Indiana: Abortion banned for fetal anomaly

MoonHowler

Washingtonpost.com:

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) signed a controversial abortion bill Thursday that, among other things, would ban the procedure if it is sought because the fetus was diagnosed with a disability or defect such as Down syndrome.

Shortly before his deadline to act on the sweeping measure, Pence called the law “a comprehensive pro-life measure that affirms the value of all human life,” according to the Associated Press.

The law, which was passed by the legislature earlier this month, would make Indiana the second state in the nation, after North Dakota, to ban abortion in cases where a fetal anomaly is detected. It also would bar the procedure in instances where the decision is based on the sex or race of the fetus. And it could make Indiana the first state in the country to require that fetal remains be buried or cremated, rather than treated like medical waste.

So this is where it is all going?  Fetal anomaly is certainly a compelling reason to have an abortion.  In fact, to me, it is  the most legitimate reason of all.  The cost and the wear and tear on families caring for a seriously disabled child is more than most people can bear.

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Democrats vie for opportunity to run for the 29th

MoonHowler

sd29

NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia has announced that all three contenders for the opportunity to run as the Democratic  candidate for the 29th Virginia Senate seat are 100% pro-choice.

That is good news.  Those nasty TRAP laws that keep popping up (Remember Ken Cuccinelli’s diabolical building code intrusions?) came into being because of a vote from the current senator from the 29th.  Virginia Democrats want to make sure those ridiculous parking lot rules aren’t used to stomp out reproductive rights for the women of Virginia.

Having three well-qualified candidates presents another problem.   I have had a very difficult time deciding who gets my vote on June 9.  All 3 candidates are strong.  All have worked hard for my vote.  The real question becomes which candidate has the best chance of beating Republican challenger Hal Parrish who has lost the pro-choice votes in the 29th by casting a tie-breaker vote for very restrictive zoning rules within the City of Manasssas.  His vote would restrict future reproductive care within the City of Manassas.

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Manassas City: Parrish joins the anti-reproductive rights crew

MoonHowler

Insidenova.com:

Against a backdrop of election-year politics, the Manassas City Council moved this week to enact new hurdles for hospitals, outpatient surgery centers and women’s health clinics that want to expand or open new facilities within the city limits.

Residents on both sides of the abortion debate packed the Manassas City Hall chambers April 27 to watch the council update its 69-year-old zoning ordinance to include new rules for “medical care facilities,” which will likely require special use permits to locate anywhere in the city.

Introducing the measure, Mayor Harry J. “Hal” Parrish II sought to frame the issue as “reasonable land-use regulations” intended to allow the council to consider things like parking lot size, hours of operation and access for emergency vehicles before approving the permits, which are also subject to public hearings.

Parrish, who is the GOP nominee in the hotly contested race to replace retiring Sen. Charles J. Colgan, cast the tie-breaking vote on the issue, joining fellow Republicans Marc Aveni, Vice Mayor Jonathan Way and Councilman Ian Lovejoy in supporting the changes.

Republican Council Members Mark Wolfe and Sheryl Bass joined the panel’s only Democrat, Ken Elston, in opposing the measure. A second reading and vote on the zoning ordinance is scheduled for May 11.

All three of the Democrats competing in the upcoming June 9 primary to run against Parrish in November – Del. Michael Futrell, 2nd, Atif Qarni and Jeremy McPike — were present for the vote and quick to criticize Parrish’s decision.

“He’s created this façade that he’s moderate and he really isn’t,” Qarni said. “And this vote is just an example of that.”

Hal Parrish needs to understand that he just lost himself a lot of votes in the 29th Senate District.  He needs to understand that he aided and abetted people who are pushing their own religious agenda down the throats of others.  Parrish needs to understand that his gentlemanly ways that have made people like him will not sweet talk voters out of making him pay at the ballot box.   I cannot vote for him now.

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Pro-Choice groups howl over McAuliffe appointment of McDonnell’s health secretary

MoonHowler

Sec_Hazel

Pro-choice groups are howling over Governor-Elect Terry McAuliffe’s appointment of McDonnell’s health secretary, Dr. William A. Hazel, a moderate Republican.  According to the Washington Post:

RICHMOND — Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe will keep Gov. Robert F. McDonnell’s health secretary on as his own, a choice that could help the new governor sell Medicaid expansion to wary Republicans but that also infuriates some abortion-rights activists.

McAuliffe (D) will announce Wednesday that he will reappoint Dr. William A. Hazel Jr., an orthopaedic surgeon from Northern Virginia who served as secretary of health and human resources under McDonnell (R), two people familiar with the decision said.

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FCHC sues the State of Virginia: May the force be with them!

MoonHowler

A challenge to Virginia’s strident anti abortion regulations moved forward today.
Rosemary Codding is the director of Falls Church Healthcare Center. In the above video, Rosemary is shown accepting an award from NARAL for her continuing efforts in the field of reproductive rights. That night she announced that FCHC filed a petition in circuit court in Arlington to set aside the onerous TRAP laws that will close most clinics in Virginia. Today, an Arlington County circuit court judge ruled that FCHC could move forward with its suit challenging the new TRAP laws.

Washingtonpost.com:

The Falls Church Medical Center is seeking to overturn an April decision by the Virginia Board of Health that applies strict, hospital-style building codes to the clinics. Among other things, the rules mandate the width of hallways and doorways as well as the number of parking spaces. Some providers have said costly renovations needed to comply would put them out of business.

Attorneys for the medical center argued in court that abortion clinics have been treated differently than other outpatient medical facilities. Solicitor General Earle Duncan Getchell Jr. defended the regulations, saying that the Board of Health simply followed the General Assembly’s directive and the law.

Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Kendrick denied a request by the state to dismiss the case. He predicted that the contentious lawsuit will eventually go to the state appeals court.

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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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Va. Health Commissioner resigns over new abortion clinic regulations

MoonHowler

 

Washingtonpost.com:

RICHMOND — Virginia’s health commissioner abruptly stepped down Thursday over proposed new regulations that would require abortion facilities to meet strict, hospital-style building standards that many clinics say would put them out of business.

In her resignation letter, Karen Remley, a pediatrician first appointed by then-governor Timothy M. Kaine in 2008, said: “Unfortunately, how specific sections of the Virginia Code pertaining to the development and enforcement of these regulations have been and continue to be interpreted has created an environment in which my ability to fulfill my duties is compromised and in good faith I can no longer serve in my role.”

I doubt that the anti-choice right will be crying the blues over her resignation.  That frees up another spot for an extremist position.  The extremists will say and do anything to advance their agenda.

Dr. Karen Remley is to be commended for her personal integrity as well as her dedication to safe women’s health practices in Virginia.  She knows that the TRAP laws turning abortion clinics into mini hospitals are simply a ruse to make abortion more difficult, less accessible and more expensive.  She knows that Ken Cuccinelli acted unethically and perhaps illegally when he failed to certifiy the recommendation of the State Health Board.

We should all be worried when someone’s zealotry replaces the Rule of Law.

Todd Akin has more voo doo medicine up his sleeve

MoonHowler
Akin claims that abortions are given to women who aren’t pregnant.  Isn’t that impossible?
According to the Huffingtonpost:
“It is no big surprise that we fight the terrorists because they are fundamentally un-American, and yet we have terrorists in our own culture called abortionists. One of the good pieces of news why we are winning this war is because there are not enough heartless doctors being graduated from medical schools. There is a real shortage of abortionists. Who wants to be at the very bottom of the food chain of medical profession? And what sort of places do these bottom-of-the-food-chain doctors work in? Places that are really a pit. You find that along with the culture of death go all kinds of other law-breaking: not following good sanitary procedure, giving abortions to women who are not actually pregnant, cheating on taxes, all these kinds of things, misuse of anesthetics so that people die or almost die.”
To think….this guy could end up as a U.S. Senator.   Plenty of people have objections to abortion especially if the procedure is performed later into pregnancy.  However, if someone isn’t pregnant it isn’t possible, by definition, to perform an abortion.
Akin talks about bottom feeding doctors.  How about bottom feeding politicians?  He certainly would qualify.

No Macaca moment for Ryan

MoonHowler

 

The sacrificial lamb?

 

If you want the most personal decisions made by government, by all means, vote for the Republican ticket.  That’s really what the week-long hoopla is all about.  Right now Not-Republicans are sitting back and watching the Republicans implode and duke it out internally.  It should have happened a long time ago.  The Democrats don’t need to throw rocks.  The Republicans are taking care of that nasty little task.  Every party needs a fall guy.

The attack on Todd Akin by Republicans is totally bat crap crazy.  If you look at the voting records of say..oh…Paul Ryan, and Todd Akin on reproductive rights, they will match, vote for vote.  Many of the movers and shakers of the “pro-life” movement also match Ryan and Akin.  Yet Akin is being painted as the  party bad boy?  Why?

…Because he talked in public.  Every last one of those uber-extremists wants to get rid of all exceptions to abortion.  They don’t want to just get rid of the exceptions where Medicaid is concerned.  They want abortion illegal for every reason.  Some might make an exception for life of the mother…might.  Most will not.

Don’t be sweet talked into thinking Akin is the only extremist out there.  He is not.  Paul Ryan and many others are right there with him.  They just didn’t have a Macaca moment like Akin did.