After days of unrelenting criticism, the House of Delegates today passed a weakened version of the ultrasound mandate after consultation with Gov. Bob McDonnell, amending it so that women could reject a procedure if it must be done vaginally
The bill would still require that all women having an abortion undergo an ultrasound to determine the gestational age, but women subject to a transvaginal procedure would be able to decline.
Oftentimes, the procedure must be performed that way, versus on the abdomen, early in a pregnancy.
Because the House made changes to a Senate measure — Senate Bill 484, sponsored by Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel, R-Fauquier — it must go back before the Senate with the changes.
But this afternoon, Vogel indicated she will try to strike her bill.
Apparently Del. Vogel felt the altered bill made things even worse. This was abviously a bill that should have never been. Make no mistake, it wasn’t about informed consent. It was about guilting women not to have an abortion. The hope was that if the woman seeking an aborton saw the ultrasound, she would change her mind.
The Washington Post added further commentary:
“Mandating an invasive procedure in order to give informed consent is not a proper role for the state,” McDonnell said in a statement. “No person should be directed to undergo an invasive procedure by the state, without their consent, as a precondition to another medical procedure.” He did not comment further.
Confusion over the legislation and ultrasounds — and considerable national media attention — preceded the unraveling of the bill. The original measure stated, simply, that a woman needed an ultrasound before an abortion. Many lawmakers did not understand that at the young fetal age abortions usually occur, the invasive vaginal ultrasound would be needed to establish gestational age, as required by the bill.
McDonnell, who is often mentioned as a possible presidential running mate, tried to strike a balance between supporting his conservative base and supporting a bill that immediately drew opposition as a severe end-run against abortion rights.
“Bob McDonnell’s political future is not enhanced by vaginal ultrasound legislation,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington. “But make no mistake about it: Governor McDonnell was painted into this corner by his own Republican legislature. This is an example of that old adage, ‘Be careful what you wish for.’ ’’
This is the very reason that legislators should stay out of things like this, especially things they do not understand. They threw their own governor under the bus and the women of Virginia will not let him off the hook over it. Up until the last day or so, McDonnell had promised to sign the bill.
It isn’t up the State to impose its ‘morals’ on anyone. McDonnell gets no kudos for protecting women’s rights. He simply doesn’t want to deal with the blow back if he is selected to serve as Vice President on the Romney ticket. McDonnell took a look at the numbers and saw he would be skewered if he signed that bill. He needs to start thinking about what will happen if he signs the personhood bill also.
I’ve been favorably impressed with the demeanor and tone that the governor has brought to the office. On the whole, I think he has done a good job and would be a logical choice for a VP candidate. But signing this bill would have made him totally radioactive as a possible VP choice. It’s a shame that it takes Stewart’s ridicule to make people come to their senses. But I think that is what was going on here.
Because of some of his past stances, opponents used to refer to McDonnell as “Taliban Bob.” I always thought it a bit over the top, but politics ain’t beanbag, as they say. In the current climate in Richmond, however, I am surprised that no one is talking about the “Talibanization” of Richmond and Virginia. The attitudes are very similar to extremist Muslim views about women and other social issues. This from a crowd who would probably race across the street in heavy traffic to demean even moderate, responsible Muslim citizens. I think, assuming we lose the protection of Jon Stewart because he moves on to other things, the link between the attitudinal postures of these guys and the Taliban would prove a useful antidote in public discourse. What’s next? Kite-flying? Music? Burkas? The same could apply to some of Santorum’s more wayward wanderings.
Elena and I have been throwing around the T word. However, I have been directing Taliban Bob at Bob Marshall, not the Governor.
I still can’t get his thesis from Regency U out of my head, however. I think Rachel Maddow reexposed him on that one Monday night.
She also hit it again last night.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#46490494
Scout,
Ahem, I HAVE been calling the GOP in Richmond akin to the Taliban. Extremsim from ANY one group in this country is unacceptable. I posed the question just recently, are Virginia women going to be required to wear Burkas!
Moon and I have been incredibly disheartened over the debate, not just in Richmond, but nationally, over a womans right to have dominion over her body. Rick Santorum is the face of the distortion of the Republican party and it’s scary.
McDonnell is a self serving politican (hmmm, that was probably one of the most redundent statements I have made). He stated he would supported the ultrasound bill, his sudden withdraw of support means nothing more than the kitchen got too hot. In a New York second, were there no spotlight on VA, he would sign it happily. The personhood bill is right around the corner, along with other over reaching assaults on womens healthcare, and women,along with men of real conscious, will need to remain vigilant.
Submitted on 2012/02/17 at 1:59 pm
Santorum statement:
_ Santorum: Says he wouldn’t try to take away the pill or condoms. But he believes states should be free to ban them if they want. He argues that the Supreme Court erred when it ruled in 1965 that married Americans have a right to privacy that includes the use of contraceptives.
Great, Virginia is following his lead. Maybe we should just start wearing burkas too.
Rachel Maddow deserves Kudos on being a bull dog on this issue. Thank you Rachel!