by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer Upon taking office in January, President-elect Barack Obama is planning to immediately overturn two executive orders put in place by President Bush that prohibit taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research and groups that perform or promote abortion in other countries. Leaders of Obama’s transition team are confirming that the new president is planning to overturn both orders and will now allow taxpayer money to be diverted to these causes. President Bush issued an executive order in 2001 that prevents taxpayer funding for new embryonic stem cell research because it involves the destruction of human life. Bush directed most of the funds to adult stem cell research which is more ethical and is already being used to treat dozens of serious diseases. On the other hand, embryonic stem cell research is riddled with problems such as causing tumors and serious rejection issues in the laboratory. The lack of progress in this research has caused many private investors to put their money into adult stem cells, leaving the embryonic field cash strapped and in need of taxpayer funding. Obama is also planning to eliminate another long-standing policy known as the Mexico City Policy that prevents taxpayer money from being used to fund groups that promote abortion overseas. First instituted during the Reagan administration, President Bush expanded the policy to make sure no State Department funding goes to the pro-abortion groups.   President Clinton also overturned the Mexico City Policy on his first day in office. According to The Washington Post, Obama’s transition team is working with top special interest groups and leading pro-abortion members of Congress on prioritizing the executive orders that Obama will reverse. Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business, told the Post that she expects Obama to rescind the protections on taxpayer-funded abortions and abortion counseling immediately after his inauguration. "We have been communicating with his transition staff" almost daily, Richards said. "We expect to see a real change." Responding to the news, Patrick J. Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition told LifeNews.com that Obama forcing taxpayers to fund abortion contradicts his claims to want to govern from the center and find common ground on abortion. Mahoney said "it would greatly increase abortions around the world. It would also create a scenario in which American evangelicals and Catholics would be paying for abortion referrals through their tax dollars." "If President-elect Obama reverses this policy, it would show a complete and blatant disregard for the faith values of millions of American Christians as well as expanding the violence and tragedy of abortion worldwide. America should be exporting justice and human rights, not brutality and violence," he said. © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly/Women of Grace. http://www.womenofgrace.com