Obama Ends Funding Ban For Abortion Groups Abroad

[tekisui]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Friday will lift restrictions on U.S. government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad, reversing a policy of his Republican predecessor George W. Bush, an administration official said.

"It will be today. He's going to make an executive order (lifting the global gag rule)," the official said.

The Democratic president's decision is a victory for advocates of abortion rights on an issue that has become a tit-for-tat policy change each time the White House shifts from one party to the other in recent years.

When the ban was in place, no U.S. government funding for family planning services could be given to clinics or groups that offer abortion services or counseling in other countries even if the funds for those activities come from non-U.S. government sources.

It has been called the Mexico City Policy because it was unveiled at a United Nations conference there in 1984 and became one of the centerpiece social policies of the conservative administration of Republican former President Ronald Reagan.

Former President Bill Clinton rescinded the rule when he took office in January 1993 and his successor, Republican George W. Bush, reinstated it in January 2001.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090123/pl_nm/us_obama_abortion

[tekisui]

1. He seems to have great things lined up everyday! Keep it rolling!

[Hope And Change]

2. K & R!

[Thrill]

3. Wonder how Rick Warren feels about this?

[bunkerbuster1]

19. He's growing a fourth chin!

"Where them pork rinds at?"

--fatass Rev. pRick

[democrattotheend]

27. I guess that shows that Obama picking him for the prayer didn't mean much

And wasn't the great selling out on social issues that many people perceived it to be.

[Staph]

4. Honored to be the fifth recommendation.

This is a very good day for women everywhere.

[holiday]

5. I'm actually against this.....

I don't see anything wonderful about this and I wish he wouldn't sign it. But I knew there were things I would disagree with him about. Not many things I'm sure, but some things.

[tekisui]

6. Why are you against this?

The ban kept funding away from some very good and necessary organizations around the world.

[holiday]

7. It just feels weird to give money to other countries to perform

abortion. I'm not really pro-choice but not pro-life either (both groups are pretty politicizied). We should be doing more to reduce abortions here in our country.

I am open to realizing there is more to this than most articles suggest. That there may be some good to this. I'm just not familiar enough with it.

[tekisui]

8. The ban withheld funding for organizations that provided abortions.

Even if they provided a full range of other medical or humanitarian services. It was a zero tolerance policy, in that regard.

Obama often speaks of no one being pro-abortion and his desire to help reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies. I expect to see some programs in the future that focus on birth control, sex education and reducing teen pregnancies.

[jberryhill]

12. That's precisely the distorted view that certain folks want you to have

Here's the deal -

The funding ban prevented any money going to any health organization which, among its services, would provide or even refer women to abortion services.

The spin on this is precisely what you are supposed to believe - i.e. that the ban was on "funding abortions".

Hence, funding to an entire hospital could be denied if any part of their family planning services included mention of abortion.

So lets consider the goal of reducing the number of abortions for a moment there. The usual canard is that if medical abortions are unavailable, then women will not seek or obtain abortions. They will, and unsafely. Meanwhile, the effect of this rule is to reduce access to contraception because many medical organizations happen to provide comprehensive medical services. Ergo - more undesired pregnancies, and more abortions.

When you say "it feels weird to give money to other countries to perform abortions", then you have bought into the propaganda line.

Ask yourself which feels weirder:

A. Providing funding for an OB/GYN clinic in Country X.

B. Providing no funding for an OB/GYN clinic in Country X, unless they practice medicine the way you tell them to.

Or consider:

Suppose there was a policy which banned aid to any foreign medical organization which used or promoted medical use of marijuana in connection with any illness. Then suppose that policy was reversed. While it would "feel weird" to be "funding marijuana", that would be less than the whole story.

[holiday]

14. I figured there was more to this.. thanks

I'm starting to question every news article. I feel like they try to do headline grabbers but never go into detail.

[Bluerthanblue]

25. what's more, the gag order stopped 'safe birth kits' from

getting to women in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Somalia etc, and contributed to countless deaths in childbirth. These deaths had NOTHING to do with "abortion"-

here is an article that you might want to read.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1842278,00.html

When the 'gag rule' took effect in 2001, it impacted the help pregnant women were receiving that was about helping to ensure the health and welfare of pregnant women and their babies.

There is so much 'spin' in most all the news. Dig deeper, and you often find that what is being said has little to do with 'truth'.


:hi:

[BlancheSplanchnik]

22. thank you!! Too many people don't know the whole story.

I may make copies of this for distribution!

even mentioning the subject would get their funds pulled. Under the gag rule, even clinics that are the ONLY health care presence in a 3rd world area are faced with the question, should they lie to women and remain in operation, or tell the truth and lose the money that makes their survival possible. The gag rule was EVIL!

Obama!! tears of joy and relief!! :cry: :cry: :cry: :loveya:

[Marrah_G]

20. This is not a case of us paying for abortions in other countries

This is about with-holding funds from charitable organizations if any part of their organization either provided or counseled women about abortions. This was our country imposing religious values on another country. A poor country. A country where healthcare is a huge huge issue. These women are often very poor, no health care, abused and will be giving birth at home. Access to birth control, ALL birth control is key.

[ebdarcy]

9. Very good.

[Uzybone]

10. Change continues to come.

[Mass]

11. Yes!!!!!!!!! Thank you for a leadership who cares about women!

[ThatsMyBarack]

13. The UN-Bushing of America today is DELICIOUS!

PIE, anyone? :9 ;) :patriot:

[katmondoo]

15. I have waited 8 years to hear this

Thank you President Obama

[Arugula Latte]

16. It's like every day is Christmas morning now!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

17. YES! YES! YES! YES! WOMEN'S LIVES MATTER!!!! K&R

YES!

[bunkerbuster1]

18. Suck it, Freepers.

We know you are especially upset by this news, and I wanted to be among the first to tell you that I'm enjoying every minute of your agony.

[Politicub]

21. It's great having a progressive president!!

:bounce:

[hamsterjill]

23. Been waiting for this

Thank you, President Obama!

[rvablue]

24. Yep, each day is like a reawakening from a long, horrible nightmare!

And there is so much more to come!

[Fleshdancer]

26. YES!!!!!

I expected this to happen, but not this quickly! THANK YOU PRESIDENT OBAMA!!! :applause:

[DevonRex]

28. Fantastic. The lives of women and children matter once again. nt

[blueladybird]

29. Awesome Move!

He's hitting the ground running! Obama seems very organized. Probably why he did so well in school.