Many thousands of people gathered on the National Mall today for the 47th annual March for Life, joined—for the first time—by a sitting president.
President Trump praised the “strong women, amazing faith leaders,” and tens of thousands of young people he called “the heart of the March for Life. It is your generation that is making America a pro-family, pro-life nation.”
“Every life brings love into this world,” the president told the crowd. “I am truly proud to stand with you in defending life.” Senator Chuck Grassley tweeted that President Trump “has gone to gr8er lengths than any Rep/Dem Pres to put his words into practice.”
The niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Alveda King, joined the president and other faith leaders on the stage.
This year’s March comes as the nation is engaged in a debate over Medicare for All that brings this issue to the center of the political debate.
Louis Brown, executive director of the Christ Medicus Foundation, wrote an important article explaining the threat it poses in “Health Care: The Greatest Pro-Life Political Battle of our Time.”
“Patient freedom would not survive a single-layer federally-controlled health care system,” Brown writes. “The right to life would not survive a single-payer health care system.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders’s M4All bill covers “comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion.” The legislation would override decades-old legislation that prevents federal funding of abortions. Derivative proposals also would include mandatory coverage of abortion.
“In addition to threat to life, Medicare for All threatens religious freedom and the right of conscience through a provision that coerces medical professionals to perform procedures against their moral or religious convictions,” Louis Brown wrote.
In addition to fighting to defend life, we are working to offer positive reform alternatives: Brown praised the Health Care Choices proposal, offered by the Health Policy Consensus Group, as “a new patient-centered health care plan that respects the right to life, protects the poor and vulnerable, and would significantly reduce health costs.”
“It has never been more urgent to join this great struggle to build a culture of love and justice.”
Well said, Louis.