Should the Freedom of Choice Act Be A Legislative Priority For Obama?

[Mr. Ected]

On the campaign trail, Obama mentioned that signing it would be the first order of business in his presidency.

That being said, I believe that Obama, in his first 100 days, has made large strides in depoliticizing women's health issues.

Will we ever see the codification of Roe v. Wade?

[Thrill]

1. He said it wasn't the TOP Priority. But its probably still something he wants to get done

Everything doesn't have to be done in the first yr.

[Adelante]

2. He can't sign until Congress passes it, right?

[saracat]

4. But congress will never push it through unless they are "leaned" on. And that isn't likely to happe

Obama has said that this isn't a "top" priority.Apparently the promises he made to Planned Parenthood was just "campaign rhetoric". I give him credit for making certain strides for the advancement of women but somehow, that which is most important for human dignity is a politcal football from which he and the conservative dems have backed off.

[Adelante]

5. It's not a priority for me, either

Not over the economy, health care, energy reform, and two wars. I'm 100% pro-Choice, but I understand I can't get everything I want this hot minute. This needs to be done, but not ahead of other, more critical, issues.

[saracat]

6. Odd, I find the guaranteed full civil rights of every American, women and GBTL included trumps

all other issues. If we aren't recognized as equal citizens with the same rights as all Americans , what is the point of this nation? I thought that was the premise under which we were founded ( though ALL has had to be made more inclusive). My mistake.

[Adelante]

10. Abortion is legal

It needs to be protected, yes. I think selection of supreme court justices is far more important to Choice protection than a confirmation by congress of an already legal medical procedure. However, it couldn't hurt. It just isn't happening TODAY.

[AllentownJake]

13. That's my opinion too

If the Supreme Court can overturn Row vs. Wade they can overturn a federal law. What does this law do that isn't already in place.

[saracat]

14. Yeah well you must not live in one of those states that have virtually made it

impossible to get an abortion and are now working on birth control.

[Mushroom]

16. That's the problem...

States' attitudes of women. FOCA was supposedly crucial to improving women's health and lives nationally.

[MiniMe]

3. If it gets to his desk, he will sign it imho

Unfortunately, I doubt it will ever get past the Senate onto his desk.

[cliffordu]

7. I think that's ALL he should do.

Fuck congress....

he can make laws without them.

[AllentownJake]

8. Flame me for my ignorance

but is this a priority right now? Is Row in danger of being overturned right now? If it was overturned couldn't the same Supreme Court that overturned it overturn this law?

Is it really necessary to whip up the fundie base any further right now?

[Mr. Ected]

9. Politically, I Wouldn't Touch This Now Either

It would be just the antidote to invigorate and coalesce the Republican Party.

[IntravenousDemilo]

11. All of this stuff can be done simultaneously...

... along with setting up a national healthcare system, repealing DOMA, losing DADT, passing ENDA, and trying Bush and Cheney for war crimes. And it can all be done by September if there is sufficient will for change.

That is, unless you think Obama and Congress are incapable of multitasking.

[AllentownJake]

12. My point is what does this act do

What does it actually change?

You want to repeal DOMA and DADT that has a real effect but codifying something into law that is already legal. Want to try Bush and Cheney, fine that has results and consequences.

However, passing a bill that makes something legal, that already is legal, seems to me only to be a masturbatory exercise.

Like I said I might me ignorant on it.

[Mushroom]

15. "Will we ever see the codification of Roe v. Wade?"

I'm guessing from President Obama's response last night that compassionate access to women's health care based on science since the 70s is taking away from freedom of religion. His Domestic Policy Council (consisting of pro-life and pro-choice) is haggling as we speak. What comes of it is anyone's guess. President Obama said that abortion is not simply an issue about women's freedom. And that's how it is being handled.

Again I have to guess, that FOCA isn't the focus. Haggling over women's health care, moral health care, to tamp down on anger for consensus sake is the president's focus. I'll read through the president's response again to try to make sense of it. If anyone could walk me through it, I'd be ever so grateful. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

President Obama:

Ed Henry?

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. In a couple of weeks, you're going to be giving the commencement at Notre Dame. And, as you know, this has caused a lot of controversy among Catholics who are opposed to your position on abortion.

As a candidate, you vowed that one of the very things you wanted to do was sign the Freedom of Choice Act, which, as you know, would eliminate federal, state and local restrictions on abortion. And at one point in the campaign when asked about abortion and life, you said that it was above -- quote, "above my pay grade."

Now that you've been president for 100 days, obviously, your pay grade is a little higher than when you were a senator.

(LAUGHTER)

Do you still hope that Congress quickly sends you the Freedom of Choice Act so you can sign it?

OBAMA: You know, the -- my view on -- on abortion, I think, has been very consistent. I think abortion is a moral issue and an ethical issue.

I think that those who are pro-choice make a mistake when they -- if they suggest -- and I don't want to create straw men here, but I think there are some who suggest that this is simply an issue about women's freedom and that there's no other considerations. I think, look, this is an issue that people have to wrestle with and families and individual women have to wrestle with.

OBAMA: The reason I'm pro-choice is because I don't think women take that -- that position casually. I think that they struggle with these decisions each and every day. And I think they are in a better position to make these decisions ultimately than members of Congress or a president of the United States, in consultation with their families, with their doctors, with their doctors, with their clergy.

So -- so that has been my consistent position. The other thing that I said consistently during the campaign is I would like to reduce the number of unwanted presidencies that result in women feeling compelled to get an abortion, or at least considering getting an abortion, particularly if we can reduce the number of teen pregnancies, which has started to spike up again.

And so I've got a task force within the Domestic Policy Council in the West Wing of the White House that is working with groups both in the pro-choice camp and in the pro-life camp, to see if we can arrive at some consensus on that.

Now, the Freedom of Choice Act is not highest legislative priority. I believe that women should have the right to choose. But I think that the most important thing we can do to tamp down some of the anger surrounding this issue is to focus on those areas that we can agree on. And that's -- that's where I'm going to focus.