As the Texas House of Representatives considered extreme anti-abortion legislation on Sunday, orange-clad opponents packed the House gallery and Capitol rotunda to demand that politicians stay out of women’s private medical decisions. They far outnumbered blue-wearing anti-abortion activists at the Capitol, a fact that bothered state Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Houston, one of the Legislature’s most […]
abortion
Texas Congressman Points to Masturbating Fetuses to Justify Proposed Abortion Ban
As the nation focuses on concerns like jobs and health care, congressional Republicans have turned their attention to a favorite cause of right-wing culture warriors: banning abortion. So on Monday, Texas Congressman Michael Burgess, R-Lewisville, offered his reasons for why the U.S. House of Representatives should pass a new anti-abortion bill that bars women from […]
Rape and Pregnancy: Right-Wing Politicians Just. Don't. Get. It.
After last year’s embarrassments, how is it possible that right-wing politicians still say such profoundly ignorant things about rape? We sure don’t know. But Congressman Trent Franks, R-Ariz., did it again today. He was explaining why his proposed legislation banning abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy shouldn’t have exceptions for rape and incest. From the […]
Gov. Perry Drags the Legislative Special Session into the Culture Wars
Today Gov. Perry gave religious-righters some of what they’ve been demanding by adding abortion to the list of items for Texas lawmakers to address during the current legislative special session. A press release from the Governor’s Office noted that “legislation relating to the regulation of abortion procedures, providers and facilities” had been added to the […]
Republican Lawmaker in Oklahoma Wants Politicians Out of Private Lives; What About GOP Lawmakers in Texas?
Oklahoma state Rep. Doug Cox, a physician who has delivered more than 800 babies, is frustrated with his Republican colleagues who want legislation limiting women’s access to both abortion and contraception. In a column in The Oklahoman newspaper, Cox asks with dismay: “What happened to the Republican Party that I joined? The party where conservative […]