The new debate: When does pregnancy begin?
WSJ has an interesting article .. thought I’d share. The title: Treating the Pill as Abortion,
Draft Regulation Stirs Debate.
The Bush Administration has ignited a furor with a proposed definition of pregnancy that has the effect of classifying some of the most widely used methods of contraception as abortion.
A draft regulation, still being revised and debated, treats most birth-control pills and intrauterine devices as abortion because they can work by preventing fertilized eggs from implanting in the uterus. The regulation considers that destroying “the life of a human being.”
This is not really going to affect a womans ability to access popular birth control methods, because abortion is legal .. however, if passed, this regulation will make it easier for hospitals, insurance companies, HMOs, pharmacists and physicians to flat out refuse to provide birth control services because abortion is against their moral and religious beliefs. If federal law states that birth control equals abortion – birth control options for minors would be way more limited, without parental consent.
From my personal point of view – I can’t afford to support dozens of children. That is why I stopped at two and have responsibly used birth control ever since. Why? Because that is my choice. I don’t want anymore kids, period. Does that mean I’ve performed countless numbers of abortions on myself throughout the years by using a birth control method that this proposed regulation says is equal to abortion? No. It means that I don’t’ want any more children. There is nothing evil about it – - I don’t want anymore kids and I’ve taken steps to protect myself from future pregnancies. Simple.
I’m trying to remember why Conservatives say that they love ’small government’ so much. This smacks of big government from beginning to end.
Speaking as a professional who has worked for a decade(+) within America’s health care system – - I say get over it. Health care workers know what they are getting into – - if you, as a health care worker do not want to participate in issues of contraception and family planning.. then work in a nursing home and provide health care services to the geriatric, post-menopausal population.
Seriously, if the issue of birth control is something that is so damaging to your fragile psyche – then just don’t go there. You don’t see me taking a job on a pig farm and then whining that the smell offends my senses. No! The smell offends my senses – - therefore, I don’t take the pig farm job to begin with.
That’s just me… your mileage may vary.
Instapundit chimes in on this: “Though it’s hard to imagine McCain getting behind this either. And hey, it’s no stupider than the District of Columbia classifying a Glock as a “machine gun.”
I like that he used the word stupider. Heh.
