Shorter Gov. Parkinson: This Shit AGAIN?

Ok, I may be taking some, uh, editorial liberties in condensing Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson's statements on his veto of yet another anti-abortion bill down to those particular three words.  But really, that's the sentiment that comes off, if muted and politically phrased in the official statement:

"Kansas' current law concerning abortion was passed more than a decade ago and strikes a reasonable balance on a very difficult issue. I support the current law and believe that an annual legislative battle over the issue is not in the public's best interest."

Read that and tell me it doesn't come off as telling anti-choicers to just shut UP and quit with the legislative antics already.  As is entirely appropriate.


The bill was intended to do the usual chipping-away, this time regarding reporting requirements and attempting to block the opening of a new clinic to replace Dr. Tiller's specialty late-term abortion clinic after his murder last year.  A colleague of his, Dr. Cahart, has expressed interest in opening a new clinic and continuing the work of his fallen comrade, and gods know the antis were falling all over themselves to keep their ill-gotten gains of forcing women to continue non-viable or medically threatening pregnancies.  (I'm sure their god would be proud of their compassion for the suffering. Yep.)


I have to say, Gov. Parkinson is pro-life, but he's the only kind of pro-life that I'm ok with - the kind who acknowledges that abortion is personal, saying "I would encourage women who have unwanted pregnancies to consult with their partners, families, doctors and spiritual advisers. I would not encourage women to consult with state legislators, as this is a private decision and should not be dictated by public officials."

The online comment form to contact Gov. Parkinson can be found here.  I encourage everyone to drop him a note of thanks, ESPECIALLY if you're in his state.  Studies have shown reward to be more effective than punishment, after all!

Here's the text of my email to the Governor, in case anyone doesn't have time to write their own note and would like to yoink mine:

I wanted to contact you to say, though I am not a constituent of yours, and have only ever driven through your state twice, that I am grateful for your veto of the anti-abortion bill today.  I am also grateful to you for publicly taking a personally, but not politically, pro-life stance.  Thank you for standing up to anti-choice incrementalism by vetoing this bill.  I firmly believe it was the right thing to do, and I applaud you for it.

Not a constituent, but grateful nonetheless,
Jadelyn

Hey, U.S. Government - Can Has Consistency, Plz?

Listen, Congress, either married same-sex couples are married, or they aren't.  You can't treat them both ways.  Not even DOMA lets you do that.  So what the fuck is up with this proposed rule change to make the same-sex spouses of Congresspersons subject to the same scrutiny as other-sex spouses of Congresspersons, when they're treated by the federal government as not married in every other way???  It is NOT okay to saddle married gays and lesbians with the downsides of marriage if you're not ALSO giving them the benefits of that state!  I know politics and politicians are notoriously hypocritical, but even that isn't usually *this* blatant.