By Dave Andrusko

Part Two is a thorough overview of the rationing dangers in Senator Reid's health care restructuring bill. Please send your thoughts to daveandrusko@gmail.com.  If you'd like, follow me on http://twitter.com/daveha.  And Happy Thanksgiving!

Yesterday I talked about a below-the-belt shot taken at four local women-helping centers by the Baltimore City Council. The measure's fate is now in the hands of Mayor Sheila Dixon who can sign the measure, veto it, or allow it become law by doing nothing.

Our readers were incensed by Bill 09-0406. If it becomes law, the four pro-life pregnancy centers in the city will be required to post signs in English and Spanish indicating that they do not provide abortion or birth control. Failure to do so with ten days would result in a fine of $150. This, naturally, is the brainchild of Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland.\

Before I give you some of what two TN&V readers had to say, let me reprint a paragraph from yesterday's edition.

"The passage of this piece of legislation may serve as serious encouragement to those who would like to see our organizations saddled with more laws and restrictions," Carol A. Clews, executive director of the Center for Pregnancy Concerns, a nonprofit anti-abortion organization that receives donations from religious groups and has operated in Baltimore for 30 years," according to the Baltimore Sun's Julie Scharper. "The crisis centers are 'very upfront about the services that we provide and the services we don't provide,' Clews said. Most of their clients have already decided to continue their pregnancies but need help with utility bills, job referrals, maternity clothes or prenatal vitamins, she said."

The Baltimore bill is the first of its kind in the nation. Alas, Montgomery County Council member Duchy Trachtenberg has introduced similar legislation.
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Barbara Grant-Yopko's response was indicative of many. She picked up on the Baltimore City Council's deliberate refusal to require abortion clinics to adhere to the same rule. She wrote,

"Maybe it would be a good idea to require abortion mills to post signs like this: We Provide Abortions. We do not provide:

*Compassionate care for women choosing LIFE

*Truthful information about the risks associated with abortion

*A refuge for women who are being forced or coerced into abortion

*A free ultrasound to show you the truth about the humanity of the child you are carrying

Since this Baltimore rule is all about DISCLOSURE this would only make sense."
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Robin Cruzen told a personal story of her encounter years ago with Planned Parenthood.

"Hi Dave:

Just a short story that speaks to your article today. I was a married sophomore in college 32 years ago. My doctor was in my home town across the state. My husband was doing his student teaching in my home town, so I was alone. I suspected I was pregnant but wanted to surprise my husband.

I went to the local Planned Parenthood office because I was told they could run a pregnancy test for me (this was in the days long before home pregnancy tests were available). They were kind, efficient and ran the test.

When I went back in two days for the results, I was ushered into a "counseling" room where a person I did not know started to talk to me about my "options." She came equipped with a list of abortion providers, but no list of OB/GYN doctors. I was 20 years old, a little scared and a little excited, so I probably didn't make myself clear at the outset.

After it dawned on me that they assumed I wanted to kill my baby, I made it very clear that I had every intention of keeping my baby and that I, in fact, considered it a blessing from God that I had been given the gift. I was immediately ushered out of the "counseling" room and basically told to have a nice day. They couldn't get me out of the clinic fast enough.

I was still alone, scared and very excited. But now I was also very angry…the advertising and promotion of Planned Parenthood was false, even back then. They have no intention of helping you "plan your parenthood." That was the help I needed. Instead they offered ways to kill my baby. Shame on those women and shame on our government for continuing to take tax dollars to fund such an organization.

This comes to mind today, Dave, because that "baby" turned out to be twin girls who are 32 years old today. They have blessed me many times over in those 32 years, including blessing me with five grandchildren. I can't imagine my life without them.

Thank you for fighting the good fight and God bless you and yours this Thanksgiving."

Please send your thoughts and comments to daveandrusko@gmail.com.

Part Two