FOCA & Hysteria & Reality

(Hat tip to MaryKate for bringing this up)

Email forward: "For those of you who do not know, the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is set to be signed if congress passes it on January 21-22 of 2009. The FOCA is the next sick chapter in the book of abortion. If made a law then all limitations on abortion will be lifted...
...
Perhaps most importantly the government will now have control in the issue of abortion. This could result in a future amendment that would force women by law to have abortions in certain situations (rape, down syndrome babies, etc) and could even regulate how many children women are allowed to have."

After reading that, I had my interest piqued. Any time there is mass hysteria amongst the Christian Right, its often times disproportionate to the issue at hand.

A bill of this caliber is simply too hot to pass both houses and be signed into law, its like shooting your own political kneecaps.

After spending nearly a quarter hour finding any useful information on FOCA, I found this article from the Wall Street Journal:
""Our No. 1 concern would be the FOCA bill," said Connie Mackey, senior vice president of Family Research Council Action, a conservative group that focuses on social issues. "We have to appeal directly to the American public."

The opponents of this legislation appear more eager for a debate over it than the proponents do, perhaps knowing it is a strong way to rally their supporters early in the administration....
Among them is the "right of conscience" regulation that is expected to be published this week. It will take effect 30 days after being issued. That means that if the Bush administration issues the regulation this week, it will become final before Mr. Obama's inauguration on Jan. 20, and his administration won't be able to undo it easily.

For decades, federal law has said that doctors and nurses can't be compelled to perform abortions. The new regulation broadens that to make clear that all health-care workers may refuse to provide information, such as a referral, to patients looking for an abortion. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates the regulation would affect 584,000 hospitals, doctor's offices, pharmacies and other entities."

So for the time being, the Pro-life forces have the upper hand, courtesy one last favor by W. I think FOCA will remain a bill tabled in congress to placate the ornery proponents of murder on the left, while being entirely to controversial to ever pass the bi-cambial legislature.