Pataki pandering - will veto emergency contraception bill
Mon Aug 01, 2005 at 06:56:03 AM PDT
I'm so angry - sitting here reading the morning paper. Not the best start to the week. Governor Pataki's office last night said he would veto the emergency contraception/morning-after pill, which was recently approved by the NY state legislature.
New York Times
Pataki has long been a supporter of reproductive rights. Now, however, he seems to be trying to curry favor with the religious right in an attempt to bolster a run for the Presidency in 2008. This just boggles the mind, as it is a major flip-flop for Pataki.
NARAL was about to start an advertising campaign in NY, NH and Iowa prior to any announcement, to show that Pataki's failure to sign the bill would be an act of political opportunism.
"It was a Herculean task to get it through the Senate and get the support of right-to-life senators who saw this as good common-ground prevention," said Kelli Conlin, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice New York. "This is about pandering to the right wing of the Republican Party rather than doing what's right for the women of New York."
The back and forth over the legislation comes just days after Pataki announced he would forgo a fourth term in a move that many took as a sign that he was preparing to explore a run for the White House. The debate over the contraceptive drug underscores the pitfalls Pataki faces as he wades into national political waters. His position as a longtime supporter of abortion rights has enabled him to survive in decidedly Democratic New York for three terms.
But if he had signed the legislation, he would have likely angered national conservatives, whose support he will need in any presidential run. As it is, conservatives were already warning that he would pay a political price if he had signed the bill.
Pataki's bid for the Presidency was toast even before this flip-flop. Hell - he couldn't get re-elected in NY if he wanted to at this point. Maybe he is angling for the VP spot? Similar legislation was vetoed by Governor Romney in Massachusetts last week - as expected.
The legislation sailed through the Assembly and surprisingly passed in the Republican-controlled Senate 34-27 when Majority leader Sen. Bruno allowed a vote and supported the bill. That was a pretty amazing act in and of itself. Bruno is my senator and this was really unexpected.
Emergency contraceptives, also known as morning-after pills and by the brand name Plan B, are intended to prevent pregnancy by ensuring that an egg does not become fertilized. Emergency contraception can reduce the chance of pregnancy by 89% if taken within 72 hours of intercourse. It is different from RU-486, often called the French abortion pill, which aborts an already attached embryo.
It is estimated that the drug could prevent more than 80,000 unwanted pregnancies each year.
What a shame. Pataki's craven action is denying much-needed health care to the women of my state.
The Governor's office is dancing around the issue - claiming that the bill needs to be modified to prevent access to the pill by minors, among other things. That's a bunch of nonsense. Deny access to emergency contraception so that an abortion is the alternative?
I'm calling the Governor's office to give him a piece of my mind. Please let him know how you feel. You can reach the Governor at:
To Write To The Governor:
Governor George E. Pataki
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
518-474-8390
e-mail
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