BIG BROTHER

Protecting your privates

The Bush-Ashcroft Justice Department is attempting to force hospitals and clinics to turn over medical records on thousands of abortions.
Ashcroft claims these records will help him defend a new law prohibiting partial-birth abortions. Doctors are challenging the law on the ground that it prevents certain abortions even when they're medically necessary.
Fundamentally, Bush's claim is that the government can instruct doctors on the needs and treatment of their patients. One function of law is to set precedents. If the government has the right to dictate one aspect of medicine, and if that right is unchallenged and/or upheld, then a precedent has been set for government to dictate other medical priorities. But if government can dictate something so intimate and personal then what, according to that precedent, can it not dictate?
This being an election year, Bush been forced to flip-flop back slightly. Justice withdrew subpoenas from Planned Parenthood clinics, stating that "we will not move at this time" but might "renew our requests if necessary." For "if necessary" read "if re-elected." Hospitals are still being harassed.

[In 2000, Bush ran on a platform that loudly supported medical privacy. He has said, "I believe privacy is a fundamental right."]