GOP Senator Pushes Radical Bill To Restrict Discussion Of Abortion Over The Internet

[ProSense]

GOP Senator Pushes Radical Bill To Restrict Discussion Of Abortion Over The Internet

By Marie Diamond

Instead of focusing on job creation, congressional Republicans have spent their time passing socially conservative legislation like the “Let Women Die” bill that would allow hospitals that receive federal funds to deny women life-saving abortion procedures.

Now Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), one of the most die-hard anti-choice lawmakers, has jumped on the bandwagon by sneaking a radical anti-abortion amendment onto a completely unrelated piece of legislation. DeMint’s amendment would ban women and their doctors from discussing abortion over the Internet:

Anti-choice Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) just filed an anti-choice amendment to a bill related to agriculture, transportation, housing, and other programs. The DeMint amendment could bar discussion of abortion over the Internet and through videoconferencing, even if a woman’s health is at risk and if this kind of communication with her doctor is her best option to receive care.

Under this amendment, women would need a separate, segregated Internet just for talking about abortion care with their doctors.

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DeMint’s bill is yet another Republican attempt to circumvent women’s constitutional right to an abortion by essentially outlawing doctors from discussing that option with their patients. These so-called “small government” conservatives have no problem inserting government into private conversations between women and their doctors.

To add insult to injury, DeMint’s underhanded method is to shoehorn this attack on women’s privacy onto an unrelated bill — an insidious effort to push his agenda while avoiding public scrutiny.

[JaneQPublic]

1. Those Teabaggers really don't like the Constitution much, do they?

[Arugula Latte]

17. The only thing they hate more is women.

[DFW]

2. After he's done with that...........

It will be forbidden to discuss recall elections for politicians (except if they are Democrats), forbidden
to mention OWS (unless it stands for Off Will Smith), forbidden to say anything about Rick Perry's hair,
Michelle Bachmann's sanity, or the cholesterol content of Herman Cain's pizza.

[The Wielding Truth]

3. Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

[karynnj]

7. You forgot the small print in the Constitution that only DeMint and his allies can see

which exempts all the topics he finds distasteful.

Actually, you are completely right that this has to be unconstitutional. There are ILLEGAL things that people have the right to discuss - and abortion is not illegal. (He seems to be using the logic the Internet gets some federal dollars. The Hide amendment prevents any federal dollars going to abortion, but this is a HUGE stretch. )

[The Wielding Truth]

16. Probably the surpreme court appiontmentee power is the biggest reason to

do all we can to keep that power in democratic hands!We need to kept reality in the Constitution!

[truebrit71]

4. WTF is wrong with that mental midget...

...:grr:

[SouthernLiberal]

9. He's one of my senators......

and I figure he lives in a fantasy world.

[GoCubsGo]

11. He lives in a state with enough mental midgets to elect him into office.

Please, please, please, get me the hell out of here.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. How can he can do that?

Beyond the constitutional challenges, that would be a logistical nightmare. Just more "symbolic" red meat for the base, I presume? :shrug: :puke:

[JustAnotherGen]

6. I've clicked through all of the links

What is the Bill he's trying to amend. I want to get to my Senators toute suite.

[karynnj]

8. The link on DeMint's amendment that could be voted on today has the info and a phone #

"Stand up today: call your senators at 202-421-3121 and tell them to oppose the DeMint amendment (#768) to H.R.2112. "

[GoCubsGo]

10. Unfortunately, this shitbag IS my Senator.

It's not like he's going to listen to me or anyone else who opposes this garbage. I doubt Miss Lindsay will cross him, either.

[karynnj]

12. I agree that he is an ideologue who will listen to noone

I think the point is for the rest of us to call our Senators on this - especially if they are possible, but not certain. ( My Senators Lautenberg and Menendez are not the least likely to vote for this. )

It is completely impractical to imagine a parallel internet - not to mention the internet is world wide. This bill is asking something that not only is likely unconstitutional, but unenforceable and impossible to do.

The Senators targeted should be any that are basically sane.

[JustAnotherGen]

15. Thanks you

I did place calls to Lautenberg and Menendez - nit that either would vote fir this nonsense anyways.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

13. Wouldn't this be a clear-cut 1st Amendment violation?

Are there any attorneys in the house? From my untrained point of view, this would seem to be an open and shut 1st Amendment case of the government restricting free speech, no fire in a theater, no compelling reason for the government to squelch this speech.

These guys just hate the constitution, don't they?

[Phx_Dem]

14. Good luck with that. What a flunatic.