The day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, an estimated 5 million people took to the streets in 673 protest marches around the globe – an estimated 500,000 were in Washington D.C. alone.
While some of the march was aimed at protesting Donald Trump and his incoming administration, the larger purpose of the Women’s March was to stand up for women’s issues – like safe and legal access to abortion, among others.
Unfortunately for the marchers, Republicans in Congress have no interest in preserving safe and legal access to abortion or even funding services like Planned Parenthood. GOP leaders such as Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan are trying to capitalize on a different march – the “March for Life” – to convince Americans that they’re opinion on women’s health care is the right one.
In veiled praise to President Donald Trump, Ryan continues, “For the first time in a while, I am happy to say that the House, the Senate and now the White House are united around that same purpose,” of banning abortion. It may be true that both Congress and the White House agree on banning access to abortion, but it might be wise for Ryan to remember that 6 in 10 U.S. adults support abortion in all or most cases – and the numbers are split right down party lines.
Ryan then praises Trump for renewing “President Reagan’s Mexico City Policy,” which bars U.S. aid organizations that receive federal money from performing or promoting abortion as a means to family planning. “And this week the House passed HR7 the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.” If you are asking yourself, “But wait, doesn’t the Hyde Amendment already make it illegal to use taxpayer money to fund abortions?” Yes, but the Hyde Amendment must be reattached to every year’s appropriations bill – HR7 would make it permanent law.
“This is truly a new dawn for the unborn,” Ryan says in closing, “And for the women and men who defend them.”
Vice President Mike Pence was one of the main speakers at the March for Life – making him the first U.S. vice president to address the march in history. Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway – who last week said she “didn’t see the point” in a Women’s Mach – also proudly spoke at the march for life.
Republicans will probably move fast on doing all that they can to prevent access to abortions while they control both houses of Congress and the Executive branch. But whether those changes are meant to stick may hinder on Trump’s Supreme Court nominee – which will be announced next week.
While some of the march was aimed at protesting Donald Trump and his incoming administration, the larger purpose of the Women’s March was to stand up for women’s issues – like safe and legal access to abortion, among others.
Unfortunately for the marchers, Republicans in Congress have no interest in preserving safe and legal access to abortion or even funding services like Planned Parenthood. GOP leaders such as Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Paul Ryan are trying to capitalize on a different march – the “March for Life” – to convince Americans that they’re opinion on women’s health care is the right one.
Has Paul Ryan Been Spending Too Much Time with Donald Trump?
“Hundreds of thousands of people march on Washington today,” Ryan says at the top of the video. “United around a single purpose: defending life.” Since crowd sizes seem to be all the rage this week, we will just add: The Washington Post and Fox news also estimated that the March for Life drew “hundreds of thousands of people” – though not as much as the Women’s March the Saturday before (both were a lot bigger than the inauguration).In veiled praise to President Donald Trump, Ryan continues, “For the first time in a while, I am happy to say that the House, the Senate and now the White House are united around that same purpose,” of banning abortion. It may be true that both Congress and the White House agree on banning access to abortion, but it might be wise for Ryan to remember that 6 in 10 U.S. adults support abortion in all or most cases – and the numbers are split right down party lines.
Ryan then praises Trump for renewing “President Reagan’s Mexico City Policy,” which bars U.S. aid organizations that receive federal money from performing or promoting abortion as a means to family planning. “And this week the House passed HR7 the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.” If you are asking yourself, “But wait, doesn’t the Hyde Amendment already make it illegal to use taxpayer money to fund abortions?” Yes, but the Hyde Amendment must be reattached to every year’s appropriations bill – HR7 would make it permanent law.
“This is truly a new dawn for the unborn,” Ryan says in closing, “And for the women and men who defend them.”
Your Body… Our Choice?
Despite a week full of top Republicans bashing last weekend’s Women’s March, plenty of those in the Trump administration were happy to participate in the March for life.Vice President Mike Pence was one of the main speakers at the March for Life – making him the first U.S. vice president to address the march in history. Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway – who last week said she “didn’t see the point” in a Women’s Mach – also proudly spoke at the march for life.
Republicans will probably move fast on doing all that they can to prevent access to abortions while they control both houses of Congress and the Executive branch. But whether those changes are meant to stick may hinder on Trump’s Supreme Court nominee – which will be announced next week.