Politico: Pro-lifers “bullish,” pro-aborts “skittish”
There’s a good Politico piece this morning entitled, “Abortion groups caught off guard.” For starters I was happy Politico omitted “rights” after “Abortion,” a word that gives pro-aborts a psychological edge.
Multiple topics were covered in the article, so I’m going to write 2 or 3 separate posts. The following excerpts focus on the deflated pro-abort movement:
Anti-abortion groups leapt into action last month when the National Right to Life Committee warned that elective abortions would be covered under a PA insurance program created by the health care reform law….
The Susan B. Anthony List and the Family Research Council blasted the news to the media and supporters. NRLC began scouring other state plans for similar provisions. Top congressional Republicans sent a letter of protest to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
And within a day, the anti-abortion groups got what they wanted: a nationwide ban on coverage for most elective abortions in the so-called high-risk insurance pools, a position reaffirmed in a HHS regulation released on Thursday.
Abortion rights advocates were caught completely off-guard.…
Planned Parenthood and NARAL didn’t publicly petition HHS until after the new ban was imposed. And it took sympathetic Democrats on the Hill a full 10 days to write a letter expressing disappointment with the HHS — and even then, they were so squeamish about the issue that they never even used the word “abortion” in their protest.
For abortion rights advocates, the HHS episode was both a reminder of the health reform battle they lost and a warning about the risks ahead: Having a president on their side doesn’t mean they can sit back and expect success….
“We’re stuck in a slow backpedal,” said Laura MacCleery, government relations director for the Center for Reproductive Rights….
Even with many allies in Washington, reproductive rights groups have not found the city particularly hospitable. All the reproductive health groups that Politico spoke with said they were not consulted on the decision to bar elective abortion coverage in the high-risk pools.
“I don’t see any evidence that there is a willingness to fight for important principles about access by women to constitutionally protected abortion services,” MacCleery said…
Obama has been a strong defender of reproductive rights….
But Obama’s signature legislative accomplishment – the health care reform law he signed in March – was a mixed bag for abortion rights groups….
On abortion, though, advocates have been bitterly disappointed. The health care reform law settled on a system under which insurers that cover elective abortion on the public exchange would be required to collect 2 payments from all subscribers: one for abortion coverage, another for everything else. Advocates criticize the requirement as overly burdensome and as a strong disincentive for abortion coverage….
The administration’s decision to disallow abortion coverage in the high-risk pools and the lethargic response of the staunchest abortion rights defenders in Congress have left activists frustrated….
Reproductive rights groups are trying to remain optimistic. “There are some disappointments, but I think overall he has been a wonderful president for us,” says PP’s [Laurie] Rubiner, [VP for public policy]. “Nothing is perfect, right?”
But where pro-life groups are bullish – NRLC has released a 7-point plan on where it expects the abortion battle to flare – pro-choice groups sound skittish.…
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
“..I think overall he has been a wonderful president for us..”
I thought he was supposed to be the president for ALL americans…not just for the liberal few?
There’s always Kagan, remember? like
sleight of hand and possum politics.
Snakes hide in weeds and recoil before striking at the ankles of the unaware. But once aware, Bulls trample snakes.
Obama has been one of the worst presidents in history. Not only because of his support of all things abortion, but everything else. Everything. He is a terrible person, and a terrible president. A hand puppet would make a better president.
I agree about Obama being a terrible president. However, it just may be that he is the best thing that ever happened to the prolife movement.
Anytime reproductive rights advocates are disappointed is a good day. If the unborn could speak what would they say. So sorry for your disappointment but any day I get to live is a good day. God bless all the republicans and democrats who worked togethor to achieve what many thought was an impossibility. Maybe the unborn were singing that song, let me live let me live. Some will still feel the sting of the abortionists hand but many will be delivered because of what Stupak insisted on. It’s not perfect perfection would be babies resting safely in their mothers womb. But it’s a step in the right direction. And yes God bless our President too. It took a lot of courage for him to stand up to some of his biggest supporters. I hope they get him good and riled up so he can decide to stop tax payers monies going to feed that big tick called planned parenthood. I think he should tell them seeing as how you believe so strongly in abortion from now on will let you use your own money to support it. Tax payers monies will start supporting life not death.
I’m a little skeptical on the way Obama’s behaving on this…I applaud the vigilance of the NRLC in pursuing the issue and the way HHS ‘immediately’ gave in to the Pro-life demands.
BUT, methinks, this is a ploy by the WH to gain a ‘centrist’ image just before the mid-term elections…
I would rather wait until after Nov to see what this administration will do.
Ps….Obama’s typical MO when he gets caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar, he throws somebody under the bus… in this case, he threw the pro-aborts who supported him.
“A hand puppet would make a better president.”
Posted by: MaryLee at July 30, 2010 11:48 AM
PP evidently thought Obama WAS a hand puppet, and that their hand was up inside the sleeve.
So far, he’s been pretty obedient, but he must be realizing what a political millstone they are. On the other hand, whatever he does is always with an eye on the elections. I’m doubtful his attempt at independence from PP will last.
I applaud the vigilance of the NRLC in pursuing the issue …
Posted by: RSD at July 30, 2010 1:31 PM
Yes! The bureaucracy spawned by PPACA is truly mind boggling and I am grateful that NRLC caught this. I hope they are keeping an eye on the other mechanisms HHS has to slip abortion into PPACA’s implementation.
this is a ploy by the WH to gain a ‘centrist’ image just before the mid-term elections…
That’s what I believe too, but I don’t believe that PBHO has thrown the proaborts under the bus. I think he’s just posturing because he’d prefer they wait until after the 2012 election to get their cookie. I don’t think he minds giving them their cookie before then, but he’d rather make them litigate to get it than hand it out directly for the sake of appearance before the 2012 election.
PS- myrtle and phillymiss, I hope things went well for both of you yesterday!
Fed Up, unfortunately they didn’t and right now there is a good chance that I will lose my home — the mortgage company was not impressed when I said the pro-life blogsphere was praying for me! Anyway, I haven’t given up yet — while there’s life, there’s hope.
I hope Myrtle had a better day . . .
phillymiss
I don’t know if your Christian but if you are when the circumstances of my life get really difficult I tithe. Which is really sad because I think we’re suppose to tithe all the time. God probably has something better for you. How was my day. My day was good the test was not. But I think the prayer helped me deal with the situation. Still waiting for my semester grade. Wasn’t the stimulus package suppose to help homeowners who were losing their homes?
Lori
If he is posturing the person he will really be decieving is himself. I hope not, I hope something holy in him stirs and then the rest will be history.