Religious Right Opposes Sebelius Nomination

With the outbreak of swine flu gripping the country, the Senate confirmed former Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to HHS Secretary today. Sebelius has come under fire from numerous religious right outlets, like the Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America. According to a CNN article the groups said that "Given her propensity for abortion radicalism, her failure to pay her own taxes and her demonstrated lack of integrity, she will be a divisive force in this important office."

The office of HHS, especially during this critical point in our nation, should not be the focus of partisan political attacks. Gov. Sebelius' record in Kansas is one of honor and integrity. According to statistics released from her office, the number of abortions in Kansas declined 12.6 from 2001 to 2007 under the Governors watch. This is due in large part to an aggressive health care reform package instituted by the Governor that included ""adoption incentives, extended health services for pregnant women..., sex education and... a variety of support services for families."

I can understand why opponents of abortion would begin to attack Governor Sebelius for her own personal stance on abortion (although the Governor is a devout Catholic). But it makes no sense to drag a religious oppositional stance into the national dialogue. The facts show that Gov. Sebelius has done almost everything in her power to decrease the number of abortions in her own state, while abortions around the country declined at a substantial percent as well. It seems that the tired argument against abortion is running its course as the national percentage of abortions takes a downswing and the increase in sexual education and adoption programs increase. Perhaps now we as a country can move past the bitter partisan divide that locks our country into red and blue. The Department of HHS is not just about abortions, it's about protecting our American society from pandemics, disease, and educating our people about the dangers of unwanted pregnancy and unsafe sex. Governor Sebelius represents all that's good about healthcare reform. The religious right and Americans as a whole should stand with our new Secretary of Health and Human Services and begin to look past the partisan divide.