Democratic women seek a state ban on vasectomies for men
This afternoon, the House Judiciary (Non-Civil) Committee will take up HB 954, a measure that would prohibit abortions on women who are more than 20 weeks pregnant. Current law prohibits abortions after the second trimester, or about 24 weeks.
The bill sponsored by Doug McKillip, R-Athens, asserts that 20 weeks is the point at which a fetus can begin to feel pain. The measure also attempts to tighten “life of the mother” exceptions to abortion:
No such condition shall be deemed to exist if it is based on a diagnosis or claim of a mental or emotional condition of the pregnant woman or that the pregnant woman will purposefully engage in conduct which she intends to result in her death or in substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function.
In response, House Democrats have scheduled a 3 p.m. Wednesday hearing at the state Capitol, to propose a bill that would ban Georgia males from seeking vasectomies. From the press release:
“Thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies,” said Rep. Yasmin Neal, author of the bill. “It is patently unfair that men can avoid unwanted fatherhood by presuming that their judgment over such matters is more valid than the judgment of the General Assembly, while women’s ability to decide is constantly up for debate throughout the United States.”
House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams added, “The Republican attack on women’s reproductive rights is unconscionable. What is more deplorable is the hypocrisy of HB 954’s author. If we follow his logic, we believe it is the obligation of this General Assembly to assert an equally invasive state interest in the reproductive habits of men and substitute the will of the government over the will of adult men.”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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432 comments Add your comment
The Great Right Hope
February 21st, 2012
1:14 pm
But, then again, isn’t that the definition of a liberal? Tell me again why I should pay for somebody else whoring around
How much are you paying for abortions now? Oh wait, were you talking about those GOP Senators that’re whoring around? Well, if so, you’re paying quite a bit. And you’re not getting a dime on your investment either.
WHITEandGOLD
February 21st, 2012
1:15 pm
Secondly, just because something is a law doesn’t mean people are going to stop doing it… Murder is illegal and unfrotunately people are murdered every single day. So your reasoning behind this issue is skewed.
Old timer
February 21st, 2012
1:17 pm
No comparison to a late term abortion when an infant can feel pain and a vasectomy…NONE
Harold Bashears, M.D., Ob-Gyn
February 21st, 2012
1:18 pm
As a board certified physician I have performed more than 1,000 pregnancy termination procedures in the last 22 years.
I can say unequivocally that each and every one of those little monsters had it coming to them.
Unwanted children are a blight on society and mothers who choose to terminate a pregnancy at any stage should be applauded.
Weetamoe
February 21st, 2012
1:19 pm
January unemployment up to 9%; petrol nearing 5 bucks. When interviewed on the ski slopes of Aspen on her 16th luxury vacation in 3 years, Michelle Obama’s response was *let them eat condoms.*
Atlanta Native
February 21st, 2012
1:19 pm
How about MANDATORY vasectomies and tubal ligation for ALL members of congress, the legislature, the president and cabinet and staff, and all federal and state government employees?
Matt
February 21st, 2012
1:19 pm
How is a vasectomy and an abortion the same? Women can get “fixed” too……
Delusional
February 21st, 2012
1:20 pm
W&G – One of the few roles Government should perform is to protect a person, or persons from violating the rights of another person, or persons. This is irrespective of whether those persons are related, A fetus is a person under my definition and the mother doesn’t have any more right to take that life than she does to take my or your life. That is the crux of the debate and I disagree with you about passing judgement on a woman who uses abortion as a birth control option because she was too irresposible to use any of other forms of birth control. Is it morally worng for a Christina to judge a murderer? I think not.
Dave
February 21st, 2012
1:20 pm
After 20 weeks(5 months) it’s not your body anymore. It’s a baby!!!!! What don’t you idiots understand about that?
Ayn Rand was right
February 21st, 2012
1:21 pm
It is shameful that our elected officials play children’s games to make a point. They are being paid to solve our state’s problems and create successful strategies for future growth. Get out of the bedroom and get back in the boardroom. If it doesn’t make business sense for Georgia, drop it now!
jarvis
February 21st, 2012
1:22 pm
Gomp, I’m a Libertarian and am against limitations of freedom from either side of the aisle. In this case it is coming from both sides even if one is only proposing it to mock the other.
missmollie
February 21st, 2012
1:22 pm
Well, you all, I have heard it all!!!!
The Great Right Hope
February 21st, 2012
1:22 pm
War Eagle — Is that you TrishaDisha? They finally released you from rehab? You go girl!! Hey, text me if you need a little money…..I know a couple of “parties” you can
servicego to.jarvis
February 21st, 2012
1:24 pm
Dr. Bashears, answer this….why won’t doctor’s offices ever return phone calls in a timely manner? Are they too busy having bullschlitz blog discussions with the likes of my dumbazz?
drtrump
February 21st, 2012
1:24 pm
A woman’s body is always hers. If you have a problem with that, kill yourself now.
P B Orr
February 21st, 2012
1:24 pm
I think the only solution to these problems is penis registration.
DJ Sniper
February 21st, 2012
1:25 pm
Wow. People continue to miss the point of this whole thing. Reading is fundamental.
I will continue to say what I’ve always said: If you are against abortion, don’t have one, but stop trying to dictate what the next woman should or shouldn’t do. You don’t know her situation.
Bill
February 21st, 2012
1:25 pm
Constantly amazed at how obtuse people want to be.
John K
February 21st, 2012
1:27 pm
Problem is DJ, the party of individual liberty and small government wants to set up shop in the collective uteri of every woman.
Bronc62
February 21st, 2012
1:27 pm
detritusUSA…really detritus…I’m sure you are non-republician and black…really people…problem with American and the world is over-population…of course the Dems want more babies…that means more illeg’s to take care of and vote to keep da money coming..
Next…the government needs to stop concern about personal decisions and worry about real issues..economy, jobs..this high gas price..
And detritus..I am sure you have lots of smart little dems running around..get yourself a V man..
Tex
February 21st, 2012
1:27 pm
These women are idiots, communists, and trailer park camp followers. What a disgrace. They should all be impeached and jailed.
The Great Right Hope
February 21st, 2012
1:28 pm
After 20 weeks(5 months) it’s not your body anymore. It’s a baby!!!!! What don’t you idiots understand about that?
Well there! You just solved the problem!! If after 20 weeks it’s considered a “baby” then there’s no such thing as a “Late Term Abortion!” It’s now a “birth”.
So, let’s just call it an early birth, and let the “baby” survive on its own!
You are soooo smart!
Tex
February 21st, 2012
1:28 pm
Abortion is good. Less blacks to deal with.
Bert
February 21st, 2012
1:28 pm
There is nothing worse than agressive stupidity…….try aGGressive ignorance
amazed
February 21st, 2012
1:29 pm
So, women need 24 weeks to decide if they want a baby?
UGA 1999
February 21st, 2012
1:31 pm
Amazed….apparently it takes 24 weeks for them to decide if they want to be killers.
Stan
February 21st, 2012
1:31 pm
What a childish response! Instead of focusing on the issue and demanding women’s rights, a house bill to ban vasectomies? A better, adult response would’ve been sticking to the subject matter at hand. It would be better if both women and men had the freedom to control their own birth control.
One other point, if abortions were banned altogether, females would still abort unwanted fetuses in dangerous ways. This would have a double negative impact on society. When someone has the will to do something, they’ll find a way. Personally, I’d love to see women who didn’t want children to give them up for adoption. Unfortunately, not everyone is in a situation were that would be possible. Pregnancies may be the result of rape, incest, or forced by an abusive partner. It would be best for these women to have the option. Also, some pregnant women may be addicted to drugs and/or alcohol; therefore, abortion may be the only alternative.
Damn Yankee
February 21st, 2012
1:31 pm
Vasectomies, from what I understand — being a male and all — do not involve the murder of an innocent child in early development. I’m a father of two girls and I know what I’m talking about. Neither do other birth control devices such as condoms, certain forms of the pill that prevent ovulation, and other devices that prevent an egg being fertilized. Think about it…I was born after roe v wade…at one time I was a so-called choice and could have been killed. That to me is disturbing. Every decent parent knows that once you have a little one in development your focus changes from self absorption to doing everything you can to help that innocent life thrive. Pure and simple — liberals are very self absorbed and don’t care about anyone but themselves.
honested
February 21st, 2012
1:32 pm
In private religious republican schools, to they fail to teach the concept of waxing absurd, or is there a fear it would be confused with being a republican legislator?
I just don’t get how an individual can be wholly in favor of wasting time on a damned fool, unconstitutional law and then get bent out of shape over an amendment CLEARLY DESIGNED to demonstrate how out-of-bounds the initial bill was!!
Koz
February 21st, 2012
1:32 pm
The Liberal war against the penis continues
goose
February 21st, 2012
1:32 pm
What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Republicans are trying to appeal to whom? Well, and I have seen this many times…wait til Republican’s 16 year old daughter gets pg and see how soon he forgets his pro-life stance. All this crazy uproar about birth control when the housing industry, employment, homelessness…all things that deal with people who are already born, are being ignored. One of our pres candidates claims he does not believe in birth control.
Ok, all you people (women, primarily) who take birth control, but this applies to men too. How many children do you think you would have birthed or sired without birth control? Six? Twelve? NINETEEN? Many will not appreciate this comparison, but it is sadly true: How many animals do we see in animal shelters? How many do we see in rescue groups? How many do we see wandering the highways and backroads where folks have thrown them out? A majority of these animals are put to death. Without Birth Control, we would have a heartbreakingly thousands of unwanted babies. If you don’t believe me, ask people..teachers, social workers..those folks who work with children who have been tossed aside. It will break your heart to see how many parents really do not want the children they have. OK, lawmakers, how many of you really know about homelessness and unwanted children or are you just applying your life experience to your decision-making? You don’t know the world as it is. You know YOUR world, and you don’t like birth control. So, you want to solve this by doing away with BC and ensuring these usually, uneducated, under-employed, living from paycheck to paycheck folks have more children? Without BC we would have orphanages in every town. Yes, there are many people who wish to adopt.. Without Birth Control, there would be 100 or more babies born for every couple who might wish to adopt 1 child. Think about it. Really think about it.
It seems that certain parties are all for getting the young’uns here, but don’t want to play any role in supporting them after they are here. Face the reality of the world: Safe prevention of unwanted children is the intelligent answer.
C. M. Thornton, III
February 21st, 2012
1:33 pm
@ED
Actually ED, alcohol is the number one selling drug in America…
Atlanta Native
February 21st, 2012
1:34 pm
I never understood why the right-to-lifers take up the cause of fetus preservation so fanatically, yet utterly ignore the thousands of brutal killings of innocent living people, of all nationalities, that take place every day and that their taxes pay for, in the name of of war. This clearly shows the holier-than-thou hypocrisy of the whole lot of them.
DJ Sniper
February 21st, 2012
1:35 pm
DamnYankee, do you even realize that some women who have abortions do so because the life of the mother is threatened, or because they got pregnant as the result of a rape? Let some people tell it, the only reason a woman gets an abortion is simply because she doesn’t want to be bothered with the responsibilitiy of raising a child. Unreal.
honested
February 21st, 2012
1:35 pm
Of course, I guess a lot of Georgians don’t realize just how narrow-gauge and pointless the ‘work’ under the Gold Dome has become of late.
Peace
February 21st, 2012
1:36 pm
Vasectomies for demoncrats, men only, tubal ligations for female demoncrats.
Z
February 21st, 2012
1:36 pm
Any woman voting for one of these extremist Republicans needs their heads examined. These republican men have all gone to the Dark Side they are not of this century. Republican men are such Lilly liver-ed cowards they can’t discuss the real issues, no they have to belittle women, treat them as second class citizens by trying to take away their rights to Health-care and other women’s issues. They are a bunch of disgusting cave man dwellers who don’t belong around decent women. Women remember these hooligans come election time, send them back to their caves…
Bert
February 21st, 2012
1:36 pm
Will someone please let me know when the pro-lifers go to the Georgia Department of Human Services and register to become adoptive parents. If they say, “it is not my problem,” please aske them why are they concerned now.
The Great Right Hope
February 21st, 2012
1:37 pm
P B Orr
February 21st, 2012
1:24 pm
I think the only solution to these problems is penis registration\
Too funny!!!
Road Scholar
February 21st, 2012
1:37 pm
Isn’t it interesting that those who say calling for no vasectomies and that we miss the point/comparison are all males! The same males who want to dictate to women what they can/cannot do with their bodies!
Oh and the reversal of a vasectomy in Virginia must use a sledge hammer…hows that for an invasive procedure?
I swear.....
February 21st, 2012
1:37 pm
I’m sorry, but I truly feel it’s MY body and I’ll do what I please with it. I don’t need no man telling me if I can have an abortion or not. It’s MY CHOICE!!!!!
“Thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies,” said Rep. Yasmin Neal, author of the bill”
THAT’S THE FUNNIEST THING I’VE EVER READ….how would they know if they are deprived of birth? who is this Yasmin Neal……
GompHoge
February 21st, 2012
1:37 pm
This is why adminstering a well-placed facial is best for all those involved.
MT
February 21st, 2012
1:38 pm
A real Christian and a real human being would know
that murder will be judged by God and abortion is murder.
If your not ready for the consquences of sex then keep your pants pulled up.This is a women’s right to choose.
td
February 21st, 2012
1:39 pm
honested
February 21st, 2012
1:32 pm
In private religious republican schools, to they fail to teach the concept of waxing absurd, or is there a fear it would be confused with being a republican legislator?
I just don’t get how an individual can be wholly in favor of wasting time on a damned fool, unconstitutional law and then get bent out of shape over an amendment CLEARLY DESIGNED to demonstrate how out-of-bounds the initial bill was!!
Where do you see the Unconstitutionality in this bill? The SCOTUS only protect abortions through the first trimester. NOW and other feminist groups are so scared of the current configuration of the court that they will not even attempt to bring another case before the court. This issue is exactly where it should be and that is in the states. If you do not like the laws of a state then either change the politicians or move to another state.
UGA 1999
February 21st, 2012
1:39 pm
Z…..I will discuss the issues with you. Bring it.
Chuck
February 21st, 2012
1:39 pm
Actually, the comments are very enlightening –
I didn’t realize that so many people see abortion as a means of contraception. Personally, I don’t care if anyone has an abortion or not – their call, not mine. I do think that a line has to be drawn between when the child is “viable” at which point it becomes killing/murder instead of contraception by anyone’s description. The question is who draws that line and where is it drawn.
Everyone seems to be just fine with charging a person with homicide if they shoot a woman that is pregnant and she loses the child, even if the mother lives – so I am not sure what the “moral” differences are – but again, that is up to you.
To equate vasectomies with abortion is just a plain stupid thought and shows someone being disingenuous in their arguments and outright changing the conversation so far as a legal argument is concerned. Equate vasectomies with tubular ligation and you are just fine, but not quite the same as an abortion. No, physiologically you can’t compare an abortion to anything going on in a man’s body – they are different and we can just acknowledge that and move on to the real discussion, if we have to have it?
DJ Sniper
February 21st, 2012
1:40 pm
RoadScholar, I think most of the men in here, myself included, are in agreement with the ladies on how absurd the original bill is in the first place.
Bert
February 21st, 2012
1:41 pm
A real Christian knows that God’s judgment will be one of individual concerns, and not involve other people.
Atlanta Native
February 21st, 2012
1:42 pm
Right on, Bert. In fact, every pro-fetus fanatic should be the parent of a minimum of nine or more adoptive children. Let’s make it a LAW.
Bronc62
February 21st, 2012
1:43 pm
I would promote mandatory vasectomy for all sex offenders and the victim given the option to cut…of course that would offend the liberals…