Saturday, May 25, 2013

American Life League Arizona (ALLAZ) does not endorse AZ Medicaid expansion

Dear Prolife Apostles, below you will find some remarks by Cathi Herrod of CAP regarding Medicaid expansion. They are certainly clarifying and we usually support CAP and The Diocese of Phoenix in all their legislative matters. We cannot however in good conscience support the Medicaid expansion due to our belief that the protection of the most innocent human life is foundational in all legislative action taken. There is no doubt in our minds that funds to abortionists will eventually be used to further the causes of the abortion industry up to and including actual abortions, the murder of children. Please note her very last line which I have highlighted in yellow. Our Lady of Guadalupe please pray for us and deliver the children from all evil.  God bless you all and call your legislators to stop this funding.

Rich Newhouse, President, American Life League of Arizona


Medicaid Expansion and Abortion Fact Sheet

Posted in Life on: May 24th, 2013
In the current debate over whether Arizona should expand Medicaid services pursuant to the federal Affordable Care Act, questions have arisen regarding the funding of abortion providers. To clarify the misinformation surrounding this issue, Center for Arizona Policy (CAP) has provided the following analysis of the concerns raised along with our recommendation on how the Legislature might address the issue. 
Medicaid Expansion Pro-Life Issues Q & A
Question: Will Medicaid expansion result in additional money and benefits for abortion providers in Arizona?
Answer: YES. There is no law currently in force to prevent abortion providers from receiving payment from AHCCCS for providing family planning or medical services other than abortion. These taxpayer dollars subsidize the abortion business by freeing up additional money to be spent on abortion services.
Additionally, an AHCCCS patient who receives family planning services from an abortion provider might not otherwise have had a relationship with an abortion provider. Once that relationship is established, the patient will be more likely to return to that abortion provider if that patient has an unexpected pregnancy.
Thus, abortion providers’ participation in Medicaid necessarily benefits them both financially and through creating a stream of patients for the abortion side of the business.
With the proposed expansion of Medicaid to cover additional childless adults, the likelihood of this “patient stream” benefit is magnified because the population being covered is the prime target of the abortion industry. 
Question: But doesn’t federal law already prohibit using Medicaid to pay for abortions?
Answer: YES, but the prohibition only applies to direct funding for abortion.
Currently, because of state law and the federal Hyde amendment, Medicaid dollars cannot be used to pay directly for abortions, except under the following circumstances:
  • Federal law requires AHCCCS to pay for abortions resulting from rape and incest.
  • State law requires AHCCCS to pay for abortions to save the life of the mother.
  • The Arizona Supreme Court decision in SIMAT requires the state to pay for “medically necessary” abortions for indigent women.
There is no evidence to date that these categories are currently being abused, but an unscrupulous abortion provider could be found stretching the definitions in an effort to receive government funding for abortions.
However, the concern is not generally these limited categories. As explained above, the concern is primarily that taxpayer dollars funding Medicaid subsidize the abortion business and provide new patients to abortion providers who participate in AHCCCS.
Question: Didn’t the Legislature address this last year through HB 2800?
Answer: YES, but that law is not currently in force.
Federal district court Judge Neil Wake issued a permanent injunction preventing the State from enforcing HB 2800 to exclude abortion providers from AHCCCS. His ruling is based on federal Medicaid statutes and rules, and the decision is currently being appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The U.S. Supreme Court will soon decide whether to take a similar case out of Indiana. 
Question: Can the Legislature do anything to address the issue?
Answer: YES, but until we receive a favorable court ruling or see Congressional action, there are only limited steps the State may take to partially restrict the benefits of Medicaid to abortion providers.
Some potential incremental options for amending Medicaid expansion include:
  • Clarifying that Medicaid dollars cannot be used either directly or indirectly for performing, assisting, or encouraging abortions and requiring AHCCCS to conduct audits to ensure compliance.
  • Prohibiting abortion providers from performing abortions on AHCCCS members who have come to them previously for family planning services.
  • Enhancing abortion reporting requirements to include information about which abortion providers are receiving AHCCCS money.
Recommendation: Center for Arizona Policy requests that the incremental steps listed above be included in the final adoption of any Medicaid expansion measure.
It should be clear that these steps will not completely prohibit new taxpayer funds from going to abortion providers under Medicaid expansion.

God bless,

R. Richard Newhouse
Rich Newhouse
President
American Life League of Arizona, 335 E. Waltann Ln. Suite 4, Phoenix, AZ 85022

Triplegate: It's Like Saul Alinsky is Running the Country

With three full-blown scandals currently surrounding the Obama administration, there are too many “-gates” to name just one. There is the cover-up of the fatal Benghazi terrorist attack, the IRS targeting conservatives, and the Justice Department spying on members of the press. The level of corruption is so high right now, it is like Saul Alinsky is running the White House.

Alinsky, the radical activist who wrote Rules for Radicals, which he dedicated to Satan, taught the radical left to use dishonest tactics in order to achieve their agenda – “by any means necessary.” He advocated lying and harassing those with opposing viewpoints. Both Obama and Hillary Clinton were deeply influenced by Alinsky. Alinsky biographer Sanford Howitt has said Obama's 2008 election campaign was influenced by Alinsky, and that Obama followed in his footsteps as a community organizer. Alinsky's son David wrote in an article that appeared in the Boston Globe, Obama learned his lesson well. I am proud to see that my father’s model for organizing is being applied successfully beyond local community organizing to affect the Democratic campaign in 2008. It is a fine tribute to Saul Alinsky as we his approach his 100th birthday.” Obama revealed a few years ago that his years training as a community organizer at Alinsky's Industrial Areas Foundation, “gave him the best education of his life.” He has quoted Alinsky in speeches.

Four Americans died during the Benghazi attacks, and it is now coming out that the White House knew the embassy needed more security, and knew terrorists were targeting it, but did nothing. Three whistleblowers have come forward, in spite of being threatened with demotions, to tell Congress that the administration knew at the time of U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice's public comments that the Benghazi terrorist attack was connected to terrorists, and they in fact deleted out those references in her talking points, revising them 12 times. One of the whistleblowers, Gregory Hicks, who was the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Libya during 2012, is a Democrat, not exactly someone who has anything to gain for partisan reasons.

Friday, May 10, 2013

I will be on the Far Right No Apologies radio show tonight to discuss Western Shooting Journal and the Second Amendment

If you haven't yet heard what Western Shooting Journal is all about, tune in tonight at 5:15 p.m. PST (7:15 p.m. CST) to the Far Right No Apologies radio show, co-hosted by Roger Dorn and Jennifer Lexon. We will also also discuss the latest gun control efforts and how the NRA convention went last weekend, where I got to meet co-host Roger and his lovely wife Shawn. Click here to listen when it starts. Check out their website New Guards here.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

$52 million in raises/bonuses for City of Phoenix government employees - but what about pledge to repeal food tax?


Phoenix Budget Bombshell
City staff confirmed Tuesday in the proposed budget for 2013-14, there are $52 million in raises and bonuses - $29.9 million in new merit and longevity increases (in the private sector, those are called pay raises and bounces) and $23 million in continued restoration pay increases from last year. 
Yes, over $29.9 million in NEW raises.
It is unconscionable government employees getting these pay raises while the City continues to collect the food tax.  The public would find this more palatable if Phoenix followed through with its pledge to repeal half the tax by January 2014.
At the City Council meeting, I asked the following:
·    How many police officers could be hired with $52 million?
·    How many Fire fighters could be hired?
·    How many after school programs would $52 million fund?
·    How much longer could libraries be opened with $52 million?
·    How many senior programs could be restored with $52 million?
It’s a question of priorities.
The investigation by the Arizona Republic reported employees get walk away money, a “golden parachute”, ranging from tens of thousands of dollars to $100,000 or more. Some received close to $1 million.
You and your families are my priority and you have sacrificed enough.
You have my commitment to keep fighting for you and get Phoenix to follow through on ending the food tax.
My best to you and your family,

Sal DiCiccio
City of Phoenix
Councilman, District 6
602-262-7491

Western Shooting Journal stops by the NRA annual convention in Houston

We had a great time at the NRA's annual convention last weekend, met lots of new people and reconnected with many in the industry. Saw so many new products and organizations I couldn't possibly remember them all, but here are a few photos of some of them below. The city of Houston was very accommodating and friendly, and the conference went smoothly. The speakers were more on the political side, whereas the exhibits were more the nuts and bolts side of guns. An Alabama lawyer named James “Jim” W. Porter II replaced David Keene as NRA president (bet you thought Wayne LaPierre was the president! He's the executive vice president and CEO) Porter's father was a prior president of the NRA and Porter has served as first vice president and second vice president. The Daily Mail has a list of the 10 most interesting guns that were at the convention.
Duck Dynasty at Mossberg
We were thrilled to see Willie Robertson from Duck Dynasty hanging out with our friend Linda Powell from Mossberg at the Mossberg booth.
Trijicon-NRA
The NRA logo on the outside of the George R. Brown convention center was stunning. (photo courtesy of Trijicon)
 My favorite gun at the entire convention was this beautiful gold-plated 1911, which American Legacy Firearms custom-made for the Second Amendment Foundation. $1700 if you bought it at the convention.
My favorite gun at the entire convention was this beautiful gold-plated 1911, which American Legacy Firearms custom-made for the Second Amendment Foundation. $1700 if you bought it at the convention.We got to meet top archery shooter and hunter Whitney Isenhart. She was very gracious. Hope to feature her in the magazine soon! http://whitneyisenhart.com/
We got to meet top archery shooter and hunter Whitney Isenhart, representing Franchi. She was very gracious. Hope to feature her in the magazine soon! http://whitneyisenhart.com/Magpul, the gun manufacturer that is leaving Colorado over its new gun control laws, was in-your-face with perhaps the largest  and most spectacular gun spectacle at the conference, a Dillon Aerospace 7.62 M134 minigun, mounted on a vintage VW microbus. Their booth was one of the busiest at the convention.
Magpul, the gun manufacturer that is leaving Colorado over its new gun control laws, was in-your-face with perhaps the largest and most spectacular gun spectacle at the conference, a Dillon Aerospace 7.62 M134 minigun, mounted on a vintage VW microbus. Their booth was one of the busiest at the convention.We've never seen so many cool gun-related gadgets.
We've never seen so many cool gun and knife-related gadgets.Dick and Amy
Western Shooting Journal's Associate Publisher Dick Openshaw with Amy Prevear from Sig Sauer.Remington was celebrating the Model 1100's 50th anniversary.
Remington was celebrating the Model 1100's 50th anniversary.
Brian with lion
All work and no play? No way! We could not resist photo ops like these.zombie display
Zombies were everywhere at the convention....Hornady sells zombie ammunition.
women's gear
Pink is always the easiest way to distinguish women's gear from men's!women's shirts
The NRA store was HUGE, and keeps expanding every year.NRA swag
NRA poster1
10 to 20 foot tall posters like this were everywhere.Bet you didn't know Karl Malone was on the NRA board!
Bet you didn't know Karl Malone was on the NRA board of directors!NW Territorial Mint 50 cal and 20 mm
Northwest Territorial Mint makes the most beautiful genuine silver mock rounds, in 50 cal and 20 mm.NW Territorial Mint NRA knives
Beautiful commemorative NRA knives from Northwest Territorial Mint.Krieghoff rifles
We like how one commenter describes Krieghoff shotguns: Krieghoff is to shotguns as Lamborgini is to automobile.
me shooting
I got to check out a Trijicon scope mounted on a John Browning-designed .50-caliber military machine gun. The gun and scope were so popular at the Trijicon booth that you had to wait your turn to try it out.Franchi rifles
High-end rifles made by Franchi.
Dick and Workman
Western Shooting Journal's Associate Publisher, Dick Openshaw (center), with the Second Amendment Foundation's Dave Workman and Rosemary Silano from American Legacy Firearms.protesters
We never saw more than 3-4 protesters across the street the entire time we were at the convention, although we heard there were as many as 12.