Thread by markomalley.
Omaha, Neb., Aug 21, 2010 / 07:47 am (CNA).- Last week, a law restricting abortions in Nebraska was permanently blocked from taking effect. The law, which was passed earlier this year in the state, would have required a health screening for any woman planning to have an abortion.
On Wednesday, Nebraskas Attorney General Jon Bruning said he agreed to a permanent injunction against the new law, reported the Washington Post. The law was challenged by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and had already been prohibited from taking effect by a temporary ruling earlier this year.
Spokeswoman Shannon Kingery for the attorney general's office told the Washington Post that Bruning did not think the law had much chance against a lawsuit. "Losing this case would require Nebraska taxpayers to foot the bill for Planned Parenthood's legal fee," said Kingery. "We will not squander the state's resources on a case that has very little probability of winning."
However, if a second state abortion law is challenged, the pro-life organization, Nebraska Right to Life, is confident the attorney general will defend it.
The law, scheduled to take effect on October 15, would ban abortions after 20 weeks of gestation based on research which says fetuses can feel pain at that point. The law would preempt current legislation which limits late term abortions only to those infants whose lives outside the womb arent deemed viable.
According to the Washington Post, the Center for Reproductive Rights has suggested that they may challenge the ban.
"Any suggestion that Attorney General Bruning is shirking his responsibility to defend pro-life legislation is not shared by Nebraska Right to Life," said Julie Schmit-Albin, the organizations executive director. We are confident that the attorney general will vigorously defend any attack on that law, should that law be taken to court.
Two threads by me.
As a hospital cleaner, Margaret Cummins dedicated years of her life to the Health Service.
She would keep the buildings spick and span - and go out of her way to help the sick and reassure those in distress.
But if she expected a little respect in return when she became a cancer patient, she was very wrong.
Instead, the 74-year-old's family were told that she could not have a vital scan because that particular unit was closed at weekends.
The locum doctor said: 'We'll do it on Monday - if she's still here.'
That crass remark was among 36 criticisms levelled at Northampton General Hospital, where Mrs Cummins spent 24 days.
The grandmother died in a hospice just two months after being diagnosed with a lung cancer that had been deemed treatable.
And Mrs Cummins's family claim that her appalling treatment in hospital contributed to her death.
Her daughter Julie Fordham said: 'Mum dedicated much of her life to working for the NHS. She wasn't high-profile, simply back-room, going about a menial but important job with spirit and a sense of pride. She loved the patients.
'She always believed the NHS was marvellous, but in this case its standards fell sadly short. We feel she was left to die.' The family's claims prompted the chief executive to apologise for 11 failures in her care.
Those included her walking frame being moved out of reach so she fell out of bed, being unable to ring a bedside alarm for help because it was out of reach and being left on the floor for 15 minutes.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
"We will not be silent.
We are your bad conscience.
The White Rose will give you no rest."