Obama says not funding abortions is "tradition"

[ccharles000]

While Jos alerted us a couple of weeks ago to the anti-choice Democrats who are trying to keep abortion funding out of the health care reform plan, a recent interview with our president makes us wonder if he's caving into their efforts.

In an interview with Katie Couric this week, he finally addressed abortion funding in health care reform, but it wasn't too pleasing; he asserted he wasn't looking to "micro-manage" which benefits are covered and that not funding abortion has generally been "the tradition":

Katie Couric: Do you favor a government option that would cover abortions?

President Obama: What I think is important, at this stage, is not trying to micromanage what benefits are covered. Because I think we're still trying to get a framework. And my main focus is making sure that people have the options of high quality care at the lowest possible price.

As you know, I'm pro choice. But I think we also have a tradition of, in this town, historically, of not financing abortions as part of government funded health care. Rather than wade into that issue at this point, I think that it's appropriate for us to figure out how to just deliver on the cost savings, and not get distracted by the abortion debate at this station. (Emphasis mine)

Well, that doesn't sound very pro-choice. Dana at TAPPED makes the connection to the Hyde Amendment:

That is a reference to the Hyde Amendment, which currently prevents Medicaid coverage of abortions for poor women. And while none of the health reform bills in Congress threaten Hyde, reproductive health advocates have been trying for decades to repeal the ban. By deferring to this "tradition," Obama seems to be signaling that he could support a public plan that excludes abortion coverage.

This is despite the fact that during his campaign, he stated that he opposed the amendment.

http://www.feministing.com/archives/016868.html

[dflprincess]

1. I find continued funding of the Iraq & Afghanistan wars to be morally unacceptable

and demand tax money not be used to fund them as to do so violates my religious beliefs.

How far do you think we could get with that argument?

[midnight]

21. Agree.

[defendandprotect]

33. Me, too --

and include funding religious organizations with our tax dollars!!!

[debbierlus]

42. I think we should put it out there STRONGLY

[baldguy]

2. Some traditions need to die.

And the Hyde Amendment is only 30 yrs old.

[defendandprotect]

32. Slavery was a "tradition" once . . . and nothing reminds me of the

"Runaway Slave Act" like the limitations on underage females seeking abortions

across state lines! Even a parent or grandparent is barred from aiding her!

[tomm2thumbs]

3. It was also 'tradition' for women not to vote

I won't go down the list - of 'traditions'

[Colobo]

4. The president just wants to focus on getting that plan moving in Congress.

The details can wait.

[Uzybone]

5. thats my view as well

but of course we will be called anti choice.

I'm 100% pro choice....heck even to the minute before birth. But this talk is nothing more than a way to make sure healthcare reform is stalled using classical wedge issue politics.

[laconicsax]

12. Ensuring access to abortion is more than a detail.

If women don't have access to abortion, they don't really have a right to it now, do they?

[polmaven]

36. Thank you, laconicsax

You are absolutely right on point and no more really needs to be said.

[laconicsax]

38. I sincerely hope so.

Sadly, I foresee having to defend that simple fact on this board, if not this thread.

[polmaven]

46. I hear ya on that.

'Course, it's only wimmins that are affected. No big deal!

[debbierlus]

43. Amen. If it was another legal medical procedure that Congress was insisting not be covered

There would be an uproar. How dare they dictate our medical care?

The fact that anyone on this site would defend this betrayal of women is disappointing beyond belief.

[defendandprotect]

34. "The details can wait . . ." --

yes, in many senses they can -- after all we're not re-inventing the wheel here --

ALL other countries have already done it -- long ago!!

However, when directly asked about abortion OBAMA should act more like someone's asking

if he wants to overturn slavery than acting as though abortion is something embarrassing!

[Lars39]

6. He just missed a teachable moment...he could have explained how

abortions are part of women's reproductive health and that the ability to make the choice as to when or if you have a child is a basic human right for women.

:thumbsdown: Obama

[csziggy]

8. Or he could explain that a blanket ban on abortion funding is getting between a woman and her doctor

And he does not want to institutionalize that in the health care bill.

[defendandprotect]

26. True -- and sad -- !!

[Hippo_Tron]

47. You can't teach the nation and get the media to focus on health care at the same time

I think we saw that pretty clearly from the press conference last week.

[MichiganVote]

7. Whose "tradition" would that be President? Its not mine I can tell you that.

Viva free women for free reproductive rights!

[PurityOfEssence]

10. This is the religion that he said wouldn't dictate his policy dictating his policy

The whole thing's depressing anyway; it's really nothing more than trying to extract ANY more coverage while guaranteeing the sanctity of profiteering with people's lives.

[boppers]

9. Medically neccessary abortions.

This will come up, over and over again.

[defendandprotect]

27. Not responding positively to this issue when it comes up suggests --

that there's something wrong with abortion --

If OBAMA isn't comfortable discussing abortion he should find out something

about it --

[flyarm]

11. Well the beginning tradition was our Federal government paid for abortions!

From 1973-1976 the federal government did pay for abortions..until i believe the Hyde Amendment was passed..so what tradition is Obama talking about ?

The original "tradition " was that the Federal Government did pay for abortions!

The Hyde Amendment Banned Medicare funding of Abortions.

[Captain Hilts]

24. Did someone force Henry Hyde to have an abortion at some point? nt

[laconicsax]

13. How long before Obama calls himself a "fierce advocate" of women's rights?

:shrug:

[boppers]

14. Is tubal ligation a right? Vasectomies?

Reproductive, elective, medicine is a freaking minefield of corner-cases.

[laconicsax]

29. It's about access.

Restrict women's access to abortion and you restrict their ability to exercise reproductive rights. That's what this is about.

You can throw up whatever procedures in comparison you like and even call it elective. The fact is that it's not up to us and it isn't up to legislators to decide that a procedure shouldn't be funded on the chance that it might be elective.

[and-justice-for-all]

15. Uh, sometimes abortion is a medical necessity...

it is a medical procedure.

What of rape victims? Are they going to be forced to carry?? This Anti-women crap pisses me off.

[no_hypocrisy]

16. "Tradition" since the Hyde Amendment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Amendment

[northernlights]

17. and if carrying to term is going to kill the woman?

Or force her to forego, say, cancer treatment? Then she can just die?

Great. Well that's just great.

[and-justice-for-all]

18. Yup, apparently so...

because in the "pro-lifers" delusional mind, ALL pregnancies are health happy ones. There is never ever anything wrong with the fetus, they all develop normally into healthy little babies...

However, reality shows that is complete bullshit.

[davidpdx]

19. I think he's playing sly more then anything

If he came out and said I want abortions funded through the healthcare reform, conservatives would go apeshit. Nothing would get passed. To some degree he has to play the game and concentrate on getting legislation through Congress which is already hard enough given the Bluedog Democrats and having two Democrat Senators out sick.

[debbierlus]

44. That isn't sly, it is political cowardice.

How about some political leadership?

Courage?

Obama is no leader, I know that much. Leadership requires LEADING. Not assuming tepid political positions that don't stand for anything.

[Bluenorthwest]

20. I do not like his constant references to ' this town' as if DC

was the nation. It is so show biz. "You know this town, it's who you know."
What he thinks about should not be what the Beltway traditionalizes, but about what the people want.

[debbierlus]

45. Obama is a corporatist through & through - a safe 'middle' guy

That plays bipartisanship as a means to keep up the corporate status quo.

[lumberjack_jeff]

22. Does Medicaid pay for abortion? n/t

[Lars39]

23. It did until the Hyde Amendment:

http://www.prochoiceminnesota.org/getinvolved/alerts/200802011.shtml

[lumberjack_jeff]

25. So it has not been covered for thirty of the thirty-five years since Roe v Wade?

I have to say that I agree with Obama. Work to repeal the Hyde amendment and leave the public option legislation ambiguous.

If this is a battle we haven't won in 30 years, it is dumb to make it a line in the sand for healthcare reform legislation.

Thanks for the link.

[Phx_Dem]

28. Agreed. Except, of course, when the health of the mother is at stake.

[lumberjack_jeff]

30. Agreed. n/t

[Lars39]

37. The health of the mother is *always* at stake.

[lumberjack_jeff]

51. A better way to phrase it might be "deemed medically necessary". n/t

[ruggerson]

31. Why is anyone surprised by this

there are a number of socially rightwing preachers who have his ear and he does not want to alienate the constituencies they represent.

Read his interviews with the Catholic press in the week before he went to the Vatican. They're quite illuminating.

[tritsofme]

35. This has been my position all along.

Also proving why this new Republican amendment specifically banning abortion funding is a non sequitur, as the Hyde Amendment would already block such funding.

We should not let debate over the Hyde Amendment be intertwined with healthcare reform.

[noamnety]

39. Racial profiling by police is tradition. (nt)

[GeorgeGist]

40. Make no mistake, let Obama be clear ...

The real issues are money and power.

[debbierlus]

41. Micromanage health care? Isn't denying abortion coverage micromanaging health care

This is disgusting.

[DevonRex]

48. Well, it hasn't been federally funded for 35 years.

Obama isn't "deferring" to anything. He simply stated a fact. I call total BS on the article and the author for the disgusting, dishonest spin.

[solstice]

49. That's lame and cowardly even for Obama.

[Fire1]

50. It can still be covered. They just call it a D&C. n/t