There’s a great column in the Post-Dispatch today about the midwife legislation:

Every mother has a particular way in which they want to give birth and their reasons are motivated by their interests and those of their children. Until a week or so ago, Missouri had a knee-jerk rejection of home birthing — it is a felony to practice midwifery without a doctor’s oversight[...]

Opponents say the bill lacks penalties for bad midwives. Why have they not addressed the matter previously? It’s not like they didn’t have the opportunity. Do they think that nothing bad ever happens at a hospital and there is never any negligence, ever? Ever hear of the soaring 30% cesarean rate? Apparently, a medical mistake is only criminal if you aren’t a doctor. There are bad doctors just as there are bad midwives.

And here’s an interesting article about the legislation’s diverse supporters. It’s remarkable how people with different opinions and lifestyles can join together to lobby for more freedom in health care. This is an advantage of allowing people to make their own decisions: There’s less arguing when people are free to be different.