A last-minute Bush administration plan to grant sweeping new protections to health care providers who oppose abortion and other procedures on religious or moral grounds has provoked a torrent of objections, including a strenuous protest from the government agency that enforces job-discrimination laws.That confuses me. How does this policy overturn policies meant to prohibit religion-based job discrimination?
The proposed rule would prohibit recipients of federal money from discriminating against doctors, nurses and other health care workers who refuse to perform or to assist in the performance of abortions or sterilization procedures because of their "religious beliefs or moral convictions."
It would also prevent hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices and drugstores from requiring employees with religious or moral objections to "assist in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity" financed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
But three officials from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, including its legal counsel, whom President George W. Bush appointed, said the proposal would overturn 40 years of civil rights law prohibiting job discrimination based on religion.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Politics: Anti-abortion policy is OPPOSED to job-discrimination laws?
So President Bush has taken some last-minute measures to protect the rights of medical professionals who are opposed to abortion. Here's a several-paragraph excerpt from the article:
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4 comments:
Because, on one level, "discrimination" means making a distinction between differences, whether favorable or unfavorable.
Bush seeks to grant conscientious objectors special treatment: job protection despite not fulfilling their job description which, presumably, includes doing those horrendous things.
I think these people need to be classified as disabled or handicapped so that these things aren't even expected of them.
Did you hear Daschle has the HHS post? That appointment should be interesting ... I'm gonna start praying for him right away.
Yeah I heard about Daschle. I guess I can look at it this way: the next four years will be fundamental in developing a consistent prayer life for myself. :)
It is ironic that the EEOC is against adding a particular group to the list but hardly surprising.
And Japhy, you have the best outlook on this whole mess I've heard yet.
*The list of those you can't discriminate against that is*
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