Welcome to The Vine, where every week I strive to bring you updates from around the pro-life community to help you keep up with the ever constant battle to save lives. If you aren’t plugged-in, it is my sincere hope that The Vine will allow you to get familiar with those on the front lines and find your place among them.

Across the United States, the influence of the pro-abortion lobby can be seen more clearly now than ever before. In the case of newly elected Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, the investment made by Planned Parenthood is being rewarded with no attempt to hide the relationship. Watchdog.org’s Kathryn Watson has the details on McAuliffe’s move to loosen abortion clinic standards in the state after his win, which was helped by over $1.7 million in contributions from Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood’s long history of buying candidates is paying off in California as well. Last week, as reported by LifeNews, all thirteen Democrats on California’s Assembly Health Committee voted to protect sex-selection abortion. Logically you would think the party that prides itself on standing up for women’s rights wouldn’t vote for girls to be killed for being girls, but when the abortion industry holds the purse strings women always lose.

In Florida, Planned Parenthood yields so much control they are openly targeting specific ethnic groups. The Shark Tank’s Javier Manjarres was on the scene for the ribbon-cutting of the latest clinic to open in the state, which featured Congressman Alan Grayson. Prior to the big day, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando Jenna Tosh explained the focus of the new clinic would be the Hispanic community.

Additionally, DNC Party Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (also from Florida) clarified that men who force women to have abortions should not be punished, according to Gateway Pundit. Schultz was responding to a recently passed bill that will ensure criminals in Florida are charged with two crimes when they attack a pregnant woman. In her opinion, bills focused on protecting women are a waste of time.

Not a waste of time, however, is protecting criminals from painful executions. Following the news of a woman who recorded her abortion and a confessed murderer who’s execution accidentally caused him to feel pain, the media and lawmakers were outraged on behalf of the inmate. Pocket Full of Liberty examined how the actual victims of crimes are sadly lost in today’s culture.

The reality is that not only are the victims of abortion not considered by many, but that the abortion industry has spent at least a lifetime programming society to believe those victims don’t even exist. In a revealing look at how long abortionists have controlled the country, former abortion clinic owner Carol Everett recently explained how their influence starts in Kindergarten. Following children through each grade, the goal of the abortion industry was to create the demand for abortion. It’s heartbreaking to read that abortionists have infiltrated the public school system, using children to murder children, but nothing should come as a surprise in the wake of Kermit Gosnell.

Despite the left’s best efforts to push abortion as normal, however, they cannot control the women who bravely speak out after being used by the abortion industry. The Vine has covered sites such as Abortion Memorial where family members can post love letters to the children they’ve lost. This week, Focus on the Family released the video, “Becky’s Choice: My Abortion Story,” in which Becky details her journey of recovery from abortion. It’s a beautiful video, filled with a message of hope that all post-abortive mothers should hear.

[youtube]XBwcTlTwy8A[/youtube]

Focus on the Family has always provided a wealth of information and help from a Christian perspective. This week’s Branch for Life goes to Focus on the Family’s “Be Their Voice” site. Whether you have had an abortion and need healing, are working for the sanctity of life or simply need to know how to broach the subject with your children, Focus on the Family’s site is a blessing to all.

Until next week, I pray blessings for you and for all committed to life in The Vine. Please feel free to email or tweet me with any stories you’d like to see covered or any organizations you’d like to see as the Branch For Life!

Follow @breeannehowe