Obama's one-hundredth day in office is fast upon us, and media outlets near and far are weighing in on his achievements and tactics thus far. USA Today observes that Obama's administration has taken a "sharp turn" from Bush's direction:
Obama expanded federal support for embryonic stem cell research and overseas family planning clinics that counsel women about abortion. Bush believed federal funds should not support abortion, and he was opposed to extracting stem cell lines from human embryos.
On Beliefnet,
Paul Rauschenbush gives Obama a B+ for his handling of "the culture
wars:"
Barack Obama has taken the steam out of the culture wars somewhat by his efforts at reaching across the aisle on questions such as abortion and gay rights (which, lets face it, are the culture wars). While there is no question that Barack Obama supports full rights for gay people, hopefully he will have the courage soon to voice that opinion vis a vis marriage although it is probably wise for him to hold off until after the 2012 election. While some are claiming he is the most radical pro-abortion president ever, he also has defenders among the pro-life crowd who appreciate his abortion reduction strategy. Largely he has his Council on Faith Based and Community Partnerships to thank for the muted tone of the culture wars. The President appointed a diverse group of people to help advise him on religious and social policy - throwing almost too many olive branches towards the right in my opinion (but I guess that is why it was a good idea from the stand point of calming the culture wars). Still, it will remain to be seen how this council actually functions and whether they can agree on anything.
On Fox News, Bob Beckel is inclined to agree:
President Obama also deserves credit for lowering the culture temperature. To the extent he raised abortion at all during his campaign and first 100 days in office it has been to propose a national effort to discourage the practice. He did not include gun control or gays in the military among his campaign issues. Obama even invited pro-life; anti-gay marriage mega-pastor Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration, much to the dismay of the left.
RH Reality Check will offer our own assessment of Obama's first 100
days this week, and you can bet we'll be focusing more on policy
outcomes than on Obama's delicacy, or lack thereof, with those supposed
"culture wars."
Arizona to Apply for Abstinence-Only Funds
Could
there be a connection? Now that Janet Napolitano is in DC heading up
the Department of Homeland Security, Arizona's governor is anti-choice
Republican Jan Brewer -- and the state plans to apply for $1 million in
abstinence-only money, the Arizona Republic reports.
But the Republic emphasizes that while this well exemplifies
ideological differences between Napolitano and her successor, the grant
may not affect what happens in Arizona classrooms. The White House may
cut abstinence-only funding, but even if they don't,
Existing statutes require public schools to teach abstinence as part of their sexual-education curriculum, but they also leave the door wide open for comprehensive sex education, which includes information about condoms and other forms of contraception.
Individual districts choose how to structure their programs.
Ohio Legislature Considers Prevention First Bill
Last week I mentioned that the Ohio legislature is considering a Prevention First bill to expand access to contraception and sexuality education. Advocate Kelly Bell-Wenzlaff offers a first-person account of fighting for the legislation on Huffington Post:
The Prevention First Bill is Ohio legislation mirroring a current federal bill of the same name. The federal version was introduced in January by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY), and Diana DeGette (D-CO). The Ohio bill is on its fourth go round and finally building steam. It is being reintroduced to the house by Representative Tyrone Yates and sponsored for the senate by Senator Teresa Fedor.
These bills are so important because they promote accessible health care for women and comprehensive sex education for our youth (with abstinence education included as the foundation, by the way). If you ask me, it's the perfect compromise. It's the middle ground on the one issue where so many people believe there is no middle ground. Senator Reid noted "We can find not only common ground, but also common sense in our Prevention First Act." Representative Slaughter added that "for every dollar spent on family planning services, it is estimated that almost four dollars is saved in public health spending."
Dawn Johnsen's Nomination Reveals Weakness of Anti-Choice Movement?
CQ Politics has an interesting take on the politics behind the fight to block Dawn Johnsen's nomination to head the Office of Legal Counsel. Jonathan Allen argues: the case against Johnsen based on her position on reproductive choice hasn't gotten traction.
That’s because a campaign to thwart Johnsen’s appointment based on her abortion-rights record is only a secondary part of the case foes are presenting against her. Efforts to defeat other nominees on social policy grounds have fallen flat, as even Republican senators have ignored the pleas of outside conservative groups until lately.
Other News to Note
April 26: Politics Daily: Scrap this abortion debate and start over
April 25: Washington Post: Xavier Joins Notre Dame on Bishops' Boycott List
April 26: Salt Lake Tribune: Education is Plan A
April 24: Kansas City Star: A pro-choice Health Secretary choice (Sebelius) upsets Republicans?
April 24: Feminist Daily News Wire: Wisconsin State Senate Reappoints Pro-Choice Hospital Board Members
April 24: WaPo: D.C. Archbishop Nips Georgetown for Biden Event
April 25: LA Times: The holy war over Kathleen Sebelius
April 27: CBN: Pastor Joel Hunter says Obama Displaying "Wisdom and Balance" During First 100 Days
April 26: Delaware Online: Parents need to develop a new 'Plan B' birth-control message
April 24: Brand Republic: Moral line crossed' as parents jam phones with morning-after pill complaints
April 24: Conservative American: Is Palin Pro-Choice?
April 24: LifeSiteNews: Three Women Challenge Ireland’s Pro-Life Abortion Laws in European Court
April 24: TPM: Right-Wing Extremist Congresswoman Denounces Attacks Against Right-Wing Extremists
April 24: Christian News Wire: Coming to Denver, National Pro-Life Leader Marjorie Dannenfelser
April 27: Times Free Press: Clarifying rules for adoptions
April 18: Washington Times: DUIN: Pro-life doctors face 'consequences'
April 24: The San Diego 6: Woman Who Performed Illegal Abortions Sent to Prison
