Nebraska Republicans Aim To Pass Freedom Of Conscience Clause That Targets Women’s Health

[Galraedia]

Nebraska Republicans have made it a priority to pass a freedom of conscience clause that would allow doctors to refuse to perform procedures they object to such as abortions and just about any other procedure they have a religious, ethical, or moral objection to. Pharmacists would also be allowed to refuse to fill a woman’s prescription for birth control. It would also allow discrimination against homosexuals.

An amendment in Legislative Bill 461 protects doctors, pharmacists, insurers, lab technicians, counselors, and other medical professionals from discrimination lawsuits and consequences from employers and state license boards.



According to The Omaha World Herald,

“Under the amendment, health care providers could refuse to participate in any way, including providing referrals, in any type of health care or research that violates their religious, moral or ethical beliefs. Providers would be defined to include any employee of a health care facility, as well as students and a list of specific licensed professionals. It also would include health care facilities. Providers citing their conscience could not be disciplined, sued or discriminated against, including being moved to a different shift. The amendment bars consideration of whether an employee’s refusal creates an undue burden or hardship. Nor does it provide an exception for medical emergencies.”
This conscience clause would basically allow doctors to ignore women who need an emergency abortion to save their lives, just because they oppose the procedure on religious grounds. Doctors could also refuse to prescribe birth control and handle other medical services. And doctors could refuse to refer patients to other doctors who would provide care. The same goes for pharmacists too. They can refuse to fill contraception prescriptions and then refuse to refer women to other pharmacies.

This bill could allow anyone to use the excuse of religious freedom to discriminate against anyone. Essentially, white racists could refuse service to African-Americans and hide behind the conscience clause to get away with it. Anyone could hide behind it to discriminate against homosexuals.

Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/03/10/nebraska-republicans-aim-to-pass-freedom-of-conscience-clause-that-targets-womens-health/

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. oh gawd

[socialindependocrat]

2. Discrimination is against the law

They want to throw the world into chaos!

and

They want to inflict as much damage before they are voted out of office.

What are we paying these people for?
They are damaging our society and doing nothing productive!

[elehhhhna]

26. The clause protecting discriminators against discrimination claims...!

proof they know it's bullshit

[Walk away]

3. I think the country is going to split.

I gave up on the heart land years ago. I don't know how Democrats live there. I know it's beautiful etc...but it must be so scary. They are taking all of your rights away! Head to the coasts!

[RKP5637]

11. Frankly, it's time to leave the heart land, it's becoming F'ed up in so many ways. Soon some of

these states will need border protection to keep the people in. I guess it's what many of the people want, they keep voting these assholes in and I guess this is what they want. Not for me, sorry. I don't care to live in a theocratic dystopia filled with hatred and authoritarianism.

[Walk away]

15. Believe me, New Jersey is hardly a ticket to paradise but...

I can't imagine it ever going all Kansas! We are such a crazy mix. Most of us are immigrants and first generation Americans. We all march in different directions so controlling us is like herding cats!

[Thinkingabout]

4. Is all this happening because the right wing nuts see

Their time in office coming to a halt? The right wingers are desperate to ruin the Republican Party. A reasonable Republican needs to take the stage and get this stopped.

[Ilsa]

5. In other words, the Hippocratic Oath

means nothing to the GOP.
I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant:
I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow.

I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism.

I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug.

I will not be ashamed to say "I know not", nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery.

I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.

I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick.

I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure.

I will remember that I remain a member of society with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm.

If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, be respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.

[Mojorabbit]

29. The AMA and AOA need step up and say no also. This

will ruin doctor patient trust and I don't know a single doc who would be ok with this.

[TeamsterDem]

6. Do they ever do anything not completely offensive and backward?

I can't think of the last time a group of Republicans came out with a fair, good idea ... about anything.

[RKP5637]

12. It's been a very very long time since republicans had anything good to offer. They dream up ways

to hurt people and to crush the advancement of the US in the 21st century. Their main objective IMO appears to be to destroy the US in anyway they can.

[TeamsterDem]

14. I like to try to be as fair as possible to both sides, but I haven't seen anything sane from them ..

in years. Decades, maybe. Everything I see from them lately is designed to improve the lot of the haves and screw over ALL of the have nots. Mix in a hefty dose of bigotry, homophobia, sexism, and sometimes racism, and there's the modern day Republican Party. That's a shame, it was once a decent, proud party.

[frogmarch]

7. Figures. After all, it is

Ninnybraska.

I live in this wonderful state, and so do my two sons and their families. So do a lot of KKKluckers and KKKlucker types. blechhhh! I'm ashamed to call it home.

[Walk away]

16. I would invite you to NJ but it's not very pretty and we have our own shameful...

blimp of a Governor. I suggest you head to Massachusetts . It's really beautiful and you all can vote to get rid of Scott Brown!

[frogmarch]

24. Why, thank you for

the invitation. Sorry NJ has troubles too. Massachusetts sounds good. I'll definitely give it a think.

[Politicalboi]

8. Maybe some doctors can

Have their oath on their doors so people know which doctor is a real doctor, and which ones are the Witch doctors.

[longship]

9. Oh dear!

Those bastards. May they rot in Hell.

I guess the women vote is gonna be for Obama. But what about those states which pass this crap and sign it into law. What happens to the women there?

I am very sad about this.

[RKP5637]

13. I sadly think it's becoming time for many to make an assessment of where they live and to

leave at some point in the future if possible. To me, this is not going to get better, the country is only going to become less educated and more ignorant on its current path.

There is so much momentum underfoot to destroy the US by the republican party, and I seriously doubt they are going away. I sadly think we well might see another civil war if this continues. There is sooo much outright craziness anymore. Really, who wants to live in the middle of this F'en mess.

[Walk away]

18. You just have to hope that the female population of those states...

aren't so stupid and brainwashed that they keep supporting republicans. If they don't stand up for themselves no one will..

[RKP5637]

19. Many of them, I fear, will do what their religious leaders and husbands tell them to do. To me in

the US of today, we have a lot of stupid and brainwashed people that can't think for themselves yet alone possess the capability to vote intelligently. I find it a pathetic state of affairs in the US of today.

[Walk away]

25. I meet them everyday.

[DemocracyInaction]

10. malpractice insurance???

Hey docs in Nebraska .... do your legislative asswipes realize how high your malpractice insurance is going to surge????

[kestrel91316]

17. Fine. Liberal pharmacists can refuse to fill prescriptions for

little blue manliness pills and doctors can refuse to write prescriptions for them.

And liberals can refuse ALL care to conservatives out of a legitimate concern for self-preservation.

We can play this little game, too.

[joeglow3]

20. I am surprised this is not already allowed

My wife is an RN in an OB/GYN clinic in Nebraska. The doctors do not perform abortions and refuse to provide referrals for them. Interesting.

[cynatnite]

21. They can refuse any medical care to anyone. That's what this basically says.

Dear Nebraska repukes: FUCK YOU!

[shcrane71]

22. The "it violates my conscience" medicine is already in effect in Nebraska... so, why the sudden

need for this bill????

[Carla in Sequim]

23. How can these discriminatory state laws

trump federal laws? Also, the AMA needs to be questioned. Why aren't they issuing any statements? How can a hippocratic oath to save lives be ignored?
I don't get it.

BTW, I'm a 3rd generation SoCal gal who thought she would never leave. We sold our home we loved and lived in for 22 years, packed the Tahoe, got our sweet 12 year-old Beagle Jean all comfy and moved to Washington State. We do have one regret however. We should have done a few years earlier! We absolutely love it here. Still on the coast, still two great Dem women for Senators and about 30 million less people to sit in traffic with. Oh, the deer, the bald eagles flying over the strait of Juan De Fuca as I sip my morning coffee. It can be done.

[G_j]

27. better hope there is not a Scientologist working at your clinic !

[Omaha Steve]

28. Could they refuse treatment to gays under this?

That is a religious or moral stand too.

K&R!