The Supreme Court's decision yesterday to uphold the so-called 'Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act', passed by the republican Congress in 2003, casts into stark relief the simple fact that New York City is the nation's central hub for providing safe and legal abortions.

The federal law bans a procedure used in a limited number of midterm abortions, but the court's decision will probably have an immediate effect on U.S. politics and lawmaking.

And...

"It is just a matter of time before the infamous Roe v. Wade . . . will also be struck down by the court," predicted Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America.

"The impact of Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement is painfully clear," said Nancy Northrup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, adding: "It took just a year for this new court to overturn three decades of established constitutional law."

The critical concern now is that the definition of 'legal' has been overturned, and it will have a direct local impact on physicians and patients in this City. Read on.  read more »

This doesn't need much commentary. John "Escalation" McCain, the man who would be King after King George II, is touting his extremism. From the Washington Post:

"I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned," the Arizona senator told about 800 people in South Carolina, one of the early voting states.

Wingnut. I don't know why he is a hero to so many. I mean his record from Vietnam was very brave and honorable. But since he got screwed from behind by Bush and Rove he has been worse than useless. Now he is just another barking crazy rightwinger with no respect for our troops or the Constitution.

In the special election scheduled for February 6th in Nassau County, there's a lot of talk and counter-talk about reform; Craig Johnson, the Democrat, is endorsed by Eliot Spitzer, who of course brought reform to Albany in the first place. His opponent, Maureen O'Connell (google her), is campaigning on virtually the same platform of change; this because, presumably, reform is what Joe Bruno really wants to bring to the state capitol, along with democracy.

One thing O'Connell really seems to want to reform is that part of the law pertaining to a woman's right to choose. A fact sheet from a leading choice advocacy organization details her past record of extremist activism in the State Assembly:

Blocking Access to Birth Control
Maureen O’Connell vehemently opposed legislation that would reduce unintended pregnancy by permitting women to access the “morning after pill” directly from a pharmacy.

Criminalizing Abortion
Maureen O’Connell supported legislation that would send doctors and nurses to jail even when facing the most catastrophic situations.

In the universe of anti-choice activism, there are gradations. Opposition to emergency contraception and the demand to criminalize doctors and nurses are extremist by any standard; that's Operation Rescue territory.  read more »

From the South Dakota Healthy Families Campaign:

Yesterday, the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families delivered 38,000 signatures to the South Dakota Secretary of State — more than twice the number needed to challenge the state's abortion ban on the November ballot.

That was the first step. Now the real campaign begins. We have just five months to educate tens of thousands of moderate South Dakotans and get them out to the polls. The extremists who passed this attack on women's health will use every trick in the book to defend it.

That's why NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood Federation of America are asking you to give directly to the South Dakota campaign to kick off a massive voter education and turnout campaign.

Our two organizations often work together to achieve common goals. Today we are joining forces to ask you to donate to the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families, the coalition which sprang into action as soon as the ban was passed.

We supported them as they rolled up their sleeves, hit the pavement, and collected the signatures needed to put the measure before voters. Right now they need your help to begin knocking on doors, talking to the media, running ads, and making sure every South Dakotan knows just how important it is to vote down this ban.

Please give $25, $50, $100, or more to the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families to win the ballot measure in November!

The week South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds signed this ban — intended to be a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade — an anonymous right-wing donor pledged $1 million to finance the legal battle against Roe. This is what we're up against!

Polls show a majority of South Dakota voters disagree with Governor Rounds. But without the resources needed to counter anti-choice opposition all the way through November, the majority voice might be muted again.

Help the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families kick off their campaign!

Don't let this attack on fundamental American values go unanswered.

Have no illusions. South Dakota was an intentional test case that was initiated as soon as Bush's judges got approved. If we can hold the line here, we will have the advantage in the next fight. If we lose here, they will have the advantage. This is the culmination of years of Bush policies. We cannot ignore it!