Choice News August 10th 2010

2010 Elections

MSNBC's Rachel Maddow takes a look at the increasingly radical anti-choice positions of Republican Senate candidates.

The New York Times reports that the young voters who turned out for then-presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008 are more likely to skip the midterm elections than older voters.

Supreme Court Watch

Elena Kagan was sworn in as the 112th Justice, and fourth woman, to serve on the Supreme Court on Saturday.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg laments the partisanship of recent Supreme Court confirmations, and hopes that the Senate can return to a more collegial confirmation process.

Limited Service Pregnancy Centers

NARAL Pro-Choice California's Alexa Cole writes on RH Reality Check about her organization's work to uncover the deceitful practices of limited service pregnancy centers (so-called "crisis pregnancy centers" or fake clinics) in California.

An investigation by the Toronto Star reveals deceptive "counseling" practices at Canadian limited service pregnancy centers.

Abortion Access

A Louisiana clinic has filed a lawsuit challenging two new state laws restricting abortion, one that requires ultrasound exams for women seeking abortion care and one that blocks medical malpractice insurance for doctors who perform abortions.

Other News of Note

The Wall Street Journal reports that U.S. girls are reaching puberty at younger and younger ages, prompting concerns about the mental and physical consequences for girls.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled that women who work at smaller companies are guaranteed only eight weeks of unpaid maternity leave under state law. Federal law, which guarantees 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave, applies only for employees of larger companies.