73% of female pro-choice McCain supporters in battleground states do not know McCain’s position on abortion. 1 in 4 believe he is pro-choice.

In the Senate, John McCain has cast 119 votes on abortion and other reproductive-rights issues. 115 of the votes were anti-choice.

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There is much talk about Colorado’s Amendment 48, the proposed constitutional amendment that would grant full legal rights to fertilized eggs. There should be much talk. This amendment should scare the crap out of people. You can go here and sign the petition opposing this amendment. There’s been some discussion here on the post I did in June. I thought it time to bring it to the front again. According to a commenter, Bob Enyart, a Denver talk radio host, is the main character behind this bill. He says about Enyart:

I don’t know if any of that is true, but you can read more about Bob (this guy is a freak) here.

Some background on the amendment:

Amendment 48 seeks to define a fertilized egg as a person with full legal rights in Colorado’s constitution. If fully implemented, it would profoundly and adversely impact the lives of sexually-active couples, couples seeking children, pregnant women, doctors, and medical researchers, subjecting them to severe legal restrictions, police controls, protracted court battles, and criminal punishments.

Amendment 48 would outlaw abortion, even in cases of rape, incest, terminally deformed fetuses, and danger to the woman’s health. The measure might or might not allow abortions in cases of extreme risk to the woman’s life; either way, it would endanger the lives and health of many women. In conjunction with existing statutes, Amendment 48 would subject women and their doctors to first-degree murder charges for willfully terminating a pregnancy, with the required punishment of life in prison or the death penalty.

Update: September 21, 2008
Check out SecularGovernment.us, where they discuss some of the serious implications of this proposed amendment, including its effects on the legality of abortion, birth control, and in vitro fertilization. And we offer a strong defense of abortion rights based on the biological facts of pregnancy.

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Whew….. I cannot believe I’m even going to write this, but I am. Whether I hit that publish button or not……we’ll see. I’m writing this as a woman, as a Mom, as a daughter and as an American who doesn’t want to have any more of her rights, or the rights of any other woman, taken away. As an American who is loaded for bear and not willing to lose this presidential election to more of the same without going down fighting.

I’ve had some experience with giving birth, adoptions, abortions…… my experience runs the gammit. When I was 17, I got pregnant. My boyfriend was fresh home from Vietnam. By the time we decided not to get married, abortion was out of the question. So the question then was……do I keep the baby or give it up for adoption. Now I come from a loving family. But my Mom and Dad made it perfectly clear to me that under no circumstances were they going to raise the baby. That if I kept it they would be fine with that, but that I would then become a Mom and the job to love, feed, cloth and take care of that child would be mine. Not theirs. They could not help me financially or help care for the child, as they both worked. I cannot tell you the months of torture I went through. In the end, I decided to give that child away for adoption. I never saw him. (I know it was a male, and that’s all I know) The doctor made the birth as painless as possible because he wanted for the birth of the child I would one day have and keep be a “new” experience for me, which it was. I have never regretted the decision. I regret that I got pregnant at all, but I don’t regret the adoption. Now you would think I would have been really smart at that point. But….. I wasn’t. A few years later I got pregnant again. I had an abortion. I struggled terribly with that decision, too. But in the end I knew it was the best thing I could do. I was not going to get married, I was not in any position to raise a child on my own and so it was the decision I made. I have never regretted that decision, either. Again, I regret that I got pregnant, but not the decision not to give birth. I then went on to marry and have two wonderful children. (of course the man I married was wrong by a way lot, but that’s another story) I have to tell you that I was sure God was going to punish me…… until each one of those kids was born with all their fingers and all their toes and everything perfect, I was a wreck. But, God did not punish me, for he is a forgiving God. (I joke not about this) My daughter was born a month early. She was my second child. A nurse delivered my beautiful baby girl on the gurney in the hallway on the way to the delivery room. The doctor didn’t make it. (To this day I don’t see why I had to pay that doctor for delivery…..I thought the nurse should have got that money) She was very small and had to be put under some kind of heat lights for awhile, they had to make sure her lungs were fully developed and all that good stuff. But things turned out great, Mom and baby healthy and here we are 24 years later.

I wish we had been taught about birth control when I was a teenager. I wish I had used some kind of birth control. But there was no talk of it and so you were pretty much on your own. My sister, who is 4 years older than I, also got pregnant as a young woman. At the time, abortion was illegal. My Dad, God rest his soul, took her to a doctor who performed abortions in his basement. It all went ok and she was fine. But it was all very shady and scary. So this was life and birth and abortion and adoption for my family. We had our share of it. I totally agree that all of this is, and should be, a totally private family matter. And Republicans are telling me that it IS a private matter. But they don’t mean it. They lie. No….they don’t want these life altering decisions to be private. They want to stick their noses into every home in America and make these decisions for us. They want to decide what is best for every woman in America.

Sarah Palin wants to be the vice president of the United States of America. That’s bad enough. But to add to that, she is running with a 72 year old man who has had cancer and was a POW. From Department of Defense psychiatrist Dr. (Lt. Col.) Elspeth Cameron Ritchie:

It’s very important that we know who Sarah Palin is. It’s even MORE important we know who she is since her running mate is 72. (and you might say he’s already a bit off his rocker but I won’t go there) And her stance on things that are important to me…..well those are things I need to know and discuss. She does not believe in sex education. She does not believe in pre-marital sex. She believes in “abstinence only” education. She believes that abstinence only education works. Now I have not read this, but I’m guessing she believes that “personhood” begins at conception. She does not believe in abortion, even if impregnated through rape or incest.

Whether you believe in abortion or not, when a woman does decide, all on her own, to give birth…..that new life is so precious. The miracle of birth. I guess as women it’s something we have over the guys. It truly is a miracle. That is the greatest pain I’ve been through, and the one I forgot the fastest when I saw those little darlings.

There is NOTHING I would have done to jeopardize the lives of my two kids. NOTHING. Most women can say the same. Sarah Palin did a really stupid thing. I mean REALLY stupid. And she can’t be all that intelligent if she thought what she did was ok. This woman was in Texas to give a speech. Her water broke. This was her fifth child. (in my experience in life, with all my girlfriends over the years, I’ve found the more children you have, usually the easier the delivery and often faster) A child who she already knew had Down’s syndrome, which is ok because their births are usually uneventful. But this was a child being born a month early. I don’t know a doctor on earth who would say…..when a child was going to be born a month early, your 5th child and you’re 5,000 miles from home…… oh, ok…..no problemo. Go give your speech and then get on a fucking plane and fly home, oh but wait…..stop in Seattle on the way. NO FUCKING WAY. Now why would a woman who places such value of life, do such a thing??? Anything could have happened on that plane. That baby, being born early, could have needed immediate medical attention. I don’t care what kind of shape she was in, how many births she had before, what the doctor said……. there’s no fucking way a reasonable woman would do what she did. Having said that, when I read the rumors that the baby may have been her daughters, it wasn’t hard for me to believe. But it was just a rumor, so of course, I did not post about it. I figured if there were anything to it, it would come out. Well, believe it or not, there were reporters out there snooping around to find out if this rumor was true. Probably female reporters who, like me, when reading of this bizaare trek back to Alaska to give birth, thought maybe there was something to it.

And then lo and behold, she and her husband come out and state that her daughter is now pregnant, so it couldn’t have been her daughter’s baby. She’s gotten pregnant out of wedlock. And she’s decided to get married and have that baby. All on her own! I congratulate Bristol Palin. Good for her. She has a family to support her. (and I do mean support her) I scorn her Mom, who is a hypocrite. Who does not believe in sex education, does not believe in teaching or providing birth control to teenagers, who believes abstinence education works…..and doesn’t believe in abortion. Well obviously that abstinence shit didn’t work with your daughter honey. And it doesn’t work with other kids. And luckily your daughter has a family who is going to support her and help her. How about all the girls out there who DON’T have a loving family, who don’t have the means to support themselves and a child? They should suffer……their children should suffer…. just because they MADE THE SAME MISTAKE YOUR OWN DAUGHTER DID?????? I don’t think so.

I can’t support a woman with such poor judgement as to put her unborn child at risk so she could give a speech and fly back to Alaska to give birth (truly I would have felt better about this woman if it HAD been a hoax). I can’t support a woman who’s going to try and outlaw abortion, and put women back in the basements to get illegal abortions. I can’t support a woman who believes in abstinence only education and doesn’t believe in providing teens with sex education and birth control, even knowing that abstinence only education DOESN’T WORK…….not even in her own family!!! I can’t even listen to a woman such as this talk about these issues. Whatever she thinks or believes……doesn’t count. Because she’s got horrible judgement and she is a hypocrite. But THAT should be discussed. And to say that we now cannot discuss her hypocrisy and poor judgement regarding this subject because it’s a “private family” thing is total bullshit. Not if she wants to run this country. Not if she wants to take what should be a “private family thing” out of my living room. Not if she doesn’t want the women in my family to make their OWN decisions in regard to these private matters. Not if she thinks she’s qualified or has a right to make such decisions for us. Now if she wants to go back to the PTA in Mooseville, then fine. But sorry honey……. if you want to run for Vice President of the great United States of America……..we’ll discuss this all we like, whether you and John McCain and all the rightwing neocons (like Bill Bennett) who love you llike it or not!!! This discussion has nothing to do with your daughter. God bless your daughter…….. I wish her luck. This discussion has EVERYTHING to do with YOU and your lack of good judgement and your wish to push your sick rightwing neocon beliefs on the rest of us. And it will be had.

Don’t even get me started about the “family values” crowd and how precious they think life is, but she’s willing to dump a special needs 5 month old baby and run for vice president. I guess they don’t need a mother’s love and attention then. I guess once they are born, the value of their life and their well being dwindles……. if you’re a rightwing religious nut.

Think twice about voting for McCain/Palin. Don’t do it…… unless you DON’T believe some things are “private matters.”

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Anyone from Colorado reading……you might want to act on this. You can read more about this amendment here. From an email I received from ProgressNowAction:

Sad to say, but it’s official. Amendment 48, the so-called “Personhood Amendment“, will be on the November ballot in Colorado.

This may sound crazy, because it did to us when we first learned about it. But this amendment would actually change Colorado’s constitution to deny women access to things like birth control, in-vitro fertilization, as well as banning all abortions without exception.

The Denver Post already announced their opposition to Amendment 48, saying it would create “an absurd and unworkable maze” by pushing the definition of “personhood” to fertilization. (6/2/08)

Hopefully most Coloradan’s will see that Amendment 48 is just plain nuts. But we also know how confusing ballot issues can be. So let’s all do what we can to defeat 48. You can start by adding your name to this petition opposing this amendment:

http://www.progressnowaction.org/protectwomenshealth

What makes matters worse is that the group pushing Amendment 48, including some huge right-wing funders, aren’t even from Colorado. They’re just using our state to see how far they can push their agenda.ÂÂ

So we need you - and thousands of other Coloradans - to stand up to them. Please start by signing this petition. And get your friends and neigbors to sign as well:

http://www.progressnowaction.org/protectwomenshealth

The group pushing 48 is seriously well funded, and they mean business. We need funds on our side also to make sure we can get the word out. After you sign petition, can you kick in a few bucks to help defeat Amendment 48?

Thanks in advance for all your help,

Brittney and Jody

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Do they realize how ridiculous this is? Of all the things that need to be “fixed”….. this is all they can come up? A vote on something that hasn’t a shot in hell of passing? How about proving your ProLife stance by getting our troops out of Iraq?

By LAURIE KELLMAN

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - While they still can, House Republicans are looking at scheduling a vote next week on a fetal pain abortion bill in a parting shot at incoming majority Democrats and a last bid for loyalty from the GOP’s base of social conservatives.

The measure is tentatively on House GOP leaders’ list of bills to be considered in a lame-duck session before Democrats assume control of Congress. It has no chance of passing the Senate during the waning days of Republican control. But, with Democrats ascending to agenda’setting roles, passage isn’t the point, said one conservative leader.

“Next year, the leadership of the House will be hardcore pro-abortion loyalists,” said Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee. “They will block votes on even modest pro-life measures like this one.”

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Two recent news items have me pondering this question.

Doc’s appt. angers family planning group

ANDREW BRIDGES, AP Writer

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration, to the consternation of its critics, has picked the medical director of an organization that opposes premarital sex, contraception and abortion to lead the office that oversees federally funded teen pregnancy, family planning and abstinence programs.

The appointment of Eric Keroack, a Marblehead, Mass. obstetrician and gynecologist, to oversee the federal Office of Population Affairs and its $283 million annual budget has angered family-planning advocates.

Keroack currently is medical director of A Woman’s Concern, a Christian nonprofit. The Dorchester, Mass.-based organization runs six centers in the state that offer free pregnancy testing, ultrasounds and counseling. It also works to “help women escape the temptation and violence of abortion,” according to its statement of faith. And it opposes contraception, saying its use increases out-of-wedlock pregnancy and abortion rates.

“A Woman’s Concern is persuaded that the crass commercialization and distribution of birth control is demeaning to women, degrading of human sexuality and adverse to human health and happiness,” its contraception policy reads in part.

“The appointment of anti-birth control, anti’sex education advocate Dr. Eric Keroack to oversee the nation’s family planning program is striking proof that the Bush administration remains dramatically out of step with the nation’s priorities,” Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement.

More

Democrats warned not to block judges

LAURIE KELLMAN, AP Writer

WASHINGTON - The Senate’s next Republican leader issued a veiled threat to block action on legislation if Democrats refuse to allow confirmation votes on President Bush’s troubled judicial nominations.

Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who will become minority leader Jan. 4, told the conservative Federalist Society Friday not to feel bad about the Senate election results because Republicans will hold 49 seats in a body that requires 60 votes to end a filibuster and bring legislation or presidential nominees to a final vote.

If the “Democrats want our cooperation, they’ll give the president’s judicial nominees an up-or-down vote,” McConnell said.

Vice President Dick Cheney told the same group Friday that Republicans’ loss of Congress in last week’s election won’t dissuade Bush from continuing to nominate strict-constructionist judges to the federal bench.

More

Surely with their majority status Democrats can neuter the control the theocratic mindset has, right?

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Shirley offers fix for bad parenting

Sterilize irresponsible moms, dads, he says

BY BRIAN HICKS
POST AND COURIER, Charlston, SC
Saturday, September 30, 2006

Charleston City Councilman Larry Shirley says the robbery of a downtown video store - allegedly by a band of kids, including one too young to be charged - is a sure sign society has gone awry, and it’s time to start a “dialogue.”

And one of the things he says needs to be talked about is whether bad parents should be sterilized.

“What we’ve got is a failure in society, whether it’s in Mount Pleasant with yuppie parents or whether it’s on the East Side with poor crackhead parents,” Shirley said Friday. “We pick up stray animals and spay them. These mothers need to be spayed if they can’t take care of theirs. … Once they have a child and it’s running the streets, to let them continue to have children is totally unacceptable.” Deadbeat dads might ought to be sterilized as well, he said.

Wednesday night, police arrested a 14-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy in connection with a stickup at the Hollywood Video at East Bay and Calhoun streets.

A 9-year-old who was apparently involved was taken home to his mother by police, saying he was too young to charge.

Shirley, like many in the community, was aghast that someone could be turned loose for being too young to be charged with a crime, and that the parents of these kids had no idea what they were up to at 9 p.m. on a school night.

“It is a tragedy to bring a child into this world and subject them to the world in that video,” Shirley said, referring to a DVD found by police earlier this year that featured local residents flashing guns and drugs to the beat of gangsta rap.

If a child is too young to do time for a crime, his folks ought to do it, Shirley said.

This, Shirley says, is not about race. He said that the only difference between the East Side holdup and the Wando High School students who were charged with a string of robberies is that “Mount Pleasant parents have the money to get lawyers for their thugs.”

State Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, says Shirley is correct, that this is a societal problem, but that the notion of sterilizing people is just “crazy.”

“What Larry Shirley needs to talk about is getting City Council to provide some recreational facilities and activities for these kids and creating an atmosphere conducive to a normal society,” said Ford, a former councilman.

“We’ve got all sorts of things for kids to do in my neighborhood in West Ashley. They need that downtown. But he’s upset that kids aren’t listening to their parents. So what’s new?”

Charleston police have made no new arrests in the video store robbery, and the kids detained for the holdup face a hearing Monday morning.

Police said Friday that it’s up to the Solicitor’s Office whether to call in social workers to investigate the home life of the 9-year-old sent home after the robbery.

Shirley said sometimes social services is part of the problem, making parents afraid to whip their kids when they need it. Ford says that’s the way it is supposed to work.

“Hasn’t he heard, ‘It takes a village’?”

Article link

Republicans on reproductive rights: No one has the right to choose… EXCEPT US!

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In a 264-153 vote, the Republican controlled House of Representatives yesterday passed The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (CIANA, H.Res.1039). If this bill becomes law, it would make it a federal offense to avoid parental notification by transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of ending her pregnancy. Republicans assert this bill reflects public sentiment, Democrats argue that grandparents and others would be made criminals if they offer help to a desperate girl without supportive parents.

“It protects minors from exploitation from the abortion industry, it promotes strong family ties and it helps foster respect for state laws,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla.

“Not since the enactment of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850 have we used the powers of the federal government to enforce the laws of one state on the territory of another,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.

The Teen Endangerment Act will trap minors in a confusing maze of conflicting state laws. A young woman who seeks an abortion in a state other than her home state will be subject to multiple requirements, depending on where she lives, where she seeks the abortion, and whether she travels alone. In some situations, a minor will have to comply with the parental involvement laws of two states in order to obtain an abortion. If a minor who resides in a state that matches the Act’s definition of a “law requiring parental involvement in a minor’s abortion decision” travels with a companion to any other state for an abortion, those who assist her may be liable under the Act, unless she complies with the parental involvement law of her home state. Thus, the parental involvement laws of those 26 states will follow a minor from her state of residence to the state where she obtains the abortion. But if the minor lives in a state with a parental involvement law that does not match that definition (such as those that allow a grandparent to give consent or receive notice), her state’s law won-t follow her when she travels out of state for an abortion.

In addition, if the minor seeks an abortion in any of the 24 states that do not have a parental involvement law matching the Act’s definition (or in the District of Columbia), she will be subject to a federal parental notification and mandatory delay requirement. It will be illegal for the physician to perform an abortion on a minor who resides in another state unless the minor has a court order from her home state authorizing an abortion or her parent is notified and the abortion provider waits — 24 hours if the parent was notified in person or more than 72 hours if the parent was notified by mail — before performing the abortion.

Currently, twenty’six states have parental notification requirements that fit the restrictive definition of CIANA. Nine states allow waivers of notification requirements. An additional nine states do not enforce their parental notification laws due to court rulings or Attorney General opinions. Six states and the District of Columbia do not have parental notification laws.

Other than the obvious, what is most despicable about H.Res.1039?

Chances are slim that the House and the Senate, which approved a more limited version of the bill in July, will devise a compromise they can send to the president before the end of this session of Congress.
But the House vote gives House conservatives something to showcase when they return home next week to campaign for the midterm elections. The interstate abortion bill, long a priority of anti-abortion groups, joined limits on stem cell research among the top items on conservative agendas this year.
AP article here

Additional information about CIANA can be found at NARAL.org

Other House actions taken on 9/26 are here

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