Sebelius Resigns

Last week, Kathleen Sebelius resigned from ObamaCare. I was a little surprised, but I shouldn't have been. The Secretary of Health and Human Services stepped down the day after the enrollment period ended (which had been pushed back so many times in order to reach a respectable number) some three-and-a-half-years into the project. Sebelius was overdue for walking away from the whole disaster. I have covered the native Kansan before, since she is one of the figures left from my political days in Topeka in the early 90s. We are glad to be making our last COBRA payment of $1700 and joining the group medical insurance provided at Captain's new job.

Gov. Sebelius is Nominated

More bad news on the political front. Obama has appointed Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius to be his Health and Human Services Secretary. She has a notorious record for expanding abortion in my home state, and she has had several run-ins with her Bishop since she continues to receive Holy Communion in the Catholic Church. A woman's health is never "saved" by an abortion. Nor is the child's.

April Fools

This year, I didn't cook my usual April Fool's breakfast of meatloaf and mashed potatoes because Winger was throwing up. It was also a gloomy and blustery day outside. Needless to say, no one in the family played any tricks all day.

But I cannot resist a comment on Obama's nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. (She's fair game because I lived more years in Kansas than I have in Missouri.) She is the sixth appointee who was found to have made unintentional mistakes on their taxes. She explained the goof saying she deducted mortgage interest for a house she sold in 2006, and for deducting the interest of a similar second mortgage. No Fooling!?!

Time to Fight for Freedom

Today is the Feast of St. Thomas More, whom I chose as the patron saint of my homeschool after I lived in his house-converted-to-dormitory in London during college. His fortitude in the face of King Henry XIII's scandal earned him the respect of his countrymen and Catholics throughout the ages. So it appropriate that he is chosen as the starting point for a US Catholic Church campaign called "Fortnight for Freedom."

The bishops are uniting us to make a direct response to our government's infringement on religious rights--particularly the recent HHS mandate by Kathleen Sebelius and Pres. Obama. It is no surprise to me that we are at this crossroads, having watched pro-life politics for all my life. But now is the time to speak up and educate others. Anyone can see this will erode everyone's rights by taking away our voice. Our weapons must be prayer, education, and action (which includes letter writing, rallies, and special mass times). I liked this woman's comments for their eloquence and authenticity.

Birth Control is Not Right

Nor is it a right.  Scientists know the Pill can cause a mini abortion -- by preventing the conceived baby from finding a suitable place for implantation.  Of course, Catholics are going to be opposed to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' new budget-buster idea last Monday of mandating the Pill for everyone for free.  Who is going to pay for that?  Those of us who already pay for medical insurance initially.  But the shift in morality is actually the worst part as this plan as it would have far-reaching implications for health care funding by taxpayers in the future.  Bill Saunders at Americans United for Life called the conscience protection clause a "fig leaf" on the rule.  It's not really going to cover anybody adequately and is so narrowly defined that Catholic colleges and hospitals will not be exempt (though common sense would lead you to believe they could have a conscientious objection).

HHS Mandate

Father Benjamin gave a forceful homily today about the Obama Mandate from Health and Human Services. It is unfortunate that Secr. Kathleen Sebelius thinks we will accept a one-year deadline for accepting the government's wishes. It is not possible at any time for Catholic institutions to provide and pay for contraception, sterilizations, and abortions. I am weary from this battle, as I have said this was coming since the LAST election. Of course, I will write letters again to my Senators and Congressmen. Not as good as the letters written by Olmsted, Chaput, and Dolan.

More News From K-State

Some days, you get good news and some days, it's bad news.  Yesterday, I considered it a poor choice when the K-State Landon Lecture was awarded to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.  Yes, she was governor of Kansas--which must be a more valuable resume-builder than governor of Alaska for some reason?!?  But she wasn't even from Kansas, and she graduated from KU.  (sheesh!)  There have been important Republicans also invited to speak, and I was proud to cover a couple of them for the K-State Collegian in my day.  Yesterday's topic was healthcare reform, and I just don't agree with her approach.  We've always paid our premiums, and I know it supports more than my own family.  A recent statistic shows that Medicaid pays for nearly 60 percent of all births here locally.  Families in NW Missouri are poorer than some and live babies are better than abortion, but unfortunately my tax dollars are also paying for those as well as every rash, hiccup, and runny nose.  When people begin to accept responsibility and hard work on behalf of their own families, then our healthcare system will offer care in proportion to profits.  I guess I've seen more than my share of health care in the past month.  I cannot help but wonder (as I sat for 4 hours in the E.R. and another 3 hours in the waiting room of the neurologist) how ObamaCare would improve the quality of service for my insurance dollar when the government is already bloated with no-payers.