Official Matthew Reutter Blog

President Obama marked the anniversary of Roe V. Wade by stating he is committed “to protecting a women’s right to choose and this fundamental constitutional right.”  In a statement issued recently, President Obama states: “We must remember that this Supreme Court decision not only protects a woman’s health and reproductive freedom, but also affirms a broader principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters.” 

Although the historic Supreme Court decision was a roadblock to laws banning abortion, conservative legislatures across the nation have placed significant abortion restrictions in 2011.  According to the Guttmacher Institute, Ninety-two measures enacted in 24 states dramatically limit women’s access to abortion services. 

Despite the nationwide conservative push for abortion restrictions in 2011, January 20, 2012 marked Obama’s approval for a rule that guarantees near-universal contraceptive coverage.  Employers will now be required to cover contraception with no co-pays or deductibles.  

In stark contrast to President Obama, 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum is staunchly anti-choice, and believes that abortion should be uniformly illegal, even in cases of rape or incest.  In addition, Rick Santorum has suggested that physicians who provide abortions should be criminally charged.  In a recent interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan, Rick Santorum said that sexual assault victims have “to make the best out of a bad situation.”