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With Spitzer Out, Pro-Abortion Bill May Go Nowhere
Lois Owen
Correspondent
(CNSNews.com) - Democrat Eliot Spitzer's career as governor of New York is over now because of his alleged use of high-priced prostitutes, and it looks like his controversial, across-the-board abortion bill - the Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act (RHAPP) - may also be dead legislatively, according to opponents of the bill.
As for the new governor, Democrat David Paterson, and the RHAPP, "I'm hoping that he'll look at it and he'll see the reaction to this bill, which has been outstanding as far as people finally waking up. He might say, 'Hey, this is one we'll leave out for the time being," Alan Mehldau, chairman of Westchester-Putnam Right to Life, told Cybercast News Service.
The RHAPP bill would essentially remove nearly all existing regulations on abortion in the state. In addition to allowing abortion through the ninth month of pregnancy, the act would allow "licensed health care practitioners," such as dentists or chiropractors, to perform abortions.
N.Y. State Sen. Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) called it "the most dangerous and radical piece of proposed legislation in New York State I have ever seen."
Spitzer submitted the bill last May to, as he said at the time, make abortion a "fundamental right" in New York. In his Jan 9, 2008 State of the State Address, he further spoke in support of RHAPP, saying, "We must also make a commitment to women's health ... I ask you to pass the Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act."
Last week, Gov. Paterson declared his support for the bill and, according to National Review, told a crowd of pro-abortion activists: "Don't let anyone slander your ranks by trying to suggest that the fight for reproductive rights for women is some sort of 'special service.' All it is, is the embodiment and the embrace of what our state and federal Constitution intended for all citizens, but has been subjugated and in many ways changed so as not to suit half of the population."
The bill has been referred to the New York Senate Health Committee and will probably not come to a vote until the end of session in May. RHAPP reportedly has a chance of passing only if the Democrats gain control of the state Senate from the Republicans. There are 30 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the Senate.
The New York State Catholic Conference (NYSCC) opposes Spitzer's legislation, because they say it would authorize non-physicians to perform abortions and make abortion immune to state regulation.
The NYSCC also fears that RHAPP might be used to require health insurance to cover abortions, force doctors to perform abortions, and even compel hospitals including Catholic ones, to permit abortions.
In response, the NYSCC has launched a campaign to stop the bill.
According to Director of Pro-life Activities Kathleen Gallagher, the Catholic Conference is working mostly at a parish level; the NYSCC has distributed educational DVDs to all of the 1,600 Catholic churches in the state where they have also held postcard drives and petition signings.
Although Spitzer left office on March 17, Gallagher said the Catholic bishops are wary of Paterson and how hard he may try to push the bill. "His record shows that he would support the intentions of the bill," said Gallagher. "We are just on guard, being very vigilant here. We are just kind of waiting to see how the dust settles here in New York."
Jessica Shanahan, president of New Yorker's for Parental Rights, told Cybercast News Service she is also wary of Paterson but thinks the bill was definitely Spitzer's pet-project.
"Spitzer's name is closely associated with this bill. This is his abortion bill," she said. "We consider it his payback to the abortion industry that funded his election campaign. I hope people run away from it now that he's gone."
Suzanne Topping, executive director of Women's Collaborative Health, a group of both pro-life and pro-abortion members that educates women about available health decisions, thinks the bill has the appearance of trying to protect the abortion industry.
"There's kind of this false conception that it's a decision to be left between a woman and her doctor, but the reality is that women don't go to their doctors to get abortions," said Topping.
"So when it comes to things like late-term abortions, where there needs to be a real assessment of health risk, those determinations are often not being made by the woman's physician. They are being made by an abortionist. It's kind of like going to Burger King and asking for nutrition advice - they kind of have a conflict of interest," she said.
In the New York Senate, Sens. Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) and Malcom A. Smith (D-Queens) have given RHAAP the most support.
"Senator Stewart-Cousins and most, if not all, of her colleagues believe that it is key that a woman has a right to make informed health choices," Stewart-Cousins' communications director, Allyson Felix, told Cybercast News Service.
Felix believes that the bill will not meet much opposition because most N.Y. state senators will recognize the importance of women's choice.
The National Abortion Rights Action League and the Family Planning Advocates of New York, which support RHAPP, did not respond for comment on this story.
Make media inquiries or request an interview about this article.
As for the new governor, Democrat David Paterson, and the RHAPP, "I'm hoping that he'll look at it and he'll see the reaction to this bill, which has been outstanding as far as people finally waking up. He might say, 'Hey, this is one we'll leave out for the time being," Alan Mehldau, chairman of Westchester-Putnam Right to Life, told Cybercast News Service.
The RHAPP bill would essentially remove nearly all existing regulations on abortion in the state. In addition to allowing abortion through the ninth month of pregnancy, the act would allow "licensed health care practitioners," such as dentists or chiropractors, to perform abortions.
N.Y. State Sen. Ruben Diaz (D-Bronx) called it "the most dangerous and radical piece of proposed legislation in New York State I have ever seen."
Spitzer submitted the bill last May to, as he said at the time, make abortion a "fundamental right" in New York. In his Jan 9, 2008 State of the State Address, he further spoke in support of RHAPP, saying, "We must also make a commitment to women's health ... I ask you to pass the Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act."
Last week, Gov. Paterson declared his support for the bill and, according to National Review, told a crowd of pro-abortion activists: "Don't let anyone slander your ranks by trying to suggest that the fight for reproductive rights for women is some sort of 'special service.' All it is, is the embodiment and the embrace of what our state and federal Constitution intended for all citizens, but has been subjugated and in many ways changed so as not to suit half of the population."
The bill has been referred to the New York Senate Health Committee and will probably not come to a vote until the end of session in May. RHAPP reportedly has a chance of passing only if the Democrats gain control of the state Senate from the Republicans. There are 30 Democrats and 32 Republicans in the Senate.
The New York State Catholic Conference (NYSCC) opposes Spitzer's legislation, because they say it would authorize non-physicians to perform abortions and make abortion immune to state regulation.
The NYSCC also fears that RHAPP might be used to require health insurance to cover abortions, force doctors to perform abortions, and even compel hospitals including Catholic ones, to permit abortions.
In response, the NYSCC has launched a campaign to stop the bill.
According to Director of Pro-life Activities Kathleen Gallagher, the Catholic Conference is working mostly at a parish level; the NYSCC has distributed educational DVDs to all of the 1,600 Catholic churches in the state where they have also held postcard drives and petition signings.
Although Spitzer left office on March 17, Gallagher said the Catholic bishops are wary of Paterson and how hard he may try to push the bill. "His record shows that he would support the intentions of the bill," said Gallagher. "We are just on guard, being very vigilant here. We are just kind of waiting to see how the dust settles here in New York."
Jessica Shanahan, president of New Yorker's for Parental Rights, told Cybercast News Service she is also wary of Paterson but thinks the bill was definitely Spitzer's pet-project.
"Spitzer's name is closely associated with this bill. This is his abortion bill," she said. "We consider it his payback to the abortion industry that funded his election campaign. I hope people run away from it now that he's gone."
Suzanne Topping, executive director of Women's Collaborative Health, a group of both pro-life and pro-abortion members that educates women about available health decisions, thinks the bill has the appearance of trying to protect the abortion industry.
"There's kind of this false conception that it's a decision to be left between a woman and her doctor, but the reality is that women don't go to their doctors to get abortions," said Topping.
"So when it comes to things like late-term abortions, where there needs to be a real assessment of health risk, those determinations are often not being made by the woman's physician. They are being made by an abortionist. It's kind of like going to Burger King and asking for nutrition advice - they kind of have a conflict of interest," she said.
In the New York Senate, Sens. Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers) and Malcom A. Smith (D-Queens) have given RHAAP the most support.
"Senator Stewart-Cousins and most, if not all, of her colleagues believe that it is key that a woman has a right to make informed health choices," Stewart-Cousins' communications director, Allyson Felix, told Cybercast News Service.
Felix believes that the bill will not meet much opposition because most N.Y. state senators will recognize the importance of women's choice.
The National Abortion Rights Action League and the Family Planning Advocates of New York, which support RHAPP, did not respond for comment on this story.
Make media inquiries or request an interview about this article.
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First, Toppings organization does not show any evidence of being involved in the broader range of Womens Health issues. It does not include both pro-abortion and pro-life members. It is apparently too insecure about it's single issue existence that it hides behind the broader title of Women's Health.
Second, the argument that dentists and chiropractors would start doing abortions comes straight out of Toppings press release, and is patently absurd. This sort of "reporting" is what gives blogs a bad name.
Third, given that this is a Christian site, it is important to acknowledge that there are devoted Christians, including Catholic priests, Protestent ministers, Jewish rabbis and Muslim imams who support the women's right to access to abortions, as much for the welfare of the children a woman already has as for the welfare (and right to personal autonomy) of the women involved.
I'd rate this report a minus one if I could.