Posted on 08/21/2006 1:50:58 PM PDT by Pyro7480
President Bush Approves Over the Counter Early Abortion Pill, Pro-Life Base Decries Move
By John-Henry Westen
WASHINGTON, August 21, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - For his pro-life supporter base, President George W. Bush stepped into one of the biggest political landmines of his Presidential career today with his approval of over the counter status for the abortion-causing morning after pill Plan B.
A press release by Human Life International underscored the seriousness of the move as it was titled, "President Bush Files for Divorce with Catholic Base." Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, president of Human Life International commented, "President Bush's implied support for the abortion-causing drug Plan B is completely inconsistent with his recent veto of the embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) funding bill. What the president apparently fails to realize is that Plan B kills the same innocent unborn children that the ESCR process does."
At a White House press conference this morning, the President was asked by Bill Sammon a reporter from the Washington Examiner about Plan B and his new FDA commissioner who supports its over the counter status. "Mr. President, some pro-life groups are worried that your choice of FDA Commissioner will approve over the counter sales of Plan B, a pill that, they say, essentially can cause early-term abortions," said the reporter. "Do you stand by this choice, and how do you feel about Plan B in general?"
The President replied, "I believe that Plan B ought to be -- ought to require a prescription for minors, is what I believe. And I support Andy's decision."
Andy, as the President referred to him, is the new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach. Pro-life groups last week called for von Eschenbach's resignation over his deal with a drug company to make a high-dose of a drug (Plan B, a morning-after pill) available without a prescription to women 18 year of age and older.
Concerned Women for America (CWA) blasted the decision noting that it is ludicrous to allow Plan B without medical supervision when a low-dose of the same drug (birth control pills) requires medical oversight to protect women from serious health complications.
"It is deplorable that the head of the FDA would put his career ambitions and a drug company's interests above women's health," said Wendy Wright, CWA's President. "CWA provided legal and regulatory evidence that the FDA does not have the authority to do what it is proposing and medical evidence that any dose of the drug requires medical oversight to protect women's health. The drug is known to cause serious complications such as blood clots and stroke."
Rev. Euteneuer added, "The president must demonstrate a consistent respect for the sanctity of all human life or he risks provoking a great divorce with the conservative Catholics that compromise a large part of his support base. Human beings in the embryonic stage of development deserve equal protection under the law and the president's position falls far short of that mark."
Catholic and pro-life ping!
And what is wrong with that position? It's 100% more than you'd get from a Democrat.
This president gets criticized by the left and the far right and I'm pretty sick of it. The Republican party is a big tent party but there seems to be a small faction within the party that tries to alienate the middle voter every chance they get.
I hope they're happy with their whining when they get a Democrat Congress and White House.
Don`t vote for Bush in 08!
Sounds like he's reading the Wshington papers and NY MSM, not the real world.
Again.
I am speechless over this one. What was he thinking? I kept looking for a link to the Onion but sadly did not find it.
He's being completely inconsistent. If killing an embryo for stem cell research is not allowed, neither should killing a baby a few hours after conception- no matter how old the mother is. Bad bad decision.
Yes, here is another slap in the face of the Religious Right.
The GOP will be lucky to get them to the polls this November, not to even mention in 2008.
I, as a Catholic, am speechless and discusted.
Not so much a slap for the so called "religious right", but Bush’s own salvation.
It's worthless window-dressing for starters, because any minor who wants it will just pay an adult to buy it for her.
Not to mention that adult male molesters of young girls can buy it OTC.
It ought to be called the "statutory rape enabler pill," because that's what it is.
Hyperbole.......
And young girls who are raped, which happens every day in this country, should what? Be forced to have the baby? I don't think so. And neither does the president so I'm glad to say my position agrees with his.
Both, and if it hasn't happened yet, it prevents ovulation.
It essentially prevents pregnancy by preventing implantation during a specific time frame, as I understand the science.
Yes, I could see how it could prevent the need for some, possibly many abortions.
Compassionate Conservatism Bump!
"7. Can Plan B terminate pregnancy?
Plan B is used to stop the pregnancy before it actually happens. It cannot terminate an already established pregnancy and so don't take this medication if you are pregnant."
This is from the makers website.
And thus we should also eliminate every other prescription because any minor can pay an adult to buy it. After all, no one can prove that I'm actually using my Vicodin. Maybe I'm selling it. (sarcasm complete)
That's completely irrelevant. There are thousands of emergency rooms where a rape victim can get Plan B right now, today, without making it OTC.
Making it OTC makes it available to the statutory rapists to offer to their victims to entice them into sex. She says, "No! I don't want to get pregnant!" and he says "Don't worry, just take these two pills."
let's start with the headline, shall we? Since when does a president "approve" drugs?
Um, no, he or she can only pay an adult who actually has a prescription in the first place, because those are the only adults who can legally buy those drugs.
That's not the case here, is it?
I don't think there are currently any drugs which require prescriptions only for minors.
Use some sense, people.
Do you have any idea how many women of any age go to an emergency room after a rape? I don't know the statistic either, but know enough to tell you that it's almost statistically irrelevant.
Who knows what this really means. It is not as if you can believe those squawking.
Ding dong it! I'm never voting for George W. Bush for President again. This is the last straw, fer shure.
You're the one who's not using any sense. If you're against the pill on principle, that's fine. But the fact that minors could possibly try to find someone to buy it for them is not really relevant.
I don't think this is inconsistent, at all. However, many may not like this perspective on his answer.
The President never outlawed research into embryonic stem cells, he only eliminated public funding. It was a Dimmie/Pro-Choice distortion that he "didn't allow embryonic stem cell research". He did, it just had to be privately funded. Similarly, public funds are not being used for Plan B - individuals are free to make a choice.
Frankly, this puts the President far too close to the "Pro-choice" position than I would prefer. However, it IS consistent with the embryonic stem cell position.
I thought "wine coolers" did that part.
Bush said today during the presser, that he wanted the required prescription for minors language in the bill. It essentially creates a parental notification without actually having to put in the language.
Not having read the actual bill, I can't comment on the contents further.
I'm not a supporter of the pill either.
I'm opposed to micro-abortions in general so I don't think it's a good decision.
I'm not an anti-Bush troll or opponent, just someone who's disappointed by this decision. It shows moral weakness from the White House and will have some people out there turning away from him.
I support the President over national security but am deeply troubled by moral weakness on sanctity of life issues from Terri Schiavo to this one.
I'm glad Bush didn't feel he needed to kowtow to the Religious Right on this one. This will likely prevent thousands of abortions. Also, unlike condoms, I do think its wise to require a prescription for the pill for minors since it may have adverse health effects.
That's not the issue. This could hurt the Republicans in the next 2 elections.
STOP IT!!! ALL OF YOU!
This is nuts. Not one single person on this board will ever change the mind of any other on this issue. Ever. That's why I avoid these threads like the plague.
We agree on the WOT. We may get attacked tomorrow. Why not focus on that?
"I thought "wine coolers" did that part."
Shoot, I thought it was puberty that did that. But, I'm old, now, so maybe I'm remembering High School wrongly these days. I could have sworn that it was puberty.
It may prevent surgical abortions, but the drug itself acts as an abortifacient.
How do you figure that?
pervents implantation = abortion
The embreyo already exists, is fully human and need only the environmental factors provided by successful implantation in order to continue. Prevention of implantation destroys this new life. To condone this yet oppose ESCR is complete hypocrisy.
"That's why I avoid these threads like the plague.
"
I see. Hmm....wait....
How about a preventafacient as opposed to a abortifacient.....???
Lol me neither. We'll have to find a new candidate...
"That's not the issue. This could hurt the Republicans in the next 2 elections."
And how is that, exactly. Bush isn't running for anything. Why would his position on Plan B have anything to do with any election?
If some Republicans are stupid enough to not go to the polls because President Bush is not opposed to Plan B, then they deserve whatever they get after the election.
Again, GEORGE W. BUSH IS NOT RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
I am 100% pro-life but I have some questions if Plan B actally makes the uterine lining thin and inhospitable. Regular hormonal contraception will do that over time, after some months of use.
But there is a natural rise in progesterone after ovulation occurs which encourages the growth of the lining, and if conception has occured, the hormonal signals from the embryo tell the mother's body to keep producing progesterone and nourishing the lining.
I don't quite see the mechanism whereby a one-time dose of progestin (not the quite the same as natural progesterone, it is true) will impair the receptivity of the lining, as opposed to a several months' regime of progestin taken at times when the body isn't supposed to be producing much progesterone at all.
Any Freeper with a medical background here?
Mrs VS
**I support the President over national security but am deeply troubled by moral weakness on sanctity of life issues from Terri Schiavo to this one.**
Terri Schiavo? Um...didn't he wake up in the middle of the night to sign a bill to try to stop them from letting them kill her? What'd you want him to do? Kidnap her?
Also from makers website: How does Plan B work (mechanism of action)?
Plan B is believed to act as an emergency contraceptive principally by preventing ovulation or fertilization (by altering tubal transport of sperm and/or ova). In addition, it may inhibit implantation by altering the endometrium. Plan B is not effective if a woman is pregnant. Plan B is a contraceptive and cannot terminate an established pregnancy.
Very clever how they say "in addition, it may inhibit implantation..." then go on to say "Plan B cannot terminate a pregnancy."
Life is created at fertilization. Orwell would be proud of Barr.
"I support the President over national security but am deeply troubled by moral weakness on sanctity of life issues from Terri Schiavo to this one.
"
What ARE you talking about? President Bush signed a bill to try to save Terri's life. Had you forgotten that?
This thread is not about Terri Schiavo. Not all threads are about Terry Schiavo. Only those threads about Terri Schiavo are about Terri Schiavo. This is not one of those threads. There are many threads about Terri Schiavo. You can find one by searching for "Terri." Thank you for your attention.
Then why have you announced you are voting for a pro-choicer like Kinky Friedman for Texas governor?
The makers admit that Plan B stops implantation
from the makers website:
How does Plan B work (mechanism of action)?
Plan B is believed to act as an emergency contraceptive principally by preventing ovulation or fertilization (by altering tubal transport of sperm and/or ova). In addition, it may inhibit implantation by altering the endometrium. Plan B is not effective if a woman is pregnant. Plan B is a contraceptive and cannot terminate an established pregnancy.
The
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