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Foley: Pro-life beliefs are driving efforts

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BY NANCY HICKS / Lincoln Journal Star

Thursday, Mar 16, 2006 - 08:04:47 pm CST

After two days of tiptoeing around the issue, Sen. Mike Foley acknowledged Thursday that his pro-life beliefs and his disgust with Planned Parenthood are driving his efforts to redistribute funding for women’s health services.

“I am pro-life to the core, with no apologies,” said Foley, who said he is working to make sure Planned Parenthood doesn’t get state funding.

“They are to abortion what McDonald is to cheeseburgers,” the Lincoln senator said. “They do more than anyone else.

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“And that’s what this is about.”

Foley’s announcement on the floor of the Legislature came after a letter he sent to some supporters last week became public.

In the letter, Foley said his budget amendment would “at least begin to cut into the disbursement of our tax dollars to Planned Parenthood.”

And he asked people to pray that the amendment would prevail.

The issue goes beyond limiting funding to Planned Parenthood, Foley also acknowledged Thursday. He said he also doesn’t want state tax dollars going to other family planning clinics that offer abortion referral and information, even if they don’t provide abortions.

A number of senators were incensed by what they called Foley’s duplicity: his insistence this week that his primary concern was to broaden the number of clinics that could get the money and provide better distribution of services across the state.

Honesty and integrity is all that senators really have with each other, Sen. Don Pederson of North Platte said during two hours of debate on the issue Thursday.

“I believe we were deliberately deceived,” he said.

“I’m disappointed,” said Lincoln Sen. DiAnna Schimek. “I don’t think from the comments that one could extrapolate that he was trying to destroy funding for the services already there,” she said.

“I’m afraid I was deceived, and I feel betrayed,” said Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney, who quoted from the Bible, “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” And he repeated the common saying, “Fool me once, it’s your fault. Fool me twice, it’s mine.”

“There won’t be a second time,” Johnson said.

Several senators also said they intend to revisit the funding distribution language during second-round debate.

But Foley said senators should not have been surprised by his motives, since he had been open about his dislike of family planning clinics during two public hearings held by legislative committees.

Sen. Pam Brown of Omaha said the abortion debate detracts from the real issue: family planning. It’s about whether women should have the opportunity to get information so they don’t get pregnant and don’t have to consider an abortion, she said.

In an interview after the debate, Foley said he has not made an issue about contraception or the fact state funds go to clinics that provide information about contraception and give prescriptions for birth control.

But he did not directly answer a question about whether he believes tax dollars should not go to clinics that provide birth control and birth control information.

“I have not said that,” he said.

Reach Nancy Hicks at 473-7250 or nhicks@journalstar.com.

What you should know

What’s at stake: State tax dollars used to reimburse about 36 family planning clinics across the state, primarily for giving low-income women Pap smears and testing for sexually transmitted disease.

What has happened: A plan proposed by Sen. Mike Foley was added to the main budget bill during the first stage of debate. It requires Health and Human Services to use a different bid system when the agency decides where to spend tax dollars. Senators also increased the funding for next year from about $519,000 to $750,000. The bill still has two more rounds of debate before final passage.

What’s the controversy: The language directing a new bid process will likely cut or eliminate funding for family planning clinics that have traditionally provided the services, including two Planned Parenthood clinics in Lincoln. These clinics also provide a full range of family planning services, including prescriptions for birth control pills and abortion information and referral.


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Jay wrote on March 16, 2006 6:32 pm:
" Well he lost my vote. Kelly just got mine. "

 barbara wrote on March 16, 2006 7:45 pm:
" i completely agree with foley. have we put in senators that approve abortion without real needed,are our leaders people who quote the Bible when it comes to abortion by saying thou shalt not bear false witness when someone is trying to help stop abortion on demand, as many times as you want. does that senator really know why these girls are getting abortions; i think the man is clueless. he has had his head in the hay too long.mister come to grips with what is really going on in the cinics, your tell us how in the world is someone going to help these babies from being killed if your dont use the right language in your bills.i think i would like to know more about all you who approve abortion your past' and why you appove it-ABORTION ON CALL' "

 Dot wrote on March 16, 2006 8:47 pm:
" I admire Foley's conviction and courage. How many lawmakers would oppose abortion-on-demand if it weren't for fear of losing women's votes? I appreciate Barbara's point that it's ludicrous to cite the Ten Commandments to censure a pro-life activist. Great observation. (Surely there's some libertine rag that could provide a more suitable quotation!) "

 Lauren wrote on March 16, 2006 9:30 pm:
" Senator Foley is not Pro-Life to the core. He is pro-birth and needs to remember that there is more tolife than simply getting conceived or born. Senator Foley is the promoter of sectarian relgious dogma and works hard to infuse it into State Laws. He ignors the Principle of Seperation of Church and State in order to write his dogma into legal definitions of when human personhood commences. He is Roman Catholic to the core and that is fine as long as he respects that I am protestant to the core. "

 Dee wrote on March 16, 2006 10:25 pm:
" Planned Parenthood provides invaluable services to low-income women. I have insurance and prescription coverage now, but when I was younger and poorer it was the only health care I could afford. Because I was able to obtain affordable contraception, I never had to decide what to do about an unwanted pregnancy. These old biddies railing about "abortion on demand" are ridiculous. Very few women have multiple abortions. Are you for raising taxes to pay for more welfare? "

 Lincolnite wrote on March 17, 2006 12:19 am:
" Hooray for Senator Foley! Let's call abortion what it really is--murder of innocent babies. God will hold our nation accountable for this sin. Judgement day will be the day that we receive the punishment for this horrible holocaust. "

 Allan wrote on March 17, 2006 3:23 am:
" Mike Foley is running for Nebraska's Auditor of Public Accounts. But can we trust someone who brazenly lies -- no matter what his or her motives. Do the ends justify the means? Will he find a reason to justify lying about public spending? We have the right to insist that those who represent us speak truthfully -- we expect it from our children, we should expect no less from our politicians. "

 Jerry wrote on March 17, 2006 6:42 am:
" Foley's zealotry is inseparable from Fred Phelps "God Hates Fags" group in Wichita, KS. Hopefully, this spells the end of Foley's political career. "

 Jan wrote on March 17, 2006 6:56 am:
" Your article starts, "After two days of tiptoeing around the issue, Sen. Mike Foley acknowledged that his pro-life beliefs..." Why wasn't Foley forthcoming with his colleagues? Why didn't he tell them his real motives? It appears to me that he didn't have the courage to state his convictions up front. We don't need his lack of integrity and courage in state government. To divert funds from Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide services to low-income women because of his own beliefs tells me that he doesn't care about these women as much as he cares about what he wants. I believe the Bible also tells us that we should not judge others or we will be judged. When did Mike Foley become the judge? "

 Ricky wrote on March 17, 2006 7:05 am:
" Any voter concerned about the tactics and philosophy of Sen Foley would certainly want to deny him any public office in the future. Thankfully he is leaving the Unicameral. ricky from omaha "

 Ed wrote on March 17, 2006 7:12 am:
" I always find it puzzling when people say legislators like Senator Foley are trying to impose their morality on others but apparently think it is ok for legislators who oppose Senator Foley to impose their morality, i.e. the government should take my money to support the morality that men women are entitled to have sex without an ordinary and natural consequence of having sex (pregnancy). They are apparently to stupid or ignorant to understand that if one position is a moral issue the opposite position is as equally a moral position. At least Senator Foley is not advocating taking my money by force (which is what taxation is) to support his moral position, unlike his opponents "

 Ed wrote on March 17, 2006 7:43 am:
" Foley is not reducing abortions with this bill. If he is doing anything it is increasing the need for them. When will the religious right learn that the day we start teaching our children good sex education that includes both abstinence and birth control our society will reduce the number of abortions which is something pro-choicer’s want just as much as the pro-lifers. Now Foley is stealing this away from the ones that need it the most, the poor. He is also doing it with lies and deception sounds like a lesson he learned from the president. Wake up Nebraska we are becoming controlled by a religious regime that is just as scary as the ones we are fighting. "

 Andy Otte wrote on March 17, 2006 7:58 am:
" Dee - the point is that now you or any woman with low income who needs "healthcare" will be able to still get it, but not at a place that murders unborn. I am sick of my tax dollars going to a place that performs abortion and thank Senator Foley for giving low-income women an option to go somewhere else. Lauren - you do not know Senator Foley too well. By any definition he is Pro-Life to the core. The Fetal Assault bill as one example out of many. Regarding your protestant remark, how does he not respect that you are protestant. Just 100 years ago every single protestant denomination agreed with the Catholic position on all these Life issues, as time goes it is the protestant position that has shifted (in some churches, certainly not all). God Bless, I pray you'll come Home to Mother Church. "

 DJ wrote on March 17, 2006 8:19 am:
" Another example of those poor, persecuted right-wingers forcing their beliefs on others. Planned Parenthood provides many services. If he were truly concerned about the number of abortions, he would work to provide contraception. "

 lucky buck wrote on March 17, 2006 11:47 am:
" to stand on one's beliefs is a true sign of integrity. abortion on demand is a horrible issue. i'm protestant to the core too. i know a gal who has children, had several abortions, and has given children up for adoption. abortion on demand gives her the opportunity to "have fun" without the responsibility. reading about contraception is not contraception. only abstinance is. You go Senator. I'm in your court. "

 Kelly wrote on March 17, 2006 1:06 pm:
" ALL women deserve full access to reproductive health services, including contracption. Planned Parenthood does far more than simply provide abortions. It provides information, counseling, contraceptive products and health care to women who may not have the means to pay for it on their own. If you provide information and access to contraceptions, the number of abortions would go down. I'm tired of legislators imposing their moral beliefs in bills. You can not legislate morality!!! But you can provide access to heath care for the poor where they have the opportunity to get contraception that may prevent them from needing an abortion. "

 DJ wrote on March 17, 2006 1:38 pm:
" Ed wrote, "At least Senator Foley is not advocating taking my money by force (which is what taxation is) to support his moral position, unlike his opponents." There are many things for which I do not want my tax money to pay (such as tax cuts for the wealthy, Tom DeLay's golf outings, "bridges to nowhere" in Alaska, a misguided war in Iraq), yet part of a democracy is paying your share of the total bill of this country. "

 Bosox Husker wrote on March 17, 2006 2:04 pm:
" No offense Lucky Buck, but I think that Mike Foley's integrity was pretty much shattered when he lied to and misled other members of the Legislature. As for his personal faith and beliefs, it's fine and dandy that he has them. However - and all elected officials must be held to this degree - his faith-based ideals must be left at the steps of the Capitol. Period. Our officials should be able to represent ALL Nebraskans - not just the people who agree with them and are of the same faith. Any amendment written with the intent to divert funds from any institution that serves the public welfare is unfair to the people of the state who rely on their services for whatever reason. Ours is not to judge how anyone else lives or what decisions they may make while on this earth. The only being that can do that is God, and He doesn't need us to speak for Him. "

 Jan wrote on March 17, 2006 3:25 pm:
" Lucky buck wrote: "to stand on one's beliefs is a true sign of integrity". Why didn't Senator Foley stand on his beliefs from the very beginning instead of "tiptoeing" around and denying his true motives? And then to think his colleagues should have known his position when he's been denying his position for two days doesn't make any sense. It appears that "denying one's beliefs is a true sign of lack of integrity" would also be a true statement. "

 Adopted One wrote on March 17, 2006 3:52 pm:
" It has been said that those who are in favor of abortion are those who were lucky enough to be born. It is amazing how women say they should have the choice of whether or not they wish to become mothers. I agree with that. But that choice is made when they allow a man to enter them and ejaculate. Then the choice is no longer theirs. It is God's. All my life I have been taught that a child is a gift from God. The miracle of birth. To tear out that baby from the mother's womb at any stage of the pregnancy is to tell God no thanks, I don't want Your gift. It has truly become a miracle if a child is born today. And that is sad. "

 Bill wrote on March 17, 2006 7:02 pm:
" This makes me sick. I cannot believe that Nebraska is two different places. On one hand we have the wonderful Senator Ernie Chambers who we are driving out of the legislature at the end of this session. Then we have this disgusting example of a human being Mike Foley. I do not fit the demographic that Mr. Chambers usually supports. I am a white, college educated, middle-class, male from Lincoln. I am firmly on Mr. Chambers' side in EVERYTHING he stands for. I would vote for the rest of my life for Mr. Chambers. Mike Foley and people who share his views make me sick. The rest of the people that share his idealology make me sick too, that includes all of his conservative, religious activist cronies in Washington. I live in America, the country with the most freedom, yet I feel like I live in a dictatorship one run by the conservative party. Religion has NO PLACE IN POLITICS, period. If those that feel the same way don't get off our fannies and vote and make our voice heard people like Mike Foley will whittle our freedoms down to nothing. Believe me when I say it we started down a dangerous path on 9/11 and if those of us who are liberals do not start being activists ourselves we will live in a country that crushes people like myself and Ernie Chambers just like the Evil dictators of the past. Start getting involved. Don't say "it doesn't affect me" because it does. Get involved now before it is too late. "

 D wrote on March 17, 2006 8:39 pm:
" There are too many people that use abortion as family planning!If people feel it is alright for the woman to have a choice, what about the baby? If you do not spread "them" there would not be an issue! All children come into the world for a reason. If the women want abortions let them do it where it is unsafe and THEY have a chance of dying! It is a REAL life from day 1 and if people are for abortion than they should not be upset at the thought of their child or a loved one being murdered as they are for murder anyways! "

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