Legal or Not, Abortion Rates Compare

New York Times
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL
Published: October 12, 2007

ROME, Oct. 11 — A comprehensive global study of abortion has concluded that abortion rates are similar in countries where it is legal and those where it is not, suggesting that outlawing the procedure does little to deter women seeking it.
Moreover, the researchers found that abortion was safe in countries where it was legal, but dangerous in countries where it was outlawed and performed clandestinely. Globally, abortion accounts for 13 percent of women’s deaths during pregnancy and childbirth, and there are 31 abortions for every 100 live births, the study said.
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Here in the U.S. laws have never stopped abortion, but only relegated it to back- alley butchers. Abortion was criminalized throughout the U.S. between the late 1800s and 1973.

In 1973 the our Supreme Court handed down Roe v. Wade legalizing abortion in all 50 states.

Laws have never stopped abortion, but only relegated it to back-alley butchers. Abortion was criminalized throughout the U.S. between the late 1800s and 1973. But during that time, millions of women sought and obtained abortions anyway. Illegal abortions were commonly performed in unsafe conditions, and maternal complications and death were common.



There are two sides to the issue here in the U.S.

Pro-Choice, which takes a legal stance that is is the right of a woman to make her own choice on this matter.
Pro-life, which takes a moral stance that it should be illegal based on personal religious beliefs.





What are your views on this highly debated emotional issue?

Illegal Immigration

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) estimates that in January of 2000 there were7 million illegal aliens living in the United States, a number that is growing by half a million a year. Thus, the illegal-alien population in 2003 stands at at least 8 million. Included in this estimate are approximately 78,000 illegal aliens from countries who are of special concern in the war on terror. It is important to note that the 500,000 annual increase is the net growth in the illegal-alien population (new illegal immigration minus deaths, legalizations, and out-migration).

You may read the whole article at

.http://www.cis.org/topics/illegalimmigration.html

What are your thoughts on illegal immigrants?

America’s Lagging Health Care System

Editorial in New York Times about this survey taken


America’s Lagging Health Care System

Published: November 1, 2007
Americans are increasingly frustrated about the sub par performance of this country’s fragmented health care system, and with good reason. A new survey of patients in seven industrialized nations underscores just how badly sick Americans fare compared with patients in other nations. One-third of the American respondents felt their system is so dysfunctional that it needs to be rebuilt completely — the highest rate in any country surveyed. The system was given poor scores both by low-income, uninsured patients and by many higher-income patients.

You may read the whole article at http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/01/opinion/01thu3.html?ex=1351656000&en=e4fd61e785541332&ei=5124&partner=digg&exprod=digg

Do you agree or disagree that America should go to a more universal heath careprogram?

Thousands Rally Against Iraq War In S.F.

Thousands Rally Against Iraq War In S.F.
POSTED: 4:42 pm PDT October 27, 2007
UPDATED: 6:36 pm PDT October 27, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO -- Thousands of people called for a swift end to the war in Iraq as they marched through downtown on Saturday, chanting and carrying signs that read: "Wall Street Gets Rich, Iraqis and GIs Die" or "Drop Tuition Not Bombs."
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You may read the whole article at http://www.ktvu.com/news/14439605/detail.html

What do you think about the war?