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Thursday, April 28, 2011

Russell, Rampelberg and Verchio all voted for this...

That is, Rep. Lance Russell, Rep. Mike Verchio, and Sen. Bruce Rampelberg, South Dakota's District 30 "representation" in the statehouse. They all supported one of the most offensive and indefensible laws I have ever tried to read.

I hope I can induce you to read HB1217. Two clauses are particularly offensive;

During the initial consultation between the physician and the pregnant mother, prior to scheduling a surgical or medical abortion, the physician shall:
(1) Do an assessment of the pregnant mother's circumstances to make a reasonable determination whether the pregnant mother's decision to submit to an abortion is the result of any coercion, subtle or otherwise. In conducting that assessment, the physician shall obtain from the pregnant mother the age or approximate age of the father of the unborn child, and the physician shall determine whether any disparity in the age between the mother and father is a factor in creating an undue influence or coercion;...


and

Prior to the day of any scheduled abortion the pregnant mother must have a consultation at a pregnancy help center at which the pregnancy help center shall inform her about what education, counseling, and other assistance is available to help the pregnant mother keep and care for her child, and have a private interview to discuss her circumstances that may subject her decision to coercion;...

The rest of 1217 is bullshit, too. I submit that anyone who signed on to this bill--Verchio, Rampelberg, Russell, et. al.--is certifiably insane. I can't believe that a legislator from District 30 is clever enough to be consciously part of an authoritarian movement that resembles the worst of the Middle East politics that we despise. On the other hand, authoritarian movements take advantage of morons as a matter of course.

9 comments:

larry kurtz said...

So, Mr. Newland: how would reverse this cascade into red state collapse not running as just another male wasicu seeking to control the civil rights of women, especially when the majority of people in District 30 are clamoring to a return to the 19th century and where raining bombs on children of color from remotely piloted aircraft is seen an economic development solution?

caheidelberger said...

Religious authoritarianism is only bad when its practiced by people who don't look like us. That's the only sense I can make of Republicans screaming about Shariah law but passing their own version on their own women.

Duffer said...

It's interesting that legislators from this District (30) continually sign on to this series of law, and are not held accountable for it by voters.

Interesting in view of the fact that the last time Roger Hunt, Bob Fischer, and their minions attempted to criminalize abortion via the ballot box . . . fully 67% of District 30 voters rejected the proposition.

District 30 reps respond by voting for this new law. Interesting.

Bob - this is the State Republican Party's effort. These are the same folks that drown your medical cannabis efforts. They're Fascists - clearly.

Are you sure you're more comfortable aligning yourself with these fine folks?

Bob Newland said...

I don't think most people would call my position "aligning" with these folks. In fact, Duff, they must align with me in order to accurately call their positions "conservative."

As I said over at Blogmore: "In the mid-’60s I was privy to much knowledge of misery among folks who were pregnant and did not want to be. I quickly discarded my upbringing’s impression that abortion was murder when I saw that misery and the lengths to which it would lead a woman (girl) to rid herself of the burden of an accident.

"I spent my entire childhood and adolescence in a time when abortion was illegal in every state. Folks of my acquaintance performed self-abortions, went to black-market abortionists (some with just midwife training), and flew to foreign ports for legal abortions.

"I still get increasingly squirmy about the morality of abortion as the term of pregnancy advances. However, as a true conservative, I am more nervous about governmental intrusion into what I believe is a moral decision, not a legal one, than I am with trying to determine which late-term abortions are acceptable as a matter of law.

"For me it’s as simple as this: A government powerful enough to prohibit abortion is a government strong enough to mandate abortion. Government simply should not be that strong. That is the REAL conservative position."

Duffer said...

Absolutely . . . your position aligns with the majority of those in the SD Democratic party.

I don't think many of us are comfortable any more with either Party's lack of platfform, or stomach for one. Fear and Loathing is all they have to spread; but yer Republicans . . . they're some weird cats.

Bob Newland said...

On that issue, Duff, I probably align with Ds more than Rs.

Neither Ds or Rs are consistent in their reasoning, which is why it is difficult for a REAL conservative to attract a majority of votes.

larry kurtz said...

So, wouldn't it make more sense to preserve your resources and stay out of the primary to run as an Indy?

Bob Newland said...

If a person wants to be elected in District 30 while expending the least possible of his or his supporters' resources, he must be nominated under the Republican flag.

It's conceivable that an Independent could be elected after campaigning under a "You guys aren't conservative enough" banner, but it would be expensive to win.

Rampelberg, Verchio and Russell are all vulnerable to a Republican challenge. The expense there would all need to be directed at establishing the challenger's Republican credentials.

Republican credentials are as easy to fabricate as a Hawaii birth certificate. A little grease here, a little PhotoShop there, pretty soon you're talking about REAL credentials.

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