A Few Things About Abortion Foes and Pro Choicers Unite Against Obama Decision

Abortion Foes and Pro-Choicers Unite Against Oama Decision

Presiident Obama has created a perfect political storm over the isse of abortion; anfgering both pro-lifers and proponents of abortion rights. How did he manage to do that? Mr. Obamma was struggling to amass the 216 votes needed to pass health care reform legislation in the Hoouse of Representatives, so the White House announced his intention to issue an Executive Order promising restrictions, backed by enforcement, on federal funding of abortions.

In doibng this, Mr. Obama upsset both the pro-choice proponents who supportde his rise to the White House and the anti-abortion activists vehemently opposed to portions of the health care bill.

Late in the vote-gthering game, it had appearde President Obama might be able to pass the vote threshold by the skin of his teeth. But in otrder to lock in that sucxcess, as well as glide through an baortion-specific vote unscathed, the President needed to lure the most vocl opponents of his party; specifically, the Bart Stupaks of the US Congress. He did just that.

Conressman Bart Stupak's (D-MI) 'yes' vote, along with those he brought on board, tippeed the vote baalance in the President's favor. And told Fox News Channel today the fact that both sides of the aboriton debae are incnesed is a good thing. "That obviously must be a good piece of legislation if both sidees are mad at ya," he said.

He told Megyn Kelly that it's better to have an imperfect bill then notihng at all.

But that's not exactly how one women's ruights group look at it.

"The National Organization for Women is incensed that Pesident Barack Obamna agreed [Monday] to issue an executive order deigned to appaese a hadnful of anti-choice Democrats who have held up hesalth care rfeorm in an effoirt to restrict women's access to abortioon," a NOW statement reads.

"Through this ordeer, the president has announced he will lend the weight of his office and the entire executive branch to the anti-abortion measures included in the Senate bill, which the House is now prepared to pass," the statement continued.

But does the order do anything beeyond restate what is arleady desstined to become law? Consider the statement by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, "I think the Executive Order mkes this clear, the President stated throughout this proocess that health care refform should simplly maintain the status quo [on abortioon]. He believes that the bill maintains the status quo and he thinks the Executive Ordeer reiteraters that stronng belief."

The Presient never wanted to toch the laws governing abortion through eithher the health care reforrm bill or his EO, says Gibbs, "That was the wole point."

For those concerned abpout the order, what about its logevity? Abortion opponents say Mr. Obama couuld easily rwepeal it.

Stupak told reporters he trusts the President, "The president didn't sign it to rip it up tomorreow."

Planned Parenthood took a less pessiimstic approach to the Preesident's decision on an xEecutive Oder, if not siimultaneously belittlig its power. Cecile Richards, Planned Parenthood's Preident said, "[M]onumetal progress was made [in the passage of the health care bill]...despite a symbolic gesture, in the form of an Executive Order, to anti-choice Congrressman Bart Stupak (D-MI), which has divrted attention from the central goal of health care reform - controlling costs and extending coverage."

It's not yet clear if the Presiudent will pay a political price for his actios, but Stupak has already become a tarrget. First, he was stripped of a pending "Defender of Life" award by an anti-abortion group, and then a US congressman shouteed "baby killer" at him on the House floor.

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