"This type of initiative in Georgia and the recent attacks on publicly funded contraceptive programs nationally are out of step with the needs of women and families and out of step with American values," she added.
Planned Parenthood's Mammosham
Before you sign up to race for the cure, maybe it's best to get up to speed on what, exactly, you're running for. A few years ago, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which raises millions of dollars a year for breast cancer research, admitted that it gives a portion of its proceeds to Planned Parenthood. When people grilled the Foundation on their partnership, Komen tried to tamp down the controversy by saying that Planned Parenthood "provides vital services." Considering the latest news, they might want to change that statement to "refers for vital services." Apparently, Planned Parenthood doesn't need our tax dollars for free mammograms--because they don't offer them! Pro-lifer Jill Stanek did some digging, and it turns out that one of the organization's biggest arguments for government funding is completely invalid. "If [the pro-life provisions in this budget] ever becomes law," Cecile Richards has warned, "millions of women in this country are going to lose their health care access, not to abortion services, to basic family planning--you know, mammograms, cancer screenings, cervical cancer."
That's interesting, Stanek says, because not one Planned Parenthood in America performs mammograms. Even the organization's website tells women to "ask your local health care provider, health department, or staff at your local Planned Parenthood center about where you can get a mammogram in your area." Obviously, Richards and friends will stoop to any level of deceit to keep the government checks rolling in. Meanwhile, what business does Susan G. Komen have funneling money to an organization that a) does nothing to prevent breast cancer, and b) lies that it does? There are plenty of respectable health clinics out there (1,200, in fact) that would host the screenings without promoting abortion--a procedure that may have more to do with causing breast cancer than curing it.
"Republicans in Indiana’s state senate on Wednesday killed a proposed “right-to-work” bill that would have reduced the power of unions in the state.Democrats only believe in majority rule when they're in the majority.
. . . .
"Democratic legislators fled the statehouse on Tuesday to block a vote on the proposed bill, following a similar move by Democratic lawmakers in Wisconsin over that state’s proposed legislation to limit collective bargaining rights for public sector unions."
Wisconsin Democratic senate minority leader Mark Miller told CBS' "The Early Show" on Monday that public employees had agreed to economic concessions and the governor needed to be open to a compromise on other matters.The GOP senate needs to start voting on all the things that don't need more than a simple majority to make a quorum. Seems like these Democrats are sore losers.
"The governor has not done anything except insist that it has to be his way, all or nothing," Miller said. "The governor needs to recognize that this is a democracy and in a democracy you negotiate."
"The unions, the public employees, have agreed to the economic demands, all they ask is they be able to retain the workers' rights and we are supporting them on that," he said.
Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, a nonpartisan advocacy group, said that while the Democrats won't want to stay away for too long, there's nothing the Republicans can do to compel them to come back if Walker is unwilling to negotiate.
"There doesn't seem to be a lot of pressure from the districts for the senators to come back," Heck said. "And let's face it -- it's a budget repair bill that doesn't have to be done until June. There's no rush."
"Your Gravy Train Is Over . . . Welcome to the Recession" and "Sorry, we're late Scott. We work for a living."
The governor's proposal, part of a bill aimed at overcoming a $137 million deficit in the current budget and a projected $3.6 billion hole in the next two years, would allow collective bargaining on wages, but not pensions and health care. Workers would be required to pay more for both. And raises would be limited to the inflation rate, unless voters approved steeper boosts.
As I look at the union members swarm the Wisconsin capital, I have a familiar thought: A great advantage of the Left is that they are organized and determined — and have a lot of time. Paid time. The taxpayer is funding these “days of protest,” engaged in by the public-school teachers. They are using their “sick” leave, provided by the taxpayer, to go rallying.
And what are the other citizens of Wisconsin — the majority — doing? What they always do. Going about their business, or businesses; providing for their families. As we speak, some are having to stay home with their school-aged children, who have been locked out of their classrooms by their teachers — their “teachers.”
After a decade of lobbying, retailers in Michigan appear close to winning a repeal of the state's notorious Item Pricing Law. The law requires all stores to affix a price sticker to every jar of baby food, every box of Jell-O and every slithery bag of frozen spinach in their stores.
More hospitals and medical businesses in many states are adopting strict policies that make smoking a reason to turn away job applicants, saying they want to increase worker productivity, reduce health care costs and encourage healthier living.
Yesterday, we reached out to Rep. Lee, whose support for 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and vote to reject federal abortion funding suggests a certain comfort with publicly scrutinizing others' sex lives.But I don't see the "scrutinizing" angle here, especially with the allusion to taxpayer funding of abortion. Ms. Maureen, I guess you believe that opposition to abortion is motivated by interest in the "sex lives" of the person seeking to perpetrate the abortion rather than the innocent, yet-to-be-born human?
This [story] from Spain -- Madrid's mayor proclaimed massive air pollution reductions except, ah, "The state prosecutor's office found that in 2009 the Madrid municipality had quietly moved nearly half its pollution sensors from traffic-clogged streets in the city centre to parks and gardens" -- reminds us of the cheapest way to cool the planet . . . :
As the new Republican legislature eases into its first legislative session under Gov. Bill Haslam, some lawmakers are trying to make fast use of their overwhelming majority. In an opening act of sorts, state Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet, has introduced legislation calling for a constitutional amendment to popularly elect the state’s attorney general.
Former Attorney General Paul Summers, now a partner at the Nashville law firm Waller Lansden Dortch and Davis, tells The City Paper, “I can’t say I agree with what they want to do, but I do agree with the procedure.”And though I don't necessarily agree with Gen. Summers' view about the best way to choose an AG, I commend him for acknowledging that Beavers and Co. are following the correct procedure . . . contrast that with the way that folks tried to take over control of judicial selection.
