Barack Obama signed an executive order late in the afternoon on Friday, January 23 to allow taxpayer funds to go to groups overseas that perform or promote abortions. To minimize press coverage, he signed the order in the absence of reporters and photographers, and the White House waited until 7:00 p.m. to issue a press release, in which the president said: "I have no desire to continue this stale and fruitless debate" on abortion.
Many in the media praised Obama's decision not to issue the order on January 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade as a kind gesture toward pro-lifers.
A new Gallup poll shows that Obama may have had something other than the feelings of fragile pro-lifers in mind when he chose to bury the news of his executive order:
Obama's decision to reverse the prohibition on funding for overseas family-planning providers may be the least popular thing he has done so far. This was an executive order that forbade federal government money from going to overseas family-planning groups that provide abortions or offer abortion counseling. Fifty-eight percent of Americans disapprove of Obama's decision to lift this ban, while only 35% approve of it. The ban on federal funds to these groups was put in place by Ronald Reagan, but lifted by Bill Clinton. George W. Bush re-instituted the ban after taking office in 2001, but Obama has once again lifted it.
No wonder Obama wants to end the "stale and fruitless debate" on abortion. It's a debate he's likely to lose in the light of day.
