NYC Letter: Awesome Choices

Day 24 of CHOPE

We start on day four of CHOPE, January 23, 2009. Finally, Mr. Obama's pay grade enables him to act his conscience.

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
SUBJECT: Mexico City Policy and Assistance
for Voluntary Population Planning

The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151b(f)(1)), prohibits nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that receive Federal funds from using those funds "to pay for the performance of abortions as a method of family planning, or to motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions." The August 1984 announcement by President Reagan of what has become known as the "Mexico City Policy" directed the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to expand this limitation and withhold USAID funds from NGOs that use non-USAID funds to engage in a wide range of activities, including providing advice, counseling, or information regarding abortion, or lobbying a foreign government to legalize or make abortion available. The Mexico City Policy was in effect from 1985 until 1993, when it was rescinded by President Clinton. President George W. Bush reinstated the policy in 2001, implementing it through conditions in USAID grant awards, and subsequently extended the policy to "voluntary population planning" assistance provided by the Department of State.

These excessively broad conditions on grants and assistance awards are unwarranted. Moreover, they have undermined efforts to promote safe and effective voluntary family planning programs in foreign nations. Accordingly, I hereby revoke the Presidential memorandum of January 22, 2001, for the Administrator of USAID (Restoration of the Mexico City Policy), the Presidential memorandum of March 28, 2001, for the Administrator of USAID (Restoration of the Mexico City Policy), and the Presidential memorandum of August 29, 2003, for the Secretary of State (Assistance for Voluntary Population Planning).

A high priority. Can't hold up your tax dollars to fund international organizations performing and promoting abortions, depressing the human capital of the poorest nations abroad. [Pause.] Uh-oh.

Obama's decision to reverse the prohibition on funding for overseas family-planning providers may be the least popular thing he has done so far. ... Fifty-eight percent of Americans disapprove of Obama's decision to lift this ban, while only 35% approve of it.

Sorry. The will of the people not enough to disallow complicity in abortions abroad.

FLA. SENATOR LOSES BID TO GET
ABORTION FUNDING BAN REINSTATED

January 28, 2009 (MGNS) - During the debate on reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), [Melquiades Martinez (R-FL)] offered an amendment to reinstate the policy. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 37 to 60. Mr. Martinez:

The core of this argument is whether U.S. taxpayers ought to be forced to fund efforts abroad that utilize abortion as a means of family planning. If we want to continue fostering a culture of life, where every life is considered sacred, every child is celebrated, and life at all stages is given the dignity it deserves, then we will reinstate this policy.

CHOPE is in the air. The next day, January 29, NBC nixed this spot by pro-life CatholicVote.org to run during the Super Bowl. The message:

This child’s future is a broken home. He will be abandoned by his father. His single mother will struggle to raise him. Despite the hardships he will endure…this child…will become…the 1st African-American President. Life. Imagine the potential.

Or he could have been assessed one of life's low percentage plays and been aborted. [HRC jerks awake.] The sensible choice of well-to-do liberals for the disadvantaged and not-well-to-do. If life will be a struggle, be responsible. Abort. The practical advantages trump the morals.

And then there is this, via The Other McCain:

And [chief priests and scribes] said unto him, Hearest thou what these [children] say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

Matthew 21:16 (KJV)

Ho-ho, and they were sore displeased.