Changes

'''REBUTTAL TO''':  '''"Facilities that regularly provide first-trimester terminations — including the pill version — may be regulated as outpatient surgical centers. Two of the state's three clinics would have to close"'''  

'''The ''L.A. Times'' Describes an Overcrowded Abortion Clinic, But Opposes Missouri Law to Improve It'''

== Background ==

Monday the ''L.A. Times'' reported that "Planned Parenthood's clinic here in central Missouri performs about 600 first-trimester abortions a year, drawing patients from areas several hours away. Surgical abortions take place in two '''small''' exam rooms as the patient, often sedated with a Valium, lies on a padded table, her feet in stirrups. The recovery room, painted blue, is '''crowded''', the vinyl recliners positioned so close to one another, '''patients could hold hands'''."<ref>Stephanie Simon, "Facilities that regularly provide first-trimester terminations — including the pill version — may be regulated as outpatient surgical centers. Two of the state's three clinics would have to close," Los Angeles Times (Sept. 10, 2007), http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-abortion10sep10,1,4090012.story?coll=la-headlines-nation</ref>

[[Planned Parenthood]] enjoys an annual profit of over $50 million as the [[United States]]' largest [[abortion]] provider,<ref>http://www.lifeissues.org/pp/index.html</ref> but a clinic pleads poverty in complying with the same law that applies to other surgical procedures.

Its inhumane to subject mothers to over-crowded post-abortion facilities like that.  [[Planned Parenthood]] enjoys an annual profit of over $50 million as the [[United States]]' largest [[abortion]] provider,<ref>http://www.lifeissues.org/pp/index.html</ref> but a clinic pleads poverty in complying with a new Missouri law requiring the same conditions for abortion patients as other surgical patients.

Missouri merely extended a law that already exists for outpatient (ambulatory) surgical centers to [[abortion]].  Missouri's Ambulatory Surgical Center Licensing Law ("the Act") was amended effective August 28, 2007.<ref>Codified at section 197.200 of the Revised Missouri Statutes.</ref> Prior to the amendment the Act defined an ambulatory surgical center as any "establishment operated primarily for the purpose of performing surgical procedures or primarily for the purpose of performing childbirths and which does not provide ... accommodations for patients to stay more than twenty-three hours ...." The amendment expands the definition to include any establishment that performs five or more first trimester abortions per month or any second or third trimester abortions.

Missouri merely extended a law that already exists for outpatient (ambulatory) surgical centers to [[abortion]].  Missouri's Ambulatory Surgical Center Licensing Law ("the Act") was amended effective August 28, 2007.<ref>Codified at section 197.200 of the Revised Missouri Statutes.</ref> Prior to the amendment the Act defined an ambulatory surgical center as any "establishment operated primarily for the purpose of performing surgical procedures or primarily for the purpose of performing childbirths and which does not provide ... accommodations for patients to stay more than twenty-three hours ...." The amendment expands the definition to include any establishment that performs five or more first trimester abortions per month or any second or third trimester abortions.

Though the ''L.A. Times'' article admits to overcrowding, it misleads the pubilc in several ways.  The article conceals how the Missouri law applies to all [[abortion]]s equally, and the judge's invalidation of the law would permit second and third trimester [[abortions]] to be performed at these overcrowded clinics. The article quotes three individuals who profit from [[abortion]] and oppose the law before quoting a defense of this law:  "We're applying the same standards of healthcare to abortion clinics as we are to other medical facilities," said Pam Fichter, development director of Missouri Right to Life.

 

This ''L.A. Times'' article (9/10/07) misleads the public into thinking the law applies only to first trimester [[abortions]].  Not true.  The law applies to all [[abortion]]s equally, and the judge's invalidation of the law would permit second and third trimester [[abortions]] to be performed at substandard clinics.

 

The ''L.A. Times'' article first quoted three individuals who profit from [[abortion]] before quoting a defense of this law:  "We're applying the same standards of healthcare to abortion clinics as we are to other medical facilities," said Pam Fichter, development director of Missouri Right to Life.

 

The ''L.A. Times'' reporter observed cramped, crowded conditions that demonstrate the need for this law, but the ''L.A. Times'' spun that by suggesting that the post-operative patients can hold hands with each other!  The clinic is telling its mothers that they can leave the crowded conditions a ''mere 15 minutes after having an [[abortion]]''.

== Point-by-Point Rebuttal ==

== Point-by-Point Rebuttal ==

'''Point 2''':  "After, patients at the Planned Parenthood clinic here walk down a dimly lighted hall to a small, spare recovery room, where they rest in recliners, a box of tissues by each chair. Most are cleared to go home after 15 minutes."

'''Point 2''':  "After, patients at the Planned Parenthood clinic here walk down a dimly lighted hall to a small, spare recovery room, where they rest in recliners, a box of tissues by each chair. Most are cleared to go home after 15 minutes."

'''Misleading''':  Those with complications have to go back for more surgery, and those that do not have complications suffer from bleeding. No one who undergoes general anesthesia is cleared in just 15 minutes either.

'''Misleading''':  Obviously patients "are cleared to go home" so quickly because the clinic is overcrowded, and early departure is needed to ease the crowding. No one who undergoes other surgery is told to go home so quickly, and it is inhumane to treat mothers this way after [[abortions]].

'''Point 3''':  "They have enacted the most far-reaching regulations in the nation -- dictating the physical layout, staffing and record-keeping policies of any facility that performs five or more abortions a month, including private doctors' offices that regularly prescribe the abortion pill."

'''Point 3''':  "They have enacted the most far-reaching regulations in the nation -- dictating the physical layout, staffing and record-keeping policies of any facility that performs five or more abortions a month, including private doctors' offices that regularly prescribe the abortion pill."

'''Misleading''': This quote does not disclose how this organization benefits financially from [[abortions]].  The more that are performed, the more revenue this organization likely receives and the more that its employees can make.  The article should have qualified the quote by noting this financial interest.

'''Misleading''': This quote does not disclose how this organization benefits financially from [[abortions]].  The more that are performed, the more revenue this organization likely receives and the more that its employees can make.  The article should have qualified the quote by noting this financial interest.

== References ==

== References ==

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