Blogs Comment On Bishops Conference, Religious Right, Obama Administration

Main Category: Abortion
Also Included In: Stem Cell Research;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 17 Nov 2008 - 11:00 PST

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The following is a summary of selected women's health-related blog entries.

~ "Red and Blue Bishops," Anthony Stevens-Arroyo, Catholic America: Stevens-Arroyo writes that news out of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops General Assembly this week reflected "red and blue divisions" among issues such as abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research. However, in "seeking common ground this year, the bishops have decided to target the Freedom of Choice Act," which would codify abortion rights, Stevens-Arroyo writes. He adds that equating the legislation to an "attack on the church" is "particularly pleasing to the red bishops" because President-elect Barack Obama said early in his campaign that he would sign the bill. Nevertheless, Stevens-Arroyo notes that the legislation is not part of the Democratic Party platform and that Obama's Web site has dropped it from a list of issues regarding abortion rights. He adds, "I think the blue bishops know that FOCA is no longer likely to be promoted by the incoming administration. Denunciation of FOCA helps satisfy their red colleagues' ire but does not blow up the agenda of the Democrats. Beating a dead horse, so to speak, safely achieves internal unity." Stevens-Arroyo concludes, "While those outside the church might see one-sidedness with the attack on FOCA, it really is not what it appears. After all, the color of a bishop's cassock is purple" (Stevens-Arroyo, Catholic America, 11/13).

~ "A Quick Sigh of Relief, Now Let's Get to Work Rebuilding Reproductive Rights," Nancy Northup, Huffington Post blogs: Northup writes that although Obama's victory means a "chance to improve the lives of millions of Americans and people throughout the world by ending the Bush administration's horrific war on women and making reproductive health a priority for the U.S. law and policy," state legislatures remain "dangerous arenas in which we struggle to preserve every woman's right to choose whether or not she will bear children, and to have the broadest access to contraception, abortion, health information and pregnancy care." She predicts that January will "be equally as bad or even worse as our opponents rush to take advantage of the Bush administration's dangerous judicial legacy" of a Supreme Court and federal judiciary that are the "most conservative in history." Northup writes that the new administration must take action to "create a policy climate guided by science and not ideology, starting with striking funding for abstinence-only sex education and the appointment [of] federal agency directors -- beginning with the FDA -- who respect scientific data." Obama also must "once again support reproductive rights" in U.S. foreign assistance programs by repealing the "Mexico City policy" and funding the United Nations Population Fund. She concludes that supporters of women's right must "pledge to seize this moment to make sure that this most fundamental and enduring principle is enshrined in law: At the heart of a free society is our ability to form the personal beliefs and make the intimate decisions that chart our destinies and define who we are" (Northup, Huffington Post blogs, 11/13).

~ "Bishops Must Rethink Antiabortion Strategy," Anthony Stevens-Arroyo, Catholic America: The blog entry examines bishops' failure to make a vote for Obama "equivalent to abandoning the Catholic faith." According to Stevens-Arroyo, the strategy supported by most bishops -- overturning Roe v. Wade -- "is deeply flawed." He adds that "most of the Catholic faithful in America have moved beyond the abortion issue in deciding their voting priorities every four years." He writes, "If you want abortion ended in this country, as I do, then it is time to wise up. Continuing to practice the same failed policy and expecting a different result is folly. Catholic America does not want bishops telling them they have to vote for Republicans on the single issue of abortion." Stevens-Arroyo concludes, "Behind closed doors, I am sure that is what some bishops are telling other bishops, and I expect to see all of them order a re-examination of the Pro-Life Movement" (Stevens-Arroyo, Catholic America, 11/11).

~ "Catholics Vote for Women's Health," Cecile Richards, Huffington Post blogs: Richards writes that poll data showing that 54% of Catholics voted for Obama and that 78% of Catholics support comprehensive sex education are proof that "Catholic voters, just like the rest of America, want government to focus on solving the problems for American families, such as increasing access to affordable health care and helping children stay healthy and safe and not become parents before they are ready." She adds, "And that is why President-elect Obama was elected by a majority of Americans -- because he has a commonsense agenda to bring people together, expand health care access, and focus on prevention." She concludes, "It's time all of us, including elected leaders and religious leaders, listen to the voters and get back to promoting the health of women and young people -- healthy families make a healthy America. One would hope this is an agenda that everyone, regardless of religious beliefs, could rally behind" (Richards, Huffington Post blogs, 11/13).

~ "Looking Ahead at Abortion Issues in the Obama Administration," Sarah Posner, The Fundamentalist: In the fifth entry in a five-section post on the religious right, Posner writes that while the religious right is "powerless" to stop Obama from reversing the Bush administration's abortion-related decisions, "Obama's election has provided them fundraising fodder" to regain momentum for the Republican Party. Executive orders involving embryonic stem cell research, emphasis on abstinence-only sex education abroad and the implementation of the "Mexico City policy" were "considered great victories by the religious right," Posner writes, but they are "facing a much different political and media environment and progressive infrastructure" then they have in the past. The religious right also is facing "competition from more centrist evangelical and Catholic activists who will be vying for Congress' attention" on issues like reducing abortions, she writes. Posner concludes that the "'new evangelicals' have gotten a lot of press, but the new organizing of the religious left should start getting some attention now, too" (Posner, The Fundamentalist, 11/12).

~ "An Open Letter to President-Elect Obama About Abortion: From a Pro-Obama and Pro-Life Leader," Frank Schaeffer, Huffington Post blogs: In an open letter to Obama, Schaeffer says that the culture wars over abortion have the "potential to sap the energy from [Obama's] best initiatives," adding that the president elect will need the support of all Americans "to bring real and lasting change." Schaeffer offers advice to Obama, such as introducing initiatives "boldly proclaimed as specifically aimed at reducing the number of abortions" instead of "some sweeping gesture striking down local and state ordinances," such as parental notification laws. This will "calm the waters and [diffuse] the situation," Schaeffer writes. "Surprise the pro-life movement with a sincere, sustained 'bully pulpit' for life, and a substantive set of programs to reduce abortions while also defending Roe v. Wade," Schaeffer continues, adding this approach does not mean Obama "has to give up principles about reproductive rights. In fact, it means that those principles can be better defended in the long term because you will have claimed the moral high ground" (Schaeffer, Huffington Post blogs, 11/12).

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