Mother Talkers

Oh, the irony

by SwissClogs

Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 02:11:43 AM PDT

I am not sure whether this is already widely known, but I had not seen it here.

In yesterday's issue of the scientific journal Nature (note that it was published on International Women's Day) I just read a brief news article (this link will not work for most of you, since it is subscribed content) saying that the US FDA is considering a plan to slash the budget of its its small office dedicated to women's health by one third.

A little more below the fold...

In a spending plan being developed for the remainder of 2007, FDA administrators have proposed cutting $1.2 million from the $4-million budget of the Office of Women's Health. Andrew von Eschenbach, the FDA commissioner, said that no final decision had been made about the spending plan.

Critics charge that the proposal amounts to retaliation by the Bush administration against the stand taken by the women's office in favour of making Plan B, the 'morning-after' contraceptive, available without prescription (see Nature 437, 179; doi:10.1038/437179a 2005).

The latter link is subscribed content again.

I do not know when this became public and I certainly wouldn't put it beyond the current US government, but I found it very ironic to read this in the Nature issue published on International Women's Day...

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Permalink | 5 comments

  • This was mentioned on To the Contrary (0 / 0)

    (which is a Sunday afternoon talking heads panel show for, by, and about women, for those not familiar with it)

    The conservative members of the panel (who are closely associated with this administration) seemed to be backpedalling and saying "it's not official yet", etc.  It sounded like they have been taking heat over it, and that if there is enough outcry from the public, they will back off.  So let's give them a piece of our minds!

    http://www.fda.gov/...

    -Alan

    by SlackerInc on Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 03:56:23 AM PDT

  • Not surprised... they like this stuff (0 / 0)

    Neocons do this kind of thing all the time. When Reagan announced his second run for the presidency he did so in Neshoba, Mississippi - not California where he was Governor. Why? It was where civil rights activists had been murdered. He was making a statement. And the southern conservatives rallied to his side.

    I used to be shocked and dismayed by this kind of BS, but now I try to channel it and work a little harder to make sure this kind of administration doesn't get elected again.

    Since the house is on fire - let us warm ourselves.

    by michgs on Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 05:21:30 AM PDT

    • And his speech was on "states rights" (0 / 0)

      Man, he was such an asshole.  Everyone remembers him as this kindly, genial old gent; but forgotten, it seems, is the angry bigot who railed against "welfare queens", barnstormed the country to oppose Medicare, and--while president--made fun of the mentally ill (just to name a few things off the top of my head).  Ugh.  I actually still think he was worse than Bush is--but other liberals act like I'm crazy when I say that.

      -Alan

      by SlackerInc on Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 06:01:09 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

    • No, not surprising at all (0 / 0)

      but noteworthy, and an outrage, nonetheless.

      I guess by now they would have a hard time surprising us by the shamefulness of any of their acts.

      by SwissClogs on Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 07:57:26 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  • Sigh (0 / 0)

    How sad is it that this doesn't even surprise me.  I want to share a quote from President Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893):

    "The manner by which women are treated is a good criterion to judge the true state of society.  If we knew but this one feature in a character of a nation, we may easily judge the rest, for as society advances, the true character of woman is discovered."

    The real kicker?  This was written when Harrison was sixteen years old.  Of course, I don't believe he did much to advance women's suffrage when he was president, so maybe take it with a grain of salt.

    by cynmill on Fri Mar 09, 2007 at 08:17:04 AM PDT

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