Bush and his Theocrats wage their War against Birth Control AGAIN!
Posted: July 16, 2008 Filed under: Women's Rights | Tags: Birth Control, Bush's war on Birth Control, Women's Rights 12 CommentsOne of my progressive friends stays on top of all issues and has an extensive email list leftover from the Presidential Primary 4 years ago. We remain in touch. One of the Doctor’s on her list emailed us this bit of information concerning the ongoing attempt by religious right elements in the Bush administration to label everything associated with birth control abortion then de-fund it so it is unavailable to the most vulnerable women or make its use outright illegal.
It is amazing to me that we continue to fight the battles we thought won years ago. Margaret Sanger would be outraged.
DAILY WOMEN’S HEALTH POLICY REPORT
NATIONAL POLITICS & POLICY | Bush Administration Developing Rule That
Could Limit Access to Birth Control
[July 15, 2008]
The Bush administration is developing a regulation that would define
abortion as “any of the various procedures — including the
prescription, dispensing and administration of any drug or the
performance of any procedure or any other action — that results in
the termination of the life of a human being in utero between
conception and natural birth, whether before or after implantation,”
the New York Times reports. The draft proposal leaked to the Times
also would require all recipients of aid from HHS to certify they
will not refuse to hire health care workers who object to abortion
and certain types of birth control.
According to the Times, to receive funding under any program
administered by HHS, researchers, clinics, medical schools and
hospitals would have to sign “written certifications” that they will
not discriminate against people who object to abortion or certain
contraception. The certification also would be required of state and
local governments when allocating grants to hospitals and other
institutions that have policies against providing abortions, the
Times reports. The administration said it could discontinue federal
aid to individuals or entities that discriminate against people who
oppose abortion on the basis of “religious beliefs or moral
convictions.” The leaked proposal — which circulated in HHS on
Monday — said the new requirement is needed to guarantee that
federal funds do not “support morally coercive or discriminatory
practices or policies in violation of federal law.” The proposal also
expresses concern about state laws that require hospitals to provide
emergency contraception to rape survivors who request it, according
to the Times.Reaction
Mary Jane Gallagher, president of the National Family Planning and
Reproductive Health Association, said, “The proposed definition of
abortion is so broad that it would cover many types of birth control,
including oral contraceptives and emergency contraception.” She
added, “We worry that under the proposal, contraceptive services
would become less available to low-income and uninsured women.” Nancy
Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said, “Why on earth is
the Bush administration trying to discourage doctors and clinics from
providing contraception to women who need it?” Christina Pearson, a
spokesperson for HHS, declined to discuss the draft rule. “We don’t
normally comment on whether we are considering changes in
regulations,” Pearson said (Pear, New York Times, 7/15).
http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/News2?
abbr=daily2_&page=NewsArticle&id=11915&security=1201&news_iv_ctrl=-1
There continues to be an element in this society that will not let the majority opinion on reproductive rights and birth control stand. They have taken their battle against women and their radical views on the definition of human life to all levels of government. Their sneak attacks continue. Please write your congressional representatives and senators and ask them to stop the President from making law’s with executive rules.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Any meaningful, peaceful resolution to the world’s environmental problems is necessarily tied to the worldwide liberation of women.
Generally, where women are educated, free to seek employment outside of their households, and free to control their birth cycles, population growth rates decline and economic well-being improves.
Daki, this is an add on the Shtuey’s post, because it’s all intertwined. Control of the female part of the population is essential in controlling the whole, IMHO. For example, years ago, when Birth control pills were introduced, there were muted antagonistic responses, but nothing like there is today. Years ago, we didn’t hear about polygamous societies (even though they existed) because they were few and far between…nothing like today.
Yes, there was always opposition to access to abortion, yes, there were bombs placed at clinics and people died; yet there was a period when that type of activity didn’t gain major headlines – a lull if you will – nothing like today.
Margaret Attwood wrote a prescient book “The Handmaid’s Tale” that is absolutely chilling for any woman….too bad it’s not required reading, because it’s becoming more true each year with draconian measures surrounding a woman’s right to her own body.
I only thank the FSM that I’m beyond childbearing years. Further, this may sound cold and uncaring, but my beautiful daughter, all blond/blue/did I mention beautiful 6 foot of her, will probably be unable to procreate due to health (allergy and endometriosus) issues, which is all to the good because she has never been interested in procreation, although she is exploring adoption.
My concern in all this twaddle is the attempt, once again, to control women. Over one half of the population is kept under tight control, so how do these so called arbiters of social justice differ from the Taliban or other like minded authoritarian male dominated societies…I won’t point fingers at individual religious denominations, but it all seems to come from religion, doesn’t it?
I would like to think that there is an afterlife (I’m not religious) and in that afterlife I will find a society where all creatures (human and otherwise) are equally treated, capable of making their own decisions and directing their own lives without worry regardless of sex, race or orientation. Sad that today, in 2008, that is not the case.
You seem a very patient sort, HT. I also like to think there is an afterlife, and I hope it’s eternally fulfilling. However, I want it all, and I want it now – I am just as fed to the teeth as I can be with explaining to fellow carbon-based bipeds that XY is not superior to XX. I can feel my brain cells start to die off every time another idiot decides women need keepers, because they are not rational and unemotional like men. The worst by far is hearing a woman sell out other women. There’s nothing as depressing as watching some cheerfully smiling representative of any religion advocate for keeping females under the watchful eye of the Patriarchal Trio in heaven and male authority here on earth. And since Senator Obama seems to feel that a woman’s husband, doctor and pastor fill the same roles in this life that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit do in the next, I think that President Bush has set a path that is not likely to be strayed from by either potential successor.
I usually come here once a day, but something compelled me to revisit…..
Ms Marple, are you psychic?
I’m not patient at all, I’m just tired. I fought the good fight in the 60’s/70’s and settled back to enjoy wondrous chaos in my personal life. When I hit 35, I looked for a sperm donor and had my beloved at 38, my second beloved at 40. (Sperm donor was escorted out the door due to many infractions….and he never contributed to his children’s well being either financiallly or emotionally)
In reponse to your comment that you want it now, so do I. As a matter of fact I wanted it 40 years ago, but it didn’t happen and I blame the white male dominated media, religious and advertising industries. And yes, I view religion as an industry.
In my optimism, I thought that perhaps we as a society had finally grown and that fears of women and LGBT folks were passe. Unfortunately, thanks to the beloveds, I discovered that children were continuing to be indoctrinated into biblical roles through the media and churches. Does it bother me….bet your boots it does. I disconnected television when my kids were 8 and 10, and we read together. Even so, my daughter (beloved1) hooked into the hype and it took two years for her to come to her senses.
I raised two children on my own while working in a very demanding profession. Many, many other women are doing the same without the benefit of the position I held and the commensurate pay check. Yet, we are held in contempt….because we are female.
I could bore you to death with horror stories (most of them my own) about how male paternalism has negatively affected my life, but that’s not important. What is important is that advertising and media target young girls, give them messages about what is okay, what makes one “cool”, how they should respond to stimulae, what they should wear etc etc ad nauseum. Yes Bush has provided the climate to set back gender equality (as well as LGBT rights), but Obama has taken it ten paces forward by his sexist/misogynist behavior and the media has provided the catalyst.. (It would be interesting to look at stats re sexual assaults for the last year vis a vis before Obama)
Until people band together and target the media, nothing will change. And frankly, the media is now in the business of choosing the next president of the United States. How does everyone feel about the likes of GE and Rupert Murdoch determining the next leader of the most powerful nation in the world? (today….two years from now that may not be an accurate statement)
Geepers, another post that doesnt villify a candidate ! A real, viable 3rd party candidate would be great but dont we need to deal with the stuff we have as best we can? I dont want my two sons and daughter serving in McCains wars. I served enough for my family. No more. Shove partisanship and feminist crap down the throats of those advocating more wars. My kids will have tickets to New Zealand before I have them go through what I did.
Feminist crap? Wow, some progressive you are.
The only real progressive candidate still in the race, said it best many years ago in Beijing: “Women’s Rights Are Human Rights.”
Send you damn kids anywhere you choose. It is still a free country. Unless you have the wrong name and are on the no fly list.
We have to deal with the stuff as best we can? What kind of drivel is that? Evidently you think it’s fine to throw away the rights of over half the population.
McCain’s wars? How about the United States Government’s wars. Since it has been funded by both parties the war belongs to left and right. Democrats were given a majority in 2006 to get us out of Iraq. How’d that work out?
Ending the war in Iraq? Yeah, I believe Obama since he’s been so honest with us thus far. (FISA, public finance, a woman’s rights so long as her spouse and minister agree)
And how about that Obama plan to have a partial pull out in Iraq and concentrate on Afghanistan? Wonderful idea. Ask the former Soviet Union how a war in Afghanistan worked for them. Course you’ll not find a Soviet Union anymore now willya.
RW, I believe you are part of the problem, not the solution, regarding the little tiny issue of equal human rights. Feminism is the basis for solving the equal-opportunity cross-cultural evil that is the suppression of women and the denial of their humanity.
HT, I think we’re on the same wave-length although we’ve lived very different lives. I married at 19 and had 4 children in 5 years’ time…not accidentally, either. I was immersed in very conservative religious and political beliefs up to my eyeballs for years, until slowly realizing that I could never accept a system of any kind which hinges on the idea that women were constructed from spare parts by a supernatural being for the express purpose of serving men. I took a good look at who was telling me this, and wised up.
KenoshaMarge, as always…what you said!!
RW, I’m going to gang up on you too on this one. Not only do I agree with the two posts above in terms of women’s rights, but there’s the little issue that Candidate Obama just scrubbed his website of all his positions that said the surge isn’t working. His major speech on Iraq this week was basically to state he’d pull troops out of Iraq and redeploy them to Afghanistan. Just as Marge said ….Gee, troops in Afghanistan worked really well for the Russians, didn’t it? Plus, he’s said he would ‘attack’ Pakistan to get at the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. Invasions of one’s allies usually isn’t exactly an act of peace or friendship. It’s been announced that there will be more pull downs of troops in the fall and the Iraqi government has asked for a time table for U.S. troop withdrawal. Plus, there’s the constitutionality and funding question. Congress has to enable it all. There’s quite a bit of news out there that I think you’ve missed.
I have two draft age kids also. Both of them have functional uterus and one of them is in Med School to become an Ob/Gyn. My main concern about their future is not a draft.
Marge says, “Send you damn kids anywhere you choose.” My damn kids? GFY.
My saying “feminist crap” was really wrong and I apologize for saying that, as my mom would’ve smacked me in the head for that. My mom worked as a Rosie the riveter and beyond into the 50’s, 60’s 70’s and 80’s. She wore jeans before most women gave up skirts. I love my mom and when I said “feminist crap” I know I was wrong saying that. I know better but I didn’t speak better. But know this,… I will never refer to anyone’s kids as, ” damn kids”.
RW, you are a big person for apologizing. Your using that term infuriated me and I in my turn said something inexcusable.
I should never have said your damn kids. That was wrong and I do apologize.
Your response to my response, as in GFY was equally inappropriate.
Having apologized I now realize that having any dialogue with someone that thinks like you do is useless.
Feminist crap is important to me as a woman, as a mother and as the grandmother of 7 girls and 2 female great grandchildren. I allowed my rage to allow me to say something inappropriate. I’m sorry that I did because it makes all that I said that was right unimportant.
Gee Marge, I thought maybe we were going to be able to discuss until I read, “Having apologized I now realize that having any dialogue with someone that thinks like you do is useless.” C’est la vie, bon vie. Be well.