My view 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 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.
The reason I'm pro-choice is because I don't think women take 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 clergy.
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 pregnancies 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 where I'm going to focus.
Comments (2)
Bravo! We have a President who understands that people on all sides/at all positions of the abortion discussion have valuable insights, and that the solution to this conundrum will not come from triumphal name calling and blame-gaming, but through respectful conversation and problem-solving to assure that babies conceived are babies wanted and that we will engender a society that will support families and make abortion in almost all circumstances a moot point.
Posted by Kate E. Kinser | May 5, 2009 11:37 PM
Posted on May 5, 2009 23:37
I agree with the President. Abortion is a moral issue, and people who have them performed do so sometimes against their will and conscience.
What needs to be done to reduce, minimize, even eliminate abortion is to pass legislation that will increase funding and incentives for women to choose to have their child.
Universal healthcare, free childcare for working or student mothers, and expanding welfare programs will minimize abortions, and in the long run, possibly eliminate them.
Criminalizing abortion does not work. In countries where its illegal, there are still performed, sometimes under dangerous conditions.
Abortion is a moral issue, it needs to be dealt with responsibly.
Posted by Manuel Reynoso | May 9, 2009 2:12 PM
Posted on May 9, 2009 14:12