Thank you, President Obama

[starwatcher307]

.
Our new president has hit the ground running --

1) He has stopped many of the former president's final orders from being implemented until they can be reviewed.

2) He has plans to close Guantanamo Bay.

3) He has said that government agencies must find reasons to give the public access to public records (rather than find reasons to deny

Comments

[roslynsmuse]

"Note that, in many cases, these health clinics were the only local sources of birth control for women -- but, because they might mention abortion as one option, the funding cuts limited access to all types of birth control."

In some cases, those clinics were the sole sources of health care for women, not just birth control.

[caarianna]

As Roslyn said, this issue is far bigger than birth control and for the US to deny this care and these choices is appalling. I had no idea this was happening. Thank God for President Obama. And, yes, I've sent the note, with a few changes to personalize it.

[briarwood]

I read that one country - I think it was Brazil, but it was definitely somewhere in South America - refused all US aid because this rule would have ruined numerous social programs they had in place. Programs that were working, like helping women and children get out of prostitution.

Moreover, there's a certain newspaper in the UK which, over the months since the election has been trumpeting the increase in funding from the USA to worldwide AIDS projects as if it's some amazing thing Saint Bush did...and not once did they mention that this funding, too, was subject to the global gag rule, making it almost worthless.

I'm glad Obama rescinded the rule so quickly. It's not a solution, but it's a much-needed start.

[ginalin]

Ridiculous "scatter gun" political policies! ugh!

I was talking to someone on LJ the other day who said, "I wouldn't choose abortion for myself, but I'd never keep anyone else from that option. I live in the real world where women occasionally have to make tough decisions for the sake of their lives or they and their family's quality of life."

I thought it noteworthy because like this person, you don't have to endorse abortion whole-heartedly to realize that it's a necessary choice at times.

Maybe some other people will find that more reasonable middle ground too.

[green_knight]

Thanks for this. That was a mad rule, did nothing whatsoever to support the claim of America to support free speech, and caused lots of suffering and hardship.