Topic: abortion

Proposed HHS regulation could impact accessibility to birth control

By Christine Anne Piesyk | August 1, 2008 |

Sorry, Mr. Bush. Stay out of my bedroom. Keep your nose out of my medicine cabinet.

With six and a half long months left in office, President Bush and his administration, specifically the United States Department of Health and Human Services, still have time to tinker with laws and regulations that that challenge our civil liberties, human rights, and a woman’s right to choose. President Bush may soon have a new and controversial regulatory issue before him, one that flies in the face of existing laws and which does not need Congressional approval to be put in place.

“One of the most troubling aspects of the proposed rules is the overly-broad definition of “abortion.” This definition would allow health-care corporations or individuals to classify many common forms of contraception – including the birth control pill, emergency contraception and IUDs – “abortions” and therefore to refuse to provide contraception to women who need it.”

– Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Patty Murray in a joint letter to HHS

Yes, the abortion/contraception issue is back on the front burner, this time in the form of a HHS draft regulation that essentially redefines “pregnancy” and could impact every single woman in the country seeking contraceptive services. While the HHS draft is still under debate with no timetable for submission or a seal of approval, its opponents suggest that the changes in regulations fall within the ideological scope of the Bush administration.

The potential law/regulation sparks debate to the most minute moment in time: when conception actually occurs, and could place the idea of “contraception” in the category of abortion. At best, the draft proposal could restrict or limit access to birth control for millions of women. The words “barefoot and pregnant” are not that far back in our legislative history.

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Sections: Issues, News, Opinion, Politics | 1 Comment »

Candidates on the Issues: Abortion

By James Butler | January 14, 2008 |

Tennessee voters go to the polls on February 5th for the presidential primaries in this state. Tennessee is historically not given a great deal of attention by most candidates, and this election cycle is shaping up to continue the trend.

Unfortunately, this means Tennesseans often have to rely on news media sound bytes to obtain information about the candidates. However, since news media are businesses and therefore have as their proper goal the making of money, this often leaves viewers with precious little information about how the candidates would actually go about running the county and a disturbing amount about their private lives.

Let’s be honest, does it really matter than Barrack Obama has an Islamic heritage, that Hillary didn’t leave Bill, that Mitt Romney is Mormon or that John McCain allows his adult children to live their own lives? «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion, Politics | 5 Comments

Supreme Court Decision on “Partial Birth Abortion” not the end of the world

By David W. Shelton | April 23, 2007 |

Last week, the Supreme Court of the United States upheld a ban on the controversial “partial birth abortion. In a bitterly divided 5-4 decision, the nation’s highest court showed a disturbing willingness to revisit the constitutionality of a woman’s right to choose whether or not she wishes to carry her baby to term.

The abortion issue is one of the most hotly debated topics in our country’s political climate. The debate is as fiery as it is passionate; as bitter as it is emotional. In fact, I sincerely believe that one of the only other topics that has been anywhere near as divisive as the abortion debate is the debate over GLBT equality. The latest decision from the Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts only makes this debate even more explosive. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, Opinion, Politics | 1 Comment »