Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who is rumored to be on Sen. John McCain’s short list for the Vice Presidency, gave birth to her fifth child at 6:30 this morning, according to the Anchorage Daily News.
The boy’s name is Trig Paxson Van Palin. He’s 6 pounds, 2 ounces.
A spokesperson said the governor and her son are healthy and resting comfortably today. The baby wasn’t due until May 18. “It was quite a surprise,” a spokesperson said.
The Palin family issued a statement that read: “Trig is beautiful and already adored by us. We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives.
“We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed.”
Asked what special challenges the family was referring to, the spokesperson said, “It’s a family matter, and that information should come from the governor herself.”
Now I wonder if Barack Obama will call the governor and express his condolences for her being punished by a baby.
But just look at the two sides of this question. Obama’s “punished with a baby” comments and Sarah Palin who knew she was having a special needs child and didn’t see it as a punishment but a blessing. When you think of how many of the children with special needs are aborted today, it’s shocking and saddening. But it’s the logical end to the secular Darwinist philosophy.
Anyway, congrats to the Alaska Governor and her family. God bless and I hope to see you on stage at the Republican National Convention.
April 23, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Nan,
You ask
“Shouldn’t we as a society care about our weakest members even after they are born?”
Yes, we can certainly care all we like, and their are literally hundreds of volunteer organizations to provide healthcare to those who need it. Go to it, if you are so called. I am not convinced that the drug addicts (and I am in Illinois-see the Tony Rezko/Stuart Levine case) running healthcare in Illinois are all that capable of delivering services to those who need it, more than the Sisters of Mercy for example.
I agreee that war is terribly expensive, but I don’t see much of an alternative offered. If we stopped funding the war, there would be wholesale slaughter in Iraq. If we never got into it in the first place, we would have a psychotic Hussein with a bunch of nuclear weapons. There is no cheap alternative with provides a moral outcome.
In the case of taxpayers funding abortions at Cook County Hospital, for example, the alternative is very simple…stop killing babies to score political points.
JBP
April 23, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Caring for the sick and suffering is NOT my responsibility as a citizen of the United States. It IS my responsibility as a Christian. What many on the left side of the aisle would like is to set up a secular “religion” of the state, providing the same type of services that true religions do, without all that messy stuff like God and morality.
-Rich
April 23, 2008 at 5:14 pm
The problem, Rich, is that the amount of money needed for special needs children is SO MUCH that most money is NOT covered by foundations.
I translate for Spanish speaking special feeds families & it has been my translating experience that has opened my eyes and really changed my politics. In the State of AK, when a special needs child is born (or even before) a family has to be placed on a waiting list because it will take 8-9 years for them to receive necessary funding for all of their medical expenses. It is so underfunded that these pro-life families, who have CHOSEN life for their babies, must now fight to survive. And we are surprised 90% of disabled children are aborted?!
This IS a pro-life issue.
Regarding my fabulous Gov and her family, they are solidly pro-life and I have NO doubt that as they wade into their new world with a disabled son, their eyes are going to be opened to what other disabled people experience in this highly anti-life culture we face. And it IS anti-life to tell families of very expensive disabled children “Good luck finding funding! Don’t come to me looking for it!”
April 23, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Radical, You just got done telling us how bad the state is in performing these functions and then you say we need more of it.
I want to help families in need as well but the government is not the avenue to provide that need. They mess up EVERYTHING.
Charities simply do a better job.
I think bigger government promotes disdain between the haves and have not or at least disinterest.
It used to be that when someone was stuck on the side of the road, someone would pull over and help.
Now the passing drivers just shake their head and say “There really should be a government program to help drivers in need.”
April 24, 2008 at 3:41 am
“The problem, Rich, is that the amount of money needed for special needs children is SO MUCH that most money is NOT covered by foundations.”
Hmmm…maybe these underfunded organizations would have more funds if we weren’t taxed so heavily in this country. And the money that we are taxed for is so poorly managed by the government.
“…these pro-life families, who have CHOSEN life for their babies, must now fight to survive. And we are surprised 90% of disabled children are aborted?!”
So you would trust the Democrats, the very people who legalized abortion, to implement a universal health care system to keep disabled children from being aborted? Are you kidding me? The reason so many disabled children are being aborted is out of the selfishness of so many would-be parents.
-Rich
April 24, 2008 at 4:05 pm
The reason so many disabled children are being aborted is out of the selfishness of so many would-be parents.
Really? It has nothing to do with the fact that our culture does not value children, much less disabled children AT ALL. I was older when I had my children, and let me tell you, not going along with all those screening tests they do to identify a possible reason to abort is a countercultural action right now. You get pressure from the doctor and all sorts of people feel more than free to ask you if you’ve had those tests and shake their heads when you say no. And if some “problem” does show up (even if they don’t quite know what might be wrong) they scare the pants off you (and I have been through that with many friends, often when there was no real problem and things turned out fine in the end). And you look around and see that our society even the so called “prolife” contingent really does not have much use for the children after they are actually born. Sure, they want all those babies to be born, but should some of them need numerous surgeries, therapies, or life-long medical care — well, hopefully some private charity will step in and foot the bill. I believe that most people who have abortions do so because they truly believe that they personally will not be able to handle the outcome after the child is born (sometimes after getting dubious information from doctors). There is an idea in this country that people should be personally responsible for themselves and their offspring IN ALL CASES and anything less amounts to failure. I would really like to see the whole culture change to truly value life and children. It is easy for you to call other people selfish. But then when they need help you get all outraged that someone might suggest it affect you. “They should do it themselves! They should find a private charity to help! This has nothing to do with me!” Really?
Nan
April 24, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Nonsense Nan,
Just went to a Special Olympics lunch last week. 150 people from all walks of life were there, raised a ton of money to support disabled children.
Not a soul at the lunch claimed that partisan politics and socialism were needed to provide compassionate care to disabled children. The culture to support disabled children thrives.
Aren’t you a part of the culture? Why is everyone else to blame? Shouldn’t you take some responsibility to move culture in a more compassionate direction? I would be happy to give you contact information for Special Olympics, as they are always looking for volunteers.
Or is voting for Socialized Healthcare more important than helping disabled kids?
JBP
April 24, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Or is voting for Socialized Healthcare more important than helping disabled kids?
Huh? Are the two mutually exclusive? (And I don’t think anyone is suggesting ‘socialized healthcare’anyway.) I am certainly part of the culture. And I AM personally trying to do my part to move it in a more compassionate direction. Why would you assume that I am not? In addition to my monetary donations to charity, the volunteer work that I do, my prayer life, and my day-to-day interactions with the culture at large where I make it clear that I feel that all life is a sacred gift from God, I ALSO think that more help with healthcare is needed for many people.
The Special Olympics is a great organization but I disagree with you that the culture to support disabled children thrives in our society. Overall, our society does not value children in general.
Nan
April 24, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Rich: You need to do a history lesson and read and see that Republicans were responsible for legalizing abortion. A certain CA Gov who helped liberalize the laws, perhaps? Abortion, at the time, was sought by SECULAR people regardless of party. Not to mention, certain Republican judges who have placed abortion “rights” in stone.
JBP: Socialized healthcare? Who is talking about that?! In the meantime, it is not the Dems who are cutting money to disabled children at least in my State. The ones who cut the money are our so called “pro-life” Republicans.
There is this absolutely false dichotomy between the born and unborn. As Catholics, we are called to respect them all and care for them all.
April 25, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Nan,
Yes, Socialized Healthcare is most incompatible with the voluntary and charitable provision of health services. You have no choice but to pay taxes for Socialized Healthcare. Every tax dollar spent by our politicians is a dollar not available for Special Olympics, Catholic Charities, and any number of worthwhile support organizations.
A Leftist strategy for years has been to remove the connection between the community and the disabled, so as to make people more dependent upon government. The Church is the community that the Left is trying to break.
Those who think the State is really good at delivering services are perfectly welcome to donate more money to the taxman. Those who think the Special Olympics is really good, can donate there.
I can tell you who gets more donations, and who is out to jail you if you do not pay up.
JBP
April 25, 2008 at 1:24 pm
It is simply because those things, I believe, are better off coming from private charities.
The government, once again, messes everything up and ends up costing more.
Look at Europe. They’re health care is a mess. People die all the time waiting for surgeries. Now ours isn’t perfect but I think more government is only going to make it worse.
As far as Republicans go being responsible for abortion, there is an argument to be made there but the fight for the soul of the Republican Party is alive and well when it comes to abortion. They have often fallen short and that’s why we’re fighting for pro-life candidates.
The Democrats favor abortion. It is a dead issue for them. That’s why we could use your help in making the Republican Party a throroughly pro-life party.
April 25, 2008 at 1:58 pm
What about the Democrats keeping poor kids in substandard schools. Republicans want to allow vouchers to kids to get out of those schools but the Dems won’t let them.
Which is more pro-life?
April 26, 2008 at 4:03 am
“Rich: You need to do a history lesson and read and see that Republicans were responsible for legalizing abortion. A certain CA Gov who helped liberalize the laws, perhaps? Abortion, at the time, was sought by SECULAR people regardless of party. Not to mention, certain Republican judges who have placed abortion “rights” in stone.”
Actually, RCM, it is you that needs a history lesson. Abortion was first legalized, sadly, in my home state of Colorado. In 1967, years before Roe, Dick Lamm sponsored a bill to legalize abortion. Lamm, a Democrat, would go on to become governor as well as gain infamy for his pro euthanasia and nativist viewpoints.
Also, when has the Republican party ever had a plank in their platform in favor of “abortion rights”? They may not be perfect, but they at least understand the fundamentals. As for the Democrats…well ’nuff said.
“And you look around and see that our society even the so called “prolife” contingent really does not have much use for the children after they are actually born. Sure, they want all those babies to be born, but should some of them need numerous surgeries, therapies, or life-long medical care — well, hopefully some private charity will step in and foot the bill. I believe that most people who have abortions do so because they truly believe that they personally will not be able to handle the outcome after the child is born (sometimes after getting dubious information from doctors). There is an idea in this country that people should be personally responsible for themselves and their offspring IN ALL CASES and anything less amounts to failure. I would really like to see the whole culture change to truly value life and children. It is easy for you to call other people selfish.”
Actually, Nan, it bothers me greatly to call people selfish. Sometimes you simply have to call them as you see them. We know that millions of babies have been aborted since Roe was passed. Rape, incest, and physical harm to the mother accounts for a tiny percentage of abortions performed each year. We have created a culture where babies are seen as an inconvenience. And if the baby has a birth defect or illness, all the more reason to kill them. Sounds like selfishness to me, and I will tell you why.
A good parent, which I hope I would qualify, is willing to sacrifice everything they have for their child. Everything. If my son (who by God’s grace is healthy) were sick, I would be working multiple jobs. I would be pounding the pavement looking for charitable organizations. I would be relentless. We felt this way before me and my wife had even married.
Me and my wife are not wealthy by any means, but we wouldn’t hesitate to have another child even if the amniocentesis revealed a problem. We also recognize that our child is not ours, but rather gift from God. It is apostasy to think that God will not aid us in our need, to believe that only we can solve our own problems, much less the government.