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| Michigan politics | | Date Created: May 25, 2005, 08:56 AM |
With all the silliness in Kansas about evolution and so-called "Intelligent Design" (or as I like to call it "Creationism-lite" -- Now with 50% less evidence and logic!) I was starting to feel all high-and-mighty for living in Michigan and not in that backwards state.
Fortunately, the Michigan House of Representatives has come to my rescue and burst my bubble of superiority.
Yesterday, they passed a bill that requires medical clinics that offer abortions to perform ultrasounds first. Yup, that's right. Our esteemed legislators are now in the business of making medical decisions for the poor, misguided women of the State -- decisions that even extend to specific treatments.
The AP report states: "The Michigan House voted Tuesday to require medical clinics to offer women considering an abortion the chance see an ultrasound of the fetus"
This isn't quite correct. In fact, the bill requires that the ultrasound be performed. However, in a stunning show of compassion, the bill does not require women to actually see the ultrasound. Michigan already has a law that requires clinics to show pictures of fetuses (feti?) that are at the same gestational age as their fetus before a woman has an abortion.
Now, I don't really want to get into an argument about abortion. This isn't really about abortion. (FYI, I'm against abortion, and in fact, believe that it should be illegal except in extreme cases.) However, as long as it is legal, I think this type of coercion is completely out of bounds. What's next? Requiring clinics to show women the actual aborted fetus?
In the interest of consistency, I think think it's time for a bill requiring lawmakers to look at the pictures of the American Servicemen and women that are killed everyday in the illegal and immoral Blood-for-Oil War. Such a bill would be unlikely to pass however. Michigan Republicans didn't even like the Governor's order that flags in the State be lowered to half-staff when Michigan Service members were killed on active duty. They believe that such a show of respect "undermines the war effort." Feh.
Welcome to Michigan. |
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