President Obama's Abortion Plan?

From American Spectator:

A policy report published last month on the Office of the President-Elect's website puts a hole right through the fanciful notion, believed by some evangelicals, that Barack Obama will save a place at the table for pro-lifers.

Titled "Advancing Reproductive Rights and Health in a New Administration," the report suggests a radical abortion agenda for the first 100 days of Obama's term. The recommendations carry quite a price tag. In an era of ballooning national debt and unprecedented government expansion, the abortion industry (and it is an industry -- Planned Parenthood made $115 million in profits for the 2006-2007 fiscal year) can look forward to hefty handouts next year, even if Obama enacts just half of the policies in the report.

Among other policy objectives, the report calls for increasing Title X Family Planning Funding by $400 million. Although the funds can't be used for abortions, Title X grants go to controversial family planning entities that offer contraception services, including Planned Parenthood clinics.

The report also calls for at least $50 million in federal funding for contraception-based sex education programs in public schools, an amount that parodies current spending on abstinence-until-marriage instruction. The report recommends that Obama de-fund the abstinence programs in his proposed budget to Congress.

Most indicative of Obama's radical cultural agenda would be lifting bans on taxpayer-financed abortions domestically and internationally, both of which the report calls for. In keeping with the international theme, the report also urges Obama to support backing the United Nations Population Fund and devoting $1 billion for international family planning programs.

Read the entire piece.

The document, it should be noted, was posted on the "Your Seat at the Table" section of the Change.gov site, which includes this disclaimer: "The PDFs listed below do not represent the views of the Obama-Biden Transition team, or the views of the current administration. These documents were created by the organizations and individuals listed, and delivered to Transition team members with knowledge that all materials would be made public on Change.gov."

Comments

[Mulder]

Let the American people have what they voted for.

I've said it once and I'll say it again: Why is it so easy for abortion advocates to get what they want from their candidates and yet we have to beg and plead "conservative" candidates to at least sympathize with the plight of the unborn? And why do we put up with it?

Anyone want to try and answer that?

[Dan Deeny]

Mulder, I'll try to answer and respond to your questions. It's easier for the abortion rights people because the world is the Devil's workshop. Many Catholic politicians (Sen. Biden, Sen Harken, etc.) and the Black Caucus help him do his work. With God's grace, we try our best. Many politicians, some Catholic, do consistently oppose the abortion business.

[Subvet]

The disclaimer noted at the end of your post has a really hollow ring to it. The proaborts wouldn't submit their extravagant wish list if they felt it would be discounted. The bottom line is that an Obama administration will be VERY sympathetic to Planned Parenthood and it's ilk.

Don't look for any big relief in four years either. The election of Obama is just an indication of how our culture has moved further towards one centered on death. Mister Rogers could be resurrected and elected as President in 2012, there would still be a strong proabort voice in our national politics. Anyone on the prolife side of the aisle can expect a very long and tough row to how before this is all over.

And it may not be over for decades.

[joanne]

Subvet, you are right about the tough road ahead, but I think it's worth checking out Fr Pavone's observations re: what America wants. (www.priestforlife.org) It seems that the majority of Americans lack knowledge about abortion and have accepted way too much of PP's "teaching" with regard to women in need, the incidence of rape, and the contraceptive solution to unwanted pregnancy. They believe that Planned Parenthood is pro-choice, that women in crisis pregnancy make fully informed, considered choices, that abortion is a compassionate response rarely used, and that abortion would be almost non-existent if comprehensive sex ed were taught and people had better access to social services. When they discover otherwise, the majority of them do not want unrestricted abortion to become a "right".
My experiences during and after two 40 Days For Life campaigns lead me to agree with Fr Pavone, despite the zealous and sometimes rabid reactions of the loud abortion advocates. Even in RI, where we seem to sympathize more with crime than with innocence, the truth changes minds, and the Truth changes hearts.
We need to keep educating people, always help pregnant women in need and their children, keep the faith, and pray unceasingly! Many Catholics began to wake up after the election. Rubbing their eyes, they said in bewildered voices, "Catholics shouldn't have voted for Obama? But I'm Catholic. And I'm pro-life. And I voted for Obama..."
Yikes, have they had cotton stuffed in their ears all this time? What WAS in that kool-aid?
Now, if only they can wake up fully before FOCA becomes law! Pray LOUD!

[joanne]

Ooh, check this out--this and lots of pro-life ideas for change in need of your VOTE so that they will become visible!!! http://www.change.org/ideas/view/defending_life_at_all_stages

I wouldn't have hopped on this site, considering most of the "change" petitions, and the environment itself, but since President-Elect Obama did say to us "I'll be your president, too" (God help us all) we may as well speak up!! We won't be heard if we remain silent.