EDITORIAL: Manchin's Obama Headache Just Turned Into a Migraine
Governor Joe Manchin has had to deal with his "Obama problem" just
like every major Democratic official running for office this year. As the President's
popularity ratings have plummeted over the last several months since the passage
of his liberal-leaning health care bill, Democratic Governors and Congressional
candidates have definitely had to do a tap dance. On one hand, they want to
be loyal Democrats and support their President.
But on the other hand, they'd like to survive politically, too.
Now President Obama is taking another thrashing at the polls over his decision to inject himself into the controversial Muslim mosque site near Ground Zero in New York City. Imagine poor Governor Manchin, the nephew of ultra-patriot A. James Manchin, watching his President on TV as he waded into that controversy this past week--and bungled the job.
But wait, there's more. Remember what a strong advocate Governor Manchin was for Obamacare as that massive health care bill wound its way through the last parts of its Congressional legislative marathon? Why, Manchin couldn't say enough good about the bill, despite the concerns of many of his pro-life constituents who worried that Obama's reforms would ultimately involve pro-choice policies.
That not only has been proven correct, the administration's health care reforms have gone a step further towards a pro-choice position than even many pro-life advocates feared: taxpayer funded abortions.
That's right--taxpayer funded abortions, the third rail of abortion politics.
Just recently, the Obama Administration agreed to disburse $160 million in federal funds to Pennsylvania, some of which will be used to fund at least some abortions with taxpayer money. Few expected anything this extreme.
Douglas Johnson is the legislative director fo the National Right to Life Committee. He said recently that this Pennsylvania initiative by the Obama Administration is "just the first proof of the phoniness of President Obama's assurances that federal funds would not subsidize abortion."
At some point, Governor Manchin is going to have to quit playing both sides of the Obama/Pro-Life question. Of all the abortion-related issues in play, the one that garners widespread agreement is a taxpayer's right to not have their tax dollars used for a procedure about which they have serious moral concerns. Pro-lifers and pro-choicers may disagree on when life begins. However, most people on both sides generally have agreed that no pro-life doctor, pharmacist, nurse, or citizen should have to be co-opted involuntarily into a decision that rubs against their most sacred principles or religious beliefs. It's a First Amendment issue.
Only a radical pro-choice advocate would force pro-life citizens to pay for abortions against their will. Now that we see the Pennsylvania plan underway, Governor Manchin must publicly repudiate the President's current health care reform legislation or appear as though he's siding with an administration who thinks it's fine to force citizens to pay for abortions with taxpayer dollars.
Is the Governor with the vast majority of his constituents when it comes to Obamacare? Or is he still with the current pro-choice administration in Washington, D.C. on this one? He can no longer have it both ways.
Now that we know about the federal funding of abortions in neighboring Pennsylvania, Governor Manchin must publicly repudiate Obamacare. For if he doesn't, his pro-life reputation will go straight out the window.