Obama Supported Planned Parenthood, Now They Return the Favor

Opinion   |   Steve Aden   |   Mar 5, 2012   |   11:23AM   |   Washington, DC

Barack Obama was elected president with the strong support of Planned Parenthood officials. After all, he had every quality they could ever hope for, as he was not only pro-abortion, but arguably even pro-infanticide. And because politicians, especially those well-schooled in Chicago bare-knuckle politics, are in the habit of repaying those who help them with an office, it could be that part of President Obama’s repayment is to be realized via his mandate for “free” abortion pills, sterilization, and contraceptives for female employees across the board.

For example, in the fall of 2011, Planned Parenthood Federation of America CEO Cecile Richards was brought in to advise President Obama on whether to move forward in issuing the mandate he has since issued. And although Roman Catholic members of his administration, including Vice President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, contended that the president “couldn’t force religious charities to pay for something they think is a sin,” President Obama went Richards’ way.

Whether President Obama simply didn’t foresee the firestorm that has since risen over what is clearly a violation of the rights of conscience or whether he simply didn’t care about the political repercussions is unclear. What is clear is that he chose Planned Parenthood over the pro-life faithful from many denominations, and especially the Roman Catholics, when it came to picking constituencies with whom he wanted to preserve alliances.

Of course, Richards’ role cannot be overlooked. And she sold the mandate well, according to ABC News’ Jake Tapper, who says Richards framed the mandate as “logical and based on science: birth control saves women’s lives, reduces the number of unwanted pregnancies, and is a fundamental issue of a woman controlling her own health care.”

Sure, these are talking points the left has been using since the 1960s, but they were apparently still effective when used just months ago with President Obama.

Among the myriad problems this creates, not the least of which include the government’s encroachment on rights of conscience and religious freedom, is that it sets Planned Parenthood up to use their billion-dollar net worth to try to get President Obama re-elected in 2012.

In other words, it’s cyclical. These aspects of the culture of death feed upon themselves.

Thus, just over weekend, Richards was in Detroit stumping for President Obama and saying of those who have been vocal in their opposition to the abortion pills, sterilization, and contraceptives mandate: “These folks are against women, they are against working people, they are against the middle class.” (Notice how she skillfully avoided any mention of “these folks” being against killing pre-born children, taxpayer-funded abortions, and stark violations of the First Amendment.)

Added Richards, “President Obama stood with us, and we are going to stand with him.”

And that’s what it all comes down to. President Obama has stood with Planned Parenthood at every step along the way in his presidency. He funneled taxpayer money into their coffers, so they’re standing with him now.

The mandate is a rallying cry for all those who love the culture of death. But it has also become a rallying cry for those who oppose it.

LifeNews.com Note: Steve Aden is the Senior Legal Counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund. This article originally appeared in Town Hall and is reprinted with permission.