Family Planning

St. Petersburg Times, December 30,2008

It was timed perfectly. The federal rule that was just issued to allow health professionals to refuse to provide services such as the morning-after pill, if they violate the provider's convictions, is set to take effect just before the Obama administration takes over. How convenient.

TCPalm, December 23, 2008

Over the past few weeks there have been letters with varying views on abortion. While this is a very emotional issue for some, there is common ground for both sides of the debate to agree upon: prevention.

The real problem is that we have a preventable public health problem in this country. It is estimated that 750,000 American teens will become pregnant this year, and millions more will contract a sexually transmitted infection. Florida alone has the sixth-highest teen pregnancy rate, and in 2004, teen pregnancy cost Florida taxpayers almost $500 million.

Sarasota Herald Tribune, December 22, 2008

When people are losing their jobs and so many Americans are without health care, it is unconscionable that the Bush administration has issued a sweeping new regulation that would further undermine health care.

December 18, 2008, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration, in its final days, has issued a federal rule reinforcing protections for doctors and other health care workers who refuse to participate in abortions and other procedures because of religious or moral objections.

Critics of the rule say the protections are so broad that they limit a patient's right to get care and accurate information. For example, they fear the rule could make it possible for a pharmacy clerk to refuse to sell birth control pills and face no ramifications from an employer.

Sun-Sentinel, December 14, 2008

Tallahassee - Gov. Charlie Crist has a rare opportunity to shape the Florida Supreme Court in coming months with a pair of judicial appointments that have lasting implications for the state's legal system.

Crist, a first-term Republican, already has installed two new justices on the court — but his next two picks might be even more important. The reason: He'll replace retiring justices appointed by Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles, marking the first time the panel will be dominated by Republican appointees.

Orlando Sentinel
August 3, 2008

Shelve arrogant White House push to redefine birth control as abortion

Countless Space Coast women every day make private decisions about bearing children, including choosing to use contraception.

The vast majority of American women use a contraceptive method at some point in their lives.

And 62 percent of the 62 million women nationwide of childbearing age are currently using one, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Lawrence B. Finer, Ph.D., TCPalm.com
March 4, 2008
Anne C. Lotierzo (“Official at Guttmacher Institute should ‘check his own Web site’,” Feb. 26) attempts to use a Guttmacher Institute statistic (half of women having abortions used contraception in the month they became pregnant) as evidence that birth control “paves the way” to abortion. That argument may come as a surprise to the millions of American couples who have successfully used contraception for years, or even decades.

It also shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the math involved.

Donna Wright, Bradenton Herald
March 4, 2008

Planned Parenthood of Southwest Florida announced Monday that its first health clinic in Manatee County will be located in Oneco.

"The lease has been signed," said Barbara Zdravecky, chief executive officer and president of the Planned Parenthood Southwest and Central Florida. "It has been my goal to help reduce the high teen pregnancy rate and high teen, repeat-birth rates in Manatee County ever since I joined Planned Parenthood 14 years ago."