Texas Senator Wendy Davis embarks One Woman Filibuster to combat Abortion Restriction Measures (gynecologists, college)

[TXStrat]

Originally Posted by LordyLordy

On the Republican side there is a huge interest in having the government out of your life until they want the government to ban abortions by law...

I am not confused about the issue at all. I am also pro capital punishment in certain circumstances and pro choice. I do not think that the two are related or conflicting.

Well, in the interest of fairness, a common mantra from the Democrat side is "Keep the government out of my reproductive organs", but in reality they are fine with the same government subsidizing the process. That was sort of my point, and why I find the issue challenging. Both parties are about as hypocritical as humanly possible on the issue, and the actual implications of abortion rise far above neat little sound bites and talking points crafted by the operatives of either ideology.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Midessan

I always support a fillibuster. The less the government does the better.

Originally Posted by ZonaZoo

Abortion is so fundamentally wrong. My God, are there any pro-life folks left out there?

Obviously there are enough in our pathetic excuse for a legislature, otherwise we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

As far as I'm concerned, the Republicans who are in the State Capitol tonight have just lost their privileges to call themselves Texans, because they have tarnished the State and that's unacceptable.

And I'm not a Democrat, but right is right, and they're so far out of touch with reality that it's embarrassing.

This.

Originally Posted by car957

They started forgetting about Texans about 2 elections back. I have my own theories on the why but its irrelevant because none of the Representatives show up working on issues for Texans. No one will touch school finance, the insurance companies got a lock on higher than the national average for Texas homeowners, and today they are making decisions about the health of Texas women. No one wants to regulate ammonium nitrate so 12 firefighters die - the State agencies don't touch it because it may be bad for business.

The most frustrating thing is the voters seem apathetic. May be all these transplants can survive a few summers and bring their votes next election.

You had me right up to the remark about transplants. It seems like we're getting more right wingers than loony lefties.

[Trainwreck20]

The biggest issue I have with the legislation is that it tries to come close to banning abortion while pretending not to.... To pretend this is a health and safety issue of the mother is laughable. Davis asked 'why not require the same for colonoscopy or a vasectomy?'. Good question.

If you want to make legislation, do it, if you want to set up a puzzle game, do it elsewhere.

[TheOverdog]

I just want to point out that there are plenty of reasons to cheer for this filibuster even if you are pro-life.

First off, it filibustered in a special session, and some wonk can go into more details, but the rules during a special session vs during a regular congressional session are different - and more lax - because it's supposed to be about special important issues that couldn't be completed during the regular session. If this is worth discussion during a special session with the more lax rules for passing is a perfectly legitimate question. Do we really want the governor to abuse and water down the meaning of 'special' to cover everything that couldn't be passed during a regular session? I certainly don't. Also if this issue is so important to the Texas people, then it should be given priority during a regular session with full voting rules.

If the TX congress can't handle all issues they wish in regular sessions, then it would be more honest and prudent to extend the regular sessions to more than once every 2 years.

Secondly, there were real important issues of procedure being called into play during this and they were used in a very partisian manner. The issue of 'germaneness' [is the filibuster content on topic] is one that needs to be settled and done so honestly. It should not be allowed to used indiscrimintely because legislative procedure is built on historic rules and has a really long memory. In short, the basic rules of a Texas filibuster are strong enough (must talk on topic - can't read the phonebook/can't sit down/can't drink or pee) are strong enough where partisian procedure issues shouldn't need to have much additional impact. To use as a 'nuclear option' to end debate on an issue you (as a senator) disagree with is a bad idea - because that same 'nuclear' use of procedure can easily be used against your own party when the whims of the people shift.

In short, you want the procedures to be used correctly and fairly because when an issue you disagree with comes up, they can just as easily be used against your issues.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Soviet

What did Lautenberg say?

Jodie Laubenberg, Texas GOP Lawmaker, Suggests Rape Kits Can Give Abortions

Hard to believe that kind of ignorance in this day and age.

[Trainwreck20]

If nothing else, this whole event gives individuals (such as Lautenberg) a very public platform to demonstrate their lack of knowledge (to put it nicely).

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by biscuitmom

Whether right or wrong, it's not a function of government to decide anything about pregnancy. If you grant a government the right to restrict abortion, you also grant it the right to force abortion.

I pretty much agree with that. The government is getting into matters (not only abortion) that really should be none of its business.

Abortions should always be available (especially in cases of rape), but preferably rare, which they aren't, sadly enough.

[Trainwreck20]

Oh, heh, I just saw this at the end of an article, thought it was pretty funny if somewhat unrelated:

"'In Texas, we value all life,' Gov. Perry TX. Said on the eve of the state's 500th execution."

[bluescreen73]

What irks me about the whole situation is the intellectual dishonesty of it all. By rule the legislative calendars are set by the controlling parties in each chamber of the legislature - meaning the Republicans get to pick the order in which the bills will be debated and brought up for a vote in the house and senate.

Much like they did in 2003 the GOP will get to have it both ways because they intentionally put meaty, mass-appeal issues on the legislative calendar AFTER their pet project. So now that the abortion bill has gone down in flames, expect them to accuse the Dems of not caring about highway funding and juvenile justice reform even though they themselves gave the abortion bill higher priority than those 2 issues.

It's intellectually dishonest and people need to call them out on it. They do the same thing when they pat themselves on the back for "not raising taxes" at the end of a session when they raise fees instead.

[alidoremi]

Originally Posted by L210

I'm pro-life.

I, too am also against sucking your unborn (or partially born, as some may have it) baby into a sink.