McDonnell back-pedals on the ultrasound bill

MoonHowler

Richmond Times Dispatch:

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.

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Foster Friess: Gals, Jihadists, and Aspirin.

MoonHowler

Yes, that guy is an A-hole of the rankest order. 

A little background however.  Today Elena called me from her car, sucking air.  She was horrified and told me this story.  She had her radio on so she only got the audio portion.  I sort of shrugged it off.  I thought she was going to come through the phone and neuter me without anesthesia. 

Why was I not horrified?   That stupid, moss-backed comment was something I heard when I was a kid.  People snickered and thought they were being horribly clever.  Kids, girl type kids, rolled their eyes and yawned.  It was something men said and thought they were cute or something your grandmother said.  It was a short cut, and in those days, a less crude way  for telling girls to keep their legs together.  No mention of flies zipped. 

However, we are a long, long way from me being a kid and this jerk should have known better.  If anyone allows you near a microphone, you should know better.  His remark was stupid, ignorant, inappropriate, and lots of other things.  The horrifying fact is, the poor dumb ass thought he was being funny.  He is so out of touch with reality out in the real world that he actually thought he was adding some levity to the conversation by being dismissive.  He has no idea that millions of women will hear the name Foster Friess and his life will no longer be his own.  He is now a laughing stock and an object of derision.

 The real jihadists he is speaking of are here amongst us in the form of him, Rick Santorum and those like them.  He was born in 1940 so he is about 72.  He is filthy rich and involved in conservative Christian initiatives.  He has also donated to Scott Walker’s campaign as well as lots of money to Rick Santorum.  All that money and still socially inept. 

 When does it end?  Each days brings about another  assault.  Andrea Mitchell wasn’t kidding about catching her breath.  She was dumbfounded at his poor social skills. 

Sadly, Foster-baby thinks that “GALS” are thinking about sex. Wrong. They are thinking about de-sexing him.

Rick Santorum: Birth Control not a healthy thing for our country

MoonHowler

Just when you thought you had escaped the Dark Ages:

Virginia is on the brink of legislating a Personhood Bill, HB1, that effectively could outlaw hormonal birth control. It has gone to the Virginia Senate.  Fertility specialists and OB/gyn specialists have expressed medical concerns over a bill this drastic.  Of particular worry is treating ectopic pregnancy should this bill become law.    Virginia is the laughing stock of the nation because of the spate of anti abortion laws.  

Virginia isn’t the only hub of embarrassment.   Now video had turned up from 2006 where presidential candidate Rick Santorum says that he feels birth control is harmful to society.   He didn’t stop there, he elaborated that birth control really created a license where people could do anything they wanted.  He seemed to equate contraception with premaritial sex.  There was no mention of married couples. 

Most people do not share his views. We live in a western society, not some banana republic or theocracy. People may believe what they want, for themselves. There has been an all out war for the past several years on Title X funding, in particular, Planned Parenthood has come under direct fire on the national and state leve and is in constant danger of defunding.  l. Many of the same people who want to outlaw abortion also want to make contraception difficult to get hold of.  This kind of thinking makes absolutely no sense. 

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Todd Gilbert: Lifestyle convenience???

MoonHowler

Deputy House Majority Leader C. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) said Tuesday night that he “regretted” his “insensitive comments”earlier in the day about abortion being a “lifestyle convenience.”

“Abortion is a sad and deeply serious occurrence,’’ Gilbert said in a statement. “Individuals on both sides of this issue agree that it is tragic for all involved. I recognize that few women undergo the procedure lightly. It leaves scars, both mental and physical, that can last forever. I regret that my comments earlier today on the House floor were insensitive to that reality.’’

What was that Elena said about a war on women?  What further proof do we need?  How dare this arrogant man speak of “Lifestyle Convenience?”   How  dare he! 

I feel so betrayed tonight.  My grandfather’s family were Virginians back in the mid-1700’s.  My grandmother was a member of the DAR, her family were Virginians.  My people were here before there was a United States.  Yet tonight I sit here, as a grandmother myself, wondering what has happened to my state.  Who are these men who came marching in here and decided what they thought was best for the women of Virginia?  These dumb asses will be vanquished.  Sic semper tyrannis

 

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

 

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. 

 

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.

Ron Paul’s view on abortion

MoonHowler

Ron Paul has enough flaws in his views on abortion that you could drive a truck though them. Life begins at conception but….so if someone is raped a shot of estrogen is ok.  Then why isn’t the morning after pill a good thing?  This guy is a medical doctor.  If I listened to him, I would be so confused.  

I have never met a single person who believes abortion is exceptable  acceptable [sorry about that, gang] at 9 months.  I doubt I ever will.  No one does.  Surely they mean a life or death of the mother situation.  I am tired of that even being part of the discussion.  Roe v. Wade does not find that acceptable either.  But the lies and confusion continue.

Mr. Libertarian sure wants to put some restrictions on women. His logic is non-existent.   Perhaps he isn’t really a libertarian.  It seems like behind the scenes this entire election is about abortion, contraception and planned parenthood rather than about recovery and jobs.

The anti-abortion onslaught continues…..

MoonHowler

Richmond Timnes Dispatch:

Social conservatives emboldened by Republican gains in the General Assembly in November suffered a major setback Thursday when a Senate committee deadlocked on a bill to prohibit women from having an abortion beyond 20 weeks of pregnancy.

But today, the House of Delegates appears ready to pass a bill to defund state-paid abortions for low-income women expecting a child with “gross and totally incapacitating physical deformity or mental deficiency” after the chamber advanced the measure Thursday.

The vote was 7-7 on Senate Bill 637 sponsored by Sen. Mark D. Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg. Republicans hold an 8-7 majority on the committee, but Sen. Harry B. Blevins, R-Chesapeake, abstained, deadlocking the measure.

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Hypocrisy: Too big, too expensive, too intrusive

MoonHowler

Yes, Big Brother is watching.   Next time you hear Republicans complaining about government being too big, too expensive and too intrusive, remind them of what happened in Virginia this week.

This is perhaps the most offensive law passed since Roe vs Wade was decided.
The government needs to stay out of women’s wombs.
This is intimidation of the worst sort.

SB 484 passed 21-19.

Here is how the senators voted. Notice the one Democrat over in the list. Ours. Shame on Senator Colgan.

YEAS–Black, Blevins, Carrico, Colgan, Garrett, Hanger, Martin, McDougle, McWaters, Newman, Norment, Obenshain, Puckett, Reeves, Ruff, Smith, Stanley, Stosch, Stuart, Vogel, Wagner–21.

NAYS–Barker, Deeds, Ebbin, Edwards, Favola, Herring, Howell, Locke, Marsden, Marsh, McEachin, Miller, J.C., Miller, Y.B., Northam, Petersen, Puller, Saslaw, Watkins–18.

RULE 36–0.

NOT VOTING–Lucas–1.

Senator Howell was featured on the Rachel Maddow Show tonight.

Virginia is for Probing

 

Susan G Kohmen Organization Will Never Recieve Another Dime From Me

Elena

Critical update!  Susan G Komen clarifies policy to exlude organization found guilty of criminal offense to be exluded from funding.   They will now continue funding critical services to at risk women through Planned Parenthood.  I hope they can recover from the media damage they inflicted upon themselves.

 

I take this story very personally. My mother is a breast cancer survivor, both my grandmothers died from breast cancer. I am at high risk for carrying a specific breast cancer gene. I use to be a huge supporter of the Susan G. Kohmen Foundation. That support  has ended as of today. Apparently their leadership has made a choice to cut off the most at risk women who require low cost health care from their funding.

Furor Erupts Over Susan G. Komen Halt Of Grants To Planned Parenthood

The reaction has been intense this evening to the news from The Associated Press that “the nation’s leading breast-cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is halting its partnerships with Planned Parenthood affiliates.”

Much of it is highly critical of the charity, such as this message from Rep. Jackie Speier, D-Calif.:

“Komen’s decision hurts women — it puts politics before women’s health. @komenforthecure should be ashamed.”

Or this tweet from political satirist and Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead:

“I am crying in a cab at this Komen decision. Tomorrow we will rally. Who is in this fight with me! You can no longer sit idly by.”

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Roe vs Wade: 39 years later

MoonHowler

Yesterday marked the 39th anniversary of Roe v Wade.  It went quietly unnoticed by many.  For those of us who grew up in a pre-Roe era, it didn’t go quite as quietly.  Vintage women all knew someone or several someones with a horrible abortion story that happened before January 22, 1973.

There was Robin, the girl I went to high school with who got an illegal abortion  from  some butcher over in Elkton, of all places.  She ended up in the hospital with serious complications and the story made the local paper.  It didn’t give Robin’s name but somehow it leaked out.  It wasn’t hard to figure out who was missing and in the hospital either.  Arrests were made.

Then there were the 3-4 young professional women I knew who got abortions, testing the nearly legal procedure in Washington, D.C.  The procedure was expensive and multi-stepped.  It involved lawyers, psychiatrists and doctors.  As I recall the entire cost was around $1000 in the early 70’s.  Those were big bucks in those days.

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Myths about Planned Parenthood Part 2

MoonHowler

From the Washington Post: 

2. Ninety percent of what Planned Parenthood does is provide abortions.

That is what Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) said this month in a speech against federal support for Planned Parenthood; his staff later said his assertion was “not intended to be a factual statement.”

Here is a factual statement: Planned Parenthood’s abortion care represents 3 percent of its medical services — 332,000 terminations out of a total of 11.4 million services provided in 2009. Nearly all the care offered at Planned Parenthood health centers is preventive services and screenings, including contraception, testing for sexually transmitted infections, pap smears and breast exams. Title X funds cannot be used for abortion care at any time, for any reason. Federal Medicaid funds can be used to reimburse a provider for an abortion when the pregnancy would endanger the life of the woman or resulted from rape or incest.

States can use their local tax dollars to support abortion care for low-income women, and 17 states do so under Medicaid. The capital city did, too — until last week, when Congress overturned the District’s Medicaid abortion coverage.

Many of the so called “facts” about Planned Parenthood are not facts at all.  They are outright lies told because people want to mold reality to fit their political agenda.  The best way to prevent abortion is to prevent unwanted pregnancy.  It’s easier to believe a lie than work to learn the truth.

Many Planned Parenthood Centers do not even offer abortion services.

Stay tuned for more…..part 3 will dispell even more myths. 

Elena is now calling the initiatives to close down teen pregnancy prvention iniatives and Planned Parenthood, Pro-abortion measures.  I believe she is correct.

Dispelling the Myths about Planned Parenthood: Part 1

MoonHowler

 

Over the past few years, I have heard so many myths and lies about Planned Parenthood that I could scream.  Most are made up  sound bites that exist to prove someone else’s not so hidden agenda.

This week we will be displaying the 5 Myths about Planned Parenthood from the Washington Post.  I plan on doing 1 or 2 a day which gives everyone time to digest and discuss each one. 

Washington Post:

1. Planned Parenthood’s federal funding frees up other money to pay for abortions.

Opponents of Planned Parenthood insist that giving the organization federal dollars allows it to spend other money in its budget to provide abortions. That is not possible — there is no other money.

Title X is a federal grant program that exists solely to help low-income and uninsured people access contraceptives and sexual health care; 5.2 million people use the program annually. But Congress has never appropriated enough money to take care of the estimated 17 million Americans who need publicly funded family-planning care. There always are more patients than subsidies.

Further, a Title X grant is designed to help with costs, not to fully cover them. So family-planning programs are required to find other money to support the Title X project — not the other way around. For patients who qualify for Medicaid, reimbursement rates for reproductive health services are lower than the cost of the care. A typical family-planning visit might cost upward of $200, including the exam, lab tests and contraceptive method, but the Medicaid reimbursement rate may be as low as $20. 

This information is something your anti choice legislators do not want you to know.  Usually those who oppose abortion also oppose contraception and/or programs that provide contraception to women and teens. 

Title X was authorized nearly 40 years ago and signed into law by President Richard Nixon. 

The best way to prevent abortion is to prevent unwanted pregnancy.  That sounds like an over-simplification of the obvious, but some people apparently do not get it.  As we approach Roe v Wade week which brings the circus to down. let’s keep focused on the real issues which would be to make sure abortions aren’t needed.  that would do away with most of the problem.  Keep abortion safe, legal, and infrequent. 

Stay tuned for parts 2-5 of Planned Parenthood myths.

Eliminating Teen Pregnancy Prevention Intiative: Pure Stupidity

MoonHowler

Why is it that people who want to knock giant holes in abortion rights also want to knock out programs that exist to reduce unintended pregnancy?  Governor Robert McDonnell seems to be jumping on the stupidity bandwagon on this very subject.

According to the Washington Post:

McDonnell (R) wants to eliminate funding — $455,000 — for pregnancy prevention programs across the state that offer sex education and birth control to teenagers.

The Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative funds programs at schools and clinics in seven health districts, including Alexandria, which have the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the state. 
McDonnell’s administration says that the money is being discontinued because the initiative has not worked — and that the localities continue to experience pregnancy rates above the state average.

Although Virginia’s teen pregnancy rate is below the national average, 28 cities and counties are above the national average. In 2010, 10,970 teen pregnancies were reported in Virginia.

“The elimination of this long-standing health program could have serious consequences for women and girls’ health,” said Katherine Greenier, director of the Patricia M. Arnold Women’s Rights Project at the ACLU of Virginia. “Teens need good information and services to make informed, healthy choices. To ensure a decline in teen pregnancy rates continue we must provide teens with the necessary information, education and resources.’’

The program worked with 4,642 teens in fiscal 2010, including those at the Teen Wellness Center at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, which serves youths 12 to 19.

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