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David Brody, CBN: Grab the heart medication!
Prolife groups are not gonna like this one. The dreaded
abortion conscience clause controversy is back. Read
below from the Associated Press and then get my take
afterwards:
President Barack Obama wants to rescind a Bush
administration rule that strengthened job protections
for doctors and nurses who refuse for moral reasons to
perform abortions.
A Health and Human Services official said Friday the
administration will publish notice of its intentions
early next week, opening a 30-day comment period for
advocates, medical groups and the public. The official
spoke on condition of anonymity because the notice has
not been completed.
The Bush administration instituted the rule in its last
days, and it was quickly challenged in federal court by
several states and medical organizations. As a
candidate, President Barack Obama criticized the
regulation and campaign aides promised that if elected,
he would review it.
The news that he was doing so drew praise from
abortion-rights supporters and condemnation from groups
opposed to abortion.
"It would be a horrible move. These regulations were a
long time coming," said Tom McClusky, a vice president
at Family Research Council. "What they seek to do is
protect patients, nurses, doctors and other health care
professionals from being forced to violate their
consciences.”
McClusky and other abortion opponents said the Bush
regulation clarified federal policies and raised
awareness about the rights of medical providers to
follow their consciences. But abortion rights advocates
said it was vague and overly broad, and could reduce
access to other services - allowing a drug store clerk
to refuse to sell birth control pills, for example.
[Continues]
Assistant Press Secretary Reid Cherlin also released
this statement to CBN News on behalf of the Obama
administration:
"President Obama has a very clear record of supporting
carefully crafted conscience clause legislation. He
believes this issue requires a careful balance between
the rights of providers and the health of women and
their families, a balance that the last-minute Bush rule
appears to upset."
`House Minority Lead John Boehner released this
statement:
This is the third action taken by Washington Democrats
in the past 38 days to weaken American rules that are
meant to safeguard the sanctity of human life. It is an
action that will hurt faith-based health providers and
hospitals throughout our nation who are committed to
caring for Americans at this critical time. It will also
inevitably result in more abortions being performed
nationwide.
On January 21, I and 114 other Republican Members of
Congress sent a letter to President Obama urging him to
drop his pledge to enact the so-called 'Freedom of
Choice Act' (FOCA), which would overturn virtually all
prolife laws at the state and national level. To the
dismay of millions of Americans, it is beginning to look
like the Administration is intent on enacting FOCA
incrementally - step by tragic step - through low key
legislative maneuvers and executive orders.
I think at this point we're in a wait and see situation.
The Obama administration is going to have to somehow
come out with more clarification on this conscience
clause in the near future. Obviously, because no
official decision has been made yet, it would make sense
that they would be reluctant to be specifically pinned
down as to what this means when it comes to the abortion
issue. In other words, some may interpret this as an
assault on pro life health care individuals who have no
desire to take part in anything related to an abortion
procedure. If they end up rescinding the policy, the
Obama administration will be pushed to clarify the
matter.
Folks, we are finding out that elections have
consequences. Pro life groups may not be happy with this
move but President Obama is being consistent on this
issue. Prolife groups are keeping score on Obama's
prochoice decisions. While that may not matter right
now, due to the economy, the lurking danger is that this
will give the GOP candidate in 2012 an arsenal of
ammunition when trying to paint Obama as an abortion
liberal.
President Obama has been very diligent in making sure to
craft a centrist image. He even talks about the noble
goal of reducing the number of abortions. But get ready
for the GOP in 2012 to call him hypocritical on the
issue of abortion. Will that strategy work? Will it
matter?
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