Today’s the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade — and the fourth annual Blog for Choice Day. And I’m happy to say that my answer to this year’s blog topic — “What is your top pro-choice hope for President Obama and/or the new Congress?” — has already been achieved!

Remember that “conscience clause” (aka “right of conscience” rule) Bush tried to push through last minute? That new regulation woud’ve let “workers at more than 584,000 U.S. medical facilities that receive federal funding to refuse to provide patient care that involves procedures with which they disagree.” Yep, people paid by our tax dollars could’ve flat out refused to sell you emergency contraception cuz “god” told them to.
Considering the fact that anti-choicers have already gone so far as to “accidentally” pull out people’s IUDs, let’s just say a rule to further embolden religious nuts to violate people’s reproductive rights was the last thing we needed.

Luckily, that rule’s one of the ones Obama suspended yesterday, pending a full review (thanks for the tip, nataliehb). Since Obama’s Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Tom Daschle’s unlikely to let the rule goes through, the “conscience clause” is pretty much dead. Yay for choice!

Update: I’ve since learned that the “right of conscience” rule probably isn’t covered in Obama’s directive. Also, Daschle’s withdrawn his nomination — so all of this is still far from a done deal.

So I guess I should be asking Obama for bigger and better things! Thus: I hope Obama cuts off government funding for all abstinence-only programs.

Right now, $176 million a year’s going toward these ineffective and harmful programs, according to the Associated Press. “Roughly half the states receive federal abstinence funding — the others have spurned the program, under which instructors are directed to teach that sexual activity outside of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects.”

Pro-choice activists are hard at work to cut off this funding — so get involved! Anti-choicers are already on the counterattack, with tried and true strategies like ramming an SUV into a Planned Parenthood clinic, waving a crucifix, and of course, praying.

Earlier: Blog for Choice 2008, 2006

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