To the Point
The Politics of Un-Planned Parenthood
The Supreme Court's 'Roe v. Wade' decision legalized abortions in 1973, but the debate over the "right to choose" versus the "right to life" has by no means been decided.
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenThe US Supreme Court's Roe versus Wade decision legalized abortions in 1973. But the argument over the "right to choose" versus the "right to life" has by no means been decided. We hear about the torrent of proposed abortion restrictions produced by last year's conservative victories in state legislatures and on Capitol Hill. Also, the US plans to withdraw some troops from Afghanistan, and the US Senate looks into smartphones and tablet computers that track and record their users' locations. We hear what Google and Apple have to say.
Banner image: Screen grab from the Illinois Federation for Right to Life of an ultrasound, like that which pro-life advocates would require a pregnant woman to see before undergoing an abortion.
In this episode
3 storiesUS Plans to Withdraw Some Troops from Afghanistan
President Obama has said his July draw-down of troops from Afghanistan will be "significant," but US military staff in Afghanistan are proposing a modest 5000 to go home in July and another 5000 before the end of the year. There are 100,000 troops there now.
Read the story7 minUltrasounds, Heartbeats and the Politics of Un-Planned Parenthood
Congress isn't the only place where conservatives won big in last year's elections. In Texas, Ohio, South Dakota, Nebraska, Oklahoma and other states, conservative legislatures and governors elected last year are considering proposals designed to restrict abortion.
Read the story35 minSenate Panel Grills Apple and Google on Privacy
Last month, two British researchers revealed that Apple's iPhones and 3G iPads both track and store the locations of users. Google software does the same thing. That led to concerns about the protection of privacy, and an over-crowded hearing today on Capitol Hill.
Read the story8 min
