No we don’t observe daylight saving time, we have daylight to spare. But we are turning back the clock after losing our beloved democratic governor Janet Napolitano to Obama’s cabinet. We are now stuck with very conservative Jan Brewer as governor, and she is reversing all of Napolitano’s progress as fast as she can. I started noticing at work last week. My friends with small children told me there is no more all day kindergarten next year. That was one of Janet Napolitano’s big accomplishments as our governor. It’s good for kids, and it’s good for the economy in so many ways. First of all better educated kids get better jobs, but also working parents can work all day when their kids are in kindergarten all day, without paying for childcare. So I was already frightened for Arizona when I saw this:
new abortion restrictions in AZ
Jan Brewer is really not wasting any time. New restrictions on abortion. All the regular religious right talking points are included (more below the fold).
It disturbs me that I haven't seen any national reporting on this. I feel this tidal wave of red sweeping over my state quietly engulfing us. We miss your democratic sanity in AZ, Janet Napolitano!!
The bill requires waiting periods for abortions. Also women must be told "the probable anatomical and physiological characteristics" of their fetus. It feels like a bad flashback to the movie "Citizen Ruth"
clinic staff person: "If you had your baby, what would you name it?"
Ruth: "I said I wanted an abortion, are you *%*&ers deaf?"
Also women must be told that the father is responsible to pay child support, and about all our wonderful state programs to help her if she has the baby.
But Rep. Ed Ableser, D-Tempe, said the help promised by the law doesn't exist because lawmakers have cut funding for many of these programs.
"We're passing a bill demanding health-care professionals to lie to these women and say that there are services available," he said.
More republicans being paid to not do their jobs, and they get to impose their religion on us too!
The measure also would allow health professionals, hospitals and pharmacists to refuse to perform abortions, a right now reserved only for doctors. It also would allow them to refuse to provide "morning-after" pills, even to rape victims, with no requirement they tell a woman where she could get them.
And I'll leave you with this little gem:
Rep. Frank Antenori, R-Tucson, said there is "a duty to protect either our wives or our daughters from making decisions that may come back to haunt them further down the road in their lives."
Can you feel the misogyny?