Word: rust
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...wake of the Supreme Court's Rust v. Sullivan decision, Congress will again discuss abortion. But this time, in their effort to pass legislation to overrule the Court's decision, liberals should steal the thunder of their righteous opposition. In addition to stressing the consequences for women, pro-choice representatives should emphasize that allowing Rust to stand unchallenged will contribute to the deaths of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of children each year...
...MAKING IT impossible for women to receive information about abortion in federally-funded clinics, Rust v. Sullivan will undoubtedly undermine women's health. The reason is simple: It is more dangerous for a woman to go through childbirth than to have an abortion. So concluded eight major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association in a 1989 Supreme Court brief. By restricting access to abortion, Rust will force women to sacrifice their own health for the sake of their fetus--a responsibility not recognized anywhere else in American jurisprudence...
Second, abortion opponents argue that repeated abortions late in pregnancy can harm women's reproductive organs. Medical groups have concluded this effect is outweighed by the risks of childbirth. But even if the risk were great, it would actually argue against the Rust decision: Denying access to an abortion at a public clinic will force some women to wait even later into pregnancy before they can afford one, thus increasing their health risks...
Unfortunately, the evident health dangers to women from Rust do not have equally evident political benefits. When matched against a picture of innocent babies being sent to slaughter, images of ill mothers--often minority, unwed and young--elicit little sympathy from moderates and conservatives in Congress...
...practical terms, what will be the effect of the Rust decision? In the clinics, constitutional questions are reduced to basics: Where can I get an abortion? How much will it cost? "We are literally, totally, utterly gagged," says Amy Dienesch, executive director of Planned Parenthood in the Chicago area. "Women won't have help being referred to a reputable or safe provider." Moreover, clinics that choose to give up federal funds may have to cut staff and curtail hours. Warns Tom Kring of the California Regional Family Planning Council: "The cutbacks may force women seeking first-trimester abortions into waiting...