law - Democrats - Kitten Politics

Kitten Politics

follow this blog

7 followers

127 daily readers

rank of 137

E-mail Subscription

Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:

Category Quick Links

Misguided Priorities

September 9th 2009 07:26

As the killings fields of the world rage on, everyone seems to forget about the true fundementals of life. September 8 was International Literacy day. The UN tells us that an estimated 75 Million Children simply get no schooling of any kind at all. For those lucky enough to go to school, they face obstacles every day. Countries seem to be fascinated with arms, conquest and a tendency to prove themselves right instead of wanting to work together for the betterment of all. The need to Educate, insure decent health and a sustainable environment for growth and prosperity is not that big a deal to ask of folks. Yet, it seems that the political leadership in the world today lacks the will to change. When will the world realize the true fundementals necessary for long-term growth and success?

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Mike Pouraryan - Category: law, Republicans, Democrats

Email this Post to a Friend

Does Obama Eat Fetuses?

August 26th 2008 16:29

The current attack that anti-choicers like to make against Obama is insisting that he created some bill forcing doctors to kill newborn infants if the mother says to. Of course the wording of the attack changes depending on who says it like a political game of phone tag. Some say he created the law, some say he only voted for it, and some say he collects newborn babies for his dinner. Media Matters has been taking on this rumor and writing about the reality of what happened for those who care. Not that I expect the anti-choicers to care about little things such as facts, but it's still nice for the rest of us.

Unfortunately the anti-choicers have enough voices in the media spreading misinformation that they can pull off saying whatever they want. A recent episode of The War Room With Quinn & Rose had a guest host Mike Pintek claiming that Obama "believes so firmly in abortion, he is so radical in his support for abortion and infanticide that he believes that if a woman chooses abortion, she's entitled to a dead body no matter what." Media Matters responded:

As Media Matters for America has repeatedly noted, Obama opposed certain bills amending the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975 while he was in the Illinois state Senate because he and other opponents of the bills said they would pose a threat to abortion rights and said they were unnecessary because Illinois law already prohibited the conduct supposedly addressed by the bills.

Even right-wing talking heads such as Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter have claimed that Obama wants to kill babies that have survived abortions. Their claims that Obama is "pro-infantcide" and wants to kill babies has been taken down by reality.

Indeed, as Media Matters noted, when tasked by the Illinois attorney general's office with investigating allegations that fetuses born alive at an Illinois hospital were abandoned without treatment, the Illinois Department of Public Health reportedly said that it was unable to substantiate the allegations but said that if the allegations had proved true, the conduct alleged would have been a violation of then-existing Illinois law. Obama himself has cited specific provisions of the Illinois Compiled Statutes in stating that the "born alive principle was already the law in Illinois."

You can read the full text of the the bill which would have amended the 1975 abortion law.

149

Vote

Comments (39)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Summer Minor - Category: politics, women, law, Republicans, Democrats

Email this Post to a Friend

Mental Distress Just Silly Women's Talk To Obama

July 5th 2008 12:07

I am frustrated to say that Obama has stuck his foot in his mouth, yet again. This time in response to questions about his opinion on late-term abortion in an interview with Relevant Magazine. When asked to clarify his stance on abortion and late term abortion Obama replied that he was in favor of states restricting late term abortions except for the in cases where health to the mother is a concern.

I have repeatedly said that I think it’s entirely appropriate for states to restrict or even prohibit late-term abortions as long as there is a strict, well-defined exception for the health of the mother. Now, I don’t think that “mental distress” qualifies as the health of the mother. I think it has to be a serious physical issue that arises in pregnancy, where there are real, significant problems to the mother carrying that child to term. Otherwise, as long as there is such a medical exception in place, I think we can prohibit late-term abortions.

It is the "mental distress" part that has gotten under so many people's nerves. Aside from the fact this he separates out mental health as important to the well being of the mother, his choice of words makes it seem as if late term abortions are being chosen based on hormonal mood swings in pregnancy. Late term abortions are not done on a whim, and are certainly not pleasant situations to be found in. According to a study done by the CDC of abortions in the US 6.2% of abortions were conducted from 13 to 15 weeks, 4.2% from 16 to 20 weeks, and 1.4% at or after 21 weeks. A degree of mental distress surely accompanies each and every one of them. When dealing with a woman who is dealing with mental distress to such a degree that she is willing to seek out, pay for out of her own pocket, and undergo a late term abortion passing her off as nothing more than a silly woman is a huge disservice.

Update: Obama has spoken out about his comments and tried to offer clarification. On page 2 of this Washington Post article Obama is quoted

"Historically, I have been a strong believer in a woman's right to choose, with her doctor, her pastor, her family," he said Saturday. "And I've been consistent in saying you have to have a health exception on any significant restrictions or bans on abortions, including late-term abortions.

"It can be defined by physical health. It can be defined by serious clinical mental health diseases," he continued. But "it's not just a matter of feeling blue."

It's nice to see that he understands that mental health is important to pregnant women, however adding in "it's not just a matter of feeling blue" can be seen as a dog whistle to the right. Many anti-choice activists claim that women have abortions merely for convenience or in place of taking birth control, the message being that women are having unprotected sex wildly then popping off to the local abortion clinics once a month or so. The idea is simply false and insulting.

Obama's calling out that mental health means more than just feeling blue can easily be interpreted along the same lines. The insinuation being that pregnant women wake up one morning feeling a little sad and flip a coin between shoe shopping or getting an abortion. I think it's pretty obvious that the situation in question does not happen, despite claims from the right.

Vote

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: Summer Minor - Category: politics, women, law, Democrats

Email this Post to a Friend

[ Kitten Politics Home ] [ Create A New Post ]

Mike Pouraryan's Blogs

Outsider Views:

61968 Vote(s)

634 Comment(s)

1495 Post(s)

Smooth Political

11078 Vote(s)

125 Comment(s)

250 Post(s)

Moderated by Mike Pouraryan