bongga ang banat ni barack!

i was hesitant at first to really support yet another male for the presidency of the young but surprisingly most influential country in the world. i really rooted for hillary because i believe she is a woman who has the smarts to understand women's needs for real, unlike some president there in malacanang pretending to be pro-women and pro-poor and pro-people. pupu niya kainin niya!

but reading this news item about barack lifting that stupid global gag rule made my morning. a toast of barakong kape for barack!

if you're not aware of it, the global gag rule (also known as the mexican gag rule kasi sa isang convention chenes sa mexico pinirmahan ito 8 years ago or so), prohibits US funding agencies to give funding to those healthcare agencies/groups that included artificial family planning, lalo na abortion, sa kanilang health services. si gagong george bush ang nag-enact nito na kinagalit ng lahat ng kawomenan lang naman worldwide.

ano implication nito sa atin? simple -- kaya si former manila mayor lito atienza e tinanggal lahat ng libreng condoms and birth control pills na pinamimigay sa poor sa mga barangay health care services sa kalakhang maynila. libre ito, oo, puwede ka humingi sa barangay ng libreng condom at pills kung mahirap ka at gago ang asawa mong nire-rape ka gabi-gabi dahil duty mo daw na kangkangin ka niya nang walang protection, dedma na kung taon-taon for the past 13 years e nabubuntis at nanganganak ka at 13 na ang anak niyo, and counting.

oo, maraming gago sa mundo.

kaya pareng obama, i love you na. YES WE CAN, KANO!

wheeeeeeee! this might mean the total success of the RH bill na! putangina, now na!!!!!!!!

hm, sana lang hindi ko kamag-anak ang cantor na mentioned dun sa newsbit no. haggard siya. republican! pwe! pwe pwe pwe pwe pwe!

mahaba-haba pa ang artikulo pero click the link na lang to read the full story.


Obama overturns ban on abortion funding

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 08:26:00 01/24/2009

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama on Friday overturned an eight-year ban on US government funding for family planning organizations which carry out or facilitate abortions overseas, a White House official said.

Obama signed an executive order cancelling the restrictions, on the third full day of his presidency, spokesman Bill Burton said.

With the restrictions lifted, more "healthcare entities can receive US funds for family planning and reach a bigger pool of women," Tait Sye, a spokesman for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) told Agence France-Presse.

The so-called "global gag rule" cut off US funding to overseas family planning clinics which provide any abortion services whatsoever, from the operation itself to counseling, referrals or post-abortion services.

First introduced by Republican president Ronald Reagan in 1984, it has been repeatedly overturned by Democratic administrations and then reintroduced by the Republicans.

Obama's action overturned the orders of president George W. Bush, who when he came into office in 2001 immediately froze funds to many family planning groups working overseas.

Anti-abortion and anti-conservative groups had previously condemned Obama for the move, but liberal groups welcomed the decision.

According to Population Action International (PAI), the gag rule resulted in funds being cut off to family planning clinics in 29 countries, including Lesotho, a tiny southern African country which has been ravaged by AIDS.

Tod Preston, vice president of PAI, called the lifting of the gag rule "an important step to save women’s lives around the world.

"Family planning should not be a political issue; it’s about basic health care and well-being for women and children," Preston said in a statement.

But anti-abortion groups were up in arms and vowed to fight the move.

Conservative lawmakers also slammed the move. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said it was "counter to our nation’s interests," while House Republican Whip Eric Cantor called it "a divisive action."

Cantor said he was "saddened by this decision and the lives that will be lost because of it."

Abortion is a hot-button issue in the United States, pitting pro-life conservative groups against more liberal, pro-choice Americans who back a woman's right to choose whether or not to have an abortion.

A 1973 decision by the Supreme Court legalized abortion and gave the United States some of the least restrictive abortion laws in the world.

According to a poll conducted by Gallup in May, more than a quarter of Americans (28 percent) believe abortion should be legal under any circumstances, while 17 percent back a total ban on abortion.

A majority of Americans -- 54 percent -- think abortion should be allowed under certain circumstances, the poll showed.