Rick Santorum on Prenatal Testing, Abortion, and My Experience with Both

Presidential candidate Rick Santorum appeared on CBS's "Face the Nation" on February 19, 2012 to defend a controversial claim that free prenatal screening increases the number of abortions and consequently helps reduce health care costs.  He specifically mentioned that such screening leads to abortions of disabled children, including those with Down's syndrome.  Mr. Santorum has a daughter named Bella who has a a genetic disorder called Trisomy 18.

I'm willing to bet that Rick Santorum will be vilified by the media for his claims, but I can personally attest that his claims are true and that abortion is encouraged even when test results are not 100% accurate..

With our first daughter, our OB/GYN recommended the usual battery of tests including one called AFP (alpha fetoprotien).  A short time later, we heard that the AFP test results were "positive" and we were encouraged to meet with a genetic counselor.  The counselor told us that, based on the test result, it was possible that our child would be born with debilitating spinal bifida.  We were told about the immense costs we would likely personally incur to care for such a child, not to mention the great emotional heartache.  My wife was in tears for quite some time.  Naturally, abortion was the first option offered by the counselor.

My wife and I are personally opposed to abortion but the meeting really tested my personal faith and values.  I mean, if abortion is the recommended course of action by a health care professional, then the outcome must be foreordained, right? After much soul-searching, prayer, and tears, my wife and I both emphatically agreed that we would have our child, regardless of the test results.  My wife recollects that we even had to sign papers to that fact before discussing the matter further with the counselor.

As an engineer and professional skeptic, I questioned the AFP test and the accuracy of the results.  I later found out that the AFP test has a very high false positive rate.  It is meant as a screening test to trigger additional testing, which I found odd because abortion was the first recommended course of action.  We refused abortion so the next recommended course of action was an amniocentesis procedure.  After additional research, I discovered that amniocentesis itself had a higher probability of causing a miscarriage and thereby killing our daughter than the probability that our positive AFP test would be confirmed as a positive by the amniocentesis, indicating that she really might have spinal bifida.

Again, we refused the amniocentesis procedure and opted for a more-accurate level-2 ultrasound.  Although not foolproof, the level-2 ultrasound showed no signs of spinal bifida..

Fortunately, our daughter was born beautiful, happy, and healthy.  In fact, our little supposed "genetic deformity" earns straight A's in school and even won a first place ribbon at the county science fair a few years ago.  Her only disability is the complete inability to pick up her room--which she inherited from her father.

A friend of the family is a nurse.  She found out that she was pregnant at 41.  Because of her age and because she already had children, she was recommended to have an abortion to avoid the possibility of having a Down's child.  Fortunately, her youngest is also completely healthy.

Here in California, I believe that there are indeed financial incentives for the state to provide AFP screening tests due to the high cost of POSSIBLY caring for disabled children.  I can understand this, but the tests must be accurate!

How many prospective parents know that high false positive rate?  How many prospective parents ever questioned the health care system's recommendations?  How many compare the risks and rewards of various treatment options based on scientific facts?  How many perfectly healthy children were unnecessarily aborted because of a POSSIBLE negative outcome?

I believe Rick Santorum is right on this one, but this will be spun out of control by the media and some on the Left.

See also ...

• Understanding the AFP Test
  http://www.pregnancyandbaby.com/pregnancy/articles/942707/understanding-the-afp-test
  
  
• AFP - false positives? Interesting viewpoint
  http://babyfit.sparkpeople.com/archive_posts.asp?imBoard=54&imParent=1604353
  
  
• My AFP test was abnormal..now for more test!!!http://www.mothering.com/community/t/171056/my-afp-test-was-abnormal-now-for-more-test

Van Jones is the Source for "Koch Plantation"

At a Tea Party counter-union rally in Jefferson City, Missouri, a MoveOn.org counter-counter protester responded to a sign proclaiming "Liberty, Not Slavery" by telling the Tea Party members that "You're on Koch's plantation." The incident was reported by Gateway Pundit and later on the The Blaze. The reference was obviously to the supposedly "evil" Koch Brothers, who fund Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a major ally of the Tea Party. Oh, and David Koch also funds NOVA on PBS (scroll to the bottom of the PBS page) so you know he must be evil, right?

That phrase, "Koch's plantation," sounded familiar. Where had I heard it before?

In January 2011, the Koch Brothers held a secretive meeting in Palm Springs for the ultrawealthy and the well-connected on the Right. Many from the American Left were there to protest (and protest they did).

The "Koch plantation" reference comes directly from a Van Jones speech, at a meeting sponsored by Common Cause to protest the Koch Brothers' event.

The "plantation" line is at about 6 minutes, 55 seconds ([6:55]) into the video.

"We will not live on a national plantation run by the Koch Brothers."

The remainder of the speech is classic Van Jones partisan, class-warfare rhetoric with a few quotable moments.

[0:22]

"I was born in 1968 ... that was the year 'They' assassinated hope in America."

Hmm, so who is this nameless "They" for whom Van Jones cannot mention? Is he aware of some conspiracy that he dare not mention? There were many prominent political figures assassinated in 1968, including political violence throughout the United States.

• Martin Luther King: April 4, 1968 by James Earl Ray, a long-time criminal and white supremacist. The assassination sparked riots across the United States, including in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Baltimore, Louisville, Wilmington, Kansas City--many of which were most damaging to black communities themselves.
• Robert Kennedy: June 5, 1968, carefully premeditated by Sirhan Sirhan, a 24-year-old Palestinian immigrant.
• Violent protests at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. The protests were held by groups to the left of the Democratic Party at large, including Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Some SDS members later went on to form the Weather Underground domestic terrorist organization.
• There were protests by Left-wing organizations around the globe.

Van Jones seems fascinated by '68, the year of his birth. His Twitter account is @VanJones68.

[0:39]

"... and 'They' tried to assassinate hope in our country."

Again, who is "They"? Misguided white supremacists? Palestinians? The Democratic Party? Rioters?

[0:50]

Speaks about 40 years in the Wilderness.

[4:47]

"Our political process has been hijacked by people who are only interested in their own gain, who are only interested in their own profit, and are willing to tell any lie, and spend any amount of money, to prevent America's government from coming to the rescue of the American people."

Unfortunately, many Americans feel that government has become the problem--not the solution. I do not want to be "rescued" by a government that wishes to dictate every matter in my life. Nor do I wish the government to confiscate my wealth to pay for other's follies.

[5:15]

Talks about Tea Party and their concern about Liberty. But, there are two threats. Over-concentration of political power. But there is a greater threat. Excessive concentration of economic power.

[9:12]

"If you want to know what side to bet on, ... big money mean people ... or little people with the truth on their side ... look over there in Egypt"

... attendee ...

[9:33]

"Bring Egypt here!"

I find it amazing that the Left is so worried about the Koch Brothers and is evidently is not bothered or worried about the spending by the likes of Stephen Bing, Peter B. Lewis, Fred Eychaner, Haim Saban, Peter Angelos, George Soros, etc., etc., shown here and here. Or, how about those well-connected, ultrawealthy from the Left, many from outside of California, that attempted to impose and formally institute one-party rule in California by passing Proposition 27? Even Common Cause, who openly fights the secretive ways on the Koch Brothers, fought against the alliance of well-financed backers of Proposition 27. For that, I give Common Cause some credit.

See also ...

"Capital Rivals: Koch Brothers vs. George Soros"

www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/09/opensecrets-battle---koch-brothers.html

"Koch Industries Continues to Expand Political Influence"

www.opensecrets.org/news/2010/10/koch-industries-continues-to-expand-1.html

"California Proposition 27, Elimination of Citizen Redistricting Commission (2010)"

ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_27,_Elimination_of_Citizen_Redistricting_Commission_(2010)

"Proposition 27 Revealed!"

soquelbythecreek.blogspot.com/2010/09/proposition-27-revealed.html