Tip of the Hat/ Wag of the Finger

Time for another round.  See the first here.

via Shakesville:

A very heart filled Thank-you to Senators Hillary Clinton and Patty Murray for calling the Bush Administration out on their horrific proposed policy changes and sneaky broad definition of abortion, which will classify most types of birth control as abortion.

In their letter:

Secretary Michael O. Leavitt 
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
200 Independence Avenue, S.W. 
Washington, D.C. 20201 

Dear Mr. Secretary: 

It has come to our attention that the Department of Health and Human Services may be preparing draft regulations that would create new obstacles for women seeking contraceptive services. 

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. 

As a consequence, these draft regulations could disrupt state laws securing women’s access to birth control. They could jeopardize federal programs like Medicaid and Title X that provide family-planning services to millions of women. They could even undermine state laws that ensure survivors of sexual assault and rape receive emergency contraception in hospital emergency rooms. 

We strongly urge you to reconsider these regulations before they are released. We are extremely concerned by this proposal’s potential to affect millions of women’s reproductive health. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. 

Sincerely yours, 

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton 
Senator Patty Murray

Because that’s how it’s fucking done.  No hemming and hawing over it, not pandering to evangelicals, no statements about “acknowledging the other side” and their “moral qualms”.  Black and white this is wrong and we are not going to let it go on w/o a fight.

Rock on!

Wag of the Finger:

To Senator Barack Obama for his incredible non stance and for having the guts to stand up and say…well…nothing about this at all.

As some of the commenters at Shakesville noted, he will probably make some statement later that he respects a woman’s right to choose but can see the other side and their moral qualms and that we should probably maintain some control over our reproductive choices as long as our families and pastors say it is OK.  A real sweeping gesture there from someone who claims to want the women’s vote.

Fuck you Senator Obama.