The war on women in Arkansas
Sen. Jason Rapert and his colleagues attack abortion.
by Leslie Newell Peacock @eyecandypeacock
Page 4 of 4
A few legislators have dared to speak against the bills. Democratic Sen. Linda Chesterfield spoke out in a Senate hearing on Rapert's bill, saying "I don't want to go back to when women used kerosene and clothes hangers because they didn't have a choice," and Sen. Stephanie Flowers, in an exchange paralleling Leding's with Mayberry, asked Rapert if he could imagine how women would feel if they were required to have a vaginal probe. "No" was Rapert's answer. In an interview, the Times' Max Brantley remarked on the invasiveness of the procedure. Rapert told him sex was invasive.
Leding gave an impassioned plea on the House floor Monday, saying, "It is easier to sit in this room and push a button far removed from the hospital" to decide a woman's fate than to stand between her and her doctor.
"This is not about elective procedures. So I will vote no today, not out of political ideology or lack of compassion or faith. I regard all life as precious but understand that life is complicated. ... I for one believe that agonizing decision should be left to the mother and father with their doctor and their God."
UPDATE Sen. Rapert said Tuesday (Feb. 5) that he would amend his bill to require only an external ultrasound for the bill. That would effectively push the date at which a woman could not get an abortion to 10 weeks gestation, which is still 15 weeks short of viability and thus still unconstitutional.« previous 1 2 3 4
Speaking of...
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Republicans continue attacks on Planned Parenthood
June 17, 2013Hiring "navigators" and Planned Parenthood to help spend more of our Grandkid's money. #Obamacare #selfish— Jim Hendren (@JimHendren1) June 16, 2013 There is plenty of political profit for Republicans in slamming Planned Parenthood, so expect more of the above. /more/
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John Burkhalter will run for lt. governor
June 11, 2013Roby Brock reports that Highway Commissioner John Burkhalter will announce this afternoon that he is running for lieutenant governor. /more/
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God, Jason Rapert and Obamacare
June 6, 2013When someone lamented the starvation of millions in the Ukraine, Joseph Stalin is supposed to have observed that "one death is a tragedy, but a million deaths is only a statistic." /more/
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Rapert won't go for Lt. Gov. job. Too bad.
June 5, 2013State Sen. Jason Rapert, the Republican from Conway who authored Arkansas's 12-week abortion ban, which has not gone into effect thanks to a federal court injunction, announced today he'll see re-election to his Senate seat in 2014. /more/
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Practicing law with Bro. Rapert
May 18, 2013Sen. Jason Rapert, author of the patently unconstitutional bill to ban most abortions in Arkansas at the 12th week of pregnancy, took heart yesterday at Judge Susan Webber Wright's indication that she was inclined to uphold the part of the law that requires women seeking an abortion in the 12th week of pregnancy or later to have an ultrasound and to be shown the results of that test. /more/
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Friday finish — An oldie but goodie for legislature? A rebuttal for Tom Cotton
May 17, 2013A new school leader in Mineral Springs, a political rumor from Fayetteville and a deconstruction of Rep. Tom Cotton's slam of Obamacare. /more/
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Judge Wright issues injunction against abortion law
May 17, 2013The word from the federal courthouse is that federal Judge Susan Webber Wright has issued a preliminary injunction against enforcement of the new Arkansas law that was meant to bar most abortions at the 12th week of pregnancy. /more/
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Women's rights in court this morning
May 17, 2013Leslie Newell Peacock will be in federal court for us this morning for the preliminary injunction hearing on the lawsuit challenging the new state law prohibiting most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. /more/
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The death and taxes open line
May 16, 2013The line is open. Closing out: * THERE THE GOP GOES AGAIN: The Arkansas Republican Party is in all-out assault mode on U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, today pounding him for saying seven years ago that he supported permanent repeal of the estate tax (dishonestly called a "death tax" by the Republicans) but joining in recent bipartisan approval of what is now a dramatically lower estate tax. /more/
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The terrible 10 of the 89th Arkansas General Assembly
May 9, 2013They're the worst of the worst. /more/
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