Dick Cheney Doesn't Give Two Sheets About You.

Read this excellent article about how Cheney has callously ignored the fundamental ideal of Justice our country was founded on. Reprinted here according to "Fair Use" principles. Original can be found at http://blog.sojo.net/2009/05/20/the-contemptible-cheney%e2%80%99s-contempt-for-america/

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Dick Cheney’s Contempt for Americans
by Obery Hendricks 05-20-2009

Dick Cheney is a strange creature. For public consumption he is the cool, principled champion of the American people willing to take hard public stands on their behalf. Even when he does not explicitly voice it, Cheney’s every public pronouncement bears the pious implication that the reason – the only reason – for his actions in the public sphere is this: that he is possessed of a servant’s concern to do what is best for the American people. Despite his outward calm and cool, however, it is clear that Dick Cheney has a smoldering contempt for the everyday Americans whose public interests he claims to serve.

I’m not just talking about the disdainful “So?” he let slip when told that most Americans oppose his ill-conceived war in Iraq. I’m not just talking about the backroom deals he hatched in the White House that lined the pockets of his Halliburton cronies at the expense of thousands of American lives and huge chunks of the treasure of the rest of us. I’m not even talking about his latest attempts to defend the indefensible. What I am talking about is something that even the loudest claims of executive privilege cannot hide, a chronicle set down in black and white by Cheney’s own hand, an accounting of his decisions and actions that reveals what those who benefit from his machinations would rather the American people not see: the real Dick Cheney. I am speaking of Cheney’s voting record as Wyoming’s congressman from 1979 to 1989. Below is a representative sampling of that record. Read it and weep.

While a member of the U. S. House of Representatives as the at-large congressman of Wyoming, Richard B. Cheney:

Repeatedly voted against programs designed to provide assistance to displaced workers.
Voted against legislation requiring factory owners to notify employees before closing their plants.
Cast 10 separate votes against funding nutrition programs for children, including one vote opposing a move to protect food programs for women and infants from budget cuts.
Repeatedly voted against maintaining funding for Head Start programs.
Voted against a measure that granted time off for federal employees to care for sick family members.
Voted against the Hunger Relief Act, which expanded eligibility for the federal food stamp program.
Voted against providing mortgage assistance for low income home buyers.
Opposed college student aid programs contained in the Higher Education Act.
During the recession of the early 1980s, voted to block extension of unemployment benefits, including a provision that would provide health insurance for unemployed workers and their families.
Voted against the Equal Rights Amendment.
Voted for Ronald Reagan’s veto of the Civil Rights Restoration Act.
Voted to limit Social Security cost-of-living adjustments for retired Americans living on fixed incomes.
Was one of only eight members of the House to vote against renewing the Older Americans Act, which provided nutritional and other support services for elderly Americans. (If Cheney’s opposition had succeeded, the entire nutritional program would have effectively been shut down).
Voted against limiting out-of-pocket expenses for Medicare recipients, most of whom were senior citizens. His votes were so consistently counter to the interests of the elderly that a Cox News Service headline declared, “Senior Groups Call Cheney’s Voting Record a Disaster.”
Not only did Cheney’s votes tend toward unfairness on domestic issues, he actually voted against sanctioning South Africa’s apartheid regime for its repressive policies. He was also a vocal opponent of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison.
From any angle Dick Cheney’s congressional voting record presents a clear window into who he is and has been throughout his public life. Rather than one possessed of a servant’s concern for the American people, he is a man apparently possessed by a startling but consistent contempt for senior citizens, for poor and needy Americans and their children, for desperate workers stripped of their only source of income, and for everyday Americans struggling to educate their children, put food on their tables, and maintain decent homes – in other words, for almost all of those he claims to serve. Cheney’s callous dismissal of the sufferings of others goes far to explain his willingness to sanction the torture of human beings without the least hesitation. Indeed, it may well explain how he could deceive our nation into sending our young into a terrible war based on assertions that he almost certainly knew to be false.

Thus, although he presents himself as a principled champion of the American people, Dick Cheney’s record is in no way the record of a public servant; indeed, he has shown no sign that he cares enough for the real needs and aspirations of the American people to serve us. What is clear, however, is this: Because of his demonstrated contempt for the common folk of this nation, Dick Cheney’s campaign to exonerate his shameful role in the destructive policies of the last eight years deserves not the ear of the American people, but our outrage — no matter how many flags he drapes himself in.

Obery M. Hendricks, Jr. is Professor of Biblical Interpretation at New York Theological Seminary and the author of The Politics of Jesus: Rediscovering the True Revolutionary Nature of Jesus’ Teachings and How They Have Been Corrupted (Doubleday, 2006).

Check out this article from the AP through Yahoo news (article pasted below according to "Fair Use":

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090423/ap_on_he_me/us_morning_after_pill

It looks as if the media is finally doing something right and actually reporting what the scientists say, not just what right wing hack jobs say.

This quote is excellent: "Critics of the contraceptive say Plan B is the equivalent of an abortion pill because it can prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus. Recent research suggests that's possible but not likely."

BTW, I don't personally use contraception, but, my moral qualms do not prevent me from agreeing that it is an acceptable method for people. Plan B is contraception, not abortion.

Kindest Regards,

Mark

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FDA to allow Plan B birth control for 17-year-olds

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – Women's groups cheered the government's decision to allow 17-year-olds to buy the "morning-after" emergency contraceptive without a doctor's prescription, but conservatives denounced it as a blow to parental supervision of teens.

The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday it would accept, not appeal, a federal judge's order that lifts Bush administration restrictions limiting over-the-counter sales of "Plan B" to women 18 and older. U.S. District Judge Edward Korman ruled last month in a lawsuit filed in New York that President George W. Bush's appointees let politics, not science, drive their decision to restrict over-the-counter access.

Women's groups said the FDA's action was long overdue, since the agency's own medical reviewers had initially recommended that the contraceptive be made available without any age restrictions.

Korman ordered the FDA to let 17-year-olds get the birth control pills. He also directed the agency to evaluate clinical data to determine whether all age restrictions should be lifted.
The FDA's latest action does not mean that Plan B will be immediately available to 17-year-olds. The manufacturer must first submit a request.

"It's a good indication that the agency will move expeditiously to ensure its policy on Plan B is based solely on science," said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed the lawsuit.

Conservatives said politics drove the decision.

"Parents should be furious at the FDA's complete disregard of parental rights and the safety of minors," said Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America.

Plan B is emergency contraception that contains a high dose of birth control drugs and will not interfere with an established pregnancy. It works by preventing ovulation or fertilization. In medical terms, pregnancy begins when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the wall of the uterus.
If taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, it can reduce a woman's chances of pregnancy by as much as 89 percent.

Critics of the contraceptive say Plan B is the equivalent of an abortion pill because it can prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus. Recent research suggests that's possible but not likely.

The battle over access to Plan B has dragged on for the better part of a decade, through the terms of three FDA commissioners. Among many in the medical community, it came to symbolize the decline of science at the agency because top FDA managers refused to go along with the recommendations of scientific staff and outside advisers that the drug be made available with no age restrictions.

"The FDA got caught up in a saga, it got caught up in a drama," said Susan Wood, who served as the agency's top women's health official and resigned in 2005 over delays in issuing a decision. "This issue served as a clear example of the agency being taken off track, and it highlighted the problems FDA was facing in many other areas."

The treatment consists of two pills and sells for $35 to $60. Women must ask for Plan B at the pharmacy counter and show identification with their date of birth. The drug is made by a subsidiary of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, an Israeli company. It does not prevent sexually transmitted infections, such as HIV/AIDS.

Supporters of broader access argued that Plan B is safe and effective in preventing unwanted pregnancy and could help reduce the number of abortions.

Opponents, including prominent conservatives, counter that it would encourage promiscuity and might even become a tool for criminals running prostitution rings, as well as for sexual predators.

Early in the Bush administration, more than 60 organizations petitioned the FDA to allow sales without a prescription. But according to court documents, the issue quickly became politicized.

In 2003, a panel of outside advisers voted 23-4 to recommend over-the-counter sales without age restrictions. But top FDA officials told their subordinates that no approval could be issued at the time, and the decision would be made at a higher level. That's considered highly unusual, since the FDA usually has the last word on drug decisions.

In his ruling, Korman said that FDA staffers were told the White House had been involved in the decision on Plan B. The government said in court papers that politics played no role.
In 2005, the Center for Reproductive Rights and other organizations sued in federal court to force an FDA decision.

The following year, the FDA allowed Plan B to be sold without a prescription to adults. But the controversy raged on over access for teens.

Casey(D-PA) Introduces Pregnant Women Support Act

I am am FINALLY finished with my BSN and the 60 hr weeks that go along with it.

Now I can get back to what matters more... giving women real opportunities to choose life over abortion.

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Some excellent legislation from true pro-life Senator Casey.

All pro-lifers (and conservatives who claim to be "pro-life" while supporting the death penalty), read this...

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Casey(D-PA) Introduces Pregnant Women Support Act

NEWSROOM

Press Release of Senator Casey
Casey Introduces Pregnant Women Support Act

Common ground measure would offer health care, nutrition, adoption assistance and other help for expectant mothers

Contact: Larry Smar
Tuesday, December 4, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC-Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced legislation to provide assistance to pregnant women. Senator Casey's full floor statement including a summary of the bill is attached.

"I believe there is more common ground in America than we might realize," said Senator Casey. "If only we focus on how we can truly help and support women who wish to carry their pregnancies to term and how we can give them and their babies what they really need to begin healthy and productive lives together."

The Pregnant Women Support Act (S.2407) contains a number of provisions to help expectant mothers during their pregnancy and after they give birth. The bill would help pregnant high school and college students stay in school. It would help promote adoption and make the adoption tax credit permanent. The legislation also calls for increased health care and nutrition aid.

Senator Casey continued: "We must work toward real solutions to the issue of abortion by targeting the underlying factors that often lead women to have abortions. This is precisely what the Pregnant Women Support Act will do. I introduce this bill with the deepest conviction that we can find common ground. I believe that we can transform this debate by focusing upon the issues that unite us, not the issues that divide us."

Senator Casey, a pro-life Democrat, spoke throughout his campaign for the U.S. Senate of finding a consensus to reduce the number of abortions. In September 2006, he delivered a speech at Catholic University expanding on his commitment to finding common ground to reduce the number of abortions by helping expectant mothers, supporting family planning and assisting children after birth.

The Pregnant Women Support Act was developed in conjunction with the Democrats for Life 95-10 proposal to reduce the number of abortions by 95% within ten years. Senator Casey's bill is similar to legislation introduced in the U.S. House by Representative Lincoln Davis (D-TN).

Remarks of U.S. Senator Bob Casey

December 4, 2007

Mr. President, I rise today to speak about a member of the American family for whom we all care, but for whom we don't do nearly enough to support: pregnant women.

I remember the times my wife Terese learned she was pregnant, and even though I can never experience it directly, I know through her and my sisters that there is one indelible and unforgettable moment when a woman finds out she is pregnant. For many women, this is a
moment of great joy, the miracle of pregnancy. Perhaps it has been long awaited or perhaps it is something of a surprise, but it is welcome. Many of these women don't need help beyond what their families provide and others may receive adequate support within our existing framework of programs and services.

But there is another circumstance that a pregnant woman may face. For that woman, the moment of discovery is not a moment of joy. For her, it is a moment of terror, or panic or even shame. She may be in a doctor's office or clinic or she may be at home. For her, that moment begins a crisis in which she feels overwhelmingly and perhaps almost unbearably alone. She could be wealthy, middle income or poor, but most likely poor. Whatever her income, she feels, very simply, all alone.

A pregnant woman may have an abusive spouse or boyfriend who is tormenting her. She is all alone.

Another pregnant woman may believe that she cannot support or care for a new baby at this point in her life. She is all alone.

Another woman might believe that her financial situation is so precarious that she cannot care for and raise a child. She may feel alone and helpless.

We know that 48 percent of all pregnancies are unintended and, excluding miscarriages, 54 percent of unintended pregnancies end in abortion. The response "cannot afford a baby" is the second most frequently cited reason why women choose to have an abortion and 73 percent of women having abortions cited this reason as a contributing factor.

A woman who is facing the challenges of an unplanned pregnancy that may be a crisis for her does not need a lecture from a politician or a clinical reminder that she has a simple choice to make. The choice is never simple. Never. This woman needs support and love and understanding. She needs to be embraced in her time of crisis, not sent on her way to deal with it on her own. She needs our help to walk with her, not only throughout the nine months of her pregnancy, but also for the early months and years of her child's life.

We in the Congress, in both the House and Senate and both parties, need to address this issue in a comprehensive way that meets these needs. Some members have initiated good efforts and we should applaud and support those efforts, but I believe that neither political party is doing enough for pregnant women in America today. While there is tremendous disagreement on how we can best do this, there is one significant area of common ground – one thing we all agree upon. We all want to reduce the number of abortions.

Many women who have abortions do so very reluctantly, and while "choice" is a term that is widely used in this debate, many women who face unplanned pregnancies do not feel they have a genuine choice. That is why I am introducing the Pregnant Women Support Act. With this bill, it is my fervent hope that a new dialogue – a common ground – will emerge on how we can reduce abortions by offering pregnant women real choices:

This bill will:

• Assist pregnant and parenting teens to finish high school and prepare for college or vocational training;
• Help pregnant college students stay in school, offering them counseling as well as assistance with continuing their education, parenting support and classes, and child care assistance.
• Provide counseling and shelter to pregnant women in abusive relationships who may be fearful of continuing a pregnancy in a crisis situation;
• Establish a national toll-free number and public awareness campaign to offer women support and knowledge about options and resources available to them when they face an unplanned pregnancy;
• Give women free sonogram examinations by providing grants for the purchase of ultrasound equipment;
• Provide parents with information about genetic disability testing, including support for parents who receive a diagnosis of Down Syndrome;
• Ensure that pregnant women receive prenatal and postnatal care by eliminating pregnancy as a pre-existing condition in the individual healthcare market and also eliminating waiting periods for women with prior coverage;
• Establish nurse home visitation for pregnant and first time mothers as an eligible benefit under Medicaid and SCHIP. One example of this is the Nurse-Family Partnership, an evidence-based program and national model in which nurses mentor young first-time and primarily low-income mothers, establishing a supportive relationship with both mother and child. Studies have shown this program to be both cost effective and hugely successful in terms of life outcomes for both
• mothers and children;
• Increase funding for the Women, Infants and Children Program, providing nutrition assessment, counseling and education, obesity prevention, breastfeeding support, prenatal and pediatric health care referrals, immunization screening and referral, and a host of other services for mothers and children;
• Expand nutritional support for low-income parents by increasing the income eligibility level for food stamps;
• Increase funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, the primary source of federal funding for child care assistance for low- income parents;
• Provide support for adoption as an alternative to abortion, and make the adoption tax credit permanent.

Mr. President, I introduce this bill with the deepest conviction that we can find common ground. I believe that we can transform this debate by focusing upon the issues that unite us, not the issues that divide us. It's well known where I stand on these issues. I am a pro-life Democrat. I believe that life begins at conception and ends when we draw our last breath. I believe that the role of government is to protect, enrich, and value life for everyone, at every moment, from beginning to end. And I believe that we as a nation have to do more to support women and their children when they are most vulnerable – during pregnancy and early childhood.

I support family planning programs because they avoid what can be a dark moment, when a woman, often alone, faces a pregnancy she feels she can't handle. I support family planning programs precisely because they reduce abortions. But that is not the issue I address today. Today, with this bill, I am focused on the woman who is pregnant and I am asking a question we should all be asking: "What more can I do?" "What more can we do for pregnant women who need our help?"

I believe there is more common ground in America than we might realize – if only we focus on how we can truly help and support women who wish to carry their pregnancies to term and how we can give them and their babies what they really need to begin healthy and productive lives together.

For the past 34 years, the abortion issue has been used mostly as a way to divide people, even as the number of abortions remains unacceptably high. We have to find a better way. I believe the Pregnant Women Support Act is part of that better way. We must work toward real solutions to the issue of abortion by targeting the underlying factors that often lead women to have abortions. This is precisely what the Pregnant Women Support Act will do.

We need to walk in solidarity with pregnant women who face unplanned pregnancies and who need our support and help, not our judgment. Mr. President, that is exactly what this bill does for that woman who finds herself alone as she faces what may be the most difficult experience of her entire life: the woman who has no one to turn to for advice, for counsel, for support. I truly believe there are few things more terrifying than the prospect of supporting another human
being when you have no support of your own.

Reducing the number of abortions should not be a partisan issue. It should not pit Democrats against Republicans. I seek common ground. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in seeking real solutions that will unite us in providing life with dignity, before and after birth, for pregnant women, mothers and children. Surely we must all agree that no woman should ever have to face the crisis of an unplanned pregnancy alone. Thank you Mr. President, and I yield the floor.