Obama Allows All Out Attack on Women's Reproductive Rights

ALBANY, NY (07/19/2010)(readMedia)-- The Obama administration has made a decision that will very seriously set women back. It has been decided that no woman in a high-risk insurance pool will be allowed to obtain abortion coverage except for cases of rape, incest, or endangered life of the woman, even if she pays for this coverage with her own money.

During the 2008 Presidential campaign, NOW-NYS President Marcia Pappas warned ad nauseam that Obama was not to be trusted on the abortion choice issue. Pappas repeatedly explained that Obama's Illinois senatorial record was "at best shaky on choice. And Vice President Joe Biden also had a bad record on choice. Women and progressive men must finally realize that 'Democrat' is not synonymous with 'pro-choice.'"

But In spite of Pappas' alarm, pro choice women and progressive men were fooled by Obama's rhetoric. In a recent interview Pappas remarked: "I believe Hillary Clinton would never have allowed this to happen. She understands that a woman's fundamental right to make decisions about her own body is paramount. As a staunch supporter of Hillary Clinton, I continued to cast my vote for her throughout the election process, to the end. Obama was never fully on board for choice; and I was never fooled by his hypocrisy. It saddened me that others were so easily swayed. America lost its chance to have a great leader; and women will suffer the consequences."

Pappas continued: "For example, this new burden will endanger women for whom pregnancy is extremely dangerous because of pre-existing medical conditions like breast cancer, diabetes, or AIDS. For such women, abortion coverage will be totally prohibited. How many more of these assaults can women take?"

Pappas concluded: "It is time for everyone who cares about women's health to stand up and be counted. NOW-NYS is asking members and supporters to take action today and tell Obama he cannot allow this to happen. Women's lives are worth more than this. This decision can only be seen as a trade for something else that Obama wants. Those who supported Obama should be outraged by this recent move to restrict American women from getting the health care they need."