Speaking as a non-religious Jewish woman who is neither anti-life nor punisher-of-pregnancy, I see a reflection of what I do believe in Ms. Sibelius—i.e., increasing resources to help pregnant women (through the pregnancy, with job skills, etc) and expanding adoption programs. Most of the women I hang out with call themselves pro-lifers and we have some fierce arguments because I Planned Parenthood programs and “Our Bodies Our Own” do not do adequate jobs of informing women that abortions are not like having your tonsils out in that you can be hit by wave after wave of remorse and guilt. I never thought much about that aspect myself until decades ago—way pre Roe v. Wade—an editor assigned me to write a story following up a sampling of D.C. women of varying religious convictions post-abortion. I was irritated at first, thinking the assignment was his chauvinistic way of telling me that women should not be doing the political stories that were basically my beat, but my stung vanity healed quickly after I’d started listening to these women in one-on-one interviews. Only a few had gotten abortions to end a minor inconvenience to their lifestyle; most had done it for economic and personal reasons. But what showed up in common was a horrific sense of guilt imposed not by other peoples’ opinions but coming from within their own perceptions. Two women said they had and still were considering suicide. The majority said they regretted the decision even though they’d been unable to figure a way out, and many of them said they had trouble sleeping, wept a great deal and were distracted from their daily life as long as three years after the abortion. Only a couple had actually sought counseling.  A minority of all women were fine with it, and moving on with their lives. After completing this story, I asked the editor if I could do a sidebar on pre-abortion counseling. Most Planned Parenthood personnel (in D.C. and Maryland) said that they did counsel women but when asked to be more specific, mentioned things such as life began at this or that point and the fetuses weren’t there yet as well as emphasizing the upside of having an abortion, the taking control of your own life thing. So essentially no one had bothered telling these women that they might have these powerful guilt feelings, whether hormonal or from their cultural tradition or from someone’s thoughtless comment. Sibelius, as a Catholic and as an understanding human being will doubtless be aware of repairing this little corner of a big cultural war.

People like Limbaugh’s and some posters will never be happy unless Obama fails, so they can do their “I told you so’s”, while preforming the happy dance.

Though I do not walk in goosestep with Obama, I would never expect to.  Ugliness of politics seems to come from the swill they love to swim in, seems most are self promotional windbags, with little feelings for the people, only and unless they have to.

My feelings about this article are still up in the air, we may need to wait and see?

godistwaddle, are you an American citizen and do you live in America?

Robert, this could come as much of a surprise to you as it did to me, because we have had some not so kind words to each other elsewhere, but I agree precisely with what you said.  The notion of freedom within a society does not mean anarchic absolute freedom.  In a “free” society, freedom does not mean unlimited since, if it did, everyone would have the same chaos-producing unlimited freedom and no conflicts could possibly be negotiated if one exercise of freedom that infringed on another’s.  Therefore, in a responsible society, there are conventionally agreed-to limits to freedoms.  The right to freely choose a religion or to choose no religion is hallowed.  However, insisting another choose a particular religion is anathema. 

Sepharad, I will be sure to light candles in the dark so that I may curse!  A good piece of advice.  Thanks.

Shenonymous—You’re right. And so was my Grandma who said “Don’t curse the dark if you haven’t lit a candle yet.” Will try to be more rationally hopeful in future.

In right-wing America (that is, America), any decent woman will abort her fetus rather than birth it into this hell.
I’ll not abandon the culture wars until presidents stop giving money to “faith-based” perverts, con-artists and social misfits to proselytize their Iron Age filth.

It is not surprising that no matter what is said, detractors will find something to whine about.  There is no question that this country has been left with the greatest possible of social poverties from the contemptuousness of the politicians in charge, and there is no argument politicians from both sides of the aisle are responsible.  The politicians on the fence, the independent speakers, regardless of how noble their disposition, and while they may have steel scaffolding in their own districts, and often a cultish following on a larger scale, their voices where it counts, in Congress, are almost negligible. They may only remind their colleagues to have consciousness and a conscience as they go about commandeering the affairs of this country.

This article attempts to give voice to the slightest crack of light into a condition this country has suffered what seems interminably long. The two actions that the article references that chinks away at all of the conservative administrations of the past, not only that of the Bush administration, make no mistake, was indeed immorally based in stifling religious dogma.  Putting an end to the Bush administration’s completely non-secular, meaning religious, and ultra conservative almost autocratic force in national politics that unconscionably authorized “allowing health care workers to decline to participate in actions that violate their moral or religious beliefs.”  President Obama’s next auspicious act to jettison religious oppression of a free people was to appoint Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas Governor, to be his secretary of health and human services and which particularly bodes well for women.  The pendulum swings left for a change.  Read the entire article above for more description of her advocacy of all peoples rights! Or for her abilities to “run” things visit http://www.governor.ks.gov/about/bio.htm

From what I read in comments so far, it is the same old same old grumbling that is incessant and backward looking rather than looking forward to a more enlightened life for everyone except of course those entrenched in their own myopic conservatism and religious bubbles.

Culture wars will be irrelevant if Obama’s crew can’t solve the increasingly-unsolvable-looking economic problems and get health services for every American who needs them.

I believe Obama is going to have a hard time ending the culture war.

Just earlier today, I heard a MSNBC clip of Republican Wamp of TN ranting about Obama’s healthcare goals and sharing a Republican’s perspective:

“Health care is a privilege,”

“It’s not necessarily a right.”

Wamp didn’t say if disease like healthcare was also a privilege.

Oh, well, guess when you consider the definition of privilege, it pretty much sums up the Republican position on healthcare. My dictionary defines privilege as:

1. an advantage, right, or benefit that is not available to everyone.

2. the rights and advantages enjoyed by a relatively small group of people usually as a result of wealth or social status.

3. a special treat or honor

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/

Please spare me the vile nonsense of “culture war”.

“Faith Based Initiative”? More money into black holes.

By the issue ‘going away’, Dionne means not funding abortion and birth control.  Like Dionne, Obama is sstriving to get progressives to support right wing policies.