Last-minute Bush abortion ruling causes furor

The International Herald Tribune ^ | November 18, 2008 | Robert Pear

[Comparative Advantage]

WASHINGTON: A last-minute Bush administration plan to grant sweeping new protections to health care providers who oppose abortion and other procedures on religious or moral grounds has provoked a torrent of objections, including a strenuous protest from the government agency that enforces job-discrimination laws.

The proposed rule would prohibit recipients of federal money from discriminating against doctors, nurses and other health care workers who refuse to perform or to assist in the performance of abortions or sterilization procedures because of their "religious beliefs or moral convictions."

It would also prevent hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices and drugstores from requiring employees with religious or moral objections to "assist in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity" financed by the Department of Health and Human Services.

But three officials from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, including its legal counsel, whom President George W. Bush appointed, said the proposal would overturn 40 years of civil rights law prohibiting job discrimination based on religion.

The counsel, Reed Russell, and two Democratic members of the commission, Stuart Ishimaru and Christine Griffin, also said that the rule was unnecessary for the protection of employees and potentially confusing to employers.

[Comparative Advantage]

An added bonus to this rule:

"The Ohio Health Department said the rule "could force family planning providers to hire employees who may refuse to do their jobs" - a concern echoed by Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America."

The culture of death lobbyists will go bonzo over this rule.

[NordP]

Don’t you just enjoy watching evil squirm? I do.

[goldstategop]

Of course. We must not let the law get in the way of doctors killing the unborn. No one has a problem with it. Just with ensuring doctors don't have to undertake abortions in the first place.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[HighlyOpinionated]

Well, this is one thing that the President is doing which is Correct.

Allowing Mining Companies to ‘top’ mountains and pollute rivers and watersheds to get at the coal is a very bad decision Bush signed.

[ConservativeMind]

I wasn’t aware of that, but I have no problems with such things.

There won’t be a lot allowed to be done by the time regulations from Obama reverse such things, but it will allow bloggers and the MSM to comment at that time about the passage of new regulations.

Well, this will at least be covered by bloggers.

[wideawake]

Why would the EEOC complain about a ruling that grants protections to citizens?

I know their motives, but what is their justification?

[goldstategop]

They want to please their new abortion on demand master who is coming into town next year, that's why!

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[alancarp]

Oh, stop fretting, you news reporter: I figure these new regs will disappear in... oh, 61 days or so... give or take a couple.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

If gay marriage is legalized, then the same thing will happen in the wedding business that is happening in the medical profession: if you don't do gay weddings then you won't be able to do any weddings.

I doubt that any pharmacy makes more than about 0.1% of their profits from selling abortifacients. So it should be OK for pharmacists to work at these pharmacies and NOT sell them. However, it seems that this is not the case.

Good for Bush, but I fear his ruling will not last long.

[Faith]

Thank You, God, for a President who respects You as Creator and the lives that You have created. Amen.

[goldstategop]

The silver lining is the liberals will keep aborting themselves out of existence.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[cruise_missile]

[aWolverine]

Don’t you just enjoy watching evil squirm? I do.

Indeed.

"Outgoing Chancellor signs bill protecting Jews from incoming administration"

For as much good as it will do, at least it will cause the coup to make a public move to explicitly unfetter prenatal murder, and make assisted murder a mandatory duty to the New Party State.

[Tzimisce]

Don’t worry - this will all be overturned the minute Obama gets in to office.

[motoman]

Good

[television is just wrong]

and then this nation shows its gratitude by giving the office in January to a abortion loving imbecile.

[ikka]

On the one hand it is wonderful, on the other, why wasn’t it done in 2004? Then the Democrats couldn’t have overturned it in 61 days like they will do with this one.

[BuffaloJack]

Thank you Mr. Bush.
Now pardon the 2 Border Patrol Agents.