Abortion in health care legislation, in the president’s own words

By Jennifer J. Foster

Published: August 28, 2009

President Obama and his staff went on the offensive last weekend against what they called “false witness” about the health care bill now being advanced in Congress.

The president has sought to especially tamp down speculation that the bill as currently written would provide for abortion coverage under a public plan. He even singled that issue out in his weekly radio address last week.

To my friends on the other side of the political spectrum who insist that Americans will not be forced to subsidize abortions under President Obama’s health care plan, I ask you to watch this clip and respond with your thoughts.

Please note that while this is a clip from an interest group that is fighting subsidized abortion coverage in the bill, the president’s words are his own—and they are unequivocal.

I ask you to note especially his comments with respect to his intentions for insurance “reform” as it relates to abortion coverage.

The president has stayed on the fence with a lot of things as Congress has pursued this legislation (which I have now decided that I will no longer refer to as “reform”).

But this is one area where he has definitively staked out his turf ... and it’s far, far away from the fence.

It comes down to this: If the Obama agenda really doesn’t include the expansion of coverage to abortion services, it’s easy enough to take steps that will effectively end the concern once and for all. Congress needs only to include language in the bill that specifically excludes abortion coverage from any public plan.

Don’t hold your breath.