Saving the patient should take precedence Re: “ACLU presents upside-down understanding of federal conscience law,” March 7
Contrary to Matt Bowman’s assertions, current federal law does, in fact, require that a hospital provide emergency care, including an abortion if that is what is necessary to save the patient’s life.
The American Civil Liberties Union contacted the Obama administration last year not to change this law, but to ensure that it was being enforced.
But now some in Congress are trying to change the law to allow a hospital to abandon a pregnant woman who needs an emergency abortion to save her life. This would jeopardize the health of women, like the young mother of four in Arizona who became the center of national attention when the hospital that performed an abortion her doctors said was necessary to save her life was stripped of its religious status.
The law should ensure that a hospital’s first responsibility is to its patients. No woman should be afraid that she will be denied the emergency care she needs.
Laura W. Murphy
Director,
ACLU Washington Legislative Office
Taylorism is not dead yet
Re: “Message to unions: Taylorism died a long time ago,” March 6
Contrary to Mr. Barone’s unfounded assertions, Taylorism is still around. The only thing that’s changed is the name.
Whatever it’s called this week — lean, JIT, or six sigma — it is the only method of manufacture in Japan. Reports of atrocious living and working conditions, along with a high rate of suicide, indicate that it is being used in China, too.
If it’s not in use in the United States, it should be, considering the amount of highly paid labor hours needed to build a car here versus overseas. Whatever “Quality Circles” or other management fads du jour are tacked on to make working conditions appear better, the United States will never be competitive without some form of Taylorism.
William Adams
Springfield
Real answer to $4 gas is drilling
With oil prices rapidly nearing $4 per gallon, and some experts predicting $5 if world upheavals continue into the summer driving season, the message is clear: America depends far too much on foreign oil.
Some are calling for (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) to increase production or for the president to open the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. But Americans know the real answer lies in doing more with what we already have.
Rather than basing our energy security on shifting political sands, the Obama administration could help the energy industry get back to work here at home.
A solitary permit for drilling a new deepwater well was recently issued, the first since last April. The Interior Department states more permits are to follow, but the overriding pattern is that the finish line is a mirage.
Let’s heed the warning from the Middle East and set a national energy policy that embraces our domestic offshore oil and gas industry rather than looking to OPEC or the SPR for temporary relief.
Randall Luthi
President,
National Ocean Industries Association
