Oh, the anti-choice are coming for you

Ok, so I know we’re all watching Texas, but I expect this will be a late night, and me still without Internet in my new place. *shakes fist*

That said, as we heard during testimony (invited testimony from a Law Professor) this is really all about how Justice Kennedy will vote when this or one of the other bills is taken to the Supreme Court as a challenge to Roe vs. Wade. Circuit Courts can’t disagree with one another, and at this point the 9^th Circuit has held up the implementation of an Arizona bill that prohibits abortion after 20 weeks. The 9^th Circuit is one of the most liberal courts while the 5^th Circuit is one of the more conservative. Texas falls in the 5^th Circuit. They are setting this up for a Constitutional showdown in the Supreme Court.

I bring this up because the Wisconsin Abortion Law that was pushed through by Gov. Scott Walker was blocked by a District Court Judge. U.S. District Court Judge William Conley granted the order to block following a lawsuit filed Friday by the Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and Affiliated Medical Services on Monday as reported by Scott Bauer. The suit alleges that the requirement would unconstitutionally restrict the availability of abortions in the State, violated the U.S. Constitution’s due process guarantee and unconstitutionally treats doctors who perform abortions differently from those who perform other procedures. This is different reasoning from the 9^th Circuit decision, but relevant all the same.

Conley stated, “there is a troubling lack of justification for the hospital admitting privileges requirement.” He added that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the states must prove the restrictions on abortion rights must be reasonably aimed at preserving the mother’s health. He added, “Moreover, the record to date strongly supports a finding that no medical purpose is served by this requirement.”

The bill was introduced in the Legislature on June 4^th, passed nine days later, and signed into law on Friday. It took effect Monday. It requires women obtain an ultrasound before getting an abortion, this provision isn’t being challenged.

The Planned Parenthood’s CEO Terry Huyck said, “This ruling is a step in the right direction for the women of Wisconsin who can now continue to make their own personal, private health care decision. We are confident that the Court will ultimately recognize if ACT 37 is not blocked, it would unconstitutionally restrict the ability of Wisconsin women, including victims of rape and incest and women who are in need of an abortion to preserve their health, to access safe and legal abortions.”

Supporters of the law claim the ultrasound will help the woman bond with the fetus and convince her to keep the fetus. They also claim that this bill’s admitting privileges protects women who have complications.

But what this is really about like in Texas, Ohio, and North Carolina, this is about preventing women from having control over their own bodies and specifically abortion. The bill demands that if a complication occurs the doctor performing the abortion treat the complication, but this isn’t actually the case. Usually, a complication would be handled by a specialist not an OBGYN. 

Ok, so let’s jog over to North Carolina. Allison Kilkenney had an article for The Nation on Moral Mondays and the anti-choice garbage coming out of that state. Moral Mondays are a response to the Republican government which is the first time this has happened in more than a century. Activists have been protecting the abortion limiting bill, and thus far more than 700 people have been arrested. On Monday 2,000 people flooded into Raleigh and 64 protesters were arrested after they refused to leave the legislative chamber. Among those arrested was Janet Colm, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina.

KilKenny concluded her piece with an epic few lines, “All of this raises the question: what’s the point of living in a democracy with a First Amendment if lawmakers are going to sneak legislation through in the middle of the night and have concerned citizens arrested when they try to object?”

A very good question indeed. When your elected officials no longer represent you what is the best course of action? The radical in me would point out they can’t detain all of us. However, the pragmatist in me would point out if we’re jailed we can’t drive them out of our government, and we mean to drive them out of or government. Of course, do we have the time to wait for elections? How many women will die or doctors prosecuted during this period?

ALEC Renews Commitment to Hate Workers, but Drops Everything Else

I thought the boys over at Train of Thought were going to do this, but they haven't so let's do this.

As my friend, or someone who barely knows me, well ok, anyone who met me on the street would know I am opposed to ALEC...and if you were ever going to speak to me, you better know what ALEC is. But for first time players: what ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) is according to their website:

"The American Legislative Exchange Council works to advance the fundamental principles of free-market enterprise, limited government, and federalism at the state level through a nonpartisan public-private partnership of America's state legislators, members of the private sector and the general public."

Well first, I don't think you can trust anyone who doesn't use the Oxford comma. Additionally, the term federalism, I'm guessing they are embracing post-Civil War federalism, "the federal government is too big (runs sobbing from the room)."

Need more information? These are the people who brought to the anti-labor legislation that reads almost exactly the same from Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and several others. They also brought you voter registration/ID laws and "kill at will." No end to the fun with these guys. But that is all about to change. Below is a press release from this week explaining how ALEC will be dropping all other "causes" and focusing on labor.
                                                                                                                                                                               

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kaitlyn Buss
Phone: 202-742-8526
Email: kbuss@alec.org 

ALEC Sharpens Focus on Jobs, Free Markets and Growth — Announces the End of the Task Force that Dealt with Non-Economic Issues

(Washington, D.C.) April 17, 2012—David Frizzell, Indiana State Representative and 2012 National Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), issued the following statement today on behalf of ALEC’s Legislative Board of Directors:

“Today we are redoubling our efforts on the economic front, a priority that has been the hallmark of our organization for decades. Fostering the exchange of pro-growth, solutions-oriented ideas is precisely why ALEC exists.

“To that end, our legislative board last week unanimously agreed to further our work on policies that will help spur innovation and competitiveness across the country.

“We are refocusing our commitment to free-market, limited government and pro-growth principles, and have made changes internally to reflect this renewed focus.

“We are eliminating the ALEC Public Safety and Elections task force that dealt with non-economic issues, and reinvesting these resources in the task forces that focus on the economy. The remaining budgetary and economic issues will be reassigned.

“While we recognize there are other critical, non-economic issues that are vitally important to millions of Americans, we believe we must concentrate on initiatives that spur competitiveness and innovation and put more Americans back to work.

“Our free-market, limited government, pro-growth policies are the reason ALEC enjoys the support of legislators on both sides of the aisle and in all 50 states. ALEC members are interested in solutions that put the American economy back on track. This is our mission, and it is what distinguishes us.”

###

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is the nation’s largest nonpartisan individual membership association of state legislators, with over 2,000 state legislators across the nation and more than 100 alumni members in Congress. ALEC’s mission is to promote free markets, limited government, and federalism throughout the states.

                                                                                                                                                                                      

Well hell, son. Part of me did the hell fuckin' yes. Then I took a moment to realize some of the damage has already been done, and they are suiting up for an all out assault on labor.

What damage? Voter reg/ID laws are being voted on in several states (yes Virginia, including Ohio). These laws target the poor, women, trans people, people of color, you know my homies. And we've all witnessed "kill at will" in Florida with the Martin murder.

I can't speculate what is going to come out of this of course, because A) I can't even pretend to be evil enough to anticipate the anti-work legislation they will come up with and B) there is no promise that some of their previous legislation will die. We know Walker and Kasich chatted daily over their anti-worker bills, so there is no reason to believe once this garbage is out in the world that it will ever stop. I imagine awful people will continue sharing awful legislation.

Domestic Terrorism in Wisconsin

At this point little information is know, but there was a bombing at a Planned Parenthood in Wisconsin. According to local police, a small homemade explosive device was detonated and cased damage to the Planned Parenthood's Gillett Street clinic on Sunday. The Grand Chute Fire Department was called at 7:40pm. Someone left the device on an outside windowsill. It later detonated causing damage and a small fire. The police are asking for assistance in discovering the identity of the bomber.

All I can say is WTF. I get so tired of the right to life people bitching about how sacred life is when this is how they express dissent. We all have to endure things we think are unjust like patriarchy and for some taxes. I don't bomb the Washington Monument because it is an phallic symbol. Because that would be crazy and ineffective. So use your words bigots. Of course it was a Sunday so no one was hurt, but I always think this kind of cowardice is a dry run or a precursor to serious violence. Additionally, where are the conservative property owners who should be getting up in arms about the destruction of private property...isn't that what they replace the 4th Commandment with? How else would you explain working on a Sunday?

Wisconsin anti-union law is void

For now anyway.

Judge Maryann Sumi, Dane County, voided the law because she claims Republican lawmakers violated the state's open meetings law by rushing through during massive protests at the state Capitol (you remember the one's where citizens occupied the Capitol building). The one Scott Walker was trying to make a name for himself by getting passed. [Aside apparently, Walker is begging Republicans to help him because he is so afraid of the recalls.]

Of course the law eliminates all collective bargaining rights for public sector unions except for pay, which is useless if they can't bargain about anything else. The law has been in limbo while the case was heard. Sumi was appointed by former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson (immature giggles). Sumi ruled against the law and said legislators had the opportunity to correct their violation without admitting error, but they choose not to.

The legislators were understandably frustrated by the stalemate existing on March 9, but that does not justify jettisoning compliance with the open meetings law in an attempt to move the budget repair bill to final action," Sumi wrote.

"Moreover, if there is any doubt as to the committee's awareness of its violation, one need only read the short transcript of the committee's March 9 proceedings.