4 February 2011 Take that teavangelists

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/03/AR2011020304370.html

“Forcible rape' cut from antiabortion bill after backlash from women's groups



By Sandhya Somashekhar

Washington Post Staff Writer

Thursday, February 3, 2011; 10:25 PM

Republican lawmakers have removed the term "forcible rape" from an antiabortion bill in Congress after women's groups accused them of trying to change the widely held definition of rape.

THIS STORY

• Legislative proposal puts abortion rights supporters on alert

• 'Forcible rape' cut from antiabortion bill after backlash from women's groups

• Pairing of religious conservatism with fiscal sets Iowa tea partiers apart

View All Items in This Story

The bill, called the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, seeks to permanently bar federal funds from being used to subsidize abortions. It allows exceptions in cases in which the pregnancy resulted from incest or when the life of the mother would be threatened if the fetus was carried to term.

In the original language, it also allowed exceptions in cases of "forcible rape." The term provoked an outcry from critics, who said that rape is by definition committed by force and that lawmakers were seeking to exclude from coverage certain kinds of rape by adding the modifier - for example, cases in which the victim was underage or unconscious.

The bill now would allow exceptions in all cases of rape.

A spokesman for Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.), a chief sponsor of the bill, said Thursday that lawmakers decided to change the term because it was being "misconstrued."

sandhya@washpost.com



The House GOP's Plan to Redefine Rape

Drugged, raped, and pregnant? Too bad. Republicans are pushing to limit rape and incest cases eligible for government abortion funding.

— By Nick Baumann

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/01/republican-plan-redefine-rape-abortion



Cassi Creek:

The small victory noted above is still important despite its apparent size. The GOPers/teavangelists will do everything they can to block all access to abortion and then to birth control medications and morning after pills. They understand that they can mobilize the religious right voter base once again, making them forget about the GOP’s servitude to business and finance. They are willing to trade theocracy for continued power and wealth. To that end, they will sell the nation to the Christian right and to their financial masters. Keep on top of this because they will not accept the reality of the message this defeat sends.

Note, too, that there is also an attack on abortions for women who are placed at risk by pregnancy. The driving agents behind this will sacrifice the life of a women over a fetus every time the decision must be made. Then they will abandon that child to a life of poverty, pain and perhaps prison. Once they are born they are no longer sacred.