Roundup: Diane Rehm's Show Covers Abortion in Health Reform

Roundup: Diane Rehm’s Show Covers Abortion in Health Reform

Oct 5, 2009, 11:01am

A letter to the editor of the Ventura County Star (Ventura County, California) discussing health reform and abortion articulates succinctly the position of the majority of Americans who self-identify to pollsters as "pro-life."

Diane Rehm’s Show takes on abortion and health reform

The Diane Rehm’s Show this morning featured an hour-long segment on abortion and health reform, during which a lay representative of Catholic theology on contraception and abortion perpetuated misinformation about federal funding for abortion under the Capps Amendment in the House bill and similar language in the Senate Bill. In effect, both bills maintain the "status-quo" on abortion funding–which in effect denyies poor women their right to choose by denying them federal funding to access abortion care–while not prohibiting private plans from providing coverage for abortion care.

Stephen Schneck, director of the Life Cycle Institute at the Catholic University of America, stated that he would not support the bill as it is right now, and also did not approve of federal funding for contraception, to which he is personally and theologically opposed. Other guests included Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press; Ceci Connolly, reporter, The Washington Post; Rachel Laser, director of the Culture Program at Third Way.

New Prevention First Bill Introduced in Ohio

Ohio State Senator Teresa Fedor is cosponsoring a bill that will require public schools to teach more than just abstinence. The bill, which is called "Prevention First," after the name of a similar bill introduced in the U.S. Congress, would require
public schools to teach more than just abstinence and to offer medically accurate information on sex, reproduction, contraception and other sexual health issues.

Letter to the Editor: I may not choose abortion but I don’t want to take the choice away from others.

I’m most comfortable to be associated with the pro-choice camp. I can
only speak for myself. Being pro-choice doesn’t imply that I personally
believe in abortion or would consider this a legal medical option. I
don’t want to eliminate this difficult and personal decision from my
fellow human beings.

The majority of people who say they would not choose or are not pro-choice nevertheless do not want to take the choice away from others.

October 5

Catholic Exchange: “Sort of, Kind of, Maybe” Against Taxpayer-Subsidized Abortions

En Passant: Abortion and democracy

Ventura County Star: Tax money for abortions

Catholic Culture: USCCB RUES REJECTION OF PRO-LIFE AMENDMENTS TO HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL

Town Talk: Pro-life rally in Alexandria draws from 3 parishes

Naples News: Abortion opponents fan out along U.S. 41 to hold peaceful demonstration

News Record: Sex during bad economy complicated

ABC 13: Senator wants change in Ohio’s contraception policy

Brisbane Times: More Aussies are now pro-choice: report

South Bend Tribune: ‘Abstinence Plus’ is the wrong approach

October 4