Virginia's vaginal probe ultrasound bill, as reworked by Governor Bob McDonnell, just passed the Senate 21-19. Our guest from the House of Delegates, Dave Englin, writes:
The next step is that the amended bill returns to the House for the House to either accept or reject the Senate amendments, which I expect will happen tomorrow. I fully expect the House will accept the Senate amendments, which will then send the bill to Gov. McDonnell to sign, which I assume he will, since he wrote the bill!
In sum, Virginia Republicans took another step toward asserting the state's right to examine a woman's body before she can have an abortion. Only the vaginal probe requirement is gone.
During today's debate, Democratic state Senator Janet Howell proposed a series of amendments addressing who would pay for the examination that the state would require. Earlier this month, she linked the vaginal probe to prostate exams for men seeking Viagra. Today, Howell proposed that any ultrasound be optional. She proposed that the state pay for the exam for women who can't afford it or don't have insurance. She proposed that insurance be required to cover the exam. She proposed that if a doctor tells a woman there's evidence of severe deformities, the woman would not have to have the procedure.
The Republican majority rejected all of those ideas. They did agree to add an exception for rape and incest -- if a woman has become pregnant that way, and reported it to the police, the bill no longer asserts Virginia's right to examine her body.
Earlier today: A Virginia Senate committee voted down a proposal to end Medicaid funding for abortions in the case of severe deformities. The Richmond Times-Dispatch says the state spent $3,000 last year on 10 procedures.
Leave a Comment:
Double down....double down.....Democracy?...I think not. Legalized rape...unlawful search and seizure...omg.
These Draconian creeps need to get their minds out of the dark ages and their unconstitutional laws out of our wombs !
If they are willing to forego this invasive procedure in the case of rape or incest, how can they defend it as being anything but a measure to punish or intimidate a woman seeking a legal medical procedure?
Well that's kind've the problem. Either you have to follow the ideology to it's logical extreme or you are being dishonest/do not fully understand your own ideology. This is part of why passing bills that pander to things outside of the practical realm is so dangerous.
When will personhood begin for women?
I feel like I must be watching a really bad movie...... how is it even possible that this sort of legislation is happening?!?!
Because in 2010, liberals and moderates sat at home on their asses while neocons and religious zealots went to the polls...
This is what happens. Just imagine what Jan 2013 will be like if these people were elected to President and won Congress...
1940s here we come!!!
You are absolutely right. 28% went to the polls in VA for last state elections. No one thought our blue would go red again. uh huh.
Just think about Santorum defunding public schools and state senates doing the same. Deciding all kids should go to parochial schools.
Please vote people, please.
GOP knows this will be a record turnout to vote Dems....thus voter supression programs across the nation....Get out there and do what every it takes to get registered.....Repubs are betting you can't do it!! Wrong!!!
Going to the polls ain't enough anymore. These jerks caught you off guard. Now you need to delve deeper than ever into each candidate. Do not let them or the media fool you into thinking Joe Blow is going to overturn this crap, check out Joe Blow for yourself. Obvious signs of trouble--liberty or regent college diploma, far right organizations backing them, etc.
Get involved anyway you can.
How about just looking for an R after the name?
its okay to get viagra but a women decide if the pre baby is alive and she not ready for the baby or its going kill her she cant decide. its not about saving lives as long as your soul saved they careless about you its about power this will in effect put women back in the household this is all they care about.
lust is a sin men hypocrits its equal to murder
The war on our Constitution continues. Does anyone really believe the worst parts of the scuttled bill won't be back -- with a vengeance -- next year? Bob McDonnell was all for government-mandated transvaginal ultrasounds just a few weeks ago, praising this legislation and gleefully promising to sign it as soon as it hit his desk. Once he was aware that sucxh a bill would severely harm his chances at t the Republican ticket, he backed off. Virginia Republicans will simply bide their time until after the election. This is no retreat from the anti-female GOP agenda. It's about politics. http://www.sunstateactivist.org
Can we have the members who voted for this procedure step forward for a compulsory digital, full hand, inspection of their rectums to remove their heads?
Virginia is strange. Aren't they doing something to undermine the defense authorization act. Forbidding the feds from arresting terrorists? or something like that. They are both right wing and left wing. Dying to see some polling in this state for super tuesday. Paul v Romney. No santorum no gingrich all the anti romney vote will be forced to vote for paul. should give us an idea how anti the anti romney vote is. He has never had 50% before will he in virginia on super tuesday?
Yes Don. VA voted to prevent any federal or military personnel w/in VA territory from detaining US citizens in a way that is 'against the Virginia state constitution.' I cannot find a more reputable news source talking about this: all the sources I can find are right wing news websites. But what I have found says that the bill passed by a large margin. The problem is, of course, that SCOTUS has already declared that such a bill is unconstitutional. Even if VA tried to enforce the bill it'd get thrown out by a circuit court immediately. And unfortunately it would get thrown out in a way that wouldn't end up nullifying the aspects of NDAA that people disagree w/. So- in other words- it was a pointless piece of legislation passed solely for grandstanding.
I'm not sure that the ultrasound bill can be said to be similar in this regards since it will impact people on a personable level. But it was certainly passed w/ the same stupidity of politicking as the motivation.
Men should not be allowed to make laws governing women's bodies. And legislative bodies should reflect the gender make-up of the state if they're going to start making laws regarding sex and reproduction. AND for every stupid-ass law they make about women's bodies, there should be a corresponding stupid-ass one about mens'. The prostrate exam for viagra is a good start.
Yep, rather makes you marvel in awe at the fact that this knuckle-draggers have wives, daughters, and even mothers... cringe...
Or how about a penis probe.
Everybody take a good look at Governor Vaginal Probe he is man who has been turned down so many times when he's asked a women out on a date. He now wants to get into every womens' girlie parts. He has low self-esteem and because of his nerdiness he entered into politics where he is now carrying out his mission to get back at every women that has ever turned him down for a date. He is a control freak and the American women need to call him out on this. He is creepy and he needs to stop sticking his nose in womens' affairs. Let God be the judge not a nerdy politician.
If the State wants these procedures done they should pay for them
It should, indeed.
So women who seek abortions because they fear not being able to support another child. (or because they, themselves, are in poor health) will be denied an abortion because they can't afford to pay for an ultrasound, a test that provides very little information about the fetus in the early first trimester and is thus medically unnecessary? These Republican legislators are adolescent in every way--insolent, crude, and most of all, completely incapable of thinking through the consequences of their actions.
Don't forget cruel. They are incredibly cruel to put such obstructive measures on abortion. Women seeking abortions who could barely afford the abortion won't be able to afford the ultrasound. They also won't be able to afford proper prenatal care. Even if they decide to give the child up for adoption, their life can be effectively put on hold while they endure an unwanted pregnancy and then recover from the major injury to their bodies from childbirth. The father is free to advance his life/career/education (or to go ruin another woman's life) while the mother bears 100% of the burden.
The more I think about this, the more I think the panels addressing these laws should be comprised of 100% women.
I'd be happy if only 50% of all legislators were women. Simply voting isn't enough. There have to be more women running for office but, I think, another outcome of the Citizens United decision will be that fewer women will be able to run for office. I can't imagine the boy's club of the obscenely wealthy backing any woman for public office.
It's time for the Doctors to stand up to the legislators sand simple say "NO WE ARE NOT GOING TO PERFORM THESE PROCEDURES" The people on the other hand need to follow the example of the Wisconsin protestors did take over the State House and not leave
Senator Martin, who sponsored this bill, stated on the Senate floor that a doctor who is performing an abortion isn't qualified to determine if an ultrasound is medically necessary. Remember that anti-choicers call these doctors "abortionists".
In my opinion, what he was really stating is that OB-GYNs who consent to abortion procedures (i.e. "abortionists" in Tea Party speak) aren't real doctors and therefore cannot be trusted.
The Senate was also reminded that TV ultrasounds would be necessary because over 90% of abortions are done during the first trimester, which makes regular ultrasound irrelevant and unnecessary. Didn't matter. They were also reminded by the only physician in the VA senate (Ralph Northam) how many years of medical training it takes to become a licensed physician. Didn't matter. He also reminded them that when VA is trying to attract new doctors to Virginia, they will have to remind them that our government mandates how they practice medicine. Didn't matter. In fact, none of the reasoned and sound arguments brought to the floor by those opposing these measures mattered to the GOP.
Signed,
Embarrassed in Virginia
Rachel get Michael Moore to do a documentary about this disgraceful legislation. Expose these tyrants for what they are nothing more than myognists
Amen.
That would be a fascinating documentary to say the least
I've put some thought into this. As a person with Asperger Syndrome who's special ability is to pick patterns out of complex, seemingly unrelated data, I would like to put something forward.
This, seemingly, suicidal race to put mandated medical procedures in place in red states everywhere seems perplexing, when seen in microcosm. There just doesn't seem to be an upside for republicans in these states. Women are going to revolt, they all lose their re-election bids, and so on. But often, looking at something at the micro level causes us to lose a larger picture.
Let's look for a moment at the clumsy Blunt Amendment in congress. Ok, that's never going to pass, but what is it really about? In the final analysis, it would do what republicans have been unable to do any other way: undercut the ACR. Now, let me get into the weeds a little.
States are mandating ridiculous heathcare procedures. My obvious first reaction is, "this is unconstitutional, take it to the Supreme Court!" My second reaction is that there is another mandated heathcare situation slowly moving toward the Supreme court. The mandate in the ACR.
What would happen, reader, if the foolish state mandates on ultrasounds mysteriously got ahead of ACR, and the Robert's Court were to rule it obviously unconstitutional; a ridiculous government over reach? That would set precedent, wouldn't it? Wouldn't that then give the Supreme Court the perfect precedent to rule the ACR mandate unconstitutional?
People may think that's not really a big deal, but it very much is the heart of lowering health care costs. Sharing the heathcare costs across the full spectrum of the American population would bring cost down by including young, healthy people in the pool. Take away the mandate, and the ACR becomes the Unaffordable Care Act overnight, and it would put it in a position to be repealed piecemeal as bad for the economy. And it would be bad for the economy. They only way universal heathcare works, whether single-payer, like Canada or the UK, or private enterprise, like Japan and Germany, is to get everyone to pay into it to lower overall costs.
See the possible connection between these ridiculous, or maybe ridiculous like a fox, laws that red states are passing and the national healthcare reform?
Maybe it's just another conspiracy theory. I'm not about to say I'm the Oracle of all things political. That's why I'm putting this idea out for public review. Many brains are usually better then one, and Ms. Maddow has been able to tease amazing things out of little information too.
I offer this for your consideration, the same way that many people have offered the idea that the Tea Party is all astro-turf, and should probably be called the Koch Party.
@oneCavalier
Amen and Amen
That is a reasonable, well-stated position, and it may have merit to it. But honestly, I believe these people see themselves as the saviors of our society and they don't care what the consequences are for the future. I have had discussions with people in my family who are actually in the Tea Party. You can imagine how those discussions go. They cannot and will not listen or respond to facts or reason. As soon as the discussion begins to shed light on how irrational their thinking is, they stop listening. They are college educated people- one even works as a public school teacher.
I believe it is actually their rascist subconscious. Their lack of street smarts. The majority of them are rich and are afraid to lose their money. Money is actually their God and they try to hide it behind a veil of religion. Shame on them! What would Jesus do is a phrase they have never heard. I pray they never have to experience some of the heartache and pain the majority of the 99% do. What are they praying for, that their team wins the Superbowl?
I don't know whether this is planned or potentially unintended consequence, but it should be talked up.
After looking at the care in which blame was shifted from Wall Street to the Government by the, "Tea Party," I can only conclude that the rich saw the backlash of the Great Depression coming around again. I can't take credit for this realization; actually, the point is made exquisitely in, "Pity the Billionaire," and I highly recommend it to anyone that wants to see how the American people were played as a bunch of suckers.
What it does do for me is make this sort of cunning bait and switch plausable. Let me just state that I, myself, hate conspiracy theory. There was one shooter that killed JFK, Bush didn't plan 9/11 (he doesn't have the brains, even if you include his whole cabinet), and, obviously, Barack is an American. That said, there are conspiracy theories, and plots hatched by people that are real, like the Texas 2 step that Delay accomplished. I'm afraid this may be one of those plots. It's actually very simple, and I can see no outstanding flaw that is the hallmark of every conspiracy theory. That's why I bring it up.
As to people that identify themselves as, "Tea Party," now, there are always people that stick on to a movement, no matter who started it, or how crazy it is. The Tea Party started on the premise, according to business reporter, Rick Santelli, that Wall Street Traders represented a fair cross section of America. Anyone who thinks they are a Tea Partier may not realize it, but they have identified themselves with the people that caused the crash in '08. It's a low information culture issue at it's very base.
Anyway, I put this forth as a theory so that people with better connections to our elected officials and political and legal analysts can mull it over. It may have a flaw that I can't see that someone else can, but the prospect that we might march right into another Koch style setup blindly doing the work of the 1% for them makes me a little ill.
A most fascinating posit. I remember a few years ago posting a comment about same sex marriage after it passed in Canada and how it would pass in the US as people despaired over little progress. I said it would happen on a state-by-state basis. Much of the opposition and impediment to the process in the US has come from a large number of Christian Churches (though many support it). In Canada, while many Christian Churches opposed it, an obscure provincial law of church privilege was the key that opened the gates to same-sex marriage.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banns_of_marriage
There are needles in the haystack waiting to be found.
I wish someone would sue these states for practicing medicine without a license.
This raging irrationality brought to us by the Republican Brand is a full-on assault upon common decency, doctor/patient privacy, women's bodies, and their very own "principled" idea of small government!
It was important to Occupy Wall Street to change the national dialog, and now it is even more important every center, just to the right of center, and all the rest to the left of center, to Occupy the Ballot Booth this next November so we can begin to change our pathway away from the journey to our distant past of Jim Crow, back alley abortions and the Cult of Domesticity and toward a better future not marked by static constructs of bigotry and prejudice that so diabolically defined our yesteryears! -Kevo
I call on all Women right now within reading distance to e-mail their Congressman and their Senators. Let's try to put an end to this right now.
Or march on statehouses brandishing nutcrackers.
The only way to stop this is to vote. Women wake up. Your bodies are on the line !!! You have to Vote, lawsuits do not work. Look at the Supreme Court and WAKE UP !!
A son of Virginia, James Madison speaks to us against his legislative "heirs". Unlike their own, his words are immortal. "There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." We shall not let this stand. Virginia WILL come to her senses somehow and re-take a position of leadership in defense of liberty (I pray).
http://i.chzbgr.com/completestore/2012/2/28/7ea69944-fe8b-4f02-aa44-8eade6862b0a.jpg
Women's Strike Force needs to be supported by all people against any type of legislated tyranny. If this movement goes nationwide within 2 yrs it could significantly influence every state in the union.
Please call Governor McDonnell's office TODAY to urge him to not sign HB 462, which just passed the Senate today. Here's the number: (804) 786-2211
Also, the passage of this bill makes Saturday's March 3rd protest ALL the more important! Please come out, bring 10 friends, and lets make this the biggest protest they ever seen BY FAR. We have an opportunity right now to turn this tide in a lasting way! We've already shifted the momentum - we just need to give this last even everything we have to change the direction of the this juggernaut!
http://www.facebook.com/ events/184467261656818/
CALL TO ACTION: Thousands Against the Assault on Women's Rights | #M3
Saturday, March 3 at 12:00pm at Va Governors Mansion
Can out of towners call?
Virginia government has such little regard for women. In my dreams, I'd like to organize a "Foster Virginian Women" program...something whereby every female in the State of Virginia could leave. Just leave the state in solidarity, for one week, two weeks, whatever it is, women would leave and stay with another family somewhere...
Wouldn't that be something....(did I mention the "in my dreams" part?)
A woman in her first trimester does not need to know the age of the fetus before she has an abortion. That's ridiculous. The doctor can estimate gestational age simply by calculating from her EMP (if she knows it), measuring the fundal height of her abdomen (with a measuring tape) and doing an internal exam. Even an abdominal ultrasound imposes an unnecessary financial burden on a woman -- particularly those who are uninsured and have to pay several hundred dollars out of pocket in advance of an abortion, because you can be darn sure that Virginia won't allow Medicare dollars to be used to pay for an ultrasound as a condition of an abortion. Even insured woman may run into a problem as insurance companies refuse to cover an ultrasound that is not medically necessary. I expect this battle is not over.
Denying contraception, denying amniocentesis, forced vaginal probes. Why are Republicans so obsessed with sex and why do they think these issues are winners? I wouldn't want to anger at least 1/2 the electorate regardless what the grumpy sex starved old white men in my "base" demand.
They have vagina envy and their wives won't submit to them.