It is hard to imagine that anyone in 2012 could believe that victims of “legitimate rape” can’t get pregnant, let alone that a six-term congressman who sits on the House Science Committee would assert something so ignorant. By way of explaining his views on abortion, US Representative Todd Akin, the Republican nominee in the Missouri Senate race, voiced that egregious superstition in a television interview on Sunday, and has been facing calls for his withdrawal from the race ever since.
Akin himself has admitted that he was deeply flawed in his understanding of science and anatomy, and in suggesting that some rapes are “legitimate,” while some are not. But while his own political future is in question, his underlying position on abortion is, in fact, the party line. The substance of Akin’s stance — that rape should not be a valid exception to an abortion ban — is no different from that of presumptive vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, or from a draft of the national GOP platform, released Tuesday, which calls for a constitutional amendment outlawing abortion, with no exceptions for rape or incest. And Ryan, like Akin, cosponsored a bill that would have changed the language in laws that prevent federal funding of abortion, limiting exceptions to “forcible rape.”
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Todd Akin has added to the list of horrible consequences of rape. Think about it from the victims perspective, the list of worries has just become longer. There is the fear of AIDS, pregnancy, future sexual dysfunction due to psychological trauma. Add to that shame, daily terror, trauma of reliving the experience and victimization through court testimony and questioning. Now Todd Akin wants to add more shame and fear to the mix by disallowing women to determine how to handle the medical outcome of a PTSD pregnancy. Understand that the Republican party does not unilaterally support a platform of abortion for victims of rape and incest. Also be aware that if an acquaintance rapes your 11 year old daughter and she does not scream, fight and/or show bruises, it would not be considered "forcible rape". So if she knows him, Maybe she "wanted it" ?????? Seriously, what self respecting woman can let this issue go and vote Republican?
I am pro-life, but not willing to see the GOP send the nation back to the 1870's. I understand Akin was trying to say some rape cases are proven consensual in court. However, no one would say you don't get pregnant from a rape. There's endless debate on the abortion question, but the debate has clarified the need to reduce the instances of abortion, which has happened. Abortion should not be a birth control substitute, but something that occurs in extremis.
Overture, cut the lights This is it, the night of nights No more rehearsing or nursing a part We know every part by heart! Overture, night of nights This is it, we'll hit the heights And oh what heights we'll hit On with the show this is it!
Let's not make a big deal out of this. Party platforms means nothing, most Republicans don't share this point of view, the bill itself is rated less than 1% chance of passing in Congress, and if it did would have to go through the constitutional amendment ratification process in the states. Never going to happen. The new radical Republicans who write the platform indulge themselves, and then no one pays any attention to the platform again -- until someone wants to...make a big deal out of it for political advantage.
the left always yell that we need to help the poor and sick and helpless. yet not unborn children.
Typo: the FEW Republicans, not new Republicans, who support the most radical opposition to abortion.
The right always yells about the unborn children yet abandons and demonizes them and their mothers once they're born.
Actually what's "Too Funny" (per @The System Worked) is that bloggers on both sides would even consider this editorial a piece of serious journalism. --It's just ANOTHER attack piece on the GOP by the profoundly biased Boston Globe. ---We're talking about exactly ONE GOP politician here. And on the other side, Joe Biden's "chains" remark seems to be perfectly acceptable to the Congressional Black Caucus---Now, let's see..Elsewhere in the paper are more discussions about abortion, the Mormon faith (but for some strange reason, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a practicing Mormon, is never mentioned). More Bain Capital that emphasizes the job layoffs but never mentions the far greater number of new jobs created, tax returns, etc. What's next on the liberal attack agenda? --Did Globe mention that Mitt kills cancer patients, too, like the pro-Obama ad?--What you get from the Globe are SERMONS from PREACHERS, not actual news.----
Now, for some actual NEWS. From today's WSJ. "Markets shudder on global weakening" (Note: That's Global WEAKENING, NOT Global Warming)...Ronmey unveils his own energy plan..And editorials "The Silent Second Term Agenda" Obama has yet to say what he wants to do if reelected -----http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444358404577607653771401124.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop----And, "Obama's U.N. Friends" that shows Barack Obama's "Experienced" foreign policy at work. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has decided to attend a summit next week of the "Non-Aligned Movement" in Tehran. The U.N., on which Obama depends on to do the right thing regarding Iran and "sanctions" completely EMBARRASSES Barack Obama. UN makes Obama look like a COMPLETE FOOL.---Barack Obama's foreign policy is clueless and just helps America's and Israel's enemies. If Mitt just flipped a coin to make decisions, his foreign policy would be far superior to Barack Obama's. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444812704577607790585187560.html?mod=opinion_newsreel