Monday millions of African women lost their family planning assistance. Abortions, HIV and infant mortality will now increase dramatically.
The 2016 U.S. budget included $607.5 million in funding for reproductive health internationally. If Trump’s executive order is taken at face value, that stops. I guess we need it for the wall.
The “Mexico City Policy” which Trump reinstated by executive order yesterday was initiated by Ronald Reagan, reversed by Bill Clinton, reinstated by George Bush and reversed again by Barack Obama. So it wasn’t surprising that a non-Democrat did this: withhold American foreign assistance to groups that provide abortions.
But with each iteration the reversal or the reinstatement became stronger than the previous version, so each change had a greater impact. Trump’s order verges on the ludicrous (and, in fact, may make it more difficult to implement).
Trump doesn’t just trigger suspension of aid to organizations that offer abortions or abortion counseling, but to organizations that “discuss” offering abortions or abortion counseling.
Kenya’s most widely read online media news source said today that Trump’s actions “spell disaster for maternal health programs in Kenya.”
I obviously don’t like Trump. But this order so heavily impacts millions of Africans who had, thanks to America and elsewhere, pulled up their boot straps and were on their way to much better health – that it’s nothing short of heart breaking. It leaves you feeling enervated. We can’t organize a march on Washington by 30 million African youngsters.
“As the new president of one of the most powerful countries in the world, it is paramount to observe and understand that women the world over deserve respect and dignity at all levels,” the Kenyan-led African Womens Group, FEMNET, proclaimed and did not comment directly on the executive order.
They dare not. Hundreds of womens’ advocacy groups now walk on pins and needles, amazed at how American charity pivots to punishment with the single stroke of a pen.
“All the failures, bureaucratic nightmares and — yes — increases in abortion rates will now follow,” Pulitzer Prize winning science journalist for CNN wrote yesterday.
Here’s what she means: “Family planning” provides numerous ways that a young women can avoid or handle unexpected pregnancy. An exhaustive World Health Organization study in June, 2011, clearly documented how the Bush era order “dramatically” increased abortions and unwanted and untreated pregnancies in the developing world.
This U.S. government’s own 2006 GAO follow-up to Bush’s order pointed out how difficult it was to implement, and reported that its effect was to seriously limited all HIV Aids funding globally.
So even before Trump took the wrong side and threw it into Darth’s black hole it had been proved counter productive. That, of course, gets into the whole curled mind of the ideologue conservative who never seems to learn that what he really wants he’s constantly destroying better than any of his foes.
Good guys are trying to come to the rescue. The Dutch government in warp speed announced the organization of an international fund to replace what Trump has just cut.
The Dutch do what they say, and that made me and I think thousands of Africans feel much better. But it’s still a kink in the maize of development, another bureaucratic hurdle that will have to be overcome.
Trump is irrational; we can’t blame him. He has no idea what he’s doing. He doesn’t have the smarts to know how to have broadened the executive order in a way that it applies to almost anything. That was neither random or unintentional: it was mean.
We must discover whose pulling the puppet strings, because it’s a darker and more sinister master than I ever imagined possible.
I am sick in my stomach over this.
I agree… Very disturbing…
Jim, I don’t usually answer or participate in on-line stuff – I’m such a technophobe! – but, I just wanted to thank you for bringing this (and many other issues) to our attention. When I read this, I just started crying. In response to your last paragraph – yes, it does make one wonder, doesn’t it? Again, thank you
Makes me want to donate to the Dutch!
He reacts without thinking of consequences. How tragic.
The Orange Pharaoh and his hyenas. Bannon and Pence are soulless. Well, the whole lot of them seem pretty damned soulless…
Jim you may be interested in my take, here “Resilience is the New Optimism — Final” @ideaswords https://medium.com/@ideaswords/resilience-is-the-new-optimism-final-a7f541c0c6c9
And also at medium.com,… Sorcerers of the Right
Why would I be surprised at what Trump does–or does not do? We must be vigilant to watch as he goes steam-rolling forward. If Congress begins to enact Trump’s absurd Executive Orders, it will be time to storm the Bastille. No, not violently. Please, no violence. What we must do is literally start knocking on the doors of our state and Federal legislators. Letters will do little to alter a potential Tsunami of changes. Those of us who marched in the 60s must once more march with our younger believers. The time is near.
I think it’s dangerous to underestimate President (oy- a little throwup in my mouth!) Trump. I don’t think we can assume he’s irrational or doesn’t have the smarts. I think underestimating him is part of what got us into this mess in the first place.
Yes, we must discover WHO, and it will take a free press for that to happen. We must insist that the press stand up to Trump;s fascist juggernaut and not be intimidated by it.
You said it well Jim what more can be said. He’s doing it in this country as well. He’s a hypocrite. In his prior life he liked planned parenthood. He’s taking his lead from Pence who is short sited on all things of a sexual nature.
This is unimaginable! He doesn’t even think about consequences. We all need to do what we can to make our Congresspeople listen and demonstrate our opposition where we can. In the end, one could almost call him a murderer.
I agree with you completely Jim. The two most important subjects I consider imperative are women’s rights and environmental protection.
Trump is ignorant and has no idea what he is doing or how many people he is affecting. Unregulated Back street abortions will rise to an all time high. Women w/HIV will b giving birth to hiv babies. This president could care less what the majority of Americans want and need. It is all about what he and his cronies want. The think they r running their corporations and can dictate whatever they want. They work for the American people or at least that is how it used to b. God save our democracy!
Members of Congress responded to Trump’s executive order by introducing the Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights (HER) Act. HER Act is a bipartisan effort both to repeal the Global Gag Rule permanently, and to ensure that women in poor communities have access to comprehensive family planning services, HIV treatment, and Zika prevention.
The time is now. We need you to act. We must protect the gains we’ve made over the last decade. Please call your senator and representative today and urge them to support the HER Act.
The U.S. Capitol switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. Just call and an operator will direct you to your members’ offices.
I totally agree with President Trump, and I do not believe you are qualified to say ‘he doesn’t have the smarts’. He was properly elected and is doing what are the wishes of the people who supported him.
Dear Jim, it is sad to say when we have a do nothing administration and one who helps our world enemies more than taking care of our country first ( this is not meant to attack your heartfelt mission) someone needs to come in and put it back together again—if not we cannot help any one going forward.
My questions are these, why have we been giving BILLIONS to our known enemies, why have we been taking better care of people who’s only mission is to destroy America and if so how much would they help your cause?
It is sad, but it is time to get our act back together again so that we can help those in REAL need, we cannot buy ourselves out of irresponsible and thieving behavior—enough is enough!!
I was wondering how much the Clinton Foundation and Mr. Soros and the like have help all of the poor that you love so much (and most of them are wonderful human beings), those numbers might be interesting to post. Even just a part of what Hillary and Bill possibly had gotten in exchange for what is reported to be at least 20% of our Uranium Mines that are now owned by Russia.
I truly appreciate and respect your passion, but with all of the new aliens that are fleeing there Homelands ( thanks to an irresponsible President and Administration) we have had our country is going to hell and we must rebuild now or we won’t be any help to anybody.
I personally support a woman’s right to an abortion during the first trimester and with a few caveats thereafter. But I also understand how some folks who are opposed to abortion can object to using their taxes to pay for abortions. The restrictions contained in the new US policy look overly done to me but that’s what elections are for.
To the extent that we, or any other interest group object to the funding cut off, then we need to increase our own personal financial support towards the cause and work harder to elect folks that support our positions better. The Conservatives won so they get to set the agenda. Fair is fair. The pro-lifers had to sit on their hands the last eight years and now it’s our turn.
Good luck
I have no idea if anyone is “pulling his strings” – I just know that it is horrible and getting worse by the day (or minute) and it’s been less than a week.
Read, as requested. A shame, as suggested.
Key word is “irrational.” Succinctly……it will only get worse and go on indefinitely.
Jim,
The very direct answer to the last paragraph in your blog is found in Gail Collins’ column in today’s NYTimes – Mike Pence Pulls President Trump’s Strings – click here.
He’s a malignant narcissist and has no soul.
It will eventually bring him down.
Mike Pence is “pulling his strings” on this issue. (See Gail Collins NYTimes article on this issue.) I think there is a good chance that Trump will get tired of the annoyance of this job and quit, or that he will be impeached. But then we have Pence. I am SO sad.
We agree wholeheartedly with you. We are seriously depressed and are apologizing to all our foreign friends for the huge stupidity of our election outcome. If “he who shall not be named” wants to investigate corruption he should look at how the electoral delegates are chosen and the gerrymandering that got us here.
I enjoy your blogs and so far have not ever responded. But, now feel that I must. Trump actually scares me. I cannot even listen to him and every day get more upset with all of the “Executive orders” that he is signing. I agree whole heartedly with what you are saying regarding Africa and planned parenthood. It seems to me that Trump just wants to be in control of everything and gain attention for himself. He never thinks about the consequences. He does NOT listen to the reasons presented by anyone who even suggests that what he wants to do may not be appropriate. He immediately states that the person who disagrees is lying or spreading false “facts”. He is surrounding himself only with people who agree or seem to agree with his point of view ( and sends others away) – he refuses to acknowledge the great numbers of citizens who are disagreeing. I only hope that our system of government and Congress (even though it is majority Republican) is able to have some ability to control or tone down or reverse the directions that Trump is determined to go.
I agree: he has no idea of the impacts of what he’s doing. It’s all about ideology and his own narcissism. Our republic is at risk.
Shirley, thank you. Since you didn’t leave your email address I can’t reply off-site but wanted to assure you that the delay in posting your comment is simply because this site turns off at night for comments. As soon as it turned on, your comment appeared and thank you! – Jim Heck
Bannon perhaps. The present meets all the diagnostic criteria for narcissistic personality disorder. These people have alternate realities. He is not going to change. It makes me physically ill.