiative.” It’s their way of helping to provide qualified people to continue performing abortions.
As reported in LifeSiteNews, earlier this year “New Jersey Right to Life” warned voters about how extreme state Democrat leaders are on abortion. The pro-life group pointed to a USA Today editorial by Murphy and Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, that admits they also support late-term abortions and oppose parental consent for minors.
Unsurprisingly, there was vocal opposition to the Murphy decision. The executive director of New Jersey Right to life, Marie Tasy, said the governor is doing the bidding of the billion-dollar abortion chain Planned Parenthood, which has donated heavily to his political campaigns.
She was quoted in LifeSiteNews as saying that Murphy has already forced state taxpayers to give 114 million tax dollars to Planned Parenthood since being elected. Planned Parenthood calls the access to abortion “a universal right.”
As for religious employers — they are not exempt from the regulation. They must request and receive an approval for any exemption from the pro-abortion mandate. Without that, they are required to follow the law and pay for abortions.
And, speaking of religion, it should be noted that Gov. Murphy is a declared Catholic. Despite that, he finds himself promoting laws that support easily available abortion, what the Church considers a major sin, if not a crime.
This puts him in the same category as President Joseph Biden and outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Both are declared and supposedly practicing Catholics, and both of whom wholeheartedly support abortion and its availability to anyone who desires the procedure.
There are a few American bishops who have said they would not allow these two to receive Communion, but such decisions are not being heard from bishops across the country. In fact we are told in the media that Pope Francis said is it is OK for Biden to receive Communion.
Thinking Catholics ask, “Why?”
Such confusion on important religious issues leaves the average Catholic in a state of confusion. What part of the Church law applies to them? What do they obey and not? Is it really an open decision or is there a firm issue of right and wrong that all Catholics face?
At this point, few Church leaders are providing direct answers to this and this is only contributing to the confusion Catholics face in their efforts to practice their religion.
What’s the answer?
Only God knows.