Part 1: Albany Reform

Surveying the national political scene these days is a thing of wonder and beauty for patriotic Americans, and cause for despair among republicans. In every region of the country, formerly red states are embracing Barack Obama and Democrats; we're leading in Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, North Dakota, Colorado and New Mexico. Our Senate candidates seem poised to win in such unfriendly terrain as Alaska and North Carolina and many others besides, putting a filibuster-proof sixty seat majority within our grasp. If we do capture majorities of this magnitude, we will transform the nation for a generation. Here's what the big map looks like today:

It's a truism in every Presidential election cycle: what really matters is the Supreme Court. The republicans certainly understood that in 2004; note how Bush's one signature achievement in his "second" term was the elevation to the bench of John Roberts and Samuel Alito, along with many others in a similar extremist, un-American vein to the lower levels of the Federal bench.

The main line of defense against the infestation of the Federal bench by extremist ideologues is at the state level. And here, again, the Senate is the first line of attack for the forces of reaction. The two main woman-haters in the upper house are Serph Maltese and Frank Padavan, offering between them four pieces of anti-choice legislation.

Bill Number: NY S6645
Defines pregnancy and conception in such a way that it could jeopardize access to contraception. Requires women receive state-mandated lecture which includes medically inaccurate information prior to obtaining abortion service and prohibits abortion unless women wait an additional 24 hours after receiving lecture. Subjects abortion providers to burdensome restrictions.
Sponsor: Maltese (R)

Bill Number: NY S6644
Allows certain individuals to refuse to perform any abortion services in all or most circumstances. Allows certain individuals to refuse to provide or dispense contraceptives in all or most circumstances.
Sponsor: Maltese (R)

But wait, there's more.

Bill Number: NY S3117
Amends definition of person in several sections of the criminal code to include "unborn child at any stage of gestation."
Sponsor: Maltese (R)

The only other anti-choice bill offered in the Senate in 2008 was Frank Padavan's NY S4431. The likely effects of these bills on women's reproductive freedom are profound. Maltese's three bills represent a three-pronged attack on women themselves: by defining a fetus as a person, during pregnancy, a woman is a ward of the state, responsible to the government, not her family or her doctor, for the well-being of a citizen. No comparable burden exists for men under any circumstances. By allowing providers to refuse to dispense contraceptives, and to refuse to provide required medical services, women are reduced to second-class citizens in a vital area of their lives, their health.

There's no reason to expect, what with a Democratic majority in the Assembly, that any of these bills will ever become law. However, the republican majority in the Senate precludes any affirmative steps on women's reproductive autonomy. Now, things are looking good for the forces of freedom right now; but remember, as Team Rove learned at its cost, that political fortunes can change in a historical instant. If we want to enact strong protections for choice, for access to contraception, and other issues of concern to women and men both, as a backstop against future reversals at the Federal level, we need a Democratic state Senate.

Planned Parenthood has sent out an email specifically outlining why Sarah Palin is NOT the choice for women. Here is the text:

Dear Sarah Palin,

You are not our candidate.

You are not our candidate because you required women in Wasilla to pay for their own medical examinations after being raped.

You are not our candidate because you do not support a woman's right to choose, even in the case of rape or incest.

You are not our candidate because you've cut funding for teen moms and comprehensive sex education, while promoting failed abstinence-only programs.

You are not our candidate because, as vice president — a heartbeat away from the presidency — you would jeopardize health care for women everywhere.

We are teachers, doctors, athletes, programmers, artists, lawyers, secretaries, CEOs, students, designers, nurses, factory workers, mothers, and fathers. We are conservatives and liberals, Democrats and Republicans, country and city people. We are women and men. We are voters. We are the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

This is making the rounds by email:

Great idea for those of us sickened by Sarah Palin!

Since Sarah Palin gave her speech accepting the Republican nomination for the vice presidency, Barack Obama's campaign has raised over $10 million dollars. Some of you may already be supporting the Obama campaign financially; others of you may still be a little honked off over the primaries. None of you, however, can be happy with Palin's selection, especially on her positions on women's issues.
So, if you feel you can't support the Obama campaign financially, may I suggest the following fiendishly brilliant alternative?

Make a donation to Planned Parenthood. In Sarah Palin's name.
And here's the good part: when you make a donation to PP in her name, they'll send her a card telling her that the donation has been made in her honor.

Here's the secure link to donate at Planned Parenthood's website:
https://secure.ga0.org/02/pp10000_inhonor

You'll need to fill in the address to let PP know where to send the "in Sarah Palin's honor" card.

I suggest you use the address for the McCain campaign headquarters:

McCain for President
1235 S. Clark Street

My State Senator has been pushing for this one for some time. Needless to say, the Republicans of the State Senate are the problem when it comes to funding comprehensive sex ed programs in New York State. You know Republicans...they believe in the failed abstinence only program.

From NARAL via email:

New studies show that one in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted infection (STI). In New York, 40,000 teens will become pregnant this year.

Our young New Yorkers deserve better.

New York currently has no designated funding for comprehensive sex education in our schools, although New York’s rates of unintended teen pregnancy and STIs are among the highest in the country. We need to give our teens age-appropriate and accurate sex-ed so that they can make healthy decisions for themselves.

The Healthy Teens Act (S.1342) can make this happen.

If this bill is passed, school districts, BOCES, school-based health centers and community-based organizations would be able to apply for grants to create and implement programs that will give New York students real sex ed.

New York City has only one Republican Congressional Rep, Bush Lap Dog Vito Fossella. This guy opposes securing America's ports, flip flops on privatization of Social Security, and has voted to support Bush's Iraq quagmire at every opportunity. Fossella has voted the Bush Republican Party line more than 90% of the time. Hence his designation as Bush Lap Dog.

Here is what the NY Times had to say about Vito Fossella in 2006:

He has been a real water-carrier for the Bush administration and the Republican leadership, staunchly backing the war in Iraq while at the same time denying health benefits to National Guard and Reserve members who make up much of the American force there.

What issues matter to you? National defense? The rights of working class Americans? Seniors issues? A woman's right to choose? The environment?

On all of these issues, New York Republicans are out of touch with America. Most Americans want a strong national defense, support the rights of working class Americans, women and seniors, and place a high value on the environemnt. New York Congressional Republicans have the wrong priorities on national defense, support Halliburton profits but not a minimum wage increase, want to privatise Social Security, place the rights of pollutors over the environment and the health of Americans, and oppose a woman's right to choose.