EDITORIAL

Obama offers common sense on common ground

Posted

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius appears to have made a reasonable and common sense decision- a rarity in recent years.

Last week Madam Secretary rejected the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) plan to sell the so-called “Morning After Pill” over the counter to young children. Apparently the idea of young girls buying the powerful drug along with bubble gum proved to be too much even for the zealously pro-abortion Sebelius.

The usual suspects like Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups harshly criticized the decision to overturn the FDA recommendation. They claim the decision to overturn was purely a political attempt by the Obama Administration to appease Catholic voters. President Obama quickly defended the decision by his HHS Secretary offering the common sense and concern as the father of two young daughters suggesting that “most parents would probably feel the same way.”

Whether the decision was pure politics or plain old common sense, it is clear that it was correct. The president deserves to be commended for not allowing a harmful drug such as the “Morning After Pill” to be readily available to girls as young as twelve. Common sense tells us that young children in the midst of immaturity are not responsible enough or knowledgeable enough to use such powerful and life altering drugs. This decision is most welcome after a string of terrible decisions by the Obama Administration regarding life and conscience in recent years. Perhaps President Obama has had time reread his Notre Dame Commencement address in which he suggested: “When we open our hearts and our minds to those who may not think like we do or believe what we do – that’s when we discover at least the possibility of common ground.”

This latest decision to veto the FDA Plan B decision is common ground upon which we can stand together with the president.