Roundup: Abortion Decriminalization Push in Queensland

Obama administration may drop push for public option; abortion law reform under consideration in Queensland, Australia; North Carolina college will not provide contraception.

Obama Administration Considers Dropping Public Option

The New York Times reports that the Obama administration may be willing to scrap a public option in order to get health care reform legislation through Congress, in favor of non-profit insurance cooperatives:

The White House, facing increasing skepticism over President Obama’s
call for a public insurance plan to compete with the private sector,
signaled Sunday that it was willing to compromise and would consider a
proposal for a nonprofit health cooperative being developed in the
Senate.

Progressive Democrats continue to speak out in favor of a public option:

On Sunday, Senator John D. Rockefeller IV,
Democrat of West Virginia, affirmed his support for the public option.
“I believe the inclusion of a strong public plan option in health
reform legislation is a must,” Mr. Rockefeller said in a statement. “It
is the only proven way to guarantee that all consumers have affordable,
meaningful and accountable options available in the health insurance marketplace.”

Abortion Law Reform Considered in Queensland, Australia
In Queensland, Australia, draft abortion reform laws have been revealed by Bonny Barry, a former Labor MP, reports The Australian. Barry is speaking out to reform Queensland’s abortion laws, which only allow abortion if the mother’s life is at risk.

According
to Barry, laws pushing for the decriminalization of abortion were drawn
up in 2003, but were ignored by Premier Anna Bligh and the previous
premier Peter Beattie.

Bligh, meanwhile, "reaffirmed her position that, while she would
personally support legislation to decriminalise abortion, the
government would put no such bill before parliament."

North Carolina College Will Not Provide Contraceptives
The
President of Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina said he would
close the school’s before going against the church’s teachings about
contraception, the Washington Times
reported. The  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) decided
that Belmont Abbey violated discrimination laws by not covering
contraception, and the two are now in a fight involving health
insurance laws and religious freedom.

"By denying prescription contraceptive drugs, [the college] is
discriminating based on gender because only females take oral
prescription contraceptives," the EEOC wrote in a letter to the North
Carolina college. "By denying coverage, men are not affected, only
women."

"I hope it would never get this far," college President William K.
Thierfelder told The Washington Times, "but if it came down to it we
would close the college before we ever provided that." 

Catholics Forgiving Rick Pitino
Some Catholics are
saying University of Louisville’s basketball coach Rick Pitino should
be removed from his position after having extramarital sex with a woman
who later had an abortion. Other church members are forgiving Pitino,
and say his decisions are between Pitino and God, The Associated Press reported.
The article said:

The 56-year-old Pitino has admitted to police that he had sex in 2003
with Karen Cunagin Sypher, who was indicted in May on charges of lying
to the FBI and attempting to extort up to $10 million from the coach.
The 49-year-old has pleaded not guilty in that federal case.
In police documents which became public last week, Pitino acknowledged
giving Sypher $3,000 after she said she was pregnant and was getting an
abortion, but didn’t have health insurance. Pitino’s lawyer, Steve
Pence, has insisted the money was for insurance and Pitino never paid
for an abortion.


OTHER NEWS TO NOTE:

August 17: Post Crescent: Survey, poll results can tell you only so much

August 17: Cleveland Plain Dealer: Would abortions be funded under health reform measure?

August 17: RenewAmerica: The making of a pro-life advocate  

August 17: San Francisco Chronicle: Misconception over key issues at core of debate

August 17: Globe and Mail: Health minister retreats on plans to tighten rules for abortion clinics 

August 17: Catholic Exchange: Radical NGO Paints Abortionists as Human Rights Defenders  

August 17: Omaha World-Herald: Gearing up for abortion protests 

August 16: LifeNews: Pro-Life News: No Public Option? Euthanasia, Kansas, Quebec, Pitino, Abstinence, Obama  

August 16: Rocky Mount Telegram: Relative of Dr. King to speak against abortion

August 17: WaPo: Abortion and the Virginia Race  

August 16: AP:Some Catholics in Louisville forgiving of Pitino 

August 17: Daily Mail: Attenborough joins campaign to curb world’s population

August 16: Change.org Women’s Rights: Counter Protest: Pro-Life Group to Organize Against Abortion Clinic 

August 16: Beliefnet: EEOC: The Pill more important than religious liberty

August 16: Examiner: Leroy Carhart’s abortion Clinic 

August 16: Florida Today:Matt Reed: Health care fact or fiction 

August 16: MLive: Student pro-life group, Wayne State University settle lawsuit

August 17: The Australian: Draft abortion laws ready for Anna Bligh 

August 16: Mail Tribune:Bills will use taxes to increase abortion

August 16: News Star: (Letter) Insist that bill has no abortion funds 

August 16: SF Gate:When lies get in the way of reform 

August 15: Norwich Bulletin: (Letter) Don’t force taxpayers to fund abortions 

August 15: Covenant News: JUDGE DISMISSES OBSTRUCTION CHARGE AGAINST ABORTION PROTESTER AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINIC

August 15: Newsweek: The Last Abortion Doctor?  

August 15: Newsweek: Competing Emotions  

August 15: Newsweek: The Abortion Evangelist 

August 15: Washington Times: Catholic college faces lawsuit over contraceptives

August 15: RenewAmerica: The Pill and the debt   

August 14: Feministing: 78% of Americans think abortion should be legal 

August 15: Catholic Exchange: From Family Planning to Death Planning   

August 14: Examiner:Pro-life group applauds resumed strict regulation of RU486 in Ohio

August 15: Catholic News Agency: Trek across the country reveals a pro-life America

August 14: Feministing: Come to Nebraska to Defend Women’s Rights & Protect Dr. Carhart  

August 15: Windsor Beacon:(Letters) Gary Crist: Do research on adoption

August 15: Des Moines Register:Don’t be fooled on abortion issue

August 14: NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia: Anti-Choice Incumbent Spotlight: Delegate G. Glenn Oder  

August 15: Examiner: Health Care Reform Would Allow Planned Parenthood Clinics in Schools

August 14: Suzy B:Abortion Industry Can’t Have it Both Ways

August 14: ABC News: Fact Check: Is The Right to Abortion Included in Health Care Reform? 

August 14: LifeNews: Wisconsin Medical Society Rejects OKing Assisted Suicide, Pro-Life Group Elated

August 14: Politico: Deeds camp pushes abortion issue but stays away from Robertson

August 14: Deseret News:Teen going to trial in desecration case 

August 14: Newsweek:Health-Care Reform and the Abortion Debate

August 14: Examiner:Anti-abortion activist does not help the cause

August 14: WSJ: Look Who’s Discriminating Now

August 13: Feministing: Annoying Misconception #1: Abortion providers think that abortion is always the right decision.

August 14: BBC News: Abortions on under-14s revealed