Obama To Rescind Bush’s Protections For Medical Practitioners Who Won’t Perform Abortions
Obama’s pro-abortion extremism is, as his pastor would say, coming home to roost.
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is moving to rescind a federal rule that reinforced protections for medical providers who refuse to perform abortions or other procedures on moral grounds, an official said Friday.
A Health and Human Services official said the administration will publish notice of its intentions early next week, and open a 30-day comment period for advocates, medical groups and the public. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official notice has not been completed.
The Bush administration instituted the rule in its last days, and it was quickly challenged in federal court by several states and medical organizations. As a candidate, President Barack Obama criticized the regulation and campaign aides promised that if elected, he would review it.
What I didn’t like about the Bush administration’s policy is that it would prevent employers from firing doctors or pharmacists who wouldn’t perform abortions or hand out the “morning after” pill or what have you. As much as I detest abortion, it is currently legal. And employers should be able to fire employees who won’t do their jobs.
That being said, I don’t think that any state should be able to pass a law requiring that a specific doctor or pharmacist who might employ himself/herself offer abortion or certain types of other related services. Nor should such people be excluded from participation in federal programs such as Medicare, etc. That is unfair discrimination.
Just as employers should be free to fire employees who won’t do the jobs assigned to them, no business owner should have the government telling them how to do their business. Especially when there are religious or moral objections involved.
