Abortion

Missouri Catholic Conference on Anti-Abortion Bill, Rape Victims: "Those Are Difficult Cases"

One of the more controversial proposals at the Missouri legislature this year is a GOP bill that would allow doctors to refuse to perform procedures that "violate his or her conscience or principles." Critics, like Planned Parenthood, say this is "denial of care" legislation that could prevent rape ... More >>

Contraception: Tim Jones Still Fighting Birth Control Mandate After Ruling, Cites Free Speech

Should employers and insurers in Missouri be allowed to deny coverage of birth control if it violates their religious beliefs? A federal judge, as we reported earlier this week, ruled that they cannot be exempt -- in a decision overturning a Missouri law that directly contradicted President Barack O ... More >>

Birth Control: Court Overturns Missouri Law Allowing Moral, Religious Coverage Exemptions

Last week, we reported on a GOP proposal in Missouri that would give doctors the right not to perform procedures that go against their moral beliefs -- such as abortions. Meanwhile, a federal judge has struck down a Republican proposal with a similar theme that became law last year; this now over ... More >>

Thousands Sign Petition to Stop Pro-Gun Publicity Stunt Bills: "Get Serious Or Go Home"

A Missouri bill to stop bills that force others not to introduce certain kind of bills? Almost. Representative Stacey Newman, a Democrat who has been very vocal on gun control, has collected thousands of signatures on a petition to urge lawmakers and legislative leaders to quit introducing pro-gun ... More >>

Death Penalty Repeal in Missouri: Senator Gina Walsh Says Capital Punishment is Not Pro-Life

State Senator Gina Walsh says she is well aware that there will likely be opposition to her controversial proposal to repeal the death penalty in Missouri -- but that's not stopping her from pushing forward. "My constituency probably won't like it," she tells Daily RFT. "But this is something I su ... More >>

Which St. Louisan Should Be the Next Pope?

Yes, it may be a bit self-centered of us to think, as soon as we heard the news yesterday of Pope Benedict XVI's impending resignation, which St. Louisan should replace him? But really, isn't it high time there was a Pope from the Western Hemisphere? And why not from St. Louis, the most Catholic of ... More >>

Right-to-Work: Rep. Eric Burlison Pushing Controversial Labor Bill Despite Tough Odds

Republican Representative Eric Burlison knows it's not all that likely he will have much success with his controversial "right-to-work" bill -- a proposal to ban labor union requirements, but that is not stopping him from pushing the bill. "This is about economic freedom and individual liberty," B ... More >>

Domino's Pizza Founder Believes Contraception Is "Gravely Immoral," Sues Federal Government

It's like national pizza chains don't want our business these days. Following President Barack Obama's reelection in November, Papa John's chief executive John Schnatter threatened to cut employee hours to dodge offering health insurance under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or, "O ... More >>

Akin Praised, Reviewed Unit of Militia Group He Recently Claimed He Had Nothing to Do With

Updated with response from Akin's spokesperson Rick Tyler. In 1995, a month before the Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people, Todd Akin sent a local militia group what he later called "a courtesy letter." The now-defunct group, the 1st Missouri Volunteers militia, had invited Akin to spea ... More >>

Akin Camp Scoops Post-Dispatch By Publishing Email From Reporter Kevin McDermott

Late yesterday afternoon, Todd Akin's campaign got ahead of a Post-Dispatch scoop by publishing emails between the campaign's spokesperson and longtime political reporter Kevin McDermott. The email from McDermott contained what appeared to be the story's first four paragraphs revealing that Akin w ... More >>

[VIDEO] Todd Akin Has Not Alienated Every Woman in Missouri

It may not be a good sign when a senatorial campaign must insist that its candidate possess the baseline qualities of being "humble, intelligent and compassionate." But that's what Missouri Women Standing for Akin has done in a video posted yesterday on YouTube. This arm of the Akin campaign is meet ... More >>

Missouri Legislature Overturns Nixon's Veto on Anti-Contraception Bill

It's official: In Missouri, employers, insurance companies or anyone else involved in an individual's health care can legally refuse to cover the Pill. In a not-so-surprising move, both houses of the Missouri Legislature voted to override Governor Jay Nixon's veto of Senate Bill 749. SB 749 give ... More >>

Todd Akin Has the Inside Scoop: Women Can't Get Pregnant from 'Legitimate Rape' [UPDATE from Akin Campaign]

Update: Akin says he misspoke. Read on for full statement from Akin campaign. Today in Crazy Shit Todd Akin Says... Some real crazy shit. Over the weekend, the Republican who hopes to unseat Senator Claire McCaskill told Fox News 2's Charles Jaco that exceptions for abortion aren't a real issue, ... More >>

Andrew Bird at the Pageant, 3/22/12: Review, Photos and Setlist

Andrew Bird | Eugene Mirmin The Pageant March 22, 2012 Andrew Bird had a rough day. He didn't offer details or share the wherefore and why. Instead, he performed an impromptu cover of Kermit's ballad about individuality and identity, "It's Not Easy Being Green," at his show last evening at the Page ... More >>

The Six Best (And Six Worst) Band Names at SXSW

If you turned on the Internet recently, you may have seen that South By Southwest is this week. The highlight of the annual Austin, Texas, festival is seeing great bands and discovering new favorites. Inversely, many of the thousands of artists who cram into the state capital are horrible. With good ... More >>

Doonesbury's Comic About Texas Abortion Laws Too Much for St. Louis

​The Post-Dispatch's "Editor's Desk" column today informed readers that Gary Trudeau's "Doonesbury" will not appear in the paper this week because the subject matter -- Trudeau's belief that Texas' mandatory ultrasounds for women who choose to have an abortion is tantamount to rape -- is too graph ... More >>

The Scarlet Lady

Dancin' in the Streets About Birth Control, Bollywood-Style

Dancing birth control pack? Check.​By now, surely you've heard that the Department of Health and Human Services has determined that birth control is basic preventive health care and is required to be provided without a co-pay by health insurers. (You've probably also heard about the moronic compar ... More >>

Implantable Birth Control Most Effective, Wash. U. Study Finds

​The best way to prevent unwanted pregnancies and abortions, a study finds, is to implant birth control into women's bodies. The Contraceptive Choice Project, which aims to enroll 10,000 women and girls in St. Louis city and county, is a project of Washington University. Participants -- more than ... More >>

Planned Parenthood Opens Joplin Center to Storm Victims

​In the wake of the devastating tornado that hit Joplin Monday, food and supply drives are underway across the state to help victims get their lives back together. Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri is on the case as well.The agency is opening its center in Joplin to ... More >>

The 2010 RFT News Challenge

Tea Party Crasher: Hard-charging Ed Martin wants to win your vote — and Russ Carnahan's congressional seat

Missouri Lawmaker Wants Women to Give Reason For Abortion

Measure would require Missouri women to come prepared to the doctor's office.​State Senator Tom Dempsey (R - St. Peters) has proposed legislation that would ask Missouri women to provide a reason for why they're seeking an abortion. As the Associated Press reports this morning, Dempsey's proposal ... More >>

Let's Discuss, Not Talk

Forget Dying for the Pro-Life Cause. Let's Send Postcards Instead!

In November St. Louis' archdiocesan administrator, Bishop Robert Hermann, made headlines when he told church clergy: "I think any bishop here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow to bring about an end to abortion." The bishop went on: "If we are willing to die tomorrow, then we should be ... More >>

Hermetica Premiere

Soup, Sandwich and Censorship

"Questionable" material is filtered off the menu at Saint Louis Bread Co.

Cell Block

Missouri scientists fear embryonic research may remain embryonic

Film Openings

Week of May 11, 2005

Shock and Awful

Todd Solondz has been a lot of things, but never preachy or dull. Till now.

Secrets and Lies

In Mike Leigh's new film, motherhood is a very tricky business

Farr Out Campaign

A loose-lipped former train conductor is looking to get his long-shot congressional bid on track

Ball Talk

Week of March 26, 2003

Letters

Week of September 12, 2001

Casualties of War

When Angela Michael started fighting God's battle against abortion, truth took the first hit

The Top 10 Reasons to Reject John Ashcroft

It's not that he's pious. He's simply unfit to serve.

Justice for John Ashcroft?

He deserves a taste of his own medicine in confirmation hearings

The Taking of the Presidency

Supremes' credibility isn't helped by report of O'Connor's craving Arizona

The Two Faces of John Ashcroft

Meet Missouri's master of deceit

The Reinvention of Jim Talent

Published the week of October 4, 2000

The Redundant-Component Campaign

Vote for Gore, vote for Bush -- what's the difference?

Running Scared

Rally in St. Louis exposes Democrats' weak strategy

Capitol Ideas

Mr. Silva goes to Jefferson City

PRESENTING GEORGE W. ASHCROFT

South Carolina's favorite Missourian blesses the Bush

THE CIDER HOUSE RULES

Directed by Lasse Hallström

LIP SERVICE

The Planned Parenthood-sponsored Third Lip Cabaret returns to Cicero's

Hot Water

A Frightening Talent for Politics

This Week

Hightlights from RFT's "Calendar"

Fertile Ground

Planned Parenthood seeks to require Missouri's health-insurance industry to get consistent and provide coverage for birth control