
Monday at the Virginia capitol.
Another big day of news in Virginia. The state senate has voted to put the "personhood bill" on hold. The first piece of House legislation introduced by the new Republican majority this year, HB1 would have banned all abortions in Virginia and likely the pill, too.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch recaps the senate Republican leader's argument as:
the issues raised by the bill are more complex and far-reaching than previously thought and merit further study.
That sounds a little like the Republican backpedal yesterday on the unnecessary transvaginal ultrasound bill, which had Republicans saying they had not quite understood all the implications of what they were proposing.
Our guest last night, Delegate David Englin, writes to say that today's news "is a huge win," even as he notes that the revamped ultrasound bill is still kicking around. On the other hand, the personhood bill remains on a supplemental calendar -- you could see it as gone, or as merely lurking.
(Last night's segment: Back to the drawing board for the Virginia governor)





Virginia has a governor with V.P. aspirations on the brain - he knows which way the winds are blowing.....Time to "pretend to act" reasonable......
I live in Virginia and they are loosing their $h*t here. This is an actual ad that ran in the local county paper. Im hoping someone see's this and draws attention to it.
I think about the following every time I think about people that live their live their lives according to "the bible".
I'm not sure you've really gotten what the thing you've linked to is about. And maybe you're confusing religion with religious delusions. I can't be certain.
Schizophrenics may have delusions, which may be religious or non-religious, and religious delusions in schizophrenics may have more serious outcomes than non-religious delusions (imagine a delusion fueled by Matthew 5:29-30, for instance). But religion is not itself a delusion or a mental illness, nor does religion cause schizophrenia. What you've linked to isn't making such a case, if that's how you were taking it. I don't know that you are, although I can't imagine what your point is otherwise.
It's on hold as long as the national spotlight is on Virginia.
Isn't it their responsibility to the people to fully understand and investigate something before they try to pass it?
The Republican way lie, lie , lie and when you get caught lie somemore.
I am certain they will not probe the issues as thoroughly as they say.
Yeah just like Nancy pelosi's famous line... we have to pass healthcare to know whats in it.... they are all a bunch of liars and none of them have the country's best interest at heart....
Yeah except your line about Pelosi is a bunch of bullpuckey. Full quote:
What was her point? That until the bill was actually passed and put into record the only thing the public would know about the bill would be the BS put forward by Fox. Which is and was true. Poor choice of phrasing? Yes. But a far, far cry from what the people in VA did. Hyperbole in lieu of cogency doesn't give the impression of wit.
Translation of the excerpt from the Richmond Times-Dispatch you quote:
We, the Republican Brand of the great Commonwealth of Virginia, have just been caught with our pants down trying to strip women health services from the American Dream! Though we don't fully understand why our draconian, throw-back efforts to reimplement the "Cult of Domesticity" have been received with such resistant force, we will nonetheless withdraw the proposed legislation, tell you there is nothing to see here, and await for our next opportune time to keep our womenfolk pregnant and barefoot in the kitchen! -Kevo
Well Done!! Perfect!!
huey louey and dewey running the state of virginia now
Actually, the nephews were pretty sharp-minded and very nice. It's Unca Donald who's a blithering idiot and Uncle Scrooge who is a heartless capitalist. So don't blame the boys; blame the adults.
Larry, Mos and Curly Joe, surely, not Huey, Luey, and Dewey!
idiots and/or liars all over again. sigh.
If Mississippi citizens voted against a "Personhood Amendment" than you know it was way too radical!
Bingo!
http://www.facebook.com/events/184467261656818/\
Join us in person in Rva ...or in spirit.
This is a NATIONAL call to action. Women's rights are under attack all over the United States. We are encouraging people in every state to hold their own demonstrations in coordination with March 3rd.
There will be a national conference call on Sunday, February 26 at 9:00pm EST and another one on Thursday, March 1st. If you're interested, email us at Speak.Loud.With.Silence@gmail.com
CALL TO ACTION: Thousands Against the Assault on Women's Rights | #M3
Why do Republicians keep saying they hate BIG government? Then they turn around and want to rule women's abilities and intelligence to make their own choices. I will tell you why...they are creating diversions by using proaganda (religion, reprodutive rights, holding up economic progress...it doesn't end their. It is disgusting the republicians our so out of touch with reality!
Technically, if bills are sentient, like on Schoolhouse Rock, they just performed an abortion.
LMAO!!!
I don't remember that verse from the song... I wish I were enough of a tunesmith to write that verse!!!
Repub. ldr.:"...more complex and far-reaching than previouly thought...".
Translation: "We really weren't thinking when we did this." and/or "We tried to be dictators and/or political thugs, and now we're sorry we got caught at it."
FOR NOW.
The Republicans may bring up again, but I doubt they will be looking over their shoulders. I would imagine that some of the legislators will be up for election in the very near future. So the longer there is a hold on the bills, the harder it will be to pass.
This is what happens when you do not vote in the "Off elections." If everyone who has protested against Bills like this ahd voted in the 2010 election, most of these people would not be in office.
Just because it is not a Presidental election, does not mean there are important issues up for grabs. We have to make sure that every votes in eveery election!
They are making sure that anyone who would vote against them either can't vote or have a hard time voting, with their special voter id restrictions.
It is also what happens when those who are dissatisfied with elected officials vote for a third party or just vote against an opponent without considering what that opponet represents. There were many in 2010 who just voted against incumbents because they were incumbents.
Rev Skull....you hit the nail on the head.....WTP need to learn that we can never just sit one out. Just look at the mess that has created. GET OUT THE VOTE and get rid of the theocratic rightwingnuts.
Does anyone really believe this won't be back -- with a vengeance -- next year? Bob McDonnell was all for government-mandated transvaginal ultrasounds just a few weeks ago, praising this legislation and gleefully promising to sign it as soon as it hit his desk. Once he was aware that sucxh a bill would severely harm his chances at t the Republican ticket, he backed off. Virginia Republicans will simply bide their time until after the election. This is no retreat from the anti-female GOP agenda. It's about politics. http://www.sunstateactivist.org
exactly!
I need a break. If our employers don't object to any precautions, and we can clear it past the Illinois Agricultural Committee, I'm taking the little missus on a date. If not, we're just biding our time until the third season of Doughton Abbey.
Maybe they should take a step back and move a bit more slowly.
Every Republican I know is absolutely certain that not only will Obama be voted out come November, but that the POG will keep control of the House and gain control of the Senate. So there's no rush, they have time.
That being so, they might as well lay the groundwork for a post-Roe world. The Internet makes it very difficult to keep women from finding out about alternative means of abortion, so the States should immediately outlaw cultivation of plants with abortifacient properties.
An of you in Virginia should suggest this to your legislatiures.
A Modest Proposal: That Virginian gentlemen suffering from ED be required to have full proctological and urological exams, along with applicable imaging, before obtaining a prescription for relief from their life-threatening condition.
And, because it may cause risk to one's heart, I propose a full cardio check up. Perhaps they need to spend about 10 miles on a treadmill - that'll cure any "romantic" notions............
I believe the GOP is Getting the message as Twisted Sister sang in 1984 "We're not Gonna Take It"
The Republicans are using all this as diversionary tactics, to keep people from asking the really hard and relevant questions about the country in general: If elected, HOW would you create jobs? HOW would you boost the economy? WHAT'S your plan for reducing fuel costs? etc., etc. It's all "attack Obama" and "attack women's rights" . . . much easier to do than to come up with an American-recovery plan.
Their silence on all those topics is answering the questions.
They don't have a clue.
I agree completely! I just don't understand why it seems to be so difficult for people to see it this way! The diversionary tactics work entirely too well, unfortunately.
As a Virginian this is why we should make sure that the General Assembly is controlled by the Democrats. Unfortunately the next election is not until 2013. The Delegate from my District happens to be a Democrat.
I would also say that this is one time that I am glad that the Virginia Governor can only serve 1 term.
Rep and former Presidential candidate Pat Schroeder would be an excellent guest to talk about these issues. She was fighting this in the '70's and amazingly we're still fighting for reproductive freedoms.
I wonder where they keep the pods that these radical republicans are hatched from. I'm guessing up in Alaska with Sarah Palin.
The captain of the Republicant party has done left the ship. Now it's floating aimlessly with a crew of "hungry ghosts."
The Personhood Bill in Virginia is dead for the year. Today hundreds and hundreds of people showed up at the Va. General Assembly. We spoke with Delegates and Senators and explained why this bill was so horrible. Two Republicans, Obershain and Norment, stood to support Democratic Senator Saslaw's motion to recommit the bill. Norment said that he heard from Constitutional lawyers, physicians and countless citizens today. He said that he learned more about the bill than he had known before we visited and that new information caused him to support killing the bill. Obershain said that there were hundreds, if not thousands, of people on the Capitol Grounds in opposition to the bill, so it should be reconsidered and passed by for the year.
Make no mistake: Those of us who showed up to line the walkways and argue against the bill made the difference.
Early this morning at the Planned Parenthood briefing at a General Assembly conference room, the Sponsor of the bill, Delegate Marshall, literally wandered into the room. He began making condescending remarks "explaining" the bill to us, but was soon challenged with questions and hypothetical situations that would result if the bill was passed. He left the meeting having completely contradicted himself. He began by stating that the intent of the bill was only to provide pregnant women with a vehicle to bring suit in the wrongful death of their fetuses when assaulted or a victim of a drunk driver. As we posed questions to him and pointed out legal difficulties with the bill, he was backed into a corner and forced to state that the actual intent of the bill was to create a new status for fetuses as people.
It was a very satisfying moment.
I'm still wondering what would happen if one of these bills passed and a pregnant woman filed criminal charges against the fetus for reckless endangerment or sought an injunction against it [1]. I wonder if requiring the woman to continue with the parasite would run afoul of the takings clause, too.
[1] There's precedent for that, by the way: Jewish law in part treats a fetus which endangers the woman as a rodef, or pursuer with intent to do harm.
Thank you for your work. I hope more people will follow your example and participate in their state and local government. They will be shocked how much really happens at the state and local level for their quality of life. Well done to you and everyone who showed up. I'm not from your state, but I applaud your involvement.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!! I live in a rural conservative area in Michigan and was beginning to feel like I was going crazy. I so appreciate all those thoughts expressed on this page...so soothing..so real...so astute..so many people are fogged until someone else comes along and points out the truth!