Issue of the Week: Making Contraceptives Harder to Access

Almost 90% of women use or have used birth control, yet the Bush administration wants to make it more difficult for these women to access it. The Department of Health and Human Services is attempting to change the definition of abortion so that it could include the pill, emergency contraceptives and IUDs. (Never mind that these contraceptives prevent a pregnancy from developing instead of terminating one.)

If that happens, health care workers could refuse to provide women with these commonly used contraceptives since these workers can’t be forced to be involved with abortions if it goes against their religious beliefs. The rule could also jeopardize Medicaid and Title X funding from the federal government, as well as state laws that protect a woman’s ability to access contraceptives.

Wisconsin representatives Gwen Moore, Tammy Baldwin and Ron Kind—all Democrats—signed a letter that was sent to the President Bush to urge him to stop interfering with contraceptive access. Shouldn’t all elected officials be outraged that the president is attempting to discriminate against 90% of all women?

Event of the Week:
Walk to Protect, Promote and Support Breastfeeding

Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week on Saturday, Aug. 2 by participating in this two-mile walk organized by the Milwaukee County Breastfeeding Coalition. It begins at 9 a.m. at the 16th Street Community Health Center, 1032 S. Cesar Chavez Drive, and ends at the Milwaukee Heart Institute on the Aurora Sinai Medical Center Campus on 12th Street. For more information, call (414) 219-3090.

To find more cool events, go to www.expressmilwaukee.com.

Hero of the Week:
Kathy Kelly and Witness Against War

Longtime peace advocate Kelly (pictured) and her allies are walking from Chicago to St. Paul’s Republican National Convention to call for a peaceful and just end to the Iraq war. They walked through Milwaukee over the weekend, where they met friends and allies.

Jerk of the Week:
Alderman Bob Donovan

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Related to:www..combirth controlDepartment of HealthabortionDiscrimination against WomenBreastfeedingKathy KellyHero of the WeekJerk of the WeekAlderman Bob DonovanCory LiebmannOne Wisconsin Now

Donovan wants to install citizen court watchers to ensure that judges give excessively long sentences to those convicted of crimes. We elect judges to be rational and balanced, and instead Donovan wants to intimidate judges.

Blog of the Week:
Cory Liebmann at One Wisconsin Now (www.onewisconsinnow.org)
McCain Reverses Self and Cashes In

We already know that Sen. John McCain’s economic plan would give some $4 billion in handouts to Big Oil at a time when they are gouging the public and making record profits. We also know that in June, McCain dramatically reversed his position on the federal ban on offshore drilling. He changed his tune on the issue at a convenient time: just before a fundraising trip through Texas. According to a story in The Washington Post, the move allowed him to cash in big time.

Oil and gas industry executives and employees donated $1.1 million to McCain last month compared to only $208,000 in May. In June, the vast majority of donations to McCain came after his June 16 speech, in which he reversed his position on the offshore drilling ban. These specific interests have never really been big supporters of McCain, but it looks like he has found a way to change that. Unfortunately it involves dramatically changing positions at the expense of the public, the environment and his personal integrity.

To read more local blogs, go to blognetwork.expressmilwaukee.com.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“It’s my lawnmower and my yard so I can shoot it if I want.”—South Side resident Keith Walendowski, who was charged with a felony and a misdemeanor for shooting his hard-to-start Lawn-Boy mower.

Photo of the Week:
Milwaukee by Angela Guenther

"This was taken from Kadish Park while De la Buena played the skyline music series.  Taken with a FUJIFILM S5700  through the viewfinder of an Argus 75."

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