Va. House scraps invasive pre-abortion requirement

[underpants]

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Amid a public uproar that prompted Virginia's governor to withdraw his support, Republican legislators on Wednesday dropped a bitterly contested requirement that women seeking abortions undergo invasive ultrasound imaging, likely dooming the bill.

The Republican-controlled House of Delegates voted 65-32 for an amended bill that requires only an external ultrasound, not the vaginal insertion of a wand-like device that emits ultrasonic waves that are used to create images of the fetus.



Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Va-House-scraps-invasive-pre-abortion-requirement-3352115.php#ixzz1n9nnGEhk

[MaineDem]

1. Thank goodness!

The idiots!

[xxqqqzme]

2. One very small, but significant, step

away from the rethuglican dark ages.

[niyad]

3. okay, so the transvaginal ultrasound is out, but an ultrasound is STILL required??? we are supposed

to be grateful that they are only being a LITTLE intrusive?

not going to be satisfied until all these woman-haters are out of office, and unable to interfere in our lives at all.

[LisaL]

5. Yes, it's ludicrous because it's completely unnecessary and obviously useless.

[intheflow]

46. +1000.

Abortion is legal, between a woman and her doctor, and a basic human right. Fuck these assholes who think government belongs in the bedroom but not in the boardrooms.

[LisaL]

4. If they are requiring an external ultrasound it's still stupid because

it won't even show anything early in pregnancy.

[KansDem]

6. If anything highlighted Republican hypocrisy, it was this legislation.

I don't recall hearing one "smaller government" Republican criticize this bill. That goes to show what hypocrites they are!

Nobody enjoys more being told what to do, think, and feel by authorities than Republicans...

[lastlib]

7. Not enough--ANY State-forced medical procedure is an invasion

A woman's body belongs to the woman--NOT the state!

[Brettongarcia]

32. In fact, the procedure meets many definitions of rape

The insertion of any object, into a woman's vagina, without her permission.

Texas unfortunately, with its republican supermajority, passed this procedure. But in Texas we are currently objecting to it, calling it "Republican Rape" for instance.

And in fact? It may be that this law can be busted for attempting to legalize a kind of rape.

In any case? Clearly calling it rape, over and over, in public, in front of the press, is a excellent way to embrass republicans. And to point to horrible problems with this kind of bill.

[barbtries]

8. still forcing a procedure

that is not medically indicated. still bullshit. but at least they backed off this much.

[Bozita]

9. So, ... now we're supposed to view VA GOPers as moderates?

Infuckingsane!

[Tx4obama]

10. And all the women should send the medical bill for the test to the GOPers in House of Delegates n/t

[Marthe48]

11. If the external ultrasound is also medically unnecessary, insurance will still not pay?

So it is still an unnecessary burden on the woman.

And about the transvaginal ultrasound? When you have one done, you have to fill up on liquids so your bladder is full, so they get a clear image. So it is invasive and very uncomfortable.

[rocktivity]

12. As Bon Jovi might say

Last edited Thu Feb 23, 2012, 06:25 PM - Edit history (1)

Whoa, we're halfway there.

Now that we've gotten rid of the instrument of state-mandated rape, we need to get rid of the rest of the law, which is now an instrument of psychological torture. So it's not over yet.


rocktivity

[Warpy]

13. "Wand like?" Bullshit

it's DILDO like and would be state sanctioned RAPE.

Why does so much of this shit come out of Virginia? I remember some years ago when they were trying to criminalize miscarriage by making them all reportable. I posted on a Virginia discussion board that women needed to start sending all their used sanitary products to the guy who proposed it so he could personally inspect it all and tell them if they had anything to report.

It was withdrawn the next day.

Make enough angry noise and the patriarchs will retreat. They, like all other bullies, are cowards at heart.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. Exactly right. n/t

[Magoo48]

35. Virgina named after Elisibeth 1, the virgin queen. Maybe this crosses the old boys up somehow.

[SemperEadem]

36. the same woman who said

"I will never be by violence constrained to do anything."

and

"A strength to harm is perilous in the hand of an ambitious head.
(Elizabeth in a letter to Henry Sidney, 1565) "

Semper Eadem (which was her motto)

[sarge43]

43. "I will open no windows into men's consciences." n/t

[juajen]

39. Exactly right, freakin' cowards.

I propose a brand new women's Bill of Rights. I'll start with number one. No decisions shall be made regarding a woman 's body without 100% approval by women ONLY. Somebody got number two?

[47of74]

14. Glad to hear it, but the pressure needs to be kept on

They still probably want to do this, so the pressure needs to be kept on.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

16. THANK YOU to the protesters who stood in front of the Capital building!

KEEP AT IT until the MULLAHS scurry back into the slimy dark corners from whence they came.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




fucking christofascists.

[markpkessinger]

17. People should fight against the external ultrasound just as hard as they fought the internal one...

... because the principle is the same: it amounts to government ordering a medically unnecessary procedure for what is primarily a political purpose.

[rocktivity]

18. We've simply moved from state-mandated rape

to state-mandated persecution, harassment and psychological torture.


rocktivity

[Bozita]

19. Agreed. No matter how you slice it, this is still a GOP anti-abortion, anti-woman victory!

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

37. Agree. Same thing.

Marginally better, it's "State Required Rape", just without penetration.

[Dawson Leery]

20. Not good enough.

There must be NO ULTRASOUND.

[ananda]

41. Tell that to crazy Texas Reeps and their conservative appellate judges.

nt

[jeff47]

21. Senate plans to scrap the bill entirely

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/02/22/430739/virginia-senator-plans-to-pull-invasive-ultrasound-bill/

Just moments after the Virginia House passed an amended version, state Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (R) announced she will seek to strike her controversial “abortion informed consent” bill, rather than accept a watered-down version passed by the House of Delegates.

[caseymoz]

30. Wow! A woman of principle.

She apparently thinks that only implement rape is good enough for women seeking abortion. What kind of conviction is that? I hear that in this bill, she didn't even require the woman to watch it. So, what was the point of having this baton inserted into a woman's vagina?

Yes, this was all medically and morally necessary.

Or perhaps she was now just looking for an excuse to get out of it after the shit-storm she's brought, and "refusing to accept a watered-down version" sounded so stalwart.

[AlbertCat]

40. What kind of conviction is that?

The kind that gets her to cut her nose off to spite her face.


Abortion is a very adult matter. These children have to stop pretending they know what they are doing.

[caseymoz]

44. Um, you missed my sarcasm.

Sometimes I think sarcasm is too broad to label, but apparently I should make the label a habit.

[mainer]

22. You think they're getting the hint that women have teeth, too?

The Susan Komen issue should have given them the heads up that they are screwed if they go after women's rights.

[randome]

25. The Komen protest, Wisconsin union rights, the Internet blackout and now this.

The power of protest works!

[kdmorris]

24. So, let me guess...

they now expect us to be GRATEFUL that they took that one tiny little step. Now they just require you to have an unnecessary medical procedure.

[sofa king]

26. I have to say I'm satisfied.

It didn't happen, but everyone with an (R) behind their name gets tarred with the idiot brush for it, while a new surge of interest, campaign support and contributions flow to Virginia Democrats.

Meanwhile, the Governor just removed himself from the VP short list by being both for and against it, which in turn makes a repeat win in Virginia much more simple for President Obama.

Good job, Virginia Republicans! Keep finding ways to hate.

[alp227]

27. Dear pro choice Virginians, please start organizing to throw some Repubgelicals out of office!

If Wisconsin could do it, so can Virginia (and does Virginia have recall elections?)

[INdemo]

28. And in other business the VA legislature quietly voted its self a raise..

Imagine that...Something like 67 Repukes and 35 Dems..quietly voted and moved it on to the Seante

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/virginia-politics/2012/feb/22/tdmet01-schapiro-lawmakers-quietly-move-to-raise-t-ar-1706104/

[VPStoltz]

29. Rachel M. said the WOMAN who sponsored the original bill is holding up this new.

[DFW]

31. Right victory for the wrong reason

It still looks like the radical rightist VA legislators fear Jon Stewart and Rachel Maddow more
than they fear their own constituents. What's wrong with this picture?

[MADem]

33. Why should they have to have, and pay for, ANY ultrasound?

This is simply "less egregious." They aren't shoving wands into orafices now (oh joy), but they are still intruding into a medical procedure for no damn reason except to FUCK with people that they don't agree with.

This is not good news, it's just "less sucky" news.

[Incitatus]

34. Maybe that was their original goal.

They asked for something they didn't expect to get and "settled" for something they wanted, however, the actions of these Virginia Republicans adversely affected Republicans everywhere with many who are not not on the far right.

[lunatica]

38. If so, what their original goal was and how they think they get it is Idiocracy at its most obvious

There's a lot of that going around. It being an election year and all.

[MADem]

42. Turning this election into Roe v. Wade all over again--and that is what they've done--

is as good as saying FOUR MORE YEARS for the incumbent!

It works for me!

[just1voice]

45. Thank you all of America for disgracing these Virginia bigots

Virginia repukes are still psychopaths who could care less about anyone or anything as abstract to them as "equal rights" but at least there are people elsewhere in the U.S. that do care about others.

[rocktivity]

47. We've won a big battle, but not the war.

From Countdown With Keith Olbermann, 2/2210:

CARMON: Even if you're doing it through the abdominal wall, even if you're not doing a trans-vaginal ultrasound, the total intention of this is just to humiliate women who are seeking an abortion and try to get them to change their minds...Intimate them, bully them...

OLBERMANN: Well, but it's worse than that because, in the new language, the governor is saying, "We're not going to mandate this, but the doctor will have to mandate this." So, the complete responsibility is shunted away from the state, even though the state is demanding it. I mean, it's a perfect — it is a definition of Catch-22: "You don't need to have this exam. We can't make the doctor do it, but you have to have the results of the exam (in order to get an abortion)..."

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rocktivity