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New Mexico's Democratic governor stunned by abortion bill’s defeat
by Becket Adams
March 19, 2019 02:17 PM
Quote:
New Mexico Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is shocked that her state’s Democratic-controlled Senate failed to pass a bill codifying the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.
The proposed measure, HB 51, would have repealed decades-old, mostly nonenforceable statutes that define “abortion,” outline parental consent requirements for minors seeking to terminate a pregnancy, and categorize the receiving or performing an abortion as a fourth-degree felony.
“Health care decisions are the sole province of an individual, her family, her doctor and her faith. Fear of the law has no place in the equation,” Grisham said. “This old, outdated statute criminalizing health care providers is an embarrassment. That removing it was even a debate, much less a difficult vote for some senators, is inexplicable to me.”
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Democratic state Rep. Joanne Ferrary, who co-sponsored the House version with Democratic colleague Georgene Louis, was similarly shocked.
“We did expect more to be voting in favor and it didn’t turn out that way,” she said.
The bill's defeat is a black eye for the state's Democratic Party, which controls both the House and the Senate. The failure of HB 51 is especially embarrassing considering it comes not long after Democrats solidified their control of the state legislature following the November 2018 midterm elections. They even replaced term-limited Republican Gov. Susana Martinez with a progressive Democrat.
On Feb. 6, HB 51 passed in the New Mexico House by a vote of 40 to 29. The bill, which was only one page long, called for the repealing of all statutes criminalizing abortion. More specifically it called for abolishing Sections 30-5-1 through 30-5-3.
Section 30-5-1 offers legal definitions for abortion. It also outlines requirements for minors seeking to terminate a pregnancy.
Section 30-5-2 is the only provision in a “New Mexico statute that expressly allows a doctor to refuse to participate in an abortion on moral grounds,” according to the Sante Fe New Mexican.
And the article continues....
I am a 60+ year old Male, married with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren which I love. My own personal opinion is that a woman should have a right to make the decision on abortion...
If those numbers were reversed, do you have any doubt the bill would have passed?
A slight doubt, yes. I think it's counterproductive to ignore the fact that many women think abortion should be illegal, just as it's counterproductive to point the finger at all men for this bill's defeat. Many ladies need to tone down the misandry if they want to prevail.
Don't blame the state senators, blame the public for voting them in. And in particular, blame each member of the public for not running against them.
In 2016, a high-turnout election year if there ever was one, you know how many out of 42 state senate seats went unopposed? 27!
Point taken but unfortunately gender bias in the state senate is severe, and there was pressure from out-of-state anti-abortion lobbyists. When your constituents are 50.5% women and there are only 8 out of 42 state senators who are women (19%), that is not an accurate reflection of the constituents state-wide. If those numbers were reversed, do you have any doubt the bill would have passed?
I think this is foremost a cultural/religious issue in many parts of New Mexico rather than simply a gender bias.
I do agree that all things being equal, if the state senate reflected the gender breakdown, it would skew a little more towards liberalization of laws regarding the right to an abortion, but not much.
This is more a reflection of conservative Catholic mores which transcend gender, than modern gender bias. If the state senate were comprised of only of Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Santa Fe counties, rulings would be radically different.
A slight doubt, yes. I think it's counterproductive to ignore the fact that many women think abortion should be illegal, just as it's counterproductive to point the finger at all men for this bill's defeat. Many ladies need to tone down the misandry if they want to prevail.
Don't blame the state senators, blame the public for voting them in. And in particular, blame each member of the public for not running against them.
In 2016, a high-turnout election year if there ever was one, you know how many out of 42 state senate seats went unopposed? 27!
I am male and pointing out the chauvinism of other males is in no way "misandry."
And I totally agree that more women should run for office. I think like Lujan-Grisham most pro-choice New Mexicans took things for granted they shouldn't have. This exposed a blind spot in our governor and state. Just as on the national level many people assumed Clinton would win so didn't bother to vote, letting in someone most people didn't want. It takes setbacks like this to wake people up. And NM in particular is very politically sleepy, with as you say 27 senators running unopposed. My hope is that next time there will be more challengers.
I think this is foremost a cultural/religious issue in many parts of New Mexico rather than simply a gender bias.
I do agree that all things being equal, if the state senate reflected the gender breakdown, it would skew a little more towards liberalization of laws regarding the right to an abortion, but not much.
This is more a reflection of conservative Catholic mores which transcend gender, than modern gender bias. If the state senate were comprised of only of Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Santa Fe counties, rulings would be radically different.
Yes, but even the Governor, a native New Mexican, Hispanic female (don't know if she's Catholic) was "stunned" by the result.
Without reading the article, I will guess that almost all Democrats that opposed the bill are Hispanic Catholics. As much as I enjoy living here, this state's population aligns completely counter to me: it is a very socially conservative state, but ultimately the handouts prevail. State government will tax you seven ways to Sunday, and unfortunately, the majority sees government as a means to provide for the less fortunate, rather than charity.
I would ask those 8 Democrats that voted against the bill who is supposed to pay for that child once it is born into the world. Their natural response would be that taxpayers should. 5 out of 6 pre-kindergarten kids enrolled in a daycare center in this state are having the bill paid for by the state. It's a disgrace.
It's interesting about those Hispanic Catholics. When one of their children gets raped, especially if she's very young pre-teen or early teen), especially in cases of incest, suddenly, they're scouring the nearest cities for an abortion doctor.
Yes, but even the Governor, a native New Mexican, Hispanic female (don't know if she's Catholic) was "stunned" by the result.
Maybe because she is part of New Mexico's "blue-blood" elite, born and raised in Los Alamos and Santa Fe as a daughter of one of New Mexico's most famous, wealthy, and urbane families; not the daughter of a ranchero raised 40 miles west of Tierra Amarilla.
It's interesting about those Hispanic Catholics. When one of their children gets raped, especially if she's very young pre-teen or early teen), especially in cases of incest, suddenly, they're scouring the nearest cities for an abortion doctor.
Ain't it the truth, Ruth?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ABQConvict
Maybe because she is part of New Mexico's "blue-blood" elite, born and raised in Los Alamos and Santa Fe as a daughter of one of New Mexico's most famous, wealthy, and urbane families; not the daughter of a ranchero raised 40 miles west of Tierra Amarilla.
Yes, but also a political family of several generations who should have understood rural NM better.
Without reading the article, I will guess that almost all Democrats that opposed the bill are Hispanic Catholics. As much as I enjoy living here, this state's population aligns completely counter to me: it is a very socially conservative state, but ultimately the handouts prevail. State government will tax you seven ways to Sunday, and unfortunately, the majority sees government as a means to provide for the less fortunate, rather than charity.
I would ask those 8 Democrats that voted against the bill who is supposed to pay for that child once it is born into the world. Their natural response would be that taxpayers should. 5 out of 6 pre-kindergarten kids enrolled in a daycare center in this state are having the bill paid for by the state. It's a disgrace.
I have to add to this even if I agree with you on most of what you say. If you do objective research you would learn most who choose abortion are not those living on welfare of government assistance. they are those who simply do not feel the time is right for being a parent. This to me is as wrong as us being responsible for supporting so many kids.
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