Obama v. Life
Human Life International’s Pro-Life Talking Points
1. Barack Obama declared the expansion of abortion his first priority: During his presidential campaign, Barack Obama discussed a large number of pressing issues facing the federal government from the economy and health care reform to terrorism and the war in Iraq. He chose to make the removal of all restrictions on abortion his first priority from the beginning of his campaign. In a speech to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund on July 27, 2007, then-U.S. Senator Obama promised, “The first thing I’d do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That’s the first thing that I’d do.” The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is congressional legislation designed to eliminate all federal, state, and local curbs on abortion of any kind. Congress must pass FOCA before the President can sign it.
2. FOCA, Obama’s first priority, is the most extreme pro-abortion legislation: Though the U.S. Supreme Court made abortion-on-demand the practice in the United States, federal law has never authorized or mandated it. FOCA would change that by declaring, “It is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child, to terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability, or to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability when necessary to protect the life or health of the woman.” The Supreme Court has long held that the “health of the woman” exception includes any psychological distress caused by an unwanted child, thus effectively guaranteeing abortion on demand. FOCA would explicitly override all other federal, state, and local laws and require public hospitals to provide abortions
at taxpayer expense. In addition, it would require private hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, who receive government funds (such as through Medicaid or Medicare) to provide abortions. Cardinal Justin Rigali wrote to members of Congress in a September 2008 letter that under FOCA, “For the first time, abortion on demand would be a national entitlement that government must condone and promote in all public programs affecting pregnant women.”
3. Obama favored allowing the killing of infants born alive: When nurse Jill Stanek broke the news that infants born alive after botched abortions at Chicago’s Christ Hospital were being deliberately left to die, then-Illinois state senator Obama spoke against a bill forbidding the practice even though it specifically applied only to children “born alive.” Later, as chairman of a state senate committee in 2003, he killed the bill, which later passed the U.S. Senate unanimously as the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. Even Sen. Barbara Boxer (D.-Calif.), sponsor of FOCA, voted for the Born Alive bill. When Obama ran for the U.S. Senate, he flip-flopped and said he would have voted for the Born Alive bill had he been in the U.S. Senate.
4. Obama was the favorite candidate of the proabortion movement: Sen. Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.) voted for the Born Alive Infants Protection Act that Obama opposed. In response, heavy hitters in the proabortion movement passed over Clinton and endorsed Obama for President in the Democratic primary. Frances Kissling of Catholics for a Free Choice endorsed Obama, as did the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). All pro-abortion organizations report that
Obama has a 100% pro-abortion voting record. On Jan. 22, 2008, the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Obama said, “With one more vacancy on the Supreme Court, we could be looking at a majority hostile to a woman’s fundamental right to choose for the first time since Roe v. Wade…. Throughout my career, I’ve been a consistent and strong supporter of reproductive justice, and have consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America.” All observers expect Obama to nominate pro-Roe justices to
the Supreme Court.
5. Obama favors forcing taxpayers to fund embryonic stem-cell research: Obama promised during his campaign to reverse President Bush’s executive order limiting federal funding to research with embryonic stem cells from embryos already killed by the time of the order. Obama’s reversal will provide taxpayer funding to create and kill new embryonic human beings solely for scientific research. So far, all funding for embryonic stem cell research has been wasted since it has produced no medical treatments, while adult stem cell research has been generating treatments for over 30 years. In addition, the scientist who founded embryonic stem cell research has said that technology now exists to obtain the kind of cells needed for research
without harvesting them from embryos.
6. Obama favors partial-birth abortion: In 2007, the largely pro-abortion Supreme Court upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act passed by Congress in 2003. The bill banned late-term abortions in which children are delivered except for their heads, which are then punctured and their brains suctioned out. The American people overwhelmingly supported the bill and so did many otherwise pro-abortion members of Congress. Obama opposed it and continues to support the re-legalization of partial-birth abortion by adding a health exception to the law, which would render it meaningless given the courts’ broad interpretation of health exceptions.
7. Obama favors secret abortions for minors: Obama twice voted against the Child Custody Protection Act, which would have forbidden the transportation across state lines of girls for
2. FOCA, Obama’s first priority, is the most extreme pro-abortion legislation: Though the U.S. Supreme Court made abortion-on-demand the practice in the United States, federal law has never authorized or mandated it. FOCA would change that by declaring, “It is the policy of the United States that every woman has the fundamental right to choose to bear a child, to terminate a pregnancy prior to fetal viability, or to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability when necessary to protect the life or health of the woman.” The Supreme Court has long held that the “health of the woman” exception includes any psychological distress caused by an unwanted child, thus effectively guaranteeing abortion on demand. FOCA would explicitly override all other federal, state, and local laws and require public hospitals to provide abortions
at taxpayer expense. In addition, it would require private hospitals, including Catholic hospitals, who receive government funds (such as through Medicaid or Medicare) to provide abortions. Cardinal Justin Rigali wrote to members of Congress in a September 2008 letter that under FOCA, “For the first time, abortion on demand would be a national entitlement that government must condone and promote in all public programs affecting pregnant women.”
3. Obama favored allowing the killing of infants born alive: When nurse Jill Stanek broke the news that infants born alive after botched abortions at Chicago’s Christ Hospital were being deliberately left to die, then-Illinois state senator Obama spoke against a bill forbidding the practice even though it specifically applied only to children “born alive.” Later, as chairman of a state senate committee in 2003, he killed the bill, which later passed the U.S. Senate unanimously as the Born Alive Infants Protection Act. Even Sen. Barbara Boxer (D.-Calif.), sponsor of FOCA, voted for the Born Alive bill. When Obama ran for the U.S. Senate, he flip-flopped and said he would have voted for the Born Alive bill had he been in the U.S. Senate.
4. Obama was the favorite candidate of the proabortion movement: Sen. Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.) voted for the Born Alive Infants Protection Act that Obama opposed. In response, heavy hitters in the proabortion movement passed over Clinton and endorsed Obama for President in the Democratic primary. Frances Kissling of Catholics for a Free Choice endorsed Obama, as did the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL). All pro-abortion organizations report that
Obama has a 100% pro-abortion voting record. On Jan. 22, 2008, the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Obama said, “With one more vacancy on the Supreme Court, we could be looking at a majority hostile to a woman’s fundamental right to choose for the first time since Roe v. Wade…. Throughout my career, I’ve been a consistent and strong supporter of reproductive justice, and have consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America.” All observers expect Obama to nominate pro-Roe justices to
the Supreme Court.
5. Obama favors forcing taxpayers to fund embryonic stem-cell research: Obama promised during his campaign to reverse President Bush’s executive order limiting federal funding to research with embryonic stem cells from embryos already killed by the time of the order. Obama’s reversal will provide taxpayer funding to create and kill new embryonic human beings solely for scientific research. So far, all funding for embryonic stem cell research has been wasted since it has produced no medical treatments, while adult stem cell research has been generating treatments for over 30 years. In addition, the scientist who founded embryonic stem cell research has said that technology now exists to obtain the kind of cells needed for research
without harvesting them from embryos.
6. Obama favors partial-birth abortion: In 2007, the largely pro-abortion Supreme Court upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act passed by Congress in 2003. The bill banned late-term abortions in which children are delivered except for their heads, which are then punctured and their brains suctioned out. The American people overwhelmingly supported the bill and so did many otherwise pro-abortion members of Congress. Obama opposed it and continues to support the re-legalization of partial-birth abortion by adding a health exception to the law, which would render it meaningless given the courts’ broad interpretation of health exceptions.
7. Obama favors secret abortions for minors: Obama twice voted against the Child Custody Protection Act, which would have forbidden the transportation across state lines of girls for
abortions without the knowledge of their parents or legal guardians.
8. Obama opposes funding for crisis pregnancy centers and the Hyde Amendment: In 2007, Obama’s campaign told the pro-abortion website rhrealitycheck. org that he opposes federal funding for crisis pregnancy centers. It also said that Obama opposes the Hyde Amendment that prevents Medicaid from paying for abortions on demand.
9. Obama flip-flopped on Terri Schiavo: Obama voted to give Terri Schiavo’s parents a chance to save her from involuntary euthanasia. But in a 2008 presidential debate, he flip-flopped and said he had erred. “I think that was a mistake, and I think the American people understood that was a mistake. And as a constitutional law professor, I knew better,” he said February 26.
10. Obama’s appointees favor expanding abortion here and abroad: Hillary Clinton, Obama’s choice for secretary of State, has long openly favored using U.S. influence and money to pressure foreign nations, such as those in Latin America, into legalizing abortion. She will now oversee American foreign policy. She and Obama favor overturning the Mexico City policy that forbids U.S. funding for overseas organizations that advocate legalizing abortion. Obama and Clinton have promised to reverse Bush Administration policy and restore funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which promotes abortion globally and subsidizes China’s coercive population control program. Obama’s secretary of Health and Human Services, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D.-S.D.), favors expanding government funding of abortion, has voted to allow human cloning, and favors federal funding for more destructive embryonic stem-cell research.
8. Obama opposes funding for crisis pregnancy centers and the Hyde Amendment: In 2007, Obama’s campaign told the pro-abortion website rhrealitycheck. org that he opposes federal funding for crisis pregnancy centers. It also said that Obama opposes the Hyde Amendment that prevents Medicaid from paying for abortions on demand.
9. Obama flip-flopped on Terri Schiavo: Obama voted to give Terri Schiavo’s parents a chance to save her from involuntary euthanasia. But in a 2008 presidential debate, he flip-flopped and said he had erred. “I think that was a mistake, and I think the American people understood that was a mistake. And as a constitutional law professor, I knew better,” he said February 26.
10. Obama’s appointees favor expanding abortion here and abroad: Hillary Clinton, Obama’s choice for secretary of State, has long openly favored using U.S. influence and money to pressure foreign nations, such as those in Latin America, into legalizing abortion. She will now oversee American foreign policy. She and Obama favor overturning the Mexico City policy that forbids U.S. funding for overseas organizations that advocate legalizing abortion. Obama and Clinton have promised to reverse Bush Administration policy and restore funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which promotes abortion globally and subsidizes China’s coercive population control program. Obama’s secretary of Health and Human Services, former Sen. Tom Daschle (D.-S.D.), favors expanding government funding of abortion, has voted to allow human cloning, and favors federal funding for more destructive embryonic stem-cell research.
posted by Al @ 5:42 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home