Is VA Gov McDonnell backing away from the trans-vaginal anti-abortion ultrasound bill?

[madfloridian]

An article at RH Reality Check suggests he might be doing that. He had planned to sign the bill, most likely to make sure he is re-elected in a red state. But it's such a horrible bill, maybe he is reconsidering.

Is McDonnell Now Backing Away From a State-Sanctioned Rape Bill?

At first I thought the use of the word rape was extreme. However there is a picture at another link at RH Reality Check of the procedure. It is looking to me like it is penetration being forced on a woman if she wants an abortion. Unnecessary and humiliating.

Back to McDonnell's stance now:

Virginia Governor McDonnell signaled his intent to sign one of the most despicable bills in the country that would force women to undergo a trans-vaginal ultrasound against her will in order to obtain an abortion. Or in other words, a bill authorizing state-sanctioned rape. But after speaking with Jeff Caldwell, McDonnell’s press secretary, it seems the Governor is not so eager to go on the record with his previously-held position.

I asked Caldwell if the governor really intended to sign a bill that met the standard of Virginia's rape statute. When put in those terms it seemed the Governor’s office balked.

“The governor will review it if it passes and will see what the final language of the bill is,” said Caldwell.

I pressed and asked Caldwell if this is a new position for McDonnell, if he was backing off a bit as his statement suggested. Mr. Caldwell flatly said, “No, he’s generally a pro-life candidate, I don’t think we are being inconsistent.” (Generally?)

He is a Democratic governor, and I believe Democrats should not force such bills on women.

Today I posted at Daily Kos in a post that is being mostly loudly ignored....that the party has chosen not to stand up for women through the years. Some have of course, but it has been more of a priority to win in red states than to take stances for women's rights.

How the denigration of the word "liberal" and the politicalization of women's rights are connected.

I have been wondering how we got to the place in this country when there is such a public and raging debate over the fate of women and birth control and abortion. It is as though we were going backwards in time.

That is really the fault of both parties through the years. I noticed it first in 2003. Those of us who became so active in politics with the Dean campaign were called liberals and scorned as fringe activists. It was stunning, and it carried right down to the local level. And it was not the Republicans who did that, it was our own party.

Actually some Democratic strategists started back in 1985, devising a plan that would distance the party from the ""the new bosses"-organized labor, feminists, and other progressive constituency groups-that were keeping the party from modernizing."

As one of the centrist Dem strategists said: "We respect the struggles of the feminist movement, the civil rights movement and Vietnam, but (we) are not defined by those struggles," says Kirsten Powers, 37, a New York-based strategist and commentator for Fox News. "We want to take what is good in liberalism and make it better, and get rid of what is not working."

That's just it. Our party should be defined by standing up for women's rights.

When things like this trans-vaginal ultrasound come into the public venue....there should be Democrats all over the radio and TV denouncing it.

I don't see them.

[femrap]

1. As Shirley Chisholm

used to say: "Men are men." And that includes dem men.

When are young women going to get ANGRY like we did back in the '60's and '70's??? They seem so afraid to stand up for themselves.

A few years ago a survey was taken on college campuses and female students were more inclined to support gay marriage than abortion....religion and the MSM has been brainwashing these young women.

Very sad...This BACKLASH started w/ Raygun and now is out of control.

I wish Michele Obama would start talking the ERA....after all, the Obamas have 2 daughters. That certainly would get women out to vote in November.

I think I'll write her a letter. We should have a letter writing campaign....huge bags of mail being delivered to the Michele every day!!! (Also good for the post office.)

[madfloridian]

2. It would only take a few male Democratic voices to make a huge difference.

And they do need to speak out now. They need to take a stand for women's rights.

[femrap]

7. Do you think the MSM

would cover them if they did speak out?

[madfloridian]

9. Hard to know.

I think it might over something so outrageous.

[Me.]

3. K & R

[grahamhgreen]

4. It absolutely is mandated state-sponsored rape. And we should be hearing this from every Dem every

day.

[madfloridian]

5. And another thing...

I find it uncomfortable to be almost shunned at forums supposedly Democratic overall....because I expect the party I belong to to stand up for women's rights without fail. I mean to speak up clearly and proudly for women. Not be wimpy about it.

Also I find it uncomfortable to feel out of touch because I expect my party to take a firm stand FOR public education. I don't expect them to dismantle it in the cause of privatization.

[No Elephants]

10. DU2 shuns no one and treasures madfloridian!

[trayfoot]

6. I don't know what the Guv's motivation might be,

but it wouldn't have to do with re-election in VA. Governors in VA serve 4 year terms and cannot succeed themselves.

[madfloridian]

8. Correction...McDonnell is a Republican governor.

Who was the Democrat who ran against him for governor?

[No Elephants]

11. Abortion is considered one of the issues that has "plagued" our Party in elections.

"This is not to suggest that politics as usual did not play a role in our race for the U.S. Senate. Predictably, the other side once again tried to capitalize on traditional "wedge" issues -- such as gay marriage, gun control, and abortion -- that have plagued our party in recent elections."

Harold Ford, Jr., former U.S. Representative and former chair of the Democratic Leadership Council, describing his campaign for U.S. Senator from Tennessee for the January 4, 2007 edition of Blueprint Magazine. http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=254154&kaid=10...

I tried to find something at the DLC website, www.dlc.org, that was strongly in favor of women's reproductive rights by searching the site for "abortion." I looked at about ten hits and then gave up. Maybe someone more patient than I am can find something?