Plunkett: Opponents of Herring confirmation remain voluntarily blind to decades of dedication to public health.

BY: B. Keith Plunkett @Keithplunkett

When Terri Herring asked me to assist her in dealing with communication issues surrounding her upcoming confirmation hearing as a nominee to the Mississippi Board of Health, I wondered why a person with so much experience in dealing with the public would need my help. Little did I know how low the depths of fierce ideology can go to drive some to full out character assassination.

Terri has been an advocate for women’s health issues at the state capitol, and throughout Mississippi and the nation for decades. As an advocate for health, Terri has also worked to reduce abortions, and that is something that invites a cultish type of blind hatred.

You would think that everyone would believe reducing abortions would be a good thing. I know of no one that will stand up and proudly announce that there aren’t enough abortions taking place. But, it hardly matters to those who translate any health safety regulations of abortion, or any attempts to help impoverished and young mothers with prenatal education as a slight against the litmus test.

Those who dare look past the hype to find the reality of the situation can expect the knives. However, it doesn’t change the reality. The reality is Terri Herring is very qualified to serve in this post.

Those who oppose Terri have brought out every possible insult and slight to keep others from seeing reality. They say “she lacks proper education”, “she is a political appointment”,  “she is the governor’s way of implementing Personhood via the Board of Health”, “she will vote to close abortion clinics”, “she doesn’t have a medical background”. None of these snipes rely on fact, nor do they promote a true understanding of the role of the Board of Health.

Is there anyone on the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee who will vote on Terri’s confirmation that wants to tell Mississippi mothers who stay home and raise children that they are “too uneducated” to participate in a discussion about health? Too uneducated to be involved? Do so at your own risk. Most have an encyclopedic knowledge of ailments that would rival anyone serving on that committee.

As to the ridiculous Personhood claim, there is absolutely no way it can be implemented via one woman’s vote on the eleven-person Board of Health. The last time I checked the Board of Health didn’t have authority over constitutional amendments or ballot initiatives.

Terri has been nominated to fill one of the non-physician positions on the board, so the reference to a medical background is debunked. Two of former Governor Barbour’s appointments on the board were reappointed in 2011 with no outcry of their lack of medical background; one is a CPA, the other is an executive for an electric power association.

Terri has worked for 27 years as a volunteer advocate for women’s health issues, her work has directly led to the preservation and enrichment of Mississippi lives, both of children and mothers. Her focus on fetal mortality has a direct affect on bringing healthy children into the world, children that may one day do great things that benefit all of us. She has had a positive affect on young women, convincing them of the importance of caring for their bodies and their futures.

Terri gives out $200,000 a year to pregnancy resource centers across Mississippi. She puts her money where her mouth is. She is a passionate advocate who has paid out of pocket for decades to continue doing what she does, and has never been paid a dime to show up day after day, year after year. She cares deeply for the plight of mothers and children everywhere.

The abortion litmus test is a way political opponents can fight AGAINST someone while claiming to fight FOR something. It’s little more than an excuse. Opponents of Terri’s nomination prove by their cherry picking and shell game communication that they care only for a single issue, while Terri’s life has been about promoting and implementing an array of health issues.

There are those that will oppose her because of her work on abortion issues. But, lets be clear. That is the ONLY reason they will be able to give if they oppose her. It is they, not she, who are one-issue advocates. It is they, not she, who must resort to playing politics. Are these opponents now saying that any nominee must be for abortion in order to serve? If so, they slight millions of Mississippians in the process.

Terri Herring is absolutely qualified to serve on the state Board of Health based on the full body of her decades of work on public health issues. In fact, she is more qualified than most who now attempt to pass judgement.

Senate committee members should look beyond the hype before making that call.

About Keith: Keith Plunkett has worked on communications issues with a range of public officials from aldermen to Congressmen, and a variety of businesses, governmental agencies and non-profits. He serves or has served as a board member of several non-profit, civic and political organizations. Contact him by going to HorizonMediaMarketing.com or follow him on Twitter @Keithplunkett

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Plunkett: Another round of Personhood is a bad deal for Conservatives.

BY: B. Keith Plunkett @Keithplunkett

Personhood Mississippi announced Tuesday they are planning to take another shot at a Personhood Amendment in Mississippi defining life as beginning at conception. The sponsors filed paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office to begin the process of collecting signatures to get the measure on the ballot. The last initiative was defeated by 58 percent.

Countless hours will go into preparing the new initiative, gathering signatures and promoting the movement across the state. Much money will be spent. Much heartache, argument and self righteous piousness will be endured.

And in the end, it will all be for nothing . . . again.

Just saying that will no doubt get me labeled as a sinner and a charlatan, despite the fact that my wife and I have two handsome sons and would not consider for one moment snuffing out the life of an unborn child. Therein lies a big problem for Personhood Mississippi. The allegiances of even those who support pro-life, pro-family policies will be doubted and demonized if we ask too many questions.

Too much division.

Unwillingness to prepare for serious discussions about in-vitro fertilization, ectopic pregnancies and contraception led to the downfall of the last Personhood Initiative beginning within the medical community. Personhood proponents continue even today to further the idea that “outside agitators” came in to Mississippi and confused the masses. As if the people of the state can’t think for themselves.

Further discussion regarding allowances of abortion in the case of having to save the life of the mother, or of rape and incest brought on more division within the ranks of the pro-life movement itself. At every turn, the representatives of Personhood Mississippi communicated that the 2011 ballot initiative was all or nothing. No exceptions. You’re with us or against us.

In our Mississippi PEP 2013 Conservative State of the State Survey, conservatives ranked abortion regulation as one of the least important issues facing the state. Further complicating the pro-life movement in Mississippi is the fact that the small number of conservatives who think it’s important can’t agree on the level of regulation.

That is why the initiative failed and why it is likely to fail again. Because there is no room for compromise among the separate factions of pro-lifers. If they can’t agree then how in hell do they expect to clearly communicate the message to the general public?

Then there are the political ramifications.

For those of us conservatives who would like to see the window of opportunity now afforded by Republican control of state government used to it’s full potential, a new Personhood Initiative is an unnecessary distraction. This is a battle that will bring opposition resources (read liberal friendly resources) to our state to do battle when we least need it, during an election.

Despite the calls for unity the Republican party is in trouble. The Mississippi GOP is hurting for money and is having turnover problems with staff. The resources and manpower aren’t available to have this kind of fight.

If Republican leaders are paying attention then they realize there is a split developing and it will only be widened should Personhood make it back to the ballot. All of this will be happening in either 2014–when Congressional races and a Senate race is going on–or in 2015 when the Governor’s mansion, many statewide offices and many legislative offices are again up for grabs. The abortion issue would be a distraction in both races, but could be a candidate killer in the 2015 cycle.

If candidates are forced to prove their pro-life bonafides on the campaign trail through support of Personhood then our entire conservative movement in Mississippi will suffer the repercussions. Because, like it or not, conservatives are tied to the Republican brand.

Personhood is a problem with younger generations that will cost us.

Demographic data from the last Presidential Election show that Republicans lost the 18-29 year olds by a margin of 24 points. The 18-29 year old group had the highest turnout ever for that age group in a national election at 49%. If you look at Mississippi’s numbers in terms of voting 18-29 years olds you’ll find they vote higher than the national average. Mississippi voters 30 years and older vote less than the national average.

Mississippi 18-29 year olds make up almost a third of of the total population at close to 550,000. In terms of racial makeup the numbers of non-whites in this category track about 5 to 7% greater than the state average, meaning Republicans could be at the tipping point in this demographic category in less than 10 years and maybe as little as 5 if they don’t do something to begin communicating conservatism effectively.

I’ve spoken with many college age conservatives over the course of the past two years, and Personhood is a non-starter for almost all of them. In the general view of most, abortion is a personal medical decision where the government should not roam. In other words, they take the often stated rarely implemented “getting big government out of our lives” position seriously.

It is my belief that Personhood Mississippi will find more difficulty this time around gaining the number of signatures necessary. People are still a little punch drunk from the last fight. Personhood certainly won’t get my signature. Demonize me and judge me if you like. But, I believe Personhood Mississippi showed they’re lack of political effectiveness during the last debate.

As a conservative, I believe we should be focused on getting things done for future generations that need good policy decisions to help them get jobs that will allow them to provide for their families. If we do that then abortion on demand becomes less of an issue through attrition. As to the other issues regarding abortion, I believe medical privacy puts that squarely on the shoulders and conscience of the individual and their doctor.

I am pro-life. But this is not a battle that Republicans, nor Conservatives, nor pro-lifers will likely win. And, even if Personhood passes it could cost us the war. That is a chance I am unwilling to take.

About Keith: Keith Plunkett has worked on communications issues with a range of public officials from aldermen to Congressmen, and a variety of businesses, governmental agencies and non-profits. He serves or has served as a board member of several non-profit, civic and political organizations. Contact him by going to HorizonMediaMarketing.com or follow him on Twitter @Keithplunkett

AUL’s Anna Franzonello goes after “abortion distortion” reporting and Mississippi’s “abortion queen” profiting at the expense of women’s health.

Bright colors and plush chairs may help Derzis sell more abortions, but they do absolutely nothing to ensure the health of her patients. The fact that “her home with its Jacuzzi tub and skyline view was featured in a Birmingham paper recently” suggests Derzis’s business is personally lucrative but offers no assurance that the women who walk into her clinic will go home safely.

The Daily Beast’s profile is a classic case of the media’s irresponsible abortion distortion. No other industry, let alone medical office, would be given a free pass to violate a health and safety standard because of “ambience.” There would never be a campaign to defend a dentist failing to comply with a safety regulation because of her top-notch waiting-room reading material. And the Daily Beast would (hopefully) not publish an article centered on a theme such as “Who cares that the restaurant is endangering customers by serving expired meat? The lighting in the dining room is exceptional!”

Derzis is no stranger to having a clinic shut down for putting the health and safety of women in jeopardy. Her “New Woman All Woman” clinic in Birmingham, Ala., was closed in May 2012 after a state Department of Public Health investigation found serious problems including two instances where patients were given overdoses of a drug, requiring the women to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.

Of course, the Daily Beast did not mention any of the details contained in the 76-page deficiency report issued by the Alabama Department of Public Health (which was not the first report finding the abortion queen’s clinic in violation of health and safety standards); it only published Derzis’s account that the closure of her Alabama clinic was “a witch hunt.”

The fate of the Mississippi clinic remains to be seen. While the Mississippi law is technically in effect, a federal judge issued an order on Friday permitting Derzis’s clinic to stay open — for now. However, the order requires the physicians in Derzis’s employ — including those “circuit rider” abortionists traveling from out of state to perform abortions in her clinic — to get admitting privileges. Failure to meet the new law’s requirements within a “reasonable time” (not to exceed six months) could still cause the clinic to close its doors.

No coat of paint or comfy couch will act as a substitute for the important safety measure.

via Decor No Substitute for Safety – By Anna Franzonello – The Corner – National Review Online.

Related Articles:

• Pro Life Mississippi Calls on Planned Parenthood to Join in Support of New “Admitting Privileges” Law to Promote Women’s Health.
• Pro Life America Network’s Mississippi Chapter President Terri Herring talks about regulating abortion in Mississippi
• Fetal heartbeat bill passes Mississippi House again. Will the Senate bottle this one up in committee?

Readers top 5 picks of the week on Mississippi PEP

This weeks top 5 stories as decided by Mississippi PEP readers cover the issues of Women’s health and abortion, Voter ID, Mississippi’s upcoming challenge to Obamacare, and the announcement of a newly formed Atheist lobbying group expected to be roaming the halls of the state capitol in 2013.

Sign up for the Mississippi PEP Newsletter and get links to exclusive content you may have missed. And codes to those pages only Mississippi PEP Subscribers get access to.

Here is a list of the top five:

1. Pro Life Mississippi President Dana Chisholm Statement on Judge Daniel Jordan’s ruling in “Admitting Privileges” Abortion Law
2. Chicken Little Syndrome: Voter ID
3. Chris McDaniel: Despite SCOTUS Ruling on Healthcare Law, “Right-to-Privacy” Contradiction Offers Glimmer of Hope for Mississippi Challenge
4. Breaking: Judge Jordan extends restraining order on “Admitting Privileges” abortion law.
5. Hey Mississippi! The Godless are Coming!

Related articles

• Senator Chris McDaniel talks to Mississippi PEP about Obamacare and what he expects from the Supreme Court (mississippipep.wordpress.com)
• Mississippi PEP Exclusive: Senator Chris McDaniel on SCOTUS Immigration ruling. (mississippipep.wordpress.com)
• Russ Latino: The Supreme Court Erred in Its Decision on the Affordable Care Act (mississippipep.wordpress.com)

Breaking: Judge Jordan allows Mississippi abortion clinic to remain open as it attempts to comply with new “Admitting Privileges” law

A federal judge says Mississippi’s only abortion clinic can remain open as it tries to comply with a new law.

U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III gave the clinic and the state each a partial victory with his ruling Friday. He upheld the law but said the clinic can’t face criminal or civil punishment as it tries to meet the requirements.

The law requires anyone who does abortions at the clinic to be an OB-GYN with privileges to admit patients to a local hospital. The clinic’s two out-of-state physicians don’t have those privileges and have had difficulty getting them from local hospitals.

The judge says whether they get those privileges will impact the ultimate issues in the case.

via Judge allows Mississippi’s only abortion clinic to stay open – USATODAY.com.

Related Articles

• Pro Life Mississippi President Dana Chisholm Statement on Judge Daniel Jordan’s ruling in “Admitting Privileges” Abortion Law
• Pro Life Mississippi Calls on Planned Parenthood to Join in Support of New “Admitting Privileges” Law to Promote Women’s Health.
• Pro Life America Network’s Mississippi Chapter President Terri Herring talks about regulating abortion in Mississippi

“Admitting Privileges” Abortion Law Ruling will be this afternoon.

Today is the day that Judge Daniel Jordan will rule on Mississippi’s new “Admitting Privileges” abortion law. The law was scheduled to go into affect on July 1, but a temporary restraining order filed by Mississippi’s lone abortion clinic, Jackson Women’s Health Organization, halted implementation until the hearing today.

What do you think will happen: extension of the order, grant the injunction and go to trial, or allow the state to begin enforcement? Let us hear from you. Comment on the comment line at 662.205.6737, send it to us in an email to MississippiPEP@gmail.com, or comment to us on Facebook or Twitter.

Here is a link to our latest abortion related stories to brush up on what you may have missed.

Video Update–What’s Happening Now on Mississippi PEP

Follow links below for content mentioned in the video.

• Pro Life America Network’s Mississippi Chapter President Terri Herring talks about regulating abortion in Mississippi
• Pro Life Mississippi Calls on Planned Parenthood to Join in Support of New “Admitting Privileges” Law to Promote Women’s Health.
• Opinion: Chicken Little Syndrome: Voter ID
• Other Contributor’s Opinions
• Mississippi PEP Talks Podcasts (Sign Up required to receive Passcode)
• Mississippi PEP Newsletter Sign Up!

Pro Life Mississippi Calls on Planned Parenthood to Join in Support of New “Admitting Privileges” Law to Promote Women’s Health.

Pro Life Mississippi officials have sent a letter to pro-abortion organization Planned Parenthood’s national and state offices inviting the group to join in support of the new “Admitting Privileges” law in Mississippi. The law was scheduled to go into affect on July 1, but a temporary restraining order filed by Mississippi’s lone abortion clinic halted implementation until a full hearing on July 11.

In the letter, Pro Life Mississippi President Dana Chisolm writes:

“While our organizations obviously differ on the core issue of abortion, one thing we do hold in common is support of women’s health. Similar laws are already in place in 13 other states holding opportunistic doctors accountable for atrocities against women.

Admitting privileges will require the purchase of malpractice insurance where currently there is no requirement, giving injured women no redress against shoddy practices. On staff OB-GYN’s, as required in the law, provide a higher level of service for the women of Mississippi.

Our organizations may end up disagreeing on many other issues, but certainly we can agree that a woman’s health is of paramount importance. Certainly we could agree that the 2,000 plus Mississippi women each year who feel they must make the horrific choice of abortion deserve a higher standard of care.”

Chisolm had this to say about the letter: “In Mississippi we have itinerant doctors coming in from other states to administer dangerous procedures on our young women. Within hours they are traveling back home to their families, leaving these poor young ladies to fend for themselves. We have witnessed young ladies faint and vomit on the sidewalk in 100 degree temperatures while attempting to get back to their car with no staff assistance. There simply is no room for this level of barbarism in a civilized society. Regardless of the other political issues surrounding abortion, we should at least be able to agree on that.”

View the letter here: PlannedParenthoodLetter7-5-12

Relate articles:

• Breaking: Mississippi Judge grants temporary relief to abortion clinic. (MississippiPEP.com)
• Pro Life America Network’s Mississippi Chapter President Terri Herring talks about regulating abortion in Mississippi (MississippiPEP.com)

Pro Life America Network’s Mississippi Chapter President Terri Herring talks about regulating abortion in Mississippi

BY: B. Keith Plunkett–@Keithplunkett

A new Mississippi law requiring admitting privileges for all abortion clinic doctors went into affect on July 1. The law was signed by Governor Phil Bryant on April 16, and was in affect just a few hours before Judge Daniel P. Jordan granted a temporary restraining order blocking the law from being enforced prior to a hearing on July 11. You can view that order HERE.

The temporary restraining order keeps State Dept. of Health officials from performing an inspection to verify the clinics lack of admitting privileges. That inspection was to happen today.

One person who was present when Governor Bryant signed the bill into law is Terri Herring. Herring has worked tirelessly for 26 years in the pro-life movement in Mississippi and has seen the ups and downs. The Pro Life American Network Mississippi Chapter President learned the news of the restraining order just hours after she sat down with me to talk about the pro-life movement in Mississippi, and the new law. Herring said in a follow up email yesterday that she fully expected the restraining order to be issued, and was not surprised. She pointed to 7 years of legal challenges before the enforcement of Mississippi’s Parental Consent law could finally become the law of the land as an example.

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The Jackson Women’s Health Organization is expected to use legal challenges to put off the lack of compliance with the new law. But, Herring has proved she is in this fight for the long haul.

In this interview, Herring discusses becoming involved in 1986 as a young mother of three, the many pro-life bills before the Mississippi Legislature this year, the current law and it’s implementation, and what she expects to push for in the legislature in 2013.

LISTEN

Breaking: Mississippi Judge grants temporary relief to abortion clinic.

The Daily Journal is reporting that a Mississippi judge on Sunday temporarily blocked the state’s new law requiring abortion physicians to obtain hospital admitting privileges until a hearing scheduled for July 11.

See a copy of the order HERE.

Mississippi PEP is putting the final touches on an interview with Pro Life proponent Terri Herring. Look for more on Monday morning.