Hardy Party of 4

I've strayed from blogging about the political realm for quite a while. I wanted to leave it be and allow the dust to settle. I didn't want to form any opinions on our new president's performance until enough time had passed to allow a well-rounded performance assessment. However, he jumped the gun, and gave me something to not only be disappointed in, but even disgusted.

In just his third day in office, President Obama lifted the ban on giving federal funds (read: our taxpayer dollars) to international groups that provide abortions and/or abortion information. Granted, he's not the first president to lift such a ban. The ban, originally implemented by the Reagan administration, was also lifted by former President Clinton, while both Presidents Bush upheld the ban. 

Make no mistake about me, I am pro-life in every situation with zero exceptions. I believe it is immoral. I'm not even interested in debating anyone on that issue. However, I feel that this political situation is a whole other issue. I find it absurd that a president would allow our taxpayer funds to be used in such a way.  This issue is so widely opposed by almost half of those who contribute the funds that would be applied. If these countries are so much in need of our citizens' moneys, the ban put in place by Reagan did not ban citizens from contributing their own moneys to this cause they support. No American has ever been personally banned from making their own contributions to these international groups.  However, our new president has now issued a call that my tax dollars are mandated to go to a cause that is so obscene to me. Wasn't this country founded on freedom? I certainly don't feel free in this instance. I feel bound to other citizens' cause, their ideals, and their wants. 

I'm so disappointed in all the bi-partisan promises and statements that he would be bringing people together. If that was true, why did President Obama choose this issue, the most divisive in our country's history, as one of his first to act upon? I'm not alone in my disappointment. On Saturday, Monsignor Rino Fisichella of the Vatican stated about Obama's act, "Among the many good things that he could have done, Barack Obama instead chose the worse."

I can take a bit of solace in being a Texas resident. At a pro-life rally attended by thousands in Austin on Saturday, Gov. Perry asserted his support of all pro-life efforts. He even owed to fight all research that requires an end to human life, i.e. stem cell research. He's serious, folks.  

Unfortunately, President Obama is just as serious.  He attended a similar gathering last week but it was instead a celebration of the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. He didn't address his lifting of the ban, but did address the moral questioning of the abortion issue, using the chance to re-state his commitment to supporting women's rights. I wish I could ask him how he decides which women to support. Why does he choose to not support the millions of female babies who's lives will be aborted by his decision? And, I'm a woman. I certainly don't feel supported by Obama with the lifting of this ban. I feel stepped on and ignored.