Posted on 01/19/2009 9:31:46 AM PST by Between the Lines
- Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush has had the most pro-life record of any U.S. president in history, representatives of pro-life groups told CNSNews.com on Friday.
On Thursday, in one of his last acts as president, Bush declared Jan. 18 “National Sanctity of Human Life Day,” stating that the "the most basic duty of government is to protect the life of the innocent."
Bush’s declaration was the culmination of eight years of pro-life policies that included sustained opposition to embryonic stem cell research; the appointment of two pro-life Supreme Court Justices; an executive order barring federal funds to be used for abortion- related projects abroad; and a rule protecting federally funded health employees from taking part in abortion-related activities or other practices that conflicted with their religious views.
“In the annals of history, George W. Bush will be remembered as a president who believed and fought to protect innocent human life,” Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America (CWA), told CNSNews.com. “While we'll never know how many lives were saved, and rarely will a person know that his or her life was rescued because of his policies, we do know that he set a standard that others can follow.”
“We have seen in Bush the most pro-life president that we have ever had for this cause of defending the unborn,” Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, told CNSNews.com. “He set up a tremendous groundwork.”
In 2001, President Bush declared that federal funds could not be used for embryonic stem cell research, which requires the destruction of human embryos. Instead, Bush promoted adult stem cell research, which does not destroy embryos.
In the same year, Bush also reinstated a Reagan-era mandate known as the Mexico City Policy that had been removed by President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. The policy requires all non-governmental organizations that receive federal funding to refrain from performing or promoting abortions in other countries.
In 2002, Bush’s Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tommy G. Thompson implemented the “unborn child rule.” It requires the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) -- a federal program that gives funds to states to provide health insurance to families with children -- to define the term “child” to include from conception to birth.
Also in 2002, Bush signed the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which extends legal protection to infants who survive induced abortions by providing them with identical legal protections as babies who are born prematurely.
In 2003, President Bush signed into law the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which prohibits late-term abortions.
In 2004, Bush signed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which defines a child “in utero” at any stage of development as human, and accords the child the legal rights of the victim if subject to certain crimes that involve death or injury.
In 2005 and 2006, Bush appointed two pro-life justices, Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, respectively, to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In 2007, both justices voted to uphold the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, which was challenged in a lawsuit.
In 2007, Bush also sent congressional Democratic leaders a letter threatening to veto any bill that weakened existing pro-life policy.
In 2008, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt issued a regulation to protect the rights of federally funded health care providers to decline to participate in services to which they morally object, including abortion.
“Bush has achieved more than any other pro-life president,” Darla St. Martin, co-executive director of National Right to Life, told CNSNews.com. “Bush was just outstanding. He was very dedicated from the moment he came into office. He was a tremendous pro-life president and he will be very much missed.”
I am so thankful for all that President Bush has done for the unborn! God bless him!
It doesn’t matter to lefties and haters that President Bush had a great pro-life record. According to enviornmentalists he and Cheney were “running the planet”. Other lefties complained that he illegally deposed Sadam Hussein and “murdered” him and his sons. Let’s hope that the sane ones record history, and not the mentally ill liberals.
All of the good the Bush administration did to protect the unborn will be nullified by the stroke of a pen by Obama. First, reversing Bush’s executive orders and then signing pro-abortion legislation. All of you evangelicals out there who voted for Obama are complicit in the future genocide of our unborn. How are you going to defend that when your time comes?
and mr. 0bama has promised to have the worst pro-life record.
The culture of death will be reintroduced by OBAMA!
The super special people are worthy of all the benefits of life. The rest of the people will be subject to the CULTURE OF DEATH!!!
and yet abortion continues apace
Bush signed a few laws that gave money to Planned Parenthood and the WHO, so that they could perform more abortions. Federal government involvement, in abortion, is unconstitutional, because of the 10th Amendment. Each state legislature should pass a bill which would state that abortion is a homicide, except to save the mother’s life.
Yet Roe v. Wade is still the Law of the Land. That even a pro-life president with a Republican congress for half of his administration were unable to do much about this just shows how cemented into law this ruling has become.
“That even a pro-life president with a Republican congress for half of his administration were unable to do much about this just shows how cemented into law this ruling has become.”
It’s because of all the RINOs....
BS. Bush got Obama elected, so his hands bear whatever blood results.
Thank you President Bush. Many lives were saved because of your actions. You will be rewarded abundantly.
Could you explain your logic? How did Bush get Obama elected?
Bush`s pro-life record was solid, but relatively apeaking, no stronger than Reagan’s pro-life record. In fact, Bush basically followed the Reagan policy of the 1980`s, while adding a few hot button issues to the mix. OTOH, if you count rhetoric, once again, Bush43 never used the Bully Pulpit to his advantage when it came to pro-life issues.
“..All of you evangelicals out there who voted for Obama are complicit in the future genocide of our unborn. How are you going to defend that when your time comes?”
That goes for Roman Catholics and the ones who had the “Knight of Columbus for Obama” website. Those who pulled the lever for that baby killer will be judged by God.
“..All of you evangelicals out there who voted for Obama are complicit in the future genocide of our unborn. How are you going to defend that when your time comes?”
That goes for Roman Catholics and especially the ones who had the “Knight of Columbus for Obama” website as well. Those who pulled the lever for that baby killer will be judged by God.
I can see this.
Obama will immediately reverse all he can
Russ, that was a very ignorant thing to say A majority of evangelicals voted for McSarah although Obama did peel away a few good works is sufficient apostates.
A majority of Catholics voted for Obama. If you must blame a religious demographic then blame yourself....or Jews but there are too few of them to matter anyhow.
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