TOMPAINE.com - Litany Of Lies: "Abortion Contortion

On his first workday in the Oval Office Bush signed a directive reviving a controversial 1984 Ronald Reagan order known as the Mexico City policy, which had been rescinded by Clinton. This policy prohibited U.S. government family-planning funds from going to overseas groups that provide abortion services, lobby for abortion rights, or counsel pregnant women that abortion is an option. In a two-paragraph announcement, Bush noted, 'It is my conviction that taxpayer funds should not be used to pay for abortions or advocate or actively promote abortion, either here or abroad.'

But the funds in question -- $425 million in foreign aid -- did not underwrite abortion-related activity. This money could only be used by these groups for their family-planning activities that did not involve abortion. A 1973 law had rendered it illegal for any organization to use U.S. government funds to pay for abortions overseas. The Bush White House, though, was selling the reinstatement of the policy as a direct step in defunding abortions overseas. At a White House press briefing, Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer defended the directive by saying that Bush 'did not support use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortion abroad.' A reporter pointed out that these funds did not finance abortion overseas: 'Is the president aware that under the 1973 law, the use of American money for abortions abroad is banned? This money isn't used for abortions.' Fleischer replied: 'I would urge you to wait until you read the executive order, and then you'll be able to see this for yourself.' But that executive order -- issued two months later -- in no way explained why the Bush White House had promoted the policy's revival with misinformation. "

Didn't know this.