End Public Funding of Planned Parenthoood

Whereas the Declaration of Independence states that "all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness";

Whereas the meaning of "all men" generically means "all people", meaning and including unborn children;

Whereas abortion is arguably the involuntary taking of human life in any form;

We the undersigned respectfully petition President George W. Bush, upon the inauguration of his second term in the White House, to issue an executive order denying Planned Parenthood grant money in the form of federal dollars to perform abortions.

We believe President Bush's decision upon his first inauguration to reinstate the Mexico City policy, which denies federal funding overseas for abortion, was completely appropriate and in line with the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. We believe that upon his second inauguration, it is no less important to deny federal money to domestic organizations which promote the killing of unborn children, that being the likes of Planned Parenthood.

We believe President Bush's support for life to be unrivaled among U.S. presidents. We believe Mr. Bush's signing of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, the Partial birth Abortion ban, his public support for the Child Custody Protection Act and legislation allowing doctors, hospitals and clinics to opt out of abortion practices go a long to restore America to a culture of life for which we applaud him.

However, as noble as the president's pro-life record is, the issuing of federal grant money towards Planned Parenthood is gravely disturbing. If the Founding Fathers were alive today, they would likely be astounded that the U.S. government is underwriting the likes of PP and undermining the Declaration of Independence in turn.

While it may not be possible in the foreseeable future to overturn Roe vs. Wade and ban abortion, the president can go a very long way towards restoring a full culture of life by issuing this executive order. Most Americans, regardless of party affiliation and abortion position, oppose their tax dollars funding such immoral procedures. 2/3rds of the funding of Planned Parenthood's 850+ clinics comes from Washington. If federal dollars are cut off from PP, it will not mean the end of abortion but it will mean the abortion industry relying on the private sector to instead of taxpayers to secure funding. This would be the hugest step toward a culture of life since the infamous Roe vs. Wade ruling nearly 32 years ago.

Such an unprecedented executive order would enrage the abortion industry and their allies in the ACLU, an organization claiming to be concerned about tax dollars used towards lawsuits supporting the 10 Commandments but winking about such dollars funding abortions. However, an executive order could not be challenged in court as it is what it is, an executive order.

Enacting legislation or issuing executive orders should never be done with political fallout in mind. However, with President Bush unable to run for a third presidential term in 2008, he has no political capital to lose but instead, the great admiration of the majority of the American public to gain, not to mention the keeping of a pro-life Congress for a long, long time and a gradual end to abortion in its entirety. Therefore, it behooves the president to issue an executive order to defund Planned Parenthood and all facilities which perform abortion services. As such, we ask President Bush to do so upon his inauguration.

The undersigned fully endorses this petition.