Better Late Than Never (Updated x 3)

by: Alegre

Fri Jan 23, 2009 at 10:39:51 AM EST

Obama removes restrictions on abortion funding
President Barack Obama on Friday will lift restrictions on U.S. government funding for groups that provide abortion services or counseling abroad, reversing a policy of his Republican predecessor George W. Bush, an administration official said.

"It will be today. He's going to make an executive order (lifting the global gag rule)," the official said.

It goes on to say that BHO's decision to act - not his action but his decision to act is a victory for advocates for abortion rights.  What a crock.

He failed to do this yesterday when it would have meant so much to the pro-choice Democrats (not just us wimmin' folk) who helped elect his butt.  His failure to act on this important issue yesterday on a day when it really would have meant something is a serious slap in the face to anyone who is fighting for women's rights.  Yet another signal that we're expected to take a back seat on the Hope 'n Change Express.

One day... I mean seriously - would it have killed him to show a bit of respect to the base of our party by signing this thing yesterday?  With the stroke of a pen he could have lifted restrictions that suffocate life-saving work in the developing world.  And yet he held back in order to kiss up to those would wipe out our basic human right of controlling our own bodies - our own fertility.

This headline should have appeared on the Net yesterday dammit.

UPDATE
Well at least the AP still understands the difference between future tense and past tense when writing up a headline... Officials: Obama to reverse abortion policy

Make the jump - there's more...

Obama bides time on abortion measure
It might seem like a small thing - the difference of a day - but it's a sign of how Obama at times seems to almost delight in keeping supporters just a bit off-balance. ...

The president of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards, said she doesn't think the slow response means Obama won't reverse the rule. "I fully expect for this to happen sometime soon," she said.

And Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Women, said she's "not making hay" of the delay.

But supporters of the Mexico City policy, who say it reduces the number of abortions, are finding some hope in the president's delay. The rule was on their minds on Thursday during their annual March for Life rally in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

"We're thrilled," said Ashley Horne, federal policy analyst at the conservative religious group Focus on the Family. "All signs point to that he will probably do away with the policy at some point but we're happy that for the time being that the Mexico City Policy is in place."

"Off balance"?  No, this isn't about his keeping us off balance.  This is a clear signal that our rights are NOT a priority for him.  And it's time our advocates - NOW and Planned Parenthood - call bullshit on these headgames.

NOW and Planned Parenthood continue to make excuses for BHO's games, and the anti's marching on our nation's capitol are "thrilled".

Richards and Gandy are acting like cowards and making excuses for BHO's BS.  It's time for them to step up to the plate and tell him to quit f#cking with our rights.

UPDATE 3
Oh look!  Reuters finally got tired of waiting for BHO to take... you know - ACTION on this and fixed their headline... Obama to lift funding ban for abortion groups abroad