Cross-post re: GAG RULE
Word is out among those who should know, Bush has agreed to sign an executive order instituting a national "Gag Rule". This means that no organization who accepts any federal funding of any kind will be allowed to refer for, counsel about, or even mention the option of pregnancy termination to any woman at any time, regardless of cir****tances. Believe it or not, the President can do this all by his own self and the Senate and Supreme Court can't stop him.
This means that Planned Parenthood affilliates and all other full-service women's clinics across the country will lose the Title X funding that allows them to distribute free and reduced cost birth control medications and devices to low-income women. Just here in my portion of Tennessee, that will affect about 10,0000 women. The local health departments have already said that there is no way that they can handle any appreciable number of the clients Planned Parenthood and other full-service clinics will have to stop serving.
Anti-choice crusaders think that this will have the effect of decreasing the number of abortions, which it won't. Because what do they think is going to happen when you take free and reduced cost birth control away from low-income families? That's right--a LOT more unwanted pregnancies, many of which WILL end in abortion.
The order is supposed to be signed the Friday before Memorial Day weekend, to avoid too much adverse publicity. It will go into effect immediately and organizations will then have 90 days to comply.
This is a huge step back for Women's rights here in the "land of the free". We can't stop the Gag rule from taking effect, and the only way to get it reversed is to elect a Democratic to be our next President. So if you feel as strongly as I do about this issue, register, vote, and encourage your friends and family to vote as well!
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