Antiabortion-Rights Advocates 'Wronged' By Obama, Health Care Reform, Opinion Piece Says

Main Category: Abortion
Article Date: 10 Aug 2009 - 0:00 PDT

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Abortion-rights opponents who voted for President Obama in the 2008 election "have been wronged" by many of his policy decisions regarding abortion rights, including repealing the "global gag rule" and reversing President George W. Bush's restriction on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, Penny Young Nance, a board member for Concerned Women for America, writes in a Baltimore Sun opinion piece. There are "many other 'indiscretions,'" such as appointing Kathleen Sebelius -- an abortion-rights supporter -- as HHS secretary and nominating Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, Nance continues, noting that Sotomayor during her confirmation hearings said that Roe v. Wade was settled law and that there is a constitutional right to privacy. However, the "Mac daddy of all slights" against the antiabortion-rights movement is occurring in the debate over health care reform, she writes.

Obama is "pushing relentlessly and recklessly" for coverage of abortion services in health care reform efforts, Nance writes, adding that the "legislation on the table amounts to the largest expansion of abortion in U.S. history." Obama "loves the abortion lobby. He takes their money and their calls, but more importantly, he does their bidding," she writes.

"Apparently, Mr. Obama doesn't think abortion is above his 'pay grade' after all," Nance writes, adding that he is "100% dedicated" to supporting abortion rights. She writes that abortion-rights opponents should not "get mad" but "get even" instead. "Get involved in backing truly pro-life candidates and let Congress know what you think," she concludes (Nance, Baltimore Sun, 8/6).

Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.

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