You may remember that I posted a while ago about a proposed rule for the Dept of Health and Human Services that would redefine many common forms of contraception as abortion.

Well, despite Sens. Clinton and Murray doing their damnedest to stop this, it appears that HHS has gone ahead and proposed it.

Click here to read about Secretary Leavitt's repeated deliberate efforts to ignore the opposition to the rule; and to be reminded that abortion rights are important all the time, not just when somebody's trying to bully women into voting for him. (I agree with her--where the fuck is the party nominee on this, if the party cares so much about women?)


Also, why does Secretary Leavitt hate Americans?

ETA: Emphasis mine.
"Americans Should be Concerned that Bush Administration’s Proposed Rule Will Jeopardize Women’s Access to Reproductive Health Care

Statement of Debra L. Ness, President, National Partnership for Women & Families

“The regulations proposed today are nothing more than a blatant attempt to undermine women’s access to reproductive health care. This is a desperate attempt by an Administration in its waning days to impose one set of religious and moral views on the nation’s women, depriving them of their right to make their own informed health care decisions.

This dangerous regulation would give any person – physicians, administrative staff, volunteers – working at institutions receiving federal funds the right to refuse to provide services, information and counseling to any patient. The providers who refuse services would have no obligation to refer patients or give them other options for care.

This draconian regulation means that women can be refused care and information by the very people they trust to provide it. It undermines the doctor-patient relationship because women will now have to question whether their health care providers are giving them complete and unbiased information, and the best care possible. It even opens the door to denying patients contraception.

At a time when women’s health clinics are woefully under-funded, and women in this country experience millions of unintended pregnancies each year, the Bush Administration should be searching for ways to give more women access to the family planning information and services that can help them avoid unintended pregnancy.

Anti-choice politics and rightwing ideology must not determine health policy in this country. We urge the Bush Administration to rethink these regulations and instead put more funds into Title X clinics. There is no need for this regulation, no problem to solve. It should be withdrawn.”

Here's a petition on Hillary Clinton's website you can sign: http://www.hillpac.com/action/hhspetition/

And as to where's Obama--well, he's getting an anti-choice pastor to deliver the closing prayer at the convention. Thanks, Barry! Signed, Future Vagina Voter.

ETA: Go here for more on the exact ramifications of the rule for health care providers, and for some thoughts on the classist nature of the rule in practice. ("Go to another health care provider" is real easy when you have a car, money for gas, a job that allows you the time, and the resources to find another provider.)