Michigan Republicans say they need to pass a sweeping set of new regulations against abortion -- starting with criminalizing most abortions after 20 weeks -- to help women. If you watch tape from the House hearing last week, though, you can see that it's really about putting the constitutional right to abortion out of reach.
Bonnie Bucqueroux of Lansing Online News put together the video above from the hearing. She reports that the committee chair gaveled the meeting closed with witnesses against the bill still waiting to testify. At the 3:40 mark, you can watch as one of those witnesses gives her testimony anyway.
WOMAN: I am a voter and I am a mother. At 43 years of age, I became pregnant with quadruplets.
MAN: They've got another meeting coming in, so…
WOMAN: I'll be fast. The chances of a woman delivering healthy quadruplets is minimal. I was forced with the agonizing decision of deciding to selectively reduce or risk all four of my babies. Not a one of you has the right to tell me what decision I should have made. My babies, my body, my decision. Thank you.
The woman almost shouts to be heard, and no one listens.
Bucqueroux says the full Michigan House is expected to vote on the anti-abortion bills tomorrow. That gives you time to read them. They're not light reading, exactly, but they are in plain enough language that you can get what's going on: Michigan House Bill 5711, Michigan House Bill 5712, and Michigan House Bill 5713.
(H/t Eclectablog)
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Wow! Talk about ruling class. Vote these imperial foot soldiers for the religious right out. I had a friend who was orphaned, as Mom decided to do her own abortion (back in the dark ages), and died of septicemia. Had another friend, of some wealth who had an "appendectomy". Women can't go back into the past, no matter what the rulers say. Can't wait for these obstructionists to hit the evening news. Remember that they wouldn't let this group speak, as they have already decided what the rules are. Even if you don't agree with abortion (which is a small part of this package of bills), you may wish to have your voice heard, and remember, if our rulers don't like what you're saying, you're probably not going to get the chance to say it. So much for Democracy!
This has to be on women's minds (and men's) when they mark their ballots. This is not about rescuing anybody. The paternalism is apparent, but too many fathers do not care for their progeny,
My sister in law is in dire straits, but her husband became addicted, stole, got caught, served time, divorced, became born again, but his new family is more important than his first two, who are grown. Daughter lives with ex wife, but father cannot even pick daughter up from airport, which family members paid her ticket to attend grandfather's funeral. She works as a waitress, is Christian, but her health care comes from Planned Parenthood. Waitressing does not usually offer heath care.
I am very very upset with men telling women what to do, acting controlling, yet their children once born are too often left to fend for themselves, along with ex wives. Oh, I have a new family now… they come first… ahem…
My father married for life, he cared for my mother and his adopted son (my mother's first child from prior marriage and my brother and I. I never recalled my older brother's father doing anything for his son. My Dad was his Dad, all the way. My father helped my brother when he needed help… my older brother never needed money after he was an adult, but my younger brother was a bit more needy from time to time. My Dad "loaned" (gave) him money when times were tough. He took care of his kids and wife.
I am not at all OK with laws to reach into women's bodies to violate privacy and give government any more say about the medical needs of women. This war on Planned Parenthood, abortion laws are total overreach by the State. We are a free country (supposedly).
There is no black and white as these authoritarians would like to claim.
If people do not want abortions, then we need prevention. But birth control is also apparently a new concern. Yet Viagra and such has no objections, vasectomy and STD treatment for promiscuous men. EEK!
The Michigan Legislature spent 80 minutes on the hearing. It shows how seriously these officials take this law or their oath of office.
Every time our legislature acts, I cringe. Come November, I pray my fellow Michiganders are so disgusted with the Republican extreme anti-women, anti-union, anti-public education agenda that we clean house and elect people from both parties that are concerned with the people of Michigan and not a specific political agenda. (Unfortunately, I don´t think this will happen because of the gerrymandering that went on this year.)
karen you are exactly right. we dems need to vote---every last one of us.!!!!!
We need to prove that these people are not the majority or moral. Americans should ring the bell of every TEA-Republican across the nation in November. The TEA faction have infiltrated the Republican base and have taken over local and state politics to the extent these politicians do not listen. American's should take back America. No one has the right to impose their skewed religious views onto another for any reason what-so-ever.
It's unconscionable that we are still having this discussion and debate this day in age. Religion can not be part of the decision making for policy and law because it imposes by force what the constitution clearly provides as right and choice when it comes to belief. And my intelligence is offended when a foetus is compared to a living, breathing 4 year old child. What I hear instead is a complete and total disregard for the life of the woman that is here. It appears that she only has value and meaning before she can breath and think. After that, others decide those things that are the most important and meaningful in life; the quality and the way she will live her life. How about that? She has meaning and value as a non thinking possibility, but beyond that... How much value and right to can be assigned to being permitted to exst?
I find it amazing that the republicans are still trying to tell their constituents that they are all for less government and less intrusion into our lives!! How stupid do they think we are? This is the most ridiculous pile of people I have ever heard of and I'm 73 years old---so I've seen lots of piles of ridiculous people! These are the worst EVER!! I can only hope that more peope than ever will be angry over this and vote for Obama in November!! PLEASE!!
It is unconscionable that in the year 2012 we are still having this discussion about the governing of womens bodies. The only person that has a say in her body is SHE. Religion has no business here. And it insults my intelligence to hear a foetus being compared to a living, breathing, thinking, 4 year old child. What I hear instead is a complete disregard for the life of the woman, her desires, the quality and shape of the rest of her life. She only has value as a non thinking, non speaking possibility, beyond that the most important decisions of her life are not her right. What kind of right to life is there if it is remiss when it concerns her own body?! It is the right to exist without rights.
Koch brothers, & Grover Norquist will be running our country if Romney wins. Norquist stated that we don't need a President with a brain, only ten digits to sign what they tell him to sign. Norquist says they will tell him what to do. People have given their lives for the right to vote and we have people who won't get off the couch to keep this from happening to our country.If you don't vote, you can't complain
Marlene, I thought with the huge voter turnout in the recall election Walker was going to be voted out. Unfortunately he wasn't I am afraid Romney might be voted in. I would like to know who voted Walker back in. A friend of mine believes that the elderly voted him back in because they have theirs and the hell with everyone else. The elderly have it in there heads that republicans are conservative what they forget is these republicans are trying to cut social security and medicare. They are not educating themselves about Paul Ryan, these benefits can be taken away.
If abortion becomes illegal, then all men must have a record of their dna with the govt so that when the baby is delivered the records can be run and the man found who impregnated the woman and then he has to provide child support. Hmmm maybe when a male child is born it should automatically go into the records with serial numbers that follow the male around for the rest of his life. Just saying.... and women are voting these @!$%#s in so I guess that is where this country is going
The third speaker in the video is actually me, Rev. Jeff Liebmann (not 'Joe Liebman'). I serve the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Midland, Michigan. Unfortunately, the video chopped off my first sentence where I thanked all of the women present for having the honor of speaking as their ally on a topic that men should feel privileged to even have an opinion. That elicited the applause that angered the Chair.
I was proud to stand alongside 500 brave women and men at the state capitol today (Tuesday June 12) to send the message to our House of Representatives that they have no business legislating our bodies and our choices. The spontaneous chanting and rhythmic clapping and pounding in the rotunda went on for more than 30 minutes without missing a beat or weakening. It was a truly spiritual moment. The cowering proponents of this assault on women dithered and delayed so that they would not have to vote on the omnibus of bills while being watched by their constituents.
Thanks for your comments and support, Rev. Jeff.