So what's really going on with Obama and the babies born alive?

Question

He's not suggesting killing babies, is he? I don't like him, but can he be that bad??

Answer 1

Obama did vote against a certain provision regarding late term abortion.  Because and I quote "All I've said is we should have a provision to protect the health of the mother, and many of the bills that came before me didn't have that."  He just didn't like the wording of the bill.  It happens all the time.

If you want abortion legal under ANY conditions - rape, incest, health of the mother, terminal health problem you are PRO-CHOICE.

Answer 2

No, he's not. Don't believe the hype.

Answer 3

Anti-abortion activists accuse Obama of "supporting infanticide," and the National Right to Life Committee says he's conducted a "four-year effort to cover up his full role in killing legislation to protect born-alive survivors of abortions." Obama says they're "lying."

At issue is Obama's opposition to Illinois legislation in 2001, 2002 and 2003 that would have defined any aborted fetus that showed signs of life as a "born alive infant" entitled to legal protection, even if doctors believe it could not survive.

Obama opposed the 2001 and 2002 "born alive" bills as backdoor attacks on a woman's legal right to abortion, but he says he would have been "fully in support" of a similar federal bill that President Bush had signed in 2002, because it contained protections for Roe v. Wade.

We find that, as the NRLC said in a recent statement, Obama voted in committee against the 2003 state bill that was nearly identical to the federal act he says he would have supported. Both contained identical clauses saying that nothing in the bills could be construed to affect legal rights of an unborn fetus, according to an undisputed summary written immediately after the committee's 2003 mark-up session.

Whether opposing "born alive" legislation is the same as supporting "infanticide," however, is entirely a matter of interpretation. That could be true only for those, such as Obama's 2004 Republican opponent, Alan Keyes, who believe a fetus that doctors give no chance of surviving is an "infant." It is worth noting that Illinois law already provided that physicians must protect the life of a fetus when there is "a reasonable likelihood of sustained survival of the fetus outside the womb, with or without artificial support."

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/...

Answer 4

What's going on? A lot of misinformation and exaggeration, that's what. As if millions of people could be so stupid as to support someone who doesn't care--or worse: wants to "murder"--babies.

Amazing, isn't it? That there are actually people who would prefer to discredit the judgment of millions of people rather than abandon the ridiculous.

Example? Sean Hannity.

Answer 5

yes.. when they took the vote in the Senate... he just said 'present'.   He is pro-choice but backs killing babies

Looney how can you compare a human baby up against animal furs?  

I love the frontier of Palin.. that is what America is all about.

Answer 6

There was a bill that said, that in a botched abortion, if the baby is born alive, it deserves medical attention.  Obama was against it, meaning that a baby born alive would have to die.

Answer 7

What are you talking about???

Vote Obama. He's awesome. And he's young enough to have the energy to run the country. And his VP actually has experience in government. Yea Obama!!!!

Answer 8

Most libs couldn't care less about aborted babies. Their main goal is to save the spotted owl. Roe vs. Wade has turned into partial birth abortion.

Answer 9

"He's not suggesting killing babies, is he?"

No, he's not.  This is a smear that's been debunked dozens of times here in Yahoo Answers.

Protection of babies born alive was already granted by federal law, which Obama pointed out when explaining his position.

"can he be that bad??"

In fact, the need to protect babies after they're born with legislation seems phony (see more below).  In the end, this is all just a right-wing gullibility test for the rest of us.  You were right to find it fishy.

As Obama said at Saddleback Church (transcript here:http://www.rickwarrennews.com/transcript... ) his being pro-choice doesn't mean he's pro-abortion.  Obama wants to reduce the abortion rate, JUST LIKE THE REST OF US.  He's just unwilling to take his anti-abortion stance so far as to make illegal a woman's choice in the matter, including in cases of rape, incest, or even the endangerment of the life of the mother.

As for the actual need of such legislation (setting aside for a moment that the baby-protection part was already redundant), the perception of a need was triggered by a nurse called Jill Stanek, who claimed that fetuses that were born alive at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois, were abandoned without treatment, including in a soiled utility room.  The Illinois Atty. General's office, then under abortion foe Jim Ryan, directed the Illinois Dept. of Public Health to conduct a thorough investigation of the claims, because what she was alleging were violations of existing law, supporting Obama's position that Illinois law already prohibited the conduct.  Illegalities aside, Ryan was naturally quite concerned that such heinous activity could be going on in a hospital, as any sentient human being would.  But as one might expect, the story that was so heinous that it couldn't be true, in fact was not true.  The investigation concluded, "The allegation that infants were allowed to expire in a utility room could not be substantiated (and) all staff interviewed denied that any infant was ever left alone."  Shafer was quick to add that neither he nor the IDPH report concluded that her testimony was untruthful or exaggerated to help advance her anti-abortion views -- simply that their investigation did not substantiate the allegations.  Nevertheless, not too credible, huh?

Jill Staneck also says domestic violence is acceptable against women who have abortions.  She also supports billboards in Tanzania that say "Faithful Condom Users" in English and Swahili, written next to a large skeleton, to discourage condom use.  She claims that "aborted fetuses are much sought after delicacies" in China to which she added, "I think this stuff is happening."

So why was the legislation put forth in the first place, if the baby-protection part was redundant?  The act was designed as "wedge" legislation.  It was designed for just for the sort of attack that you're referencing.  When a group does this, they put in one horrible provision (the "infanticide" part of the bill) and package it with a bunch of other provisions that assault a woman's right to choose. Then, when someone votes against the bill to protect that right, they say the vote was over the "infanticide."

If anti-Obama people want to attack Obama for not making abortions illegal, then OK, fine.  If they want to scold him for not doing enough to reduce the impulsiveness that leads to so many abortions and an STD rate among teens of 25%, then OK, fine.  But passing on stuff that's just made up is a bit much.  Trying to keep others from breaking Commandment 6 doesn't give them permission to break Commandment 9.

Answer 10

Are you talking about abortion? Whenever people even hear abortion the first words that comes to there head's is killing babies, are we seriously that neive? What about the little girls that are rapped at 13 when there body isn't even fully developed yet to even have a baby, or the girls that get rapped by there uncles or fathers? Incest? Do you know how many deformities a baby can have from the mother being to young, or from incest? Or what can happen to the mother, suicide? Dying at child birth? I'm sure this is what Obama was thinking about when he said that.

Answer 11

It isnt the governments place to tell women what to do.,The sooner you learn that the better you will understand Obama

Answer 12

Crafty Republicans presented a bill that required saving the lives of all babies aborted alive, and they all are. Then specifically mentioned partial birth abortions just so that anybody who voted against the law could be accused of voting against banning partial birth abortions.

I myself think that abortions for birth control should be illegal, but that you cannot pass a law banning them because we are very bad at getting quick answers through our courts to determine if a particular person's abortion is legal. Not to mention that our courts get it wrong often.

Imagine having to prove that you were raped, or that you will die if you have the baby in a US court. All of our doctors would be spending time in courts testifying against each other about whether a woman would die if she did not have an abortion. A woman that was raped would have win a trial possibly with a rapist that was trying to start a family and insists that she wanted it.

Answer 13

He agreed with a law that doesn't provide medical care to babies born alive after a botched abortion.

How could anyone even begin to equate that trapping and killing animals (which I am totally against) for their fur is equal to that of killing the unborn?  

Answer 14

They think that being pro-choice means he wants to kill babies.

It's not.

Answer 15

These so called pro-life guys just never get it.

Shouldn't the decision to make baby be left on the shoulder of the persons concerned?

Why do other think they have responsibility to make mandatory laws decision for others private affairs?

I am not for abortion but let those who feel it make their decisions.

This extreme pro-life and at the same time pro-bomb or pro-gun thing is another HYPOCRAZY (spelt as i want) in the minds of the deluded with nothing to do with their lives.

These are the same people against social security and against immigrants and the needy human.

It is like - go ahead and have deformed baby or baby with no support be you are on your own and the baby is on his or her own when they grow up without social support.

And these christians/faithfuls will support high gas price, recession, and $10 trillion debt creator GOP who care little about the weak and the vulnerable?

Answer 16

You heard right.If the baby was to be aborted, it must die per the Obama plan.

tcw

Answer 17

http://www.prolifewitness.com/resources/...

It's called the Induced Infant Liability Act.

Answer 18

You must have really dumb friends whose parents are telling them lies.  Obama is not killing Babies that are ALREADY born.  Last time I checked that is murder.

Answer 19

there are situations where the abortion does not work and the babies survive...in that situation obama wants and has voted for the babies to be left to die. meaning no food, medical assistance, etc...this is already something he has endorced...please check into it and you will find that it is true. if the baby lives (which does happen) it is left to lay and starve to death...and people want this man to run our country???

McCain/Palin '08

Answer 20

I heard he nailed kittens to church doors in Belgium.  Or was that The Hun..?  Oh yeah, that's right he went to Hanoi during the war to tell America how great North Vietnam was and that the Hanoi Hilton really was five stars.  I don't know, I get my fascists mixed up...

Answer 21

Obama voted against live birth abortion, but it is legal in Illinois, his home state. However, as a senator, he has no control over that.

Answer 22

he says it is OKAY to kill babies after they are born

Answer 23

only first born rich white babies.  

Answer 24

Look him up on youtube speaking to planned parenthood and you can see him joking around about "all the good work they are doing helping women ohhh and whether they know it or not men too haha". He's a babykiller if there ever was one, as for the born alive act it was a bill to give a baby rights if it survived an abortion attempt and mr. hope himself voted against it as a state senator and also was the only one who felt compelled to stand up and speak out against it! The same bill passed the u.s. senate 98-0, he tries lying about it saying the state bill didn't protect roe v. wade but it did protect it. He tries to cloud the truth every chance he gets.  

Answer 25

Well im not sure perhaps the Republicans would like the babies to live so that they can suffer in abject poverty without food, education and wealthcare. Besides the republicans will need a new underclass to demonize if a few years.

Answer 26

He voted against four separate bill that would have protected babies who survive abortions. He also insinuated that babies are a punishment to young women who get pregnant.

So YES he is suggesting killing babies...

Answer 27

First of all, there's no reason not to like Obama.

Second of all, no he's not. That's just ridiculous. If you believe that, i can certainly understand why you like McCain, whom i may remind you, may drop dead any second now.  

Answer 28

Sometimes late term abortions are unsuccessful and the baby human survives.  In Illinois, these "unsuccessfully aborted fetuses" were just left to die.  A nurse in one of the hospitals was horrified that these "unsuccessfully aborted fetuses" were being left lying in a bunch of medical waste.  She would often hold these babies until they died - - sometimes it took half an hour, sometimes several hours.  She lobbied the Illinois legislature for changes that would allow these babies to be treated as humans instead of medical waste.  Obama was not moved, he was concerned that the proposed legislation might make cause more work for the hospitals.  I'm not really clear on his issue with the legislation as it was widely supported by both Dems and Republicans.

You can debate about a woman's right to choose but once a human baby is born and breathing on his own, is it really that hard to admit that he's a unique living being with all of the constitutional rights granted in our Constitution.  

Please research this issue.  If this is such a complicated issue for Obama, it's apparent to me that he's a dangerous and incompetent choice for the White House!  

Answer 29

If you've listened to anything Obama has said about his stance on abortion, you'd know he doesn't believe in any kind of abortion, but doesn't feel the government has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body'

So all the s**t on yahoo that says he's in favor of abortion and letting born babies die is utter nonsense.

Answer 30

He avoided voting on legislation preventing it in his home state.  Here is more of an article:

http://www.aipnews.com/talk/forums/threa...

As for his lie about the bill was written wrong and wouldn't support Roe v Wade...read this from factchecker.org:

http://www.jillstanek.com/archives/2008/...

Furthermore, I am disgusted with a comparison of furs to human life.  Nice to see your values are in the right place, no wonder you support Osama.

Answer 31

This is foolishness.  He didn't vote for that bill because the way it was written, it would have possibly debased Roe v. Wade.

Enough of this idiotic smear.