The economy will be center stage for quite some time for the Obama administration but that doesn't mean there won't be action elsewhere. In case you haven't heard, there's talk that Obama may lift the "global gag rule" on abortion. Read below from Reuters:
On the policy front, activists and analysts say an early skirmish could come over federal funding for nongovernmental organizations that offer abortion operations or counseling in family planning services abroad.
Such funding was first banned in the 1980s under Republican President Ronald Reagan. Democratic President Bill Clinton rescinded the order in 1993 but Bush reinstated it in 2001, setting strict limits on the more than $400 million that the United States spends on overseas family planning assistance each year.
Critics call it the "global gag rule" and the partisan tit-for-tat -- Democratic politicians tend to woo abortion rights advocates and Republicans generally appeal to opponents -- is expected to continue when Obama assumes office in January.
"I think that rescinding this will be one of the first executive orders that he issues," said Michael Lindsay, a political sociologist at Rice University in Houston. There is great political pressure on Obama to act quickly on it given the expectations from his party's base, Lindsay added.
Critics say the policy restricts funds to clinics offering family planning services in developing countries, which reduces access to such services and thus increases the number of unwanted pregnancies.
Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, and Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards told Reuters in interviews that rolling back the rule was among their top political priorities.
Abortion rights opponents, many of whom on religious grounds regard the procedure as murder, see any move on that front as the next shot in the abortion wars.
"To reintroduce funding for it internationally is very offensive because there are even people who describe themselves as pro-choice, but don't want to be involved in public funding for it," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life Action, which opposes abortion rights.
The 2008 campaign centered on the economy. Social issues were hardly mentioned. But this potential Executive Order on the "global gag rule" is exactly the type of action that social conservative groups were afraid of. We're going to find out soon. January 21st will be an interesting day. What's your guess? Odds are he'll lift the ban.
Comments?