Ultra-sounds: Let’s point out the worthless dogs

MoonHowler

ultra soundSenator Ralph Northam introduced a bill in the Virginia Senate to give legislators the opportunity to redeem themselves and to remove Virginia from the embarrassment list.  His efforts failed.  It was last year during the legislative session that Virginia became the laughing stock of the nation, especially late at night because of their governor, Governor Ultra-Sound.

In all, the members of the Senate Health and Education Committee, had 3 reproductive rights bills to consider.  Only 1 made it out of committee.  2 were staked  by an 8-7 Republican vote.

According to the Huffingtonpost.com:

A Republican-controlled committee in the Virginia State Senate voted 8-7 on Thursday to block Democrats’ efforts to repeal a new mandatory ultrasound law and a set of regulations that could shut down many abortion clinics in the state. The committee also voted down a new anti-abortion bill that would have prevented Medicaid from paying for low-income women’s abortions in cases where there is a severe fetal anomaly.

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The new legislative session: ripe with social causes

MoonHowler

This year’s session contains several important bills that bear watching.

From Loudoun Times:

In response to the rally, the House Democratic Caucus announced plans for legislation in support of women’s reproductive health later that morning.

“The Republicans did real damage to Virginia’s women by passing burdensome regulations” on a woman’s right to have abortion, Sen. Mark Herring of Leesburg said at the press conference.

Instead of legislators being motivated by ideology, “we should be motivated by helping Virginians,” said Herring, who represents parts of Fairfax and Loudoun counties.

Delegate Kaye Kory of Falls Church, who also represents part of Fairfax County, introduced House Bill 1560, which would remove the requirement to get an ultrasound before having abortion.

Delegate Vivian Watts of Annandale has introduced HB 1644, which would define birth control. “It makes it clear that using birth control is not considered an abortion,” Watts said.

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Rape quagmire…..Republican men keep stepping in it

MoonHowler

Politico.com:

Rep. Phil Gingrey’s attempts to explain Todd Akin’s rape remarks are leaving  many Republicans beyond frustrated that a few in their party can’t help but  insert rape into the already contentious abortion debate.

“This is actually pretty simple. If you’re about to talk about rape as  anything other than a brutal and horrible crime, stop,” said Republican  strategist Kevin Madden, who was a senior adviser in Mitt Romney’s campaign.

On Thursday, the Georgia Republican didn’t heed that advice, telling a local Chamber of Commerce  breakfast that Akin was “partially right” when he said last year that a  woman can stop herself from getting pregnant.

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Binders of Women? Here ya go!

MoonHowler

Some things just need no explanation.  Ask me again why I voted for President Obama—

I am still amazed that a party that calls for smaller government and less government intrusion feels they have the right to interfere with reproductive issues.  Don’t even tell me abortion, the interference starts long before that…it starts with birth control.

The real binders of women are those people who  still think it is appropriate to legislate restrictions that apply mainly to women.

Only when women have full control of their own reproduction will they have full economic equality.  Until then, there will be an invisible glass ceiling.

 

 

Blade reporter barred from anti-gay marriage rally with the Cooch

MoonHowler

 

Cooch Watch photo contest for the week

 

The Washington Blade:

MANASSAS, Va.—A local church on Friday denied a Washington Blade staff writer access to an anti-gay marriage gathering at which Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli spoke.

A woman who was standing near the entrance of Reconciliation Community Church in Manassas in front of two men wearing dark suits who appeared to be security personnel asked this reporter for identification and proof of media affiliation after he identified himself as a Blade staff writer. He proceeded to show her his drivers’ license and business card.

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Richard Mourdock thinks pregnancy from rape was intended by God

MoonHowler

All well and good, bizarro boy, but do not inflict your beliefs on the rest of us. 

What a shame that strange people like this are always the ones who feel that they must spread the word if elected to office.

I have decided beliefs like this should disqualify a person from office.

How many more of these clowns are Republicans going to inflict on the rest of us?

Normal thinking Republicans!! Where are you?  Make your party stop doing this!!!

Bizarro Dude Mourdock is running for the senate from Indiana.  I would think his opponent, Rep. Joe Donnelly,  would be loving life with remarks like these but we are talking about Indiana.  It isn’t known for its enlightenment.

Rachel Maddow: Virginia TRAP laws shame Virginia

MoonHowler


It will be up to the women of Virginia to decide if the Republicans are going to make deeply personal decision for them.

The people on the board were threatened by the governor and the attorney general.

From last week– too much else was going on.

Richmond Times Dispatch:

At least one board member said members of the panel felt threatened by a memo from the office of Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli that warned board members could lose legal representation from the Attorney General’s Office if they ignored its advice.

In June, the board had voted 7-4 to exempt existing abortion clinics from the new construction standards, only to have Cuccinelli’s office refuse to certify the regulations.

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Ken Cuccinelli, the Quintessenial Bully of Women

Elena

I am unsure how the women in Virginia will now have access to legal and safe abortion. The reversal of  a previous ruling by the Virginia Board of Health, due to the bullying tactics our Attorney General, Ken Cuccinelli,  puts all LEGAL abortion clinics in an untenable position to operate.  Naral Virginia explains the consequences of the Boards actions.

On Friday, September 14, the Virginia Board of Health defied the recommendations  of legal and medical experts in voting 13-2 to subject existing women’s health  centers to burdensome buildings regulations. After months of pressure tactics by  Attorney General Cuccinelli, the Board reversed its earlier decision to  grandfather in existing clinics and exempt them from the medically unnecessary  regulations. If signed into law, these regulations will force up to twenty  women’s health centers in Virginia to shut down.

“We are stunned by today’s vote, and extremely disappointed in the thirteen  Board of Health members who decided to put political ideology before  evidence-based scientific fact,” said Tarina Keene, Executive Director of NARAL  Pro-Choice Virginia. “Hundreds of voices were silenced today.”

Wanna be Senator Smith (R-MO) is just an oaf

MoonHowler

At what point do we decide that these old men are just oafs? They are commenting in a world they really don’t understand. He wants to be elected so badly he tells the family secrets in the middle of a press conference. He doesn’t get it. His daughter should kill him. Smith is ignorant and speads ignorance like Todd Akin spreads ignorance.  Neither know any better and don’t want to learn more.  The are flat-earthers and proud of it.

These old men should not have control of anyone’s life situation—much less yours or any other woman’s. Send them packing. They aren’t bad people—just oafs.

For the record, “having a baby out of wedlock” is the most antiquated expression!  It belongs somewhere earlier than the lava lamp.  There is probably no expression that is more judgemental than that one.

Huffingtonpost.com:

When a reporter asked Smith to clarify what kind of situation was similar to becoming pregnant from rape, the candidate responded, “Having a baby out of wedlock.”

He added, “Put yourself in a father’s position. Yes, it is similar.”

Oh Dear God!  Tell me he didn’t just say that!   I am putting myself in a father’s position and I can tell him, it isn’t even close to being similar.  What is he thinking?  Do they just grow dumb old men in Missouri?  The  Show Me State?  Sorry.  It would take too long.

 

Anti-health care congressman Kelly compares health care act to Pearl Harbor and 9-11

MoonHowler

The Huffington Post:

Criticizing President Barack Obama’s health care reform law on Wednesday, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) likened the requirement that private insurance plans provide contraception coverage to two of the most devastating attacks on American soil.

“I know in your mind, you can think of the times America was attacked,” he said at a press conference on Capitol Hill. “One is Dec. 7, that’s Pearl Harbor Day. The other is Sept. 11, and that’s the day the terrorists attacked. I want you to remember Aug. 1, 2012, the attack on our religious freedom. That is a day that will live in infamy, along with those other dates.”

Wednesday marked the first day private insurers must include birth control coverage in their plans without charging a co-pay, per requirements in the Affordable Care Act.

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Contraception mandate to kick in on Wednesday

MoonHowler

From Politico.com:

This spring, Republicans were on a mission: repeal the Obama administration’s rule to require employers to cover birth control.

House Speaker John Boehner even stood on the floor of the House in February and promised that Congress would act. “This attack by the federal government on religious freedom in our country must not stand and will not stand,” Boehner said.

But now, with the rule set to take effect Wednesday — part of the “Obamacare” law the GOP hates so much — the fiery repeal rhetoric has fizzled. In fact, few on Capitol Hill are saying anything about it at all.

And that House vote to block the rule? Never happened — and isn’t in the works either. A group of die-hards on the issue asked for it again in a closed-door meeting Wednesday with House leadership but said no promises were made.’

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Med Student Launches ‘Cooch Watch’ To Combat Virginia Attorney General’s Anti-Abortion Agenda

MoonHowler

A medical student launched “Cooch Watch 2012” to combat Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s anti-abortion agenda.  It takes a few good women (and men).

http://coochwatch.com/    The link will be on our blog roll.

A group named “Cooch Watch” after Ken ‘The Cooch’ Cuccinelli just launched to fight back. They aim to stop the attorney general from forcing his will on Virginians. Medical student and former abortion clinic worker Stephanie Arnold is leading the group of about 10 women. Arnold said on a call today that Cooch Watch plans to “attend Mr. Cuccinelli’s public events, ask questions, protest, and remind Mr. Cuccinelli that he is being watched” and will be “held accountable for his actions”:

A rally was held to greet the Attorney General.  (see video)  Please note that we are aware that there is spoof involved.  How else does one work against someone as foolish as Ken “Cooch” Cuccinelli?  He might want to change his name to something other than “Cooch” after he sees the video.

 

Publications around the state and the nation have spoken out against Cuccinelli’s refusal to certify the recommendations of the State Board of Health who was tasked to come up with regulations.  They wisely chose to grandfather in existing regulations so as to not present an undue burden on existing businesses.

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Labor, health and education spending bill craters most reproductive freedoms plus title X

MoonHowler

Huffingtonpost.com:

Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) released a labor, health and education spending bill on Tuesday that would defund Planned Parenthood and Title X, block the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, allow any employer to deny women birth control coverage under the ACA for “moral reasons” and increase spending for abstinence-only education.

Specifically, the bill prevents federal dollars from flowing to Planned Parenthood clinics until the family planning provider can certify that it no longer offers abortions, even though Planned Parenthood only uses federal money for non-abortion services.

The legislation also states that none of its funds can be used to carry out the Title X family planning program or be used to “implement, administer, enforce, or further the provisions” of the Affordable Care Act.

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Cuccinelli refuses to sign off on State Board of Health regs on abortion clinics

MoonHowler
Coo Coo Nellie refuses to certify State Health Dept directives on abortion clinics

Washingtonpost.com

 

The office of Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinelli II (R) on Monday refused to sign off on state Board of Health regulations that had exempted current abortion clinics from new, hospital-style construction standards.

In a surprise move a month ago, the board voted to exempt existing facilities from the new rules, which would have required extensive renovations.

In a four-sentence letter to the health department, senior assistant Attorney General Allyson K. Tysinger said that the the office would not certify the regulations.

“The Board does not have the statutory authority to adopt these Regulations,” it says. “[T]he Board has exceeded its authority. Thus, this Office cannot certify these Regulations.”

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