EnglishLady
Veteran Expediter
Mail Jan 23
President defends abortion as a right... as lawmakers get set to roll those rights back
President Barack Obama has labelled abortion a 'right', setting the grounds for a new battle with lawmakers determined to roll those rights back.
The President marked the 38th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision on abortion by calling the procedure a constitutional right he's committed to protecting.
But he spoke against a rising tide of anti-abortion activists who sense the time is right for a new push to rein in the broad access to abortions established by the 1973 Roe v Wade decision.
Buoyed by huge election gains for their allies, anti-abortion activists in America head into their annual March for Life rallies on Monday sensing a prime opportunity in many states.
Foes of abortion gained strength in Congress, among state governors and in many state legislatures, raising hopes among social conservatives for a broad surge of anti-abortion bills.
Mr Obama's comments today squared him off against them.
He called on Americans to recommit themselves to ensuring that 'our daughters have the same rights, the same freedoms, and the same opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams'.
The President said the 1973 Roe v Wade decision that legalised abortion affirmed what he called a 'fundamental principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters'.
'We are seeing a cultural shift toward protecting life and rolling back the tide of unrestricted abortions,' said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life
In many states, prospects for passage of such measures are bright, although they may face court challenges.
NARAL Pro-Choice America, a leading abortion-rights group, said there are now 29 anti-abortion governors out of 50.
That's up eight from the 21 anti-abortion governors in place before the mid-term elections - a blow to Mr Obama's side, as governors have often acted as a firewall for abortion legislation.
Of the 29, there are 15 in states where abortion opponents also control both legislative chambers.
'In those states in particular, there are almost no pro-choice checks and balances,' said Donna Crane, NARAL's director of public policy.
While abortion-rights supporters traditionally hold commemorations of the court decision, the anniversary has become an even higher-profile date for the anti-abortion movement.
Its major event, the March for Life in Washington, D.C., is scheduled this year to take place on Monday - not the anniversary itself - while other events are scheduled throughout the weekend nationwide.
On both sides of the debate, the mood contrasts sharply with 2009 and 2010.
Two years ago, the anniversary came two days after Mr Obama's inauguration - a time of enthusiasm among abortion-rights supporters, who tend to vote Democratic.
A year ago, the anniversary coincided with the first day of testimony in the murder trial of Scott Roeder, who was later convicted of killing late-term abortion provider Dr George Tiller at his church in Wichita, Kansas.
Kansas is now one of the states where anti-abortion activists hope for dramatic legislative gains.
Its new governor, Republican Sam Brownback, is an ardent foe of abortion who has made clear he will sign restrictive measures that his Democratic predecessors vetoed.
Anti-abortion activists hope to advance bills that would further restrict late-term procedures, increase reporting requirements for abortion providers, and make it harder for abortion clinics to be licensed.
In several other states, Democratic governors who generally supported abortion rights were replaced by Republicans opposed to abortion
That included the crucial swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
In Pennsylvania, the legislature is expected to convene hearings soon on why states agencies mishandled complaints about a Philadelphia abortion clinic run by a doctor now facing eight murder charges.
In some states, Republican governors and legislative leaders have said the message from the electorate on November 2 was to concentrate on economics and job creation, and have signalled that social issues such as abortion should take a lower priority.
However, Daniel McConchie, vice president of government affairs for Americans United for Life, said there was no reason that Republican leaders couldn't tackle both the economy and abortion.
'For them to do nothing, when they have the opportunity to do something, I think would be problematic,' he said.
'Social conservatives are an integral part of the electorate.'
At the federal level, anti-abortion forces scored significant gains in the House of Representative.
Majority Republicans introduced two bills Thursday to toughen restrictions on taxpayer funding of abortions. One is aimed specifically at Obama's health care law; the other would establish a permanent, government-wide ban on federal subsidies for most abortions.
In addition, Republican Mike Pence has introduced a bill that would ban federal family-planning grants to any organization that performs abortions.
It is aimed at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a health care provider and advocate of reproductive rights.
Last year that group, according to Mr Pence, received more than $363million in government grants and contracts while performing 324,008 abortions.
Abortion-rights supporters are nonetheless dismayed by their foes' clout in the House, though these measures might fail to clear the Senate, and would likely face a presidential veto if they did advance.
'We're taking all these threats very seriously,' said Planned Parenthood public policy analyst Emily Stewart.
President defends abortion as a right... as lawmakers get set to roll those rights back
President Barack Obama has labelled abortion a 'right', setting the grounds for a new battle with lawmakers determined to roll those rights back.
The President marked the 38th anniversary of the Supreme Court's landmark decision on abortion by calling the procedure a constitutional right he's committed to protecting.
But he spoke against a rising tide of anti-abortion activists who sense the time is right for a new push to rein in the broad access to abortions established by the 1973 Roe v Wade decision.
Buoyed by huge election gains for their allies, anti-abortion activists in America head into their annual March for Life rallies on Monday sensing a prime opportunity in many states.
Foes of abortion gained strength in Congress, among state governors and in many state legislatures, raising hopes among social conservatives for a broad surge of anti-abortion bills.
Mr Obama's comments today squared him off against them.
He called on Americans to recommit themselves to ensuring that 'our daughters have the same rights, the same freedoms, and the same opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams'.
The President said the 1973 Roe v Wade decision that legalised abortion affirmed what he called a 'fundamental principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters'.
'We are seeing a cultural shift toward protecting life and rolling back the tide of unrestricted abortions,' said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life
In many states, prospects for passage of such measures are bright, although they may face court challenges.
NARAL Pro-Choice America, a leading abortion-rights group, said there are now 29 anti-abortion governors out of 50.
That's up eight from the 21 anti-abortion governors in place before the mid-term elections - a blow to Mr Obama's side, as governors have often acted as a firewall for abortion legislation.
Of the 29, there are 15 in states where abortion opponents also control both legislative chambers.
'In those states in particular, there are almost no pro-choice checks and balances,' said Donna Crane, NARAL's director of public policy.
While abortion-rights supporters traditionally hold commemorations of the court decision, the anniversary has become an even higher-profile date for the anti-abortion movement.
Its major event, the March for Life in Washington, D.C., is scheduled this year to take place on Monday - not the anniversary itself - while other events are scheduled throughout the weekend nationwide.
On both sides of the debate, the mood contrasts sharply with 2009 and 2010.
Two years ago, the anniversary came two days after Mr Obama's inauguration - a time of enthusiasm among abortion-rights supporters, who tend to vote Democratic.
A year ago, the anniversary coincided with the first day of testimony in the murder trial of Scott Roeder, who was later convicted of killing late-term abortion provider Dr George Tiller at his church in Wichita, Kansas.
Kansas is now one of the states where anti-abortion activists hope for dramatic legislative gains.
Its new governor, Republican Sam Brownback, is an ardent foe of abortion who has made clear he will sign restrictive measures that his Democratic predecessors vetoed.
Anti-abortion activists hope to advance bills that would further restrict late-term procedures, increase reporting requirements for abortion providers, and make it harder for abortion clinics to be licensed.
In several other states, Democratic governors who generally supported abortion rights were replaced by Republicans opposed to abortion
That included the crucial swing states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
In Pennsylvania, the legislature is expected to convene hearings soon on why states agencies mishandled complaints about a Philadelphia abortion clinic run by a doctor now facing eight murder charges.
In some states, Republican governors and legislative leaders have said the message from the electorate on November 2 was to concentrate on economics and job creation, and have signalled that social issues such as abortion should take a lower priority.
However, Daniel McConchie, vice president of government affairs for Americans United for Life, said there was no reason that Republican leaders couldn't tackle both the economy and abortion.
'For them to do nothing, when they have the opportunity to do something, I think would be problematic,' he said.
'Social conservatives are an integral part of the electorate.'
At the federal level, anti-abortion forces scored significant gains in the House of Representative.
Majority Republicans introduced two bills Thursday to toughen restrictions on taxpayer funding of abortions. One is aimed specifically at Obama's health care law; the other would establish a permanent, government-wide ban on federal subsidies for most abortions.
In addition, Republican Mike Pence has introduced a bill that would ban federal family-planning grants to any organization that performs abortions.
It is aimed at the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a health care provider and advocate of reproductive rights.
Last year that group, according to Mr Pence, received more than $363million in government grants and contracts while performing 324,008 abortions.
Abortion-rights supporters are nonetheless dismayed by their foes' clout in the House, though these measures might fail to clear the Senate, and would likely face a presidential veto if they did advance.
'We're taking all these threats very seriously,' said Planned Parenthood public policy analyst Emily Stewart.
