Blogs

Why It Matters - Voter Rights

One of the core rights as an American is the right to vote. Your vote is your choice in how the government works, what direction you wish the city, state, and country to take. Collectively, all Americans make their choices at the voting booth. Interfering with that right, restricting access of the voice of the citizenry can result in lopsided representation and an imbalance in our society affecting everything from education, access to clean water and food, health care, equality, business egulations, taxation, foreign policy, and so much more.

Judge Hears Arguments in Texas Abortion Law Case

by Andrea Grimes, Senior Political Reporter, RH Reality Check

A federal judge once again advised counsel to keep their arguments focused on legal reasoning, rather than emotional pleas, on the last day of arguments in Whole Woman’s Health v. Lakey, the latest challenge to a Texas’ omnibus anti-abortion law expected to shutter all but seven existing abortion providers in the state come September 1, barring judicial intervention.

Judge Lee Yeakel pushed lawyers both for the plaintiffs—a group of independent Texas abortion providers from across the state who say they have been forced to close clinic doors in the wake of HB 2‘s passage—and the State of Texas, which is defending the law, to answer the key question posed in practically every abortion case since Roe v. Wade: “Exactly what is an undue burden?”

State Department Briefing Addressing US-Israel relations during Operation Protective Edge

"[T]he United States has an unshakable commitment to Israel’s security. No country has done more to support their security than the United States. Just last week, the President signed a bill providing Israel an additional $225 million in Iron Dome funding during the Gaza crisis. We will continue to provide additional security assistance to Israel going forward. And let me be clear: There has been no change in policy, period."  Marie Harf, Deputy Spokesperson for US State Department.

Eyes Turn to Cairo Talks as Cease-Fire Holds in Gaza

New Study Shows Privately Insured Women Increasingly Using Prescription contraception with No Out-Of-Pocket Cost

Guttmacher Institute, September 19, 2014

The proportion of privately insured U.S. women who paid zero dollars out of pocket for oral contraceptive pills increased sharply, from 15% to 67%, between the fall of 2012 (before the ACA’s contraceptive coverage requirement took effect for most women) and the spring of 2014, according to a new Guttmacher study published in the journal Contraception. The study found that the proportion of women who paid nothing out of pocket also increased among those using the vaginal ring (from 20% to 74%) and among those using injectable contraceptives (from 27% to 59%). For women using the IUD, the proportion increased from 45% in the fall of 2012 to 62% in the three subsequent waves of the study combined.

'You Don't Own Me PSA' - Why Women MUST Vote

"You Don't Own Me" PSA - Upworthy from The Department of Peace on Vimeo.

In 2013, there were more laws passed to limit women’s reproductive rights than in the entire previous DECADE.

Ten million more women than men voted in the last election. In fact 53% of voters were women. That is not a voting block it's a majority. Women have decided literally every election in our lifetimes, yet, midterm turnout is historically low. LET'S CHANGE THAT!

Hamas Endorses a Massacre

JEFFREY GOLDBERG, NOV 18 2014

One of the most shocking aspects of the murderous attack on a Jerusalem synagogue this morning by men with guns and axes is not the attack itself—we've seen, from time to time, this sort of sectarian barbarism take place in places like Jerusalem, and Hebron. The most shocking aspect is the wholesale endorsement of this slaughter by Hamas, a group that, during this summer's war in Gaza, half-succeeded in convincing the world that it wasn't what it actually is: a group with actual genocidal intentions.

White House: Final deal with Iran could include uranium enrichment

More details are coming to light about the potential final deal regarding Iran's nuclear enrichment program.

A final deal with Iran could include a capacity for uranium enrichment, a White House spokesman said on Tuesday, seeking to clarify some of the terms of the interim deal signed between Tehran and world powers.

Liberals Worry As Supreme Court Takes Up Birth Control Mandate

In announcing it will hear these two cases, the Supreme Court will ultimately determine whether corporations are people and if for-profit companies may impose the religious beliefs of the owners on the employees.

The Supreme Court made it official Tuesday: it will have the final say on whether Obamacare's birth control mandate is constitutional. And progressives are worried.

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