In the dark of night, after 7:00pm on Friday (planned for minimal news coverage), President Obama funded international abortion services (without voter input), thus overturning a pillar of the George W. Bush presidency.
-- From "Obama Reverses Rules on U.S. Abortion Aid" by Peter Baker, New York Times 1/24/09
The executive order that Mr. Obama signed reverses one of the first measures enacted by Mr. Bush when he took over the White House eight years ago and capped an opening-week flurry of action intended to signal a sharp break from the past in domestic and foreign arenas.
In a written statement, Mr. Obama said he would work with Congress to restore financial support for the United Nations Population Fund. But he bemoaned the “politicization” of abortion and promised to reach out to all sides to initiate a new dialogue about reducing unintended pregnancies.
The restrictions Mr. Obama lifted on Friday barred the United States Agency for International Development from providing money to any international nongovernmental organization that “performs or actively promotes abortion as a method of family planning” in foreign countries, and covered a wide range of activities, including providing advice, counseling or information regarding abortion. The restrictions did not apply to counseling for abortions in the case of rape, incest or danger to the life of the pregnant woman.
Abortion opponents condemned Friday’s order, calling it an unnecessarily divisive way for a president preaching unity to start his administration. “President Obama will be remembered forever not just as a smart, savvy, gifted and eloquent leader — but as the Abortion President,” Representative Christopher H. Smith, Republican of New Jersey and co-chairman of the House Bipartisan Pro-Life Caucus, said in a written statement.
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