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GOP Led Virginia Assembly Making Republicans Look like Biggest Losers

Unemployment is running at an historic high, 5.5 million Americans have been out of work for 27 weeks or more, wages have declined, gas prices are $4 a gallon or higher in some spots and Virginia Republicans want to waste time forcing women to have vaginal probes before they choose to have abortions. This isn’t just the wrong bill at the wrong time, when Americans want their elected officials to get the country back on track, create jobs, and boost this lifeless economy, it makes Republicans look like Puritans conducting the Salem Witch Trials and utterly out of touch!

As a cab driver told me this week, “Virginia Republicans are making us look like a laughing stock with this ridiculous bill which tramples on women’s rights and any chances for the Republican presidential nominee to win Virginia or the election.”

In their collective stupidity, Virginia Republicans decided to use their majority in the assembly to push an anti-abortion bill which would mandate a woman in her first trimester of pregnancy have an invasive ultrasound before choosing to have an abortion. At that stage of pregnancy the only way for an ultrasound to be performed is by inserting a probe into the woman’s vagina. (While they’re at it, the Virginia Assembly should mandate the man who impregnated the woman receive a probe up their genitals to be fair.) And the procedure would not be covered by insurance companies because it wouldn’t be considered medically necessary so a woman would have to pay for the state pushing its extreme religious views on her. But hey, their party line is “let’s just treat women like heretics.”

Making matters even worse, Virginia GOP lawmakers also introduced a personhood bill, which sought to change the definition of a person to a fertilized egg. It’s troubling at a time of economic turmoil that conservatives would focus on a social issue like abortion with such zeal. What the Tea Party movement taught us in 2010 is fiscal issues are the most important thing to voters right now and focusing on these issues help Republicans win elections (see House GOP Majority).Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell won the governor’s race in 2010 because he focused on the bread and butter issues of jobs and the economy not wedge issues like people’s bedrooms or abortion.

Standing up for traditional family values is important for Republicans to do in an age where political correctness seems to be driving the traditional family and morals from the definition of normal. But making social issues, like limiting abortion, legislative priorities is a losing proposition and a waste of political capital. Republicans condemned Obama for violating the Catholic Church’s 1st amendment right in forcing Catholic organizations to pay for contraception in their healthcare plan and rightfully so; however, Virginia Republican lawmakers are trying to force their religious beliefs on all women in the state.

The bill violates a woman’s 14th amendment right, as the Supreme Court ruled in 1973 in Roe vs. Wade . In the Supreme Court’s ruling, it expressly states during the first trimester of pregnancy, the decision to have an abortion rests between a mother and her physician not the state. By mandating a woman receive an ultrasound in her first trimester, Virginia’s anti-abortion bill deliberately violates Roe vs. Wade in an effort by Republican zealots to force their religious views upon women which also violates their 1st amendment rights: “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting free exercise thereof;” As individuals we may abhor abortion due to religious or personal beliefs but we cannot force our beliefs on others, especially since that would violate the US Constitution.

Perhaps realizing the disastrous repercussions this bill could have on the GOP and more importantly its presidential nominee, Governor McDonnell, who has endorsed Mitt Romney, is urging lawmakers to change the bill so it won’t require a vaginal ultrasound saying:

“No person should be directed to undergo an invasive procedure by the state, without their consent, as a precondition to another medical procedure,” said McDonnell.

But McDonnell said he would sign the bill if it requires a regular ultrasound. Following the governors logic, if no person should be forced by the state to have a medical procedure before having another then forcing women to have any kind of ultrasound is wrong. A better solution would be for McDonnell to encourage Virginia Republicans to abandon this madness altogether.

In 2008, the people of Virginia voted for Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama, turning this red state blue for the first time in 40 years. With legislative moves like this made by out of touch Republicans, Virginia has a good chance of staying blue in this election cycle and the GOP stands a good chance of becoming the biggest loser of 2012.

16 Responses to “GOP Led Virginia Assembly Making Republicans Look like Biggest Losers”

I agree with you BillKirkland, at least on the part of contraception, which is both less repugnant, and less expensive, than getting an abortion.

To Patrick, there is a need to be optimistic. We can’t let the world run our lives, if we do, then we are not free. As for victories, I am willing to accept the victories and move on, because doing so is legal, constitutional, and effective

and why should Obama ask womaen to take their religious duty shows how shallow people are please realize that the world is not just for the republicans world has more languages get with the progam seroiusly children are watching we should be ashamed the hatred we spill from our mouth it is the world that makes us who we are .He won get with the program

exception of talking nonesence what has the repulican cogress done.it is sad that the talk even makes news comon stop fighting the people spoke macain lost obama won get with the program children are watching closely.Pay attention Bush put us here come on tell the truth and believe repiublicans will be okay but keep up the nonesence and watch the county take obama .Seriously do you think this is about politics no it about a man’s skin color what bitter losers.At least we stood wit Bush even though he wasn’t right or won election fair and square.truth stand out from falsehood.,

I agree with VFPreacher. It is about religion and encroaching on the separation of church and state. Name me one other religion where any political party would stomp on their belief. Honestly, do you think Obama would tell Muslim women to stop wearing burkas because it infringes on a woman’s rights? Uh, heck no. Or that old people suffering from arthritis should not have to kneel when they call for prayer daily. Get my point?

If the anti-abortionist would reconsider their positions on the recent contraceptive flap. It seems to me, a major reason for abortions is unwanted pregnancy. Furthermore, If sexually active young women had access to contraceptives, it seems to me the number of unwnated pregnancies would be significantly lower: thus, fewer abortions would be performed. If the Right and the Left would simply agree to this compromise position and work together to implement such a policy, abortions I suspect would be significantly reduced. I am of an age where I recall the days when abortions were illegal. Even then however they occurred. While in college, I recall a young Lady who died supposedly from one of these “back alley” abortions that went badly. Don;t get me wrong, I think abortions are horribly wrong but I would never want to make the “have” or “do not have” decision for anyone. I am of the opinion that that decision must be that of the woman and her doctors. Who am I to get between the principals in this delicate medical decision.

Wanda Allen says:
“When those men accused the woman of adultery, what did Christ say? Whatever, HE said those men walked away with their heads down in shame and the woman was not stoned.”

Hey, Wanda… What Christ stated to those men, his stated as a mortal “man” -not yet resurrected. It was a man that saw value in the Fathers creation… and saved the woman’s life.

In fact, it was at the behoove-ment of the women in the village -that Mary Magdalene be stoned to death for tempting their husbands.

Christ the man, defended innocence from those claiming to be righteous. Is the cause of anti abortion so different ? They seek only to defend those that can not defend themselves… from those claiming to be righteous.

Wanda Allen says:
“Do you talk to your men about the priest that have been sexually molesting young men and yet the Republicans are still trying to whole them up as some kind of religious organization to be listen too.”

Just as the irreligious on both sides –“right and left” -of political ideology -you attempt to convolute and contort the singular abhorrent actions of the few, upon the entire group. Of course, I see your need to do so. -As it would not have the same impact or meaning, if you pointed to the few within the entire group… a group numbering in the billions -that has done far more good for humanity then the irreligious could possibly conceive of or show the equivalent to.

To put this in a perspective that speaks to you in the same language you seem to prefer… (contorted and convoluted) -Your attempt to group the actions of the few with the message shared by the many -would be no different then those believing in the sanctity of life stating contraction and abortion is only used by unscrupulous and promiscuous women in order to continue temping the men of the righteous.

This, of course, is ludicrous -as we religious hold strong in the sanctity of life and have shown a strong willingness to protect the mothers life by providing both contraception and abortion in cases of rape, women’s medical needs and to save the life of the mother. We simply draw the line at paying for unscrupulous and promiscuous women who use both in order to continue temping the men of the righteous…

Now, I’m not sure you have heard a word I have said… as your piling of the rocks is undoubtedly -deafening.

This is a religious liberties issue and not an abortion/contraception issue -regardless of your attempts to make it as such.

Do you not believe in God’s ability to take care of his people. In his ability to let people know what is right and what is wrong. In his capability to enact judgment when there is wrong done. He gave us a choice, it is to serve or die! What I find most interesting is that most people professing to be Christians seem to forget that this is not our final resting place. That we must stand before the “judgment seat” of God and answer for anything that we have done in this body while living. We are all so worried about what the other person is doing, that we are not looking at what we are doing or not doing? Stop worrying about whether someone is taking the laws of the land to the extreme, because that person will have to stand before Christ in the end. Just make that your sons and daughters, or even yourself is doing what God would have you to do and others will see your example and maybe want to follow it. You can’t force a people to accept your ways, especially if you are not following them yourself. All this uproar about religious freedom being stripped away, and people misusing tax payers money, all of us pay taxes what gives the Republican conservatives the right to say how my tax dollars get used….while parties are trying to restrict everyone from taking care of themselves, abortion is affordable to them, birth control is affordable to them, health care is affordable to them by our tax dollars. If the Tea Party/Republicans want smaller government, then don’t run for office, that money can go for ensuring that others have jobs like infrastructure, ensuring that millions of people that will be depending on SSI will be able to get their retirement when they have to stop working. If anybody is entitled it is the 1% wealthiest who would seek to stay that way, while talking out both sides of their mouth about our rights being stripped away! God is not pleased with us. He created us in his image and we have done nothing with the gifts that he has given us but do evil. There is good in the world, but we continue to promote the evil. When men can say and do anything that they want without being challenged you know that we are in the last days. When Rush Limbaugh called that young a slut and went on and on with his evil speak he was talking about all women. Women who use contraception for other things besides birth control. There are millions of Republican women, Catholics, Baptist, Methodist, Pentacostal, and I could go on and on who have had abortions, as well as use conceptration. Let God stand be in the forefront of our actions. Not the way you want to make him be, but the way He is in His word. When those men accused the woman of adultery, what did Christ say? Whatever, HE said those men walked away with their heads down in shame and the woman was not stoned. Men it is time to look at yourselves. You wage war not only on other countries, but on the part of you that God gave you as a helpmate, not your slave. I guess if you can’t win the election by addressing the issues, you will use any excuse to change the discourse of the conversation. I am praying for you as well as myself that I don’t become so angry that I will say something that I will have to repent of. Don’t talk about Planned Parenthood, because while the rich women getting abortions done for their indiscretions, poor women had to go to back door butchers for those same indiscretions which were probably perpetrated by some rich man. Judge not lest you be judged, and that is what is happening in this country today. How we claim to be a democracy when the good ole boys are slowly trying to take that away. The days when we thought we could control the world are gone. Let it go. Let’s just all try to get along using the little time we have left to do good instead of evil. By the way as you are supposed to be a “preacher” do you talk to your men (yound and old) about being pure or is it just to the women you have this conversation. Do you talk to your men about the priest that have been sexually molesting young men and yet the Republicans are still trying to whole them up as some kind of religious organization to be listen too. What say you. God Bless you

“trae lewis says:
Until the social conservative movement of the late 1990′s, reproductive right and pro life stances weren’t, and rightfully so, conservative stances. If people want to wage war on a woman’s body, fine, but don’t lump it with what has historically been conservative idealogy.”

Late 90’s -War on woman’s bodies… What ? -Are you kidding us… ?

First and foremost… You are not a women. According to your ideology, you have no say in the matter -for or against. Be consistent. If you believe it’s a woman’s right and a woman’s body (while completely ignoring the rights of the human life actually in question) -then you don’t have anything to say about it. You are of no concern. You’re opinion is neither required nor sought -or of consequence.

Now to correct the rest of your instance for belief. (not that it holds any sway over your ideology -as your ideology does not require truth or validity of ideology in order to be held)

The “movement” got it’s start in 57 when a group of lawyers, professors and judges sought to overturn abortion laws to protect women from rape, incest (they deemed it mental health or mental distress of the mother) or when there was adequate reason to believe the infant suffered from disfigurement. There were already laws written going back some 100 years -allowing for “severe physical disease or impairment” of the child through medical determination.

As early as 1967, the Conservative organization Virginia Society for Human Life formed and fought against what they believed was a poorly written law that was bound to be abused and manipulated in the years to come. Little did they realize how correct they were. A mere 5 years later, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized “abortion on demand” at aby time during nine months of pregnancy in all fifty states in January, 1973 Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decision. Including Infanticide.

In response… thirty pro life groups (Conservatives) formed the National Right to Life Committee later that year -and have been fighting the perversion of a protection they, themselves once championed -but disagreed with the lax and liberal language used to pass the law.

The protection of woman’s mind and health, while respecting the human life within her… has been manipulated and the language has been hijacked by leftist groups like planned parenthood… and the culmination of that leftist group that has become known as the Progressive moment. A movement that does not require truth or validity of belief… to be held.

As a former donor to Planned Parenthood, I was not pleased to find out about this memo – which says something about the motivation behind the organisation. I have not done the research myself, but I have heard that the founder of PP was out to do away with black people – and as the memo indicates the goal in the late 1960s was population control. I am about done, personally, getting on my high horse about my so-called rights to have a baby ripped out of my tummy.

Until the social conservative movement of the late 1990’s, reproductive right and pro life stances weren’t, and rightfully so, conservative stances. If people want to wage war on a woman’s body, fine, but don’t lump it with what has historically been conservative idealogy.

99% of all abortions performed in this country already have an ultrasound performed before the procedure. The only difference is that woman would be facing the screen instead of just the doctors looking at it.

It is normal medical procedure for it be done. Planned Parenthood confirms this.

Hang on a quick second, here… -I would tend to agree that today, at this time and point in most states, there are far more important economic policy’s that should take priority. But, Virginia has a 6.1% unemployment rate. Far lower then the average, nationwide.

As to the charge of “intrusiveness” -The procedure that would follow the ultrasound, is far and away more intrusive. I Would imagine if they were there for an abortion -having a live human scissored and vacuumed out of their vagina -the last thing in the world going through their mind would be “this ultrasound is intrusive and making me uncomfortable”.

We have allowed the left to use the “want for smaller government” charge to water down the party’s ideology… and replace it with their own. This has caused us to have to fight for ideology at inopportune times in order to preserve that ideology.

Thank you, again…… For the life of me, I will never understand how people, who cry for small government, want the government in our bedrooms, doctors offices or religious gatherings…….. I believe most of us want a government similar to the one in the constitution……. Let’s quit making up new ways to look like idiots!.!.!.!