Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
On the National Level
In late January, I wrote a post titled Rape Redefined and Brought to You by the US House of Representatives in which I 
talked about members of Congress—mostly Republicans—who were attempting to “redefine” what the only REAL kind of rape is—that would be “forcible rape.” (I wasn’t aware there was any other kind of rape.) These Congressmen were proposing legislation that would no longer consider the following types of sexual assault as rape: The rapes of women with limited mental capacity and rapes in which women were drugged or given excessive amounts of alcohol.
Last week, Lawrence Rafferty (rafflaw) wrote a post titled The Right’s War on Women in which he discussed legislation proposed by Rep. Mike Pence (R-Indiana) that would eliminate the entire budget for Title X. Lawrence wrote: “Rep. Pence and his fellow Republicans are trying to defund Planned Parenthood because it receives millions from Title X funds to assist women in their family planning and health matters. In order to try to end abortions without testing the strength of Roe v. Wade in the courts, the sponsors and backers of this bill don’t care if low-income women suffer by not getting the health care that they so desperately need. Many of these same legislators also backed the repeal of the Affordable Health Care act which would also assist low-income women get affordable health care.”
And Now from the State of Georgia
Just yesterday, I read about State Rep. Bobby Franklin of Georgia who is introducing legislation in his state that would require proof that a miscarriage—aka a spontaneous abortion—was the result of natural causes. If this legislation passes, there would have to be proof that a woman’s miscarriage was the result of natural causes. If a woman can’t prove that—she might face felony charges!
From a piece in Daily Kos: “Franklin wants to create a Uterus Police to investigate miscarriages, and requires that any time a miscarriage occurs, whether in a hospital or without medical assistance, it must be reported and a fetal death certificate issued. If the cause of death is unknown, it must be investigated. If the woman can’t tell how it happened, then those Uterus Police can ask family members and friends how it happened. Hospitals are required to keep records of anyone who has a spontaneous abortion and report it. Yup, we’ve been waiting for someone to suggest this–and Franklin has.”
Here’s the link to Franklin’s bill:
http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display.aspx?Legislation=31965
There are millions and millions of American women who suffer/have suffered miscarriages through no fault of their own. Suffering a miscarriage can be an emotionally wrenching experience for a woman. Imagine losing a much wanted pregnancy–and then having to prove the miscarriage was the result of natural causes. How does a woman do that, Rep. Franklin? Can you explain to the women of Georgia how they should go about gathering evidence to prove that they haven’t committed a felony when they have a miscarriage?
By the way, Rep. Franklin also introduced a bill to change Georgia’s criminal codes so that victims of rape, stalking, and family violence could only be referred to as “accusers” until defendants have been convicted.
FYI
Here are some statistics on miscarriage for you:
From WebMed
Frequency of Miscarriages in the United States
The overall miscarriage rate is reported as 15-20%, which means 15-20% of recognized pregnancies result in miscarriage. The frequency of spontaneous miscarriage increases further with maternal age. With the development of highly sensitive assays for hCG levels, pregnancies can be detected prior to the expected next period. When these highly sensitive hCG assays are used early, the magnitude of pregnancy loss significantly increases to about 60-70%. Late implantation by the conceptus beyond the usual 8-10 days after ovulation also has an increased risk of miscarriage.
About 80% of miscarriages occur within the first trimester. The frequency of miscarriage decreases with increasing gestational age. Recurrent miscarriage, defined as 2-3 pregnancy losses, affects about 1% of all couples.
From American Pregnancy Association
Miscarriage is the most common type of pregnancy loss, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Studies reveal that anywhere from 10-25% of all clinically recognized pregnancies will end in miscarriage. Chemical pregnancies may account for 50-75% of all miscarriages. This occurs when a pregnancy is lost shortly after implantation, resulting in bleeding that occurs around the time of her expected period. The woman may not realize that she conceived when she experiences a chemical pregnancy.
Sources
Washington Monthly (Political Animal)
GOP Campaign Against Birth Control Officially Too Crazy for Scaife
Thursday 03 March 2011
by: Lindsay Beyerstein | The Media Consortium | News Analysis
We all have our limits. The GOP’s crusade against Planned Parenthood is officially too crazy for right-wing philanthropist and media baron Richard Mellon Scaife.
In a recent op/ed column, Scaife broke with House Republicans over their resolution to de-fund Planned Parenthood and the entire Title X family planning program, Scot Kersgaard reports in the Minnesota Independent. Scaife writes that Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, was friends with his grandmother.
Sanger was apparently a good influence on young Richard. Scaife reminisces in the Pittsburgh Union Tribune:
I met Sanger several times before her death in 1966 and was impressed by her intellect and her commitment to many issues, not the least of which was enabling every woman to be “the absolute mistress of her own body,” as she put it.
As Scaife points out in his column, the campaign to de-fund Planned Parenthood is being orchestrated by anti-abortion activists, but abortion is only a small part of the organization’s mission. He notes that over 90% of Planned Parenthood’s budget goes towards preventing unplanned pregnancies. Furthermore, 0% of Planned Parenthood’s federal funding goes toward abortions.
Peeping Toms
Amanda Marcotte writes in AlterNet about the lecherous face of the modern anti-choice movement. Humiliating women in the name of saving fetuses has become a cherished project of the anti-choice movement. Since Roe v. Wade, states have been limited in their ability to directly restrict abortions. So, one tried and true strategy to separate women from their constitutional rights without actually banning abortions is to throw up as many degrading hurdles as possible.
Some states force women to view their own ultrasounds before they can terminate their pregnancies. Others make health care providers deliver a canned speech about how abortion is killing a person. South Dakota, Marcotte notes, is weighing a bill to force women to attend so-called “crisis pregnancy centers,” which are not health care facilities at all, but rather anti-choice propaganda outlets.
Marcotte also details a new bill in Kansas that would require minors seeking abortions without parental permission to submit to interrogation by a mental health professional–as if seeking an abortion were evidence of a mental illness. Ostensibly, this interview is to determine whether the teen is mature enough to make her own decision about abortion, but the real impetus seems to be to make the bypass process as humiliating as possible in the hopes that more young women will give up and bear children.
The Larger Context
Ilyse Hogue of The Nation explains why the right went after Planned Parenthood, ACORN, and the public sector unions:
[W]hile it’s obvious that the right wing is out to break the back of the progressive movement, it’s easy to miss the strategy that guides their selection of specific targets. Their attacks are all carefully aimed at the same critical juncture: institutions that work for people in their daily lives and in the political arena, those that connect people’s personal struggles across the country to the political struggle in Washington. Once we recognize the critical role these progressive service organizations play in building progressive politics, the right’s broader strategy in Wisconsin and elsewhere becomes clear. Scott Walker is a soldier in the same army as James O’ Keefe and Lila Rose, the right-wing video pranksters who tried to smear ACORN and Planned Parenthood.
http://www.truth-out.org/gop-campaign-against-birth-control-officially-too-crazy-scaife68178
Sigh … South Dakota’s at it again:
South Dakota forces women to obtain religious counseling prior to abortion
by: rachel_nygaard
Wed Mar 02, 2011 at 16:55:40 PM CST
South Dakota (home of the ‘legal to kill doctors’ bill) moves a bill on to the governor that forces women to obtain counseling from a crisis pregnancy center 72 hours prior to an abortion. This bill was pushed through under the guise of protecting women from coercion and ensuring that women don’t rush into a decision. Women don’t rush into these decisions and already have to wait 24 hours to receive this medical procedure. The legislature also already mandates counseling at the clinic prior to an abortion, this new bill simply adds yet another roadblock to a woman’s right to choose.
The bill states that the doctor must obtain a signed document from the cpc stating that the woman went in and talked to a cpc counsellor. The bill also says that the cpc has no obligation to give a woman that form. CPCs are generally religious organizations that coerce women and push their own religious beliefs. Unfortunately, these religious organizations are not required to provide accurate medical information or referrals (even if asked) to medical clinics. This is yet another step backwards for South Dakota women.
South Dakota forces women to obtain religious counseling prior to abortion
Planned Parenthood press release
The South Dakota Legislature passed a bill today that requires a woman who is seeking an abortion to first prove that she has received “counseling” from one of the state’s unlicensed, unaccredited and unregulated “crisis pregnancy centers.”
The bill, the first of its kind in the nation, imposes a 72-hour waiting period for an abortion after a woman’s initial consultation with her doctor and requires a physician to obtain written proof from a patient that she sought counseling at a “crisis pregnancy center.” Physicians who fail to comply could be fined $10,000.
“The voters of South Dakota, by resounding margins at the ballot box, twice have told their legislators that the decision to have an abortion is between a woman, her family and her doctor and that government should not intrude on that decision,” said Sarah Stoesz, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. “We know that women reflect, talk with friends and family, and consult with pastors and their doctors before making this difficult decision. This bill intrudes on those relationships, shows contempt for women and disdain for voters’ wishes.”
Under the new law, there are no requirements surrounding the qualifications of the centers’ “counselors” and no rules or regulations governing patient privacy. Furthermore, the crisis pregnancy centers must have as their central mission a desire to dissuade a woman from having an abortion, no matter what her particular risks or circumstances. Studies have shown repeatedly that “crisis pregnancy centers” fail to give scientifically accurate medical information to women. In one congressional report, 87 percent of crisis pregnancy centers contacted by investigators gave false or misleading information about abortion.
“In the name of ‘preventing coercion,’ this bill establishes state-mandated coercion of women into completing all pregnancies, and the hypocrisy is simply mind-boggling,” said Dr. Marvin Buehner, a Rapid City obstetrician/gynecologist who testified against the bill Monday.
In addition, the South Dakota State Medical Association (SDSMA) issued a strong statement in opposition: “The SDSMA … believes that physicians should be offered the ability to treat and care for patients according to their medical training and evidence based medicine. Allowing the specifics of the practice of medicine to be subject to the whims of the legislative body creates a slippery slope that should be avoided.”
The new law comes in the midst of other legislation to impose severe restrictions on abortion, including a proposal to expand the definition of “justifiable homicide” to create a legal defense for the murder of an abortion doctor.
“We all want a society that protects and values a woman’s life and health. And we all want strong, safe families in which every child has a chance to thrive and prosper,” said Stoesz. “But South Dakota legislators persist in putting women and families at risk, intruding on personal decisions, and violating of voters’ trust.
“We are prepared to protect and preserve reproductive justice in South Dakota, whether through grassroots organizing, lobbying, or litigating. We will not abandon women and families in the state of South Dakota.”
http://www.mnprogressiveproject.com/diary/8563/south-dakota-forces-women-to-obtain-religious-counseling-prior-to-abortion
Elaine,
I think Ms. Harris-Perry must have read your article!
From The Nation
The War on Women’s Futures
Melissa Harris-Perry
March 3, 2011
http://www.thenation.com/article/158981/war-womens-futures
Excerpt:
Using small-government, libertarian rhetoric, the Tea Party ushered in a new crop of Republican leaders under the banner of fiscal responsibility. But the aggressive antichoice legislation coming from the new GOP majority in the House makes perfectly clear that belt-tightening deficit reduction is entirely compatible with an older social agenda committed to pushing American women out of the public sphere.
These initiatives are well coordinated and poised to make an enormous impact on women’s lives. House Republicans, joined by ten Democrats, passed Mike Pence’s bill to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood, which in addition to pregnancy termination provides basic reproductive healthcare, STD testing, birth control and cancer screenings to millions of American women. The Republican Party has also proposed eliminating more than $1 billion from Head Start’s budget. As a result, 157,000 children may go without preschool care.
Meanwhile, the South Dakota legislature has considered a bill justifying homicide in the case of imminent harm to a fetus, a law that critics believe may in effect legalize the murder of abortion providers. Republicans in Arizona have proposed different birth certificates for children born to women who are not US citizens in order to nullify the birthright citizenship established by the Fourteenth Amendment. And Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is poised to eliminate most of the collective bargaining rights of public employees, including nurses, teachers and other pink-collar workers who are disproportionately women.
These may seem like disparate policy efforts, but they are not. They are the product of the ethnic and economic anxieties of conservative white Americans whose determination to “take our country back” has been a rallying cry since Barack Obama’s election. Women’s bodies and lives are the terrain on which this conservative movement is making its stand.
Since the introduction of the birth control pill and the legalization of abortion, women in America have significantly reduced the number of children they bear. This decrease in fertility has been particularly striking among white women. Fewer white women marry, most marry much later than in previous generations, far more get divorced and the size of their families has decreased dramatically. Along with these changes, white women’s educational achievement has soared, their participation in the workforce has increased and their health outcomes, lifetime earnings and political participation have improved. Today, more than three in five American women work for pay outside the home.
However shrouded in the language of fiscal austerity, the GOP’s social agenda intends to undo these changes, forcing women back into the domestic sphere. While leaving abortion nominally legal, cuts to family planning services and the legalization of terror against abortion providers would create an environment of compulsory childbearing. Women who can’t control their fertility will be unable to compete for degrees or jobs with their male counterparts. Likewise, without affordable childcare women would be less likely to work outside the home. And without basic rights to organize, women teachers, nurses and other public sector workers would be compelled to accept lower wages and harsher working conditions, shoving many women out of the workforce altogether. In the Republicans’ future America, women will be encouraged to marry younger, to stay in difficult (even abusive) marriages and to rely on male wages.
For white women in particular, this would mean a retreat to the home, where they would be encouraged to bear more children so as to reclaim the racial character of the nation. Immigrant women, however, would be discouraged from having children. Hispanic women have had the highest fertility rates for more than a decade, but efforts to roll back birthright citizenship aim to deny their children access to public education and class mobility, leaving more space for the children of white Americans.
SM,
“If republican women are going to stand up to the good old boys, we should give them credit. This is the only instance of this that I have read about. I wish it would spread, but most republican women run on an anti- abortion platform so it probably won’t.”
Absolutely! I give these two women major kudos. It is highly unusual to say the least.
I find it interesting that it appears to not be an issue of being pro-life, but of being pro-privacy.
Sarthmore,
Great news in Wyoming!
SL. If republican women are going to stand up to the good old boys, we should give them credit. This is the only instance of this that I have read about. I wish it would spread, but most republican women run on an anti- abortion platform so it probably won’t.
Swarthmore mom,
I had to read that one twice just to make sure I got it – will miracles never cease?!
http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/01/6163022-tonight-small-government-republicans-win-a-culture-war Republican women in Wyoming beat back anti-abortion legislation.
rafflaw & Elaine,
Glad I can be of service 🙂
Stamford Liberal,
Thanks for staying on top of this Bobby Franklin story. As rafflaw said: “This guy is a real creep.”
Stamford,
Nice catch. This guy is a real creep.
Looks like Bobby Franklin has a problem with uterus’s, but has no problem with penis’s. Is it the water in Georgia??
Georgia Republican Votes to Allow Sex Offenders to Photograph Children
By Dustin • on February 28, 2011 • Filed under: Uncategorized
Georgia Republican Bobby Franklin today voted against a measure that would ban sex offenders from photographing children without the Parents consent.
HB 162 would have made it illegal for a sex offender to photograph children without the consent of a parent. Bobby Franklin voted against the measure, which would have protected children. Franklin frequent cites “the proper role of government” as a reason he frequently votes against measures. However, one must wonder what a more proper role of Government could be than protecting children from sex offenders.
http://gapolitico.com/?p=17599
Elaine,
Whack a devil is more appropriate!
Woosty & rafflaw,
Trying to put out all these right-wing wildfires is akin to playing Whac-a-Mole.
All of these anti-women bills are all part of the Right’s plan to attack the left from as many angles as possible. It won’t stop until they are thrown out of the state houses and in Washington.
Elaine M. 1, February 25, 2011 at 9:23 pm
From The Iowa Independent (2/24/2011)
Iowa bills open door for use of deadly force to protect the unborn
============================
Good grief!
ok, is there a lawyer out there who can introduce a bill that makes all forms on non-consensual sex punishable by the surgical removal of the perps penis? (preferably sans aenesthesia…)
I just think it’s time to mirror up to these weirdos how ridiculous they are acting….
From The Iowa Independent (2/24/2011)
Iowa bills open door for use of deadly force to protect the unborn
http://iowaindependent.com/52869/iowa-bills-open-door-for-use-of-deadly-force-to-protect-the-unborn
Excerpts:
Two bills sponsored by Iowa House Republicans could have significant public safety consequences, and perhaps the most unnerving of those potential outcomes would be the justifiable use of deadly force against abortion or family planning providers.
When the two pieces of legislation are combined they create a situation where a fertilized egg would be considered a person, and allow for the public execution of those who would threaten such a person.
If passed into law, the two bills — House File 7 and House File 153 — would offer an unprecedented defense opportunity to individuals who stand accused of killing such providers, according to a former prosecutor and law professor at the University of Kansas, and are something that might have very well led to a different outcome in the Kansas trial of the man who shot Dr. George Tiller in a church foyer.
*****
Also included in the proposal is a new section to the Iowa Code that would provide automatic criminal and civil immunity to a person who uses deadly force, unless a police investigation proves that the person was not acting “reasonably.” Also key to the immunity clause is the fact that law enforcement would likely be barred from arresting a person at the scene of an incident “unless the law enforcement agency determines there is probable cause that the force was unlawful under this chapter.” If law enforcement does make an arrest, and if that person is later found to have used reasonable force by a court of law, taxpayers could be on the hook for the reimbursement of the person’s attorney fees, court costs, compensation from loss of income and other expenses.
*****
Todd Miler, a criminal defense attorney in Des Moines, agrees that these two bills, when combined, create a situation that could lead to someone claiming the killing of an abortion provider or a family planning worker was reasonable use of deadly force.
Why women miscarry is still a mystery to medical science. There are untold factors that could influence whether the baby is carried to term or not. To find out more, read this: http://morningquickie.com/2011/02/25/miscarriage-is-not-your-fault-and-not-a-crime/
Blouise,
The Republicans definitely are acting more like the Taliban–and they’re trying to introduce SHEria law in some states in this country.