For about 30 years, medical workers have had the option to refuse to perform abortions. Dubya and the gang would like to extend that "option" to include healthcare workers having the right to refuse to provide information or advice to any patient who might be getting an abortion.
Those who think this expanded "right of conscience" medical refusal effort is a load of BS say that the new option could open a whole can of worms that would allow healthcare folk to refuse much more than just abortion, including birth control and artificial insemination. Don't believe them? Check out these actual instances of people being denied care or information that the LA Times compiled:
In Texas, a pharmacist rejected a rape victim's prescription for emergency contraception. In Virginia, a 42-year-old mother of two became pregnant after being refused emergency contraception. In California, a physician refused to perform artificial insemination for a lesbian couple. (In August, the California Supreme Court ruled that this refusal amounted to illegal discrimination based on sexual orientation.) And in Nebraska, a 19-year-old with a life-threatening embolism was refused an early abortion at a religiously affiliated hospital.
Nice legacy Bush. Forty eight days is way too much time left for this jackass to be monkeying around with our rights.
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