Sideshow Bob’s Personhood Bill: Beware of unintended consequences

MoonHowler

Bob Marshall must be in his glory.  After years of thwarted attempts, he has finally gotten his personhood bill out of committee and onto the floor of the General Assembly. 

The bill comes to us as a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  Ostensibly introduced as a means to punish fetal wrongful deaths such as in the Lacy Peterson case, nothing could be further from reality and the bill’s actual purpose.  Marshall’s intent is to have the bill in place ready should  Roe vs. Wade to be overturned.   Should that happen, abortion of any kind would be illegal in Virginia.  Many people say that will never happen.  Don’t bet the ranch. 

The 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution clearly spells out personhood: 

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

This seems pretty clear to me and to other people possessing the ability to read. 

Personhood to a couple wanting a child probably begins before the child is even conceived.  This projection is emotional personhood.  I remember when we decided it was time for the first little Moonhowler to be brought into the world.  She had several names probably before she existed in a cellular state.  That’s just how we are when we want children.  Pregnancy sometimes comes when least expected and sometimes when it  is very  unwelcome.  Sometimes pregnancies are troubled and there are problems with the fetus.  Problems change the emotional playing field.  These are the gray areas and times that cause a great  emotional conflict to women always and often to the men in their lives.  No legislation in the world really touches any of the above scenes, nor should it.

The inherent danger in a personhood bill is legally defining a zygote in the same terms as your five year old, your wife, or your husband.  Zygotes are not sentient beings.  Embryos are not people. 

These are areas best left for theologians.  HB 1 is fraught with flaws and danger.  For starters, it will outlaw most hormonal forms of birth control (another extreme goal  freely acknowledged by Bob Marshall.)

Bob Marshall needs to put his bill back in his pocket and go peddle his religious ideas elsewhere.  As his constituent, I am tired of his religion being shoved down my throat.

HB1 Personhood Bill

 

Virginia now wants to penetrate your body without permission

MoonHowler

Governor McDonnell has said he will sign the ultra sound bill.  That doesn’t sound like a real good idea if he wants to be considered for vice president.  See the bill in full text.

Meanwhile Rachel Maddow discovered Bob Marshall.  She is horrified and pointed out how Colorado and Mississippi rejected a similiar bill by double digits.  What are our Virginia legislators doing to us?  We have become the laughing stock of America.  We have become the anti birth control state.  I am mortified.

Meanwhile, make sure you don’t swear in Bob Marshall’s district.  I hope he listens in.  He will get an earful. 

Meanwhile, the women of Virginia have to flood the governors office and tell him not to sign either of these bills should they pass the legislature.  Gov. McDonnell’s number:  (804) 786-2211

contact via email:  https://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm

Enough big government intrustion into personal matters.

 

 

Prince William County Teacher Work to the Rule

MoonHowler

News and Messenger:

Teachers walked out of Forest Park High School as a group to the sound of applause at 2:18 p.m. Monday.

As the teachers made their ways to the faculty parking lot, students stood outside the school and showed support for their educators.

Teachers at Forest Park, Battlefield and Patriot High Schools, as well as Potomac Middle, started a “Work to Rule” campaign Monday in response to the recent school budget proposal.

Superintendent Steven L. Walts’ proposed budget does not include a step increase for any schools employees for a third year in a row. There are no plans for staff or program reductions, either.

The budget, which was discussed at two recent School Board meetings, also indicates that there are no plans for raises until 2016 at the earliest.

On Monday, teachers entered their respective schools as a group at the same time — 7:15 a.m. at the high schools — and left schools when their contract hours ended at 2:15 p.m.

A crowd of about 30 teachers walked out the front door of Forest Park to their cars shortly after that scheduled time, many of them wearing “Work to Rule” pins.

Nicholas Watkins, an English teacher for 10th and 11th grades at Forest Park, said around double that number walked in together in the morning.

“There were 50 to 60 teachers,” he said, wearing a “Work to Rule” badge.

Teachers and staff members who receive stipends or other compensation for coaching athletic teams or other like commitments remained at the school as required. Watkins said that contributed to a lower turnout at the end of the day.

This is the third year that teachers in Prince Willliam County have not  had a step increase.  This year they will not get a raise and it is predicted that there will be no raise through 2016.  This is absurd.  In the same  newspaper was an article saying Prince William County was the 9th wealthiest county in the United States.  9th wealthiest?  Pay your teachers and pay them well.  They also have the largest class sizes in the state of Virginia, on average. 

Read More

Virginia General Assembly thinks up new ways to screw Virginia teachers

MoonHowler

The Virginia legislators seem to be running a contest to see who can think up the most ways to screw Virginia public school educators.  Currently, Virginia teachers, after a 2 year probationary period, become eligible for a continuing contract.   Teachers still can be fired on continuing contract but not without an administrator dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s.  The due process is very specific.  Of course there are other ways to instantly remove a teacher for criminal activity or fiduciary impropriety. 

The Richmond Times Dispatch reports:

RICHMOND, Va. —

The House of Delegates today passed 55-43 an overhaul of the public school teacher and principal contract and evaluation system.

The plan would phase out a tenure-like system in favor of term contracts.

The measure would make it easier for school divisions to fire teachers. The plan, which was a centerpiece of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s education agenda, drew opposition from advocates for teachers.

Those not familiar with how evaluation in public school works might be misguided and think that this is a good thing.  No.  Not really.  Nothing is more subject  to politics than public education and teacher evaluations. Kissing the right asses is always important on the job but for teachers it will become critical.   Throw in the fact that seasoned teachers are more experienced and therefore cost more  and you have a very dangerous situation for veteran teachers.   If a jurisdiction needs to save money, fire all the expensive veteran teachers.  It won’t matter in the long run because the parents can all be duped into thinking that experience and know-how really don’t matter. 

Read More

Jon Stewart does the Nazi Dance: The Vagina Ideologues

MoonHowler

Jon Stewart leaves America alone for 1 week and it gets into all sorts of trouble. Rick Santorum is now a front runner.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
The Vagina Ideologues
www.thedailyshow.com
     

Jon figures out it is the old dudes behind the Vagina Ideologues. One of the wants to do the Nazi Dance. Jon goes toe to toe with him and gives Sean Hannity’s old dudes a lesson on real Nazis. 

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
The Vagina Ideologues – Sean Hannity’s Holy Sausage Fest
www.thedailyshow.com
     

Is the Tea Party relevant today?

MoonHowler

Shortly, very shortly as a matter of fact, after President Obama was inaugurated, the Tea Party sprang into being as a national movement.  It dominated Fox News, was heralded by Glenn Beck and others, and emphasized fiscal responsibility.  Perhaps its moment in time can be punctuated by the 2010 mid term elections when conservative candidates supported by tea party type groups swept the House of Representatives.

Many of us who were sitting on the sidelines watching predicted that this group was a flash in the pan.  We recognized some of the names from other previous conservative political thrusts.  Some of us felt that many of the core leadership were simply the values contingency of the Republican party in sheeps clothing.  In Vriginia, looking at the work accomplished in the General Assembly during this session’s first half, it appears that little else was done other than legislation dealing with social issues.

Four major abortion bills are still at various stages of passage, drug testing welfare recipients barely got tabled until next year, immigration and citizenship are still being batted around, length of teachers’ contracts are at issue and whether gay couples can adopt have all dominated the political scene.  Not much has been done with jobs debt,  or employment.  Actually more time has been spent on who cannot work than who can work.  While the above legislation isn’t the only legislation discussed, it has dominated the floor and the news.   The only tax issues seem to be geared at amazon.com.

Read More

Council of Bishops reject latest contraceptive plan

MoonHowler

It appears that the very conservative  Council of Bishops has rejected the latest contraceptive plan issued by the White House.   Are we surprised?  I doubt if they will be satisfied.  I speculate that if all contraception were forbidden from insurance policies, they might crack a smile. 

Meanwhile, our post on this subject has been one of favorite brawl places.  In the interest of all sides being aired (and yes, it is killing me to be the least bit egalitarian on this topic), Mika and Joe had an interesting discussion going on Friday.  Cardinal  Wuerl, the Arch Bishop of Washington is their guest. 

 

The Cardinal seems to have an analogy for everything rather than dealing directly with an issue.  The fact that he compares contraception to pornography says it all.

Two concepts, health care as it pertains to women  and religion seem to be on a collision course. 

 

Whitney Houston dead at age 48

MoonHowler

What a horrible waste of a great talent.  

 Who will ever forget her singing The Stars Spangled Banner or I Will Always Love You in the Body Guard?  On the eve of the Grammies, I feel an ache in my heart for the loss of such a talented lady and for us, who will only have her recordings. 

 Her daughter, Bobbie Kristina,  is 19.  She has lost her mother.  No details have been released.  Our contributors can add them as they are released.

What was Whitney Houston’s One Moment in Time?

A few Foxies show their class

MoonHowler

At a CPAC discussion, commentator Cal Thomas made a remark indicating that Rachel Maddow was a good reason to endorse birth control.  Ouch! 

Greta Van Susteren immediately jumped in to defend Rachel and said Cal was wrong.  Today Cal Thomas called Rachel and apologized and said he should not have said that and was sorry.  Rachel, in her quite unassuming way, accepted his apology and basically said it was over. 

Its nice to see that some of these commentators and news folks do have some manners and if they do wrong, admit it.  Do we think that Hannity would have apologized?  When donkeys fly.

Virginia Senate votes to raise Virginians’ taxes

MoonHowler

Richmond Times Dispatch:

Legislation to eliminate a tax loophole that allows online businesses to not collect state sales taxes sailed through the Virginia Senate today.

The so-called “Amazon loophole” bill — Senate Bill 597, sponsored by Sen. Frank W. Wagner, R-Virginia Beach — cleared the chamber on a 34-6 vote and now heads to the House of Delegates.

The legislation was lobbied extensively by groups representing Virginia retailers who said the loophole gives online businesses a competitive advantage. In effect, it would require Internet businesses with bricks and mortar facilities in Virginia to collect the state’s five percent sales tax on their transactions.

Amazon has a warehouse and data center in Virginia and plans to open two distribution centers in the state under a deal struck with the administration of Gov. Bob McDonnell that provides more than $4 million in state aid. The state and Amazon are still in negotiations.

Is the Senate undercutting Governor McDonnell’s efforts with Amazon?  Do they not see this political move as  increasing the taxes of Virginians? 

Read More

PWC Board of Supervisors for Sale to Highest Bidder

--NatashaHottie21--

Guest Post by Not Surprised

Disclaimer: The content of the guest contribution is the opinion of the guest and does not necessarily represent the opinion of the management of Moonhowlings.com.

 

The “News and Messenger” reported Tuesday that Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart and another unnamed supervisor are “concerned” about a ruling of the Zoning Administrator.

 According to the N&M article, the Army has awarded a contract to the firm Spectrum, which is constructing a facility in an office park near Dumfries to provide healthcare services for members of the military and their families. Healthcare services for our men and women in uniform and their families, and additional facilities to serve the needs of the new military families relocating to Eastern Prince William County because of BRAC sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it? Not to everyone.

 A competing firm with facilities already located in the area, CRAssociates (CRA), is objecting on the basis that Spectrum will have a dispensary in its facility, which CRA characterizes as a retail pharmacy. Retail pharmacies are prohibited in the proffers for the office park where Spectrum is constructing its facility. The County Zoning Administrator has already ruled that Spectrum’s dispensary will be an allowed ancillary use at its facility and will not be a retail pharmacy, along the lines of a Rite-Aid or CVS. Thus, the facility Spectrum is constructing and plans to open next summer complies with County zoning and proffers for the area.

 So why are Chairman Stewart and another unnamed supervisor “concerned” about the Zoning Administrator’s ruling and going to bat for CRA?

Read More

Oregon Man fired over display of 5 foot Confederate Flag

MoonHowler

Richmond Times Dispatch:

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — Ken Webber still proudly flies his Confederate battle flag with the word “Redneck” emblazed across it from the CB antenna on his pickup truck. He hopes that his lawsuit in federal court will get his job back driving a school bus.

“What Mr. Webber is encapsulating is a Jeffersonian agrarianism, where you stand up for your rights,” attorney Thomas Boardman argued Thursday in U.S. District Court. “If we are going to say someone cannot identify as a redneck, what else can we not identify ourselves as?”

Attorneys for bus company First Student Inc. and the Phoenix-Talent School District countered that Webber himself said that the flag, a gift from his father, represented his “redneck” lifestyle, where family comes first, and people enjoy hunting, fishing and driving four-wheel-drive trucks through the mud. They said the flag did not represent any kind of political speech that would be protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The arguments came on a motion filed by the bus company and the school district asking the judge to decide the case based on legal arguments without going to a trial before a jury. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke took the matter under advisement. No trial date has been set.

Read More

House of Delegates passes “Castle Doctrine”

MoonHowler

Richmond Times Dispatch:

Legislation that would allow homeowners to use any degree of force, even lethal, against intruders without threat of criminal or civil charges has passed the House of Delegates.

House Bill 48, sponsored by Del. Richard P. “Dickie” Bell, R-Staunton, which would codify a version of the state’s common-law “Castle Doctrine” passed the House Thursday on a 70-28 vote after a second day of debate.

Democrats argued that the measure could be used to justify homicide when the circumstances are not clear.

But Republicans won out, claiming that the bill merely allowed an individual to protect themselves and their homes against illegal intruders.

On first glance,  This bill seems fine.  Of course, there are no provisions for luring someone inside that you hate, just so you could waste them.  When I was a kid we were always told that if you killed someone breaking down your door, drag them inside. 

I have never known why bills like this one have been so controversial, so I am posting it.  I guess I will find out.  Would this law apply to the home owner or the renter?  What about spouses, kids, girl friends, etc.?   I would certainly hope that a renter would be extended the same privilege of using lethal force if threatened. 

Delegate Bell certainly is prolific.  Many of his bills are absurd.  This one is not.

 

Contraception: What do the employees think?

MoonHowler

For some of us, the very fact that we are having a discussion about birth control  in 2012 is almost unfathomable.  We know that unless women can control their own reproduction, there is no equality.

This was also a fight many of us thought was over 50 years ago.  This issue isn’t a fringe issue or something avant-garde.  The churches do themselves no favors getting strident over the issue of contraception and certainly the Republican party, in an election year, does itself no favors.  98% of all women who are or have been sexually active have used contraception.  There are some things that just should not be political and this is one of them.

So far, the Affordable Care Act has stated that contraception will be made available on all health care policies for free, without deduction.   There has been a hue and cry over this health care rule, from the clergy, politicians,employers,  bloggers, and probably lots of others I haven’t mentioned.  The issue is about health care to most of us.  To some, the issue is about religious freedom.  That’s a hard argument to survive when no one is saying anyone has to use contraception.

What hasn’t been mentioned is that 28 states already require contraception coverage.  Additionally, some Catholic institutions already provide contraception in their benefits package.  DePaul University is one such example and it is the largest Catholic University.

There is one group that we haven’t heard from in this media frenzy of opinion and that is the employees.  The Catholic Church is probably putting up the biggest barrier to this health care mandate and that is because of their beliefs.  We know what many of  the men of the church are saying.  What we do not know is what the employees of all the Catholic institutions are saying.  Those workers at hospitals, universities, publishing houses and various support systems run by the Catholic church have yet to voice their opinion.  Some are probably afraid.  They want to keep their jobs.  Some are afraid, especially if they are Catholic, of their priest finding out that they use contraception.  Regardless, this group is the most affected by the controversy and the most under-represented in the discussion.  The sounds of silence are deafening.