Ah, the Republican party. The party of “personal freedom.” The party that wants to get government out of your wallet, out of your church, and into your body — if you are a woman, that is.
In 2013, Texas passed a ban on abortions after the twentieth week of pregnancy. The current law permits exceptions to that 20-week cutoff, in cases where continuing the pregnancy would cause serious health problems for the mother, or in cases of severe fetal abnormalities.
Tea Party Republican Matt Schaefer, who represents an east Texas district that includes the city of Tyler, offered an amendment to a bill reauthorizing the state’s Department of Health Services, that would remove the fetal abnormalities exception from the law. Schaefer’s amendment would require a woman to carry her pregnancy to term, even if it was known that the baby would only live for a short time after birth.
Schaefer’s Facebook page contains the following, amazingly callous statement:
Fetal abnormalities should not justify taking the life of unborn babies. Unfortunately, Texas law allows that. Today we tried to end the practice of aborting babies with disabilities.
Most, but not all, Republicans support Schaefer’s amendment.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Republican representative Stuart Spitzer, speaking in favor of the amendment, told of a mother who decided to carry her baby to term even after she was told it would not survive. Spitzer said, “She was able to hold her child. I want parents to be able to have that child and have that experience, not destroy it and chop it up.”
Since one woman felt that continuing her pregnancy was the right thing for her; since she made that choice, Spitzer wants to force the same choice on all other women.
The Dallas Morning News says the amendment has even caused concerns among some Republicans. Representative, J.D. Sheffield, who is a family practice physician, said that forcing women to carry unviable pregnancies to term was unethical. “Why should the heavy hand of government come into that most heart-rending decision?” he said.
A valid question, especially for members of a party that claims it stands for “limited government.”
Schaefer had an answer for Sheffield, and of course that answer was, because “God.” According to RH Reality Check, during debate on the amendment, Schaefer said that suffering is “part of the human condition, since sin entered the world.”
Schaefer tells Breitbart.com:
I came to Austin to do the right thing, to do things that matter. This is important. If we are not going to get the chance to have our bills heard in committee or get to a hearing, then we will use the procedural mechanisms that are available for us, including amendments. We have to value what God values.
Breitbart features a photo of Schaefer, who is a naval reservist and an Afghanistan veteran, in his uniform, holding an assault rifle. I can’t help but wonder whether he took his extreme “pro-life” views to war with him, and refused to shoot anyone, or whether killing Afghanis was what God would want him to do. You know, we have to “value what God values.” And, as every Tea Party Republican will tell you, Americans are the most valuable people in the universe.
Schaefer’s amendment passed the Texas House of Representatives by a margin of 82-49. But, the bill it was attached to was pulled by its sponsor and sent back to committee, after Democrats raised procedural objections that threatened to kill the entire piece of legislation.
Democratic representative Jessica Farrar, said that Schaefer wouldn’t even discuss the amendment with her. According to RH Reality Check, she says that this year’s legislature is the most anti-woman in her 21 years as a representative. Matt Schaefer would probably say that God wants it that way.
Featured image via Facebook
What a disgusting freak these extremist republican trash are ! Force a women to carry to term a birth defective baby who will probably not even live………….WTF .These ignorant ranting bible thumpers want to bring to life a baby who will suffer in pain and suffer till it dies…just so they can stop abortions.
PITY THE CHILDREN ! PITY THE WOMEN ! 2016 VOTE THESE DAMN CREEPS OUT ! DO IT OR STFU !
In my defense, I tried, but I got outvoted…
Me too.
and me too
Spitzer said, “She was able to hold her child. I want parents to be able
to have that child and have that experience, not destroy it and chop it
up.”
i would so agree with him if the law was the pregnancy had to be terminated, so to force a family go through the whole pregnancy knowing the child will not survive long or have serious health consequences for the mother is better over all is inhumane…..why force any family to go through this pain for quasi religious reasons is wrong on all levels, abortion is the woman’s choice as it is her choice to continue a damaging or non viable pregnancy…..
Because they are Republicans. They have no understanding of human pain.
Can we please STOP the political party-based bigotry? I am a Republican and personally disagree with this entire concept. I think that decisions such as these are personal and should involve only the mothers and their families. The government has NO right to regulate health care choices of any type. If a terminally ill person wants their life terminated then they should be able to do so. The last argument to make in a supposedly religiously tolerant society is “God made me do/say it.”
I don’t paint the entire body of Democrats with the same brush simply because I find the policies of one too socialistic or even communistic and doing so will not help the cause of the majority of us who, while identifying themselves as members of one party or another, actually are much more centrist in political view.
As for understanding human pain… the very fact that you can state something so obviously fallacious, as only a non-human is incapable of understanding human pain, turns your entire comment into nothing more than clap-trap. Unless you are arguing that all Republicans are alien life-forms from a galaxy far, far away… That I would accept since I was certainly not born of this earth LOL!
Just saying, as long as the Republican party keeps electing and condoning lunatics like this one, you have pretty much earned whatever party-wide criticism these lunatics cause.
To use a Republican talking point, why will the Republican community not speak out and denounce its extremists?
Have you ever thought about voting for other than a Republican candidate? If not, please complete due diligence on all candidates and vote for the one that most closely follow your beliefs and not the Republican because you are a Republican. We need to remove the zealots from office.
Carol, I get the feeling you meant to reply to the same guy I replied to.
You are right. I hit the incorrect reply…
I have and do, just about daily. I also call out silly Dumbocrats. I am an equal opportunity Republican-big-mouth-free-thinker
Just read a little farther down and you will understand.
Then you’re one of the rare ones, my friend.
I am on board with some conservative ideas, fiscally speaking. Mainly, the idea that government should only be as large as absolutely necessary, and we can argue all day long about the latter.
It’s the rest of the shyte that gets tacked onto the platforms that repulses me, I’m afraid.
If you want to end the party-based bigotry, then why do you call Democrats “Dumbocrats” but don’t call Republicans something equally as demeaning? If you want to end party-based bigotry, then set the example and do it yourself too!
I didn’t. I called a very specific set Dumbocrats. On a site where I am educating the opposing party my preferred term of affection is Repugnicans. I haven’t seen any on this thread. So far there are only a few Republicans that have posted on this thread and since they all agree regarding the heresy of this tea-party dipstick the term did not fit. But there are some seriously handicapped Democrats posting on this thread and my turn of phrase was directed at them.
Hmmm, yes, lunatics. Has the island of Guam capsized yet?
I was there a little while ago. Still one of the most beautiful places on planet earth. Sad what they did to Talafofo Falls in the name of accessibility/profit
Watch out for Slavik. He’s one of those closet racists who thinks anyone who calls him out on his racism must be a racist themselves. He’s just another standard Republicant who can’t handle the truth about himself.
“Can we please STOP the political party-based bigotry?”
That’s an extremely amusing FALSE premise.
You see, you and NO ONE ELSE can name a single Democrat who wants to force a woman to bring to term a non-viable fetus. NOT ONE.
But you have falsely determined that calling this Republican TEATARD out is bigotry.
I highly recommend that you pick up a dictionary and look up the definition of bigotry and bias.
If you had read the comment I was making reference to it clearly said “All Republicans”. Since I am a Republican and pro-choice that is clearly biased so my judgement of that comment as being blatantly bigoted stands.
Then, and my favorite faux-pas in your silly diatribe, “you and NO ONE ELSE can name a single Democrat who wants to force a woman to bring to term a non-viable fetus. NOT ONE.” Guess you have never heard of Democrats for Life of America I’m guessing. They did a poll that claims that 43% of all registered Democrats are Pro-Life rather than Pro-Choice. Kristen Day is their Executive Director. Their platform is actually pretty straighforward and simple. A key piece is as follows: They hold to a platform that the ONLY legitimate excuse for an abortion is due to the pregnancy putting the life of the woman carrying the fetus at significant risk of death. Literally they believe in the right to life from womb to tomb in their own words. They follow the “Consistent life ethic” as created by Joseph Bernardin a Cardinal Archbishop of the RC Church and a registered DEMOCRAT (I can yell at you too, maybe you will hear me then). You may well wonder if this group has any significant political figures I can point out? Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Ray Flynn, Tim Roemer, Joe Turnham and US Senator Bob Casey, Jr. If you want I can provide a list of Hollywood types that are Democrats and members of this group. One that comes immediately to mind is Martin Sheen.
Since my posting on this page is in complete and total opposition to the stand this “gentleman” is putting forward I am substantially in agreement with you. My comment was not directed at anybody calling the “TEATARD” out regarding his foolish stance, it was directed at those that call out all Republicans for the stupid position taken by this single woeful representative. Therefore I would recommend you pick up a book, or better yet, attend some post-degree courses in the understanding and use of the English language before you use less than viable arguments to attack someone that actually agrees with you but believes you attack the problem with a scalpel rather than using a scatter-gun approach.
Sounds like you did due diligence and discovered that my comment was true. Perhaps you also discovered that some Republicans voted for Obama and some Democrats voted for McCain. The divisive two party system is an anachronism no longer required due to the high level of literacy achieved in our nation. People should run on individual merit. Of course, were that to occur, the halls of government across this land would be vacant LOL!
Yet you continue to vote for so called Republicans that hold opposite ideals. Why? What do they offer that makes overlooking crap like this, that makes up more of their platform than anything else? Republicans scream about jobs and the economy and whats the first thing they do? Make abortion and gay marriage their agenda, and try destroy the country in an effort to try to make the President look bad.
That party contributes nothing positive to society. Nothing. Their entire “leadership” are liars and cheaters with no ethics, Un-ethical crazy religious zealots who would impose their will on everyone just like an American Taliban.
The President needs no help looking bad, and has shown himself to be an eminently capable liar.
You’re not really a Republican. You’re a Libertarian voting Republican.
More a free thinker that just happens to be a Republican.
This is your party, dude. You own it. You don’t want to be associated with christo-fascist, bible-thumping jerkwads? Then either clean up your own damn party, or join a different one. You don’t get to play the No True Scotsman Fallacy here, amigo. We’re not buying it.
I can’t espouse the socialistic/communistic precepts far left either. I love my country and as it looks right now you must hate America in order to qualify as a proper Democrat. Since every single evil you accuse Republicans of can be reversed leveled at Democrats you have more than amply proved my point. I on’t own it you moron - WE OWN IT! Every stinking last one of us. And funny thing. I am half Scot.
Are there any democrats who support this kind of evil legislation? Then it’s fair to paint it as a republican issue.
I actually answered your question elsewhere on the thread and have no intention of repeating myself. The short version is that a recent PEW Poll indicates that fully 43% of registered Democrats are Right-to-Life and believe in Womb to Tomb protection of all life including fetal life. So, no this isn’t a Republican Party issue alone. But since you have opened the door and a few others have asked inappropriate questions about my voting proclivity as a Republican allow me to take a stand upon the Internet Soap Box and explain how things USED to work.
We have a two-party system (for the most part) that ranges from an extreme left Democrat that supports socialism to a far right that pretty much espouses a form of fascism. Somewhere between those two extremes lie over 90% of all Americans. Time was we voted on a generic platform and ensured enough people of polar opposites was put into place to enforce compromise in governing. This pretty well removes the extremes of either party from interference with our daily lives. In recent years we have allowed an ever greater number of extremists into the governmental fold from both the far right AND the far left. This has created an environment in which the skill of compromise is absent. Two sides and neither will back off, net result is a freeze of almost all government activity. I voted for Obama because I truly believed that we needed a self-professed socialist in order to bring some balance back. I was wrong. The man has ridden slipshod over the very concepts that created our society and I honestly believe that it will be impossible for the world to recover from the disaster that is unfolding. President Obama and his minions have proven themselves to be corrupt at a level that defies belief. Their actions have, perhaps, destroyed the United States as a world power and/or influence. Here’s the rub. This state of the Union every bit as much the Republicans’ fault as it is the communists and socialists that were the power behind the throne.
I am fully aware that the comments here will lead to a blatant and open attack of me from all you that don’t realize that your utter faith in the truth and good intentions of the Democratic Party are no better placed than the opinions of this single asinine representative of Texas Tea-Party Republicans. So be it. I am done here children. I have done my best to give you the tools to discover the truth yourselves. If it all comes apart you have no one to blame but the person you see in the mirror each morning.
You had me until you said you voted for Obama because he was a socialist. Now I can’t take anything you say seriously.
Please don’t then. Everything I say is a lie. At least that is how you see it. Truly dedicated members of either political party have no problem sticking their fingers in their ears and heads in the sand. Just the way our world works.
I know about the anti-socialist arguments but the simple fact is that President Obama’s policies, including the structure of the ACA, are purely socialist as they require the government to control the common pool of resources and then distribute them fairly in line with economic position. In other words the wealthy pay a higher percentage of the costs for identical service in order to offset the costs of giving the same, or similar services, to the poor or destitute at lower costs, or free. It all sounds very altruistic but in practice it has failed repeatedly.
Current Democratic platform is extraordinarily socialist and I am sorry you can’t see that. Primarily because it is that logical extension of PC thought that will bring the global economy to a halt.
I’m not a member of either party. And Obama’s biggest problem is that he is at best, a moderate republican. Your example of the ACA as a “socialist” policy demonstrates your lack of understanding of the problems it attempts (badly, I admit) to address and the way the law works specifically. Your talking points come straight from RW media, which is why I don’t believe you.
It was said somewhere below, and I tend to agree - the Tea Party needs to fold out of the GOP. Right now they’re huddled together due to declining public favor, but frankly there’s so much discord between the two philosophies. How can you be for less government while also proposing it become a totalitarian theocracy? How can you be “pro-life” while being at war with the entire 3rd world? How can you be “fiscally conservative” while gaming the system to reap massive profits for a very small minority?
I know all about this, my ex was forced to carry our daughter to term even though she wouldn’t live long after birth.
It’s not quasi religious. It’s 100% religious in origin and nature.
Monsterous! No (lady) person should have to bare this pain for nine months then bare a different kind.
Nor should she have to bear it either.
REPUBLICANS,,, We dont need no
stinking scientist,,we got GOD,, we have NEVER spoken to him and we have NEVER
Seen him BUT we know that he is with US,,and not some other guy
“Sorry but your IMAGINARY FREIND,,,is not going to help you
out on this one,,,,” . If you claim
that your God actually WANTED it to be that way what a sick basterd he or she
must be. We have invented the wheel since those kind of ideas we had to live
with and had no choice. the very reason why conditioning minor children into
and superstitious/religious belief should be a felony. It is child abuse and
destroys ability to think critically for life.
Religion is the biggest mental illness that is
left untreated in human existence.
I agree. So strange how we r such a minority. I raised my child to be a free thinker. To believe if HE wants. He is a brilliant young man who determined on his own that he is an atheist. God is taught, not inborn. Santa exists for children. God exists because it was taught from birth
There is a logical fallacy in your argument which probably explains your self-perceived minority position. If God must be taught then who first taught of it? Oh. I made a punny. LOL.
Personally I think a child should be given the opportunity to explore the entirety of the Universe, including concepts such as God and religion, Denying your child the chance to explore an avenue of the human experience simply because it goes against your personal beliefs is immoral. It is child abuse of the worst kind because you are forcing the child down your path with complete and utter disregard for his or her ability to think critically for themselves. You can’t be a critical thinker if you have removed an entire banquet of choices off the menu because “I’m the parent and I said so!” Sounds just like another religion to me, just a godless one. Also, it isn’t really very liberal either as, by definition, a liberal is supposed to be accepting of differences such as race, gender, sexual orientation and,,,dare I say it? Yes. I dare. Religion.
I agree with u, not to with old knowledge. Please allow me to clarify; my son was exposed to religion, science, and so much more. He went to Hebrew school to learn of his ancestors history. I never shared my beliefs or influenced him in any way. At 15 he is very wordly and knowlagible. I simply allowed him to come to his own beliefs.
I mentioned I wanted to raise a free thinker, not an ignorant one.
No regrets. He is an amazing, talented, brilliant, kind young man so I know while far from perfect, he must’ve been raised well. Abuse? I think not…lol
Have a great day
Dear Wendy, I too benefited from the same upbringing. I am in the National Registry of Honor Students amongst other things. I rejected all religions but, like Einstein, decided to keep an open mind about the concept of god itself. My parents have described me, to my embarrassment, in the same way. My grandfather was a druid and member of the Scottish Order of Freemasons.
Your parents were proud. No need for embarrassment
In our home we are as open minded as it gets. More opportunities that way in life.
I am very tired of fetus fanatics.
I guarantee you that if that man had to carry that fetus inside his body he would old not want to do it. If men could get pregnant all forms of birth control would be free & there would be abortion on demand every damn where!
I take back the “if men could get pregnant” rant. Not fair to imy all men but bet there would be plenty.
Pro-Fetus, not Pro-Life.
Not even Pro-Fetus.
If they were Pro-Fetus, they would offer to fund nutritional programs that serve pregnant women.
The intent is extracting Forced-Gestation out of unwilling pregnant women.
Punishing women for having had s^x is the clear, solitary objective here: NOTHING to do with being “pro-fetus”.
Correct. The only Pro they are is pro-pregnancy. Period.
It does make me wonder if, at some point, we will start hearing conservatives say that if the “baby dies before birth, it’s the mother’s fault.” I’d like to hope that’ll never happen. However, with some of the insane statements being said, who knows…
That is happening now. Some women are being charged with the death of their babies even when it’s a simple miscarraige or accidental falling down the stairs.
I suppose it’s official then. Texas has completely lost its f*****g mind. Holy s***balls. Sorry for the language. I’m at a complete loss. I truly wish I had something intelligent to say, but I literally have nothing. I’m speechless. What gives these people the right to sue a woman with murder simply for falling down the stairs? I’m surprised Katie this hasn’t made the news around the country???
Um, it has made news.. at least through websites like dailykos, Jezebel, and Wonkette. I’ll have to try to find the articles I found. I don’t remember if it was in Texas or not, but I do know for sure of a case in Florida.
Sorry KatieT if I sound clueless here. In my defense I do not have a TV at all here at home, so the only news I catch is online, and even then it’s either a link my friends send me, or the “headlines” one might see on Yahoo. So I had never heard about the case you were speaking about. I appreciate your information!
Governor Abbott has even kowtowed to their pathologically insane Teatards. He actually believes Obama is going to take over Texas soon.
Personhood bills in ALL states where they have come up have this as their premise. In fact, they want to criminalize miscarriages.
They are not “BABIES”, they are fetuses. BIG difference.
Also, this clown is not GAWED, no matter how much he professes to know what his GAWED (who does NOT exist) would want.
Crazy, mean unmitigated gall.
how awful to be forced to carry something dying, something dead inside of you. how dare you think this is okay? how dare you?
GOPTP - Government just small enough to fit in a vagina…
The tea party needs to run on there own not hide under the Republican party that way all of America would know who not to vote for
“I want parents to be able to have that child and have that experience, not destroy it and chop it up.”
Nope. In his mind he want to say this: “I want to FORCE parents to be able to have that child and have that experience, not destroy it and chop it up.”
When that sad situation presents its self, it should be entirely up to the woman and her Dr what the next move should be. I know of just a few and their solution was; not to dismember the fetus; but to induce labor and deliver normally a fetus without a chance of survival . The women that khave to do this go through labor and have nothing to show for it. Heartbreaking to say the least. Let this man go through this himself before he decides what a woman is allowed to do. Oh, what? he cannot get pregnant- nothing except this Religious Right (Not sure his God agrees) unbalanced belief in a book of fairy tales. Shame on him .
Yes, a once-good friend of mine went through this TWICE. She desperately wanted to have a child but had multiple miscarriages and both times when the fetuses finally “stuck” past the first trimester they had severe chromosomal abnormalities that were, as the doctors phrase it, “incompatible with life”. Her high-risk OBs had seen this particular pattern of abnormalities before and knew that if the fetuses even survived to full term, which was unlikely, it was 100% certain that they would not live once disconnected from the mother’s body. There were no recorded cases of survival, and she was not delusional enough to convince herself that hers would be the first. The thought of continuing this process for another four to five months, knowing it was to be all for nothing, was basically risking her sanity, and my friend made the hellish decision to terminate her pregnancies. There was no “chopping up” (that type of abortion is illegal in most states now anyway) - labor was induced and her babies were delivered intact. She was able to hold them, name them, say goodbye, and grieve her children.
As a republican I am disgusted! How dare you force a mother to hold someone in their bodies knowing as soon as they arrive or even before they arrive they will die! You can not force someone to do that!! that is cruel, your babies heart is not forming and will die in the third trimester! But you are forced to carry that baby to term! You are forced to live knowing they will not survive being born! How dare you say you have the right to tell someone that!! That anyone has that right! As a mother, as a republican, as an American.. I am disgusted! You do not have the right to decide! You do not have the right to torture a mother who would be unable to handle that! You have no right to decide!
Then stop voting Republican, because that’s what you are voting for.
I agree with the views of John D. Slovik and Whiterosedbz. The answer is to NOT ELECT Idiots like Stuart Spitzer and Matt Schaefer or Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Use some Common Sense when Voting. I don’t agree with the 20 week cut-off either, it should be 30 weeks which should be through the third quarter of Pregnancy. Beyond the third quarter I think is taking too much of a risk. As I have told you before, there are GOOD Candidates and there are BAD Candidates no matter what the Party so do some Due Diligence and do your research on the Candidates who run for Office and DON’T EVER Vote a Straight Party Ballot especially a Straight Democratic Ballot. Having said that I am still against Abortion as a means of Birth Control Especially Medicaid Abortions where the Tax Payers have to pay for them against their will.
Tyler TX figures. Speaking about abortions lol
And then, pray tell, who is going to pay for the (unregulated) costs that will be incurred to take care of this child for the duration of its painful life?
And this…
He should step up and foot the bill for all of the expenses for ever. Hope that it does his soul good to offer to help out.
Why are all of these morons in Texas?
When these poor babies are born and live just long enough to rack up million dollar hospital bills, who has to pay these bills? The parents you forced to carry to term a child they can’t bring home? The tax payers? The hospitals? I’m sure the repubs won’t be footing the bills.
Well if his mom didn’t, then he wouldn’t be here now would he?
Abortion, gay rights and religious freedom laws. That’s all these lunatics have. The worst part of it though, is most old and uneducated Republicans are one issue voters. And shockingly, those are three issues that lead the pack for them. And the Democrats just stay home and let these fools get elected. They have nobody to blame but themselves.
Wedge issues are a conservative politician’s best friend. Keep people “voting their conscience” on one thing while the plutocracy machine hums along unfettered in the background, pilfering the planet of resources, poisoning the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink, and robbing humanity of hope’s last vespers.
Not to worry, Dancing With The Stars’ new season starts this Thursday!
I live in Tyler..we have the inexcusable Louis Gohmert at the national level & this arrogant jerk in Austin. Both are far more interested in pushing an extreme agenda than actually doing anything to benefit the average Texan or anyone else already here, for that matter.
Is there anything more asinine than an assumption of how I vote when I am in the voting booth. I wouldn’t accuse anyone of voting blanket Democrat simply due to the fact that they have announced themselves publicly to be a Democrat. To put this another way I’ll even tell you that I voted for Obama in the last election even though I entered the booth as a Republican.
Love this idea. Unfortunately far too late for my stillborn daughter.
I’ll bet he also cut aid for women with disabled children - in the name of Christ himself.