The ramifications of McDonnell’s retreat on Virginia’s ultrasound bill
Three weeks ago Virginia Senator Jill Vogel’s ultrasound bill, SB484, had passed in the Senate and was on its third (last) reading in the House, thisclose to moving from the General Assembly to pro-life Governor Bob McDonnell for his signature.
Meanwhile feminists, incited by their recent bludgeoning of Komen, had launched a campaign to defeat the bill with the histrionic (and intellectually embarrassing) claim that transvaginal ultrasounds – not mentioned in the bill but an important diagnostic tool alongside abdominal ultrasound to determine a baby’s gestational age, location of placenta, whether the baby is alive, whether the pregnancy is ectopic, and whether there is more than one baby – was equal to “forcible rape.”
Making the feminist “forcible rape” charge even more of ridiculous is that the Virginia League of Planned Parenthood requires two ultrasounds before abortions and describes vaginal ultrasounds as “feel[ing] similar to a vaginal exam” and “not painful”…
Of course, the right thing to do in the face of medieval opposition to medical advances is to stand strong and uphold them.
Instead, despite the fact he was term-limited, pro-life Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell “folded like a cheap tent,” in the words of World magazine, because:
McDonnell is frequently mentioned as a potential running mate for Mitt Romney, should Romney win the Republican nomination for president, and McDonnell pretty clearly decided a more favorable image with Democrats, independents, and New York comedians was more important to his political future than enthusiastic pro-life support.
The biggest political blunder came on Monday, February 20. Over the weekend McDonnell had signaled he was beginning to buckle under the pressure of relentless opposition and ridicule, “calling in legislators to ask for advice,” according to the Washington Post.
Knowing their leader was spooked, and with hundreds of protesters gathered around the capit0l, equally spooked bill proponents decided to delay the final vote on SB484 until Tuesday, when they thought a slew of other bills being voted on would buffer the outcry against SB484’s passage.
They did not realize time was their enemy – or perhaps saboteurs did.
McDonnell started calling in pro-life/pro-family groups. They begged him not to amend SB484, saying it would only destabilize the bill even more, and it was also unnecessary – surrendering to ignoramuses.
But he did. McDonnell’s people would later say an unamended bill would have failed in the House. We shall never know. SB484 ultimately passed in House on February 22 by a vote of 65-32-1 – a comfortable cushion to have risked losing a few of the weak-kneed if unamended, it seems to me.
Senator Vogel, who was left twisting in the wind, struck (cancelled) her amended bill when it came back over to the Senate. The amended House version, HB462, barely made it.
McDonnell was warned his retreat would have far-reaching ramifications. And already it has. Seven states have laws mandating ultrasounds before abortions, 20 states regulate pre-abortion ultrasounds in some way altogether, and 11 states aside from Virginia had ultrasound legislation pending. None of the aforementioned specify ultrasounds must be transvaginal.
Had McDonnell stood strong against the dishonest hysteria and used the opportunity to educate, he would have helped those other efforts. Instead he hurt them. According to the New York Times on March 2:
Pennsylvania: Ultrasound Bill Is Shelved
The State House majority leader announced on Thursday that a bill requiring ultrasounds before abortions would not be considered soon. The shift followed a national uproar over a similar proposal in Virginia, which as originally worded would have forced women to have vaginal ultrasounds.
And according to the New York Times on February 28:
In Alabama, the sponsor of a bill to strengthen an existing ultrasound requirement said on Monday that he would seek a revision softening the bill. The existing bill mandates that the screen must face the pregnant woman and requires use of the scanning method that provides the clearest image – which would mean vaginal ultrasounds in most cases….
In Idaho, senators introducing a similar ultrasound bill added language on Monday requiring use of “whichever method the physician and patient agree is best under the circumstances.”
And back to Virginia for more bad news, quoting the Daily Beast:
Then, yesterday, the Virginia Senate tabled a so-called personhood bill. It had already passed the House and been approved by a Senate committee, and was widely expected to reach McDonnell’s desk. Six Republicans, including Senate Leader Tommy Norment, joined 18 Democrats in voting to kill it.
Liberty Counsel Action, led by pro-life stalwart Mat Staver, also the Dean of the Liberty University School of Law in Virginia, didn’t mince words:
Two days after Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell reversed course on Virginia’s ultrasound legislation, the Virginia Senate voted against proceeding with personhood legislation….
Governor Bob McDonnell failed to lead in this effort to pass this common sense measure. Instead his lack of leadership, and even behind the scene opposition, helped to kill the bill.
Then there is the intangible, momentum, which McDonnell handed the other side. Whereas the pro-abortion victory (short-term, at least) over Komen could have been seen as a blip, McDonnell’s capitulation helped establish it as a trend. And he also added to the damaging meme that social issues hurt Republicans…
[First two photos via StyleWeekly.com]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
so who is supporting a moderate R in this race. think again….possible running mate indeed.
And just like with Komen, this goes to show that a lie can make it halfway around the world while the truth is getting its shoes on.
At some point our pols are going to have to realize that even while the pro-choice/culture of death MSM is influential, there are nevertheless things called “conviction” and “principle” we expect them to honor in their decisions.
The Governor has played his hand and he looks like another spineless politcian that buckles under the pressure of a manufactured firestorm. If he thinks that he has secured consideration as a possible running mate for Mitt it will in fact put a drag on the ticket from pro-lifers who are now looking at TWO big question marks instead of Mitt alone. If Mitt does get the nomination he would be well advised to pick a strong pro-lifer as a running mate.
This is a setback, but we will not quit until we secure legal protections for the unborn.
The character assasinations by the Left, MSM, and Pro-Choicers is brutal. However, our Politicians should realize that this is how they operate. The Left et al want to belittle our politicians enough so that the politicians take on their leftist baby-killling position.
McDonnell really goofed… Hopefully it wasn’t due to the lure of political office/status.
(Wo)Man, do we Roman Catholics suck at politics or what!! We are just a bunch of cowards and push-overs.
Of course, getting a suction cannula rammed in one’s cervix, tearing the cervical tissue, puncturing the uterus, damaging ovaries is less akin to forcible rape in both form and effect.
Okay, can the children sit down now and let the adults continue to talk?
“not mentioned in the bill but an important diagnostic”
If it were so important why is the mainstream medical community not supporting this? Those states that don’t have mandatory shame sonograms haven’t had any problems as a result of their less restrictive laws. Massachusetts, the most educated state in the country as well as a medical center for people around the world, doesn’t deem the ultrasound important enough to mandate it.
Ultrasounds are just another way to attempt to shame and harass women. And that’s why the Democrats are picking up women from the GOP and the independents. As we’ve been saying since Roe, “not the church, not the state, only I decide my fate.”
“Of course, getting a suction cannula rammed in one’s cervix, tearing the cervical tissue, puncturing the uterus, damaging ovaries is less akin to forcible rape in both form and effect”
And the incidence of this is….?
And it’s so much nicer to have to resort to back alley butchers like in the “good old days.” Right, Dr. Nadal?
As a native and current Virginian, I sure wish the Governor hadn’t buckled but I think we’re being a little too hard on him here. Maybe he’s vying for the VP slot–I can’t pretend to know his every motive as I’d be projecting–but his record, unlike Romney’s, is solidly pro-life and I’m very proud of him.
Our political leaders don’t always meet our every wish. As Jill aptly noted on Jan 26, “pro-life politicians could always do better.” While I’m not suggesting that we lower our expectations, I can only imagine the spiritual assault this is taking on him and his family. I’d be royally ticked off if he had scrapped the whole concept behind this. He did not; we are getting a form of the sonogram bill signed, and the new law will reduce the number of abortions in our state as such legislation always does. This pro-lifer is really happy about that.
So he contributed a little bit to the momentum and the left’s false memes. An unfortunate and unnecessary price, yes, but it’s small one when one considers that this is a win for us at the end of the day.
Let’s not be impressed with the screechy howls from the other side. They are ALWAYS like that. And might I remind everyone that it is in Virginia where the new mill regs are expected to close most of the abortuaries in the state. The Governor has been wonderfully instrumental in that process.
Also, our fearless AG Ken Cucinelli is running for governor. He is the abortion industry’s worst nightmare. Hold on, dear champions of life. Take a breath. Thank God the victories, however small or partial they are.
Just had to offer some perspective from a guy who’s grateful to see ANY pro-life legislation passed in his home state. We now have a very rare window of opportunity in that the House of Delegates, Senate (barely), and Governor’s office are now inhabited by pro-life leaders. So I’m celebrating.
Thanks for hearing me.
“Maybe he’s vying for the VP slot–I can’t pretend to know his every motive as I’d be projecting”
Had he stood strong he might have been a more valuable VP type for pro lifers wary of Romney. This cowardly action sure did it for me. He would not be an asset to Romney because pro lifers remember.
CC,
YOU? YOU of all people, who used a turkey baster on yourself to abort your baby?? You have the temerity to complain about back alley abortions??!! If you were such a believer in those front alley chop shops you pay lip service to you would have gone to one.
We’ve covered the incidence of post-abortive sequelae here and on my blog. You’re just too busy sputtering to notice.
tell tenor pro-lifer: “We now have a very rare window of opportunity in that the House of Delegates, Senate (barely), and Governor’s office are now inhabited by pro-life leaders. So I’m celebrating.”
What good is having a bunch of “pro-life” legislators if they won’t pass pro-life legislation?
Does Gov McDonnell go to Mass? What will he say to God for abandoning those unborn children? He didn’t just betray pro-lifers or his principles, he betrayed God and the unborn (the least of his brothers). I hope God has mercy on his soul.
McDonnell needs to have a chat with Mr. Santourm about what it means to be a Catholic politician and Pro-life. No one has been attacked more and insulted more than Senator Santorum, and yet he continually comes out strong in support of the unborn.
I can’t celebrate when unborn children will die because of the Governor’s political maneuvring.
@Tyler: Do the clinic regulations and the sonogram bill, albeit a modified one, not qualify as pro-life legislation?
I have no idea as to his Mass-attending habits.
As Jill said in her post: “We shall never know,” all of his reasons, though I agree with her that it would have been a worthy risk to take. But if indeed there were a LOT of weak-kneed Republicans in the House and this would not have passed, we would have no sonogram bill at all. Not saying he didn’t stumble here, b/c I think he did, but we don’t know absolutely everything. And we will still have fewer abortions in this state with this new law.
Moreover, the pro-life movement has always been successful when we are incremental instead of all-or-nothing in our approach.
tall: To clarify, I said “We shall never know” re: whether the VA House would have passed the unamended bill, not McDonnell’s reasons.
I’m sure McDonnell’s staff was crunching the numbers of votes they had in the House, which I presume was his primary reason. That’s what I meant anyway; sorry for my poor phrasing. If the Governor knew for sure that it would never pass the House, then he was being prudent, not a sellout. With McDonnell we get a sonogram bill that will reduce abortions in Virginia; with Stupak we got a worthless piece of paper with Obama’s signature. That analogy doesn’t quite hold up.
Again, I do think he wobbled here but I’m defending him because a) it is likely that he was being wise, b) he has been very good on the life issue until this recent miscalculation and c) I’ve met him and he’s one of the few politicians alive today who I believe is a genuine statesman. I think he’d make a great VP or President.
Don’t think we can or should stay angry at the guy. He’s a good man who I think probably did what he thought was best, even though I was disappointed. If he continues to compromise like this though I’ll eat my words.
To me this is a lesson in leadership. A politician can sit and count the votes as the voters are being manippulated by the MSM or the politician can decide to lead and ensure that he will get the votes to pass the bill he knows is morally right.
The Governor could have presented to the Media information like Ms. Stanek’s above: that PP, itself, requires vaginal ultrasounds. All good politicians should have this kind of infromation in their back pocket, ready at a moment’s notice, to show to their enemies. Good politicians don’t go into a fight unprepared, without anticipating what there enemy will do.
IMO the incremental approach is justified and morally sound; however, this is not what the Governor did. The Governor backpedalled during an incremental approach. The incremental approach is justifiable when the default position is morally worse than what is proposed using the incremental approach. However, in this case, progress had already been made. In this case, it was about standing your ground, and not caving in. A slight but very important, life-saving difference.
Finally, I would also like to mention that the vaginal ultrasound is actually better for women, and it protects their health and it is this fact that makes this retreat by the Governor so stupid. Pro-life politicans should seek the advice of committed pro-lifers rather than pro-aborts before trying to make a tough political decision.
When are pro-lifers going to understand and accept that pro-aborts are not looking out for the health of women. That has been the biggest lie spouted by the pro-aborts. The pro-aborts are about harming all women – unborn and born women, We have to stop taking their pro-women rhetoric seriously. Just as we should not take seriously those who advocate “post-birth abortion.” Both of these advocates are just full of it.
Awareness of this fact that pro-aborts are not pro-women is going to effect the greatest change to immoral pro-abort laws.
As soon as we hear a pro-abort say something that protrays themselves as pro-women we pro-lifers should automatically think “That’s a lie” and thereafter search for the truth in order to state it.
I think legislators should declare that “Pro-Choice” rhetoric and speech is hate speech and should not be allowed. Pro-Choice speech is ageist, ableist, and often racist language. It incites hatred toward the unborn and undeveloped human beings.
Does anyone agree with this? Is this reasonable?
I wouldn’t mind if this law that prohibited pro-choice speech had to go to the Supreme Court. I think it would be upheld by the Court as a just law.
Where are these women when the RU47, ELLA, PLAN B pills cause a women to die, pass-out, suffer from countless numbers of horrifying side effects-phsycological and physical?
Where are these pro-“choice,” activists, who say they care so much about women–when it is actually time to care for their sisters? I will tell you where they are: blaming us for being week!
Telling us to be ruthless(heartless) like they are. What they don’t realize is that they need a hug more than any one does. That is why I pray for them.
They are telling us we can take these abortifacents without “uneccesary” medical supervision.
Their language is hazardous, reckless and irresponsible.
“In California, a girl under age 18 can’t get a cavity filled, or an aspirin dispensed by the school nurse without a parent knowing.
But a doctor can perform an abortion on a young girl without informing a parent.
On a daily basis, older men exploit young girls and use secret abortions to cover up their crimes. ”
(rapists love legal abortion, btw.)
If you are a registered California voter and care to protect young women from these relentless lies saturating our culture, please consider signing this petition.
http://www.caparentalrights.org/