I knew the Republicans who got into state power would use it to go for the jugular, but I had no idea how deep the misogyny went. Somehow, I don't think any of this is really about GOP opposition to abortion - at least not to assuage their moral convictions (I don't they have any). This is about control. Those with an authoritarian streak seem to be attracted to the Republican Party, and we know from previous behavior that they already don't want women to make equal pay, have equal careers, or have positions with more power than men have. In more superstitious times, men really feared women for their ability to bring forth life from within themselves. It was a magic men had to suppress to maintain their control of society, which is why the denigration of women is so common. THESE men are still operating from what is called the "lizard brain", and all they know how to do is use vinegar and not honey. They will never understand that abortion rates are lowest in countries that allow them, and are especially low in countries where women are on a par with men in education and income. Such women can better afford children and can give them better care (even without a spouse) than a harried single American mom working for less money than she deserves. Countries with laws against abortion and intense moral condemnation for it have the HIGHEST abortion rates. These Neanderthals will never figure out that making it harder to get abortions will lead to MORE abortions, not fewer.

Ask your self these questions, and the answer becomes clear: Would your average Democrat or liberal shoot up a Sikh temple? Would your average liberal be profiling Islamists, hispanics or African-Americans to fill prisons and/or to keep them from voting? Would your average liberal redistrict or make up voter ID laws to keep them from voting? Would the Republican lead House be as willing to abstruct a president who was white? Would your average right-winger have the forethought to figure out that there are probably more people of color in this world than conservative white men and they are fast becoming out numbered? If they did, wouldn't they think twice about reproductive issues???

Ok you make a pretty good point DAnne. I know it is right thing to do but it drives me crazy when words like, war, assault, etc are used There is no war or assault on women It is a funding thing. I thought you had freedom of religion there. It doesn't seem fair to me that people who don't believe in abortion have to fund it. Is that too much to ask.

There is so much of this "government by subterfuge" going on that I'm beginning to see democracy fading into history in this country. Here in Texas, we are experiencing the same loss. We now appear to live in the land of "government of the few, by the few and for the few."

The mechanics of the practice of democracy in this modern age are obsolete. With the advent of instant communication via the Internet, elected representatives traveling to distant cities to represent their constituents is antequated and hopelessly flawed. We can now cast our votes directly in the 21st century and eliminate personal and party agendas. I'm too old to probably see such a system, but I have high hopes that you young people will find a way to make such a true and honorable democracy come true.

Kend ~ For a businessman you are sure short sighted. Don't you realize that it is estimated that the cost of raising one child in todays society to adulthood is approximately one million dollars? Do you really think that a young pregnant women who drops out of high school to raise a baby is going to be able to foot that bill alone? She's not even going to be able to find a babysitter so she can work a minimum wage job. We the People are going to pay to raise that child and support her as well, and you know it. I remember you complaining about that too.

Seriously what would you rather pay, a $150 one time charge for an abortion so that this little child can complete her education and have a future where she contributes to society, or pay $1,000,000 charge over a 20 year period for a totally preventable innocent mistake that went uncorrected because of social shortsightedness, and never have a return on a cent of that investment? You sure are a big spender. How do you stay in business with that logic?

Don't forget, you can pay now, or you can PAY later.

Not all conservatives are racist, but all racists are conservatives.

I don't care what women do their bodies as long as I don't have to pay for it.

"extreme right wing policy" as Thom says, is tax payers not wanting to pay for abortions. Seriously.

While I can't say all Conservatives are racist, the vast majority of racist I know are conservative. Those really support the Tea Party branch of the Republican party, should be given a nazi flag, or a kkk robe basically the same thing. Really hate saying that but they start saying we want our country back because a half black man is elected to office it speaks for it's self. I always love the quote they need to come back where they came from, I can just see an American Indian saying yes send them and you back from where you came from. It's real easy to fix the illegal immigration problem, enforce the laws on the book agianst hiring illegals and once a couple CEO's go to jail, the hiring will stop like yesterday.

My plan is to boycott each and every state that tries to restrict and control women from exercising their constitutional rights. We used to visit Charlotte, NC a couple of times a year, but we won't be doing that anymore. Nor Texas. Nor Wisconsin. Nor any other state that allows Repubs to hijack the legislative process in their despicable attempt to put women down, and keep them down, in the time honored position of she who gets screwed. Shameful!

If the right would stop their obstructionist ways, we could unite in a massive ten year electrical revolution involving building solar collectors and wind farms from our seas to our rooftop turbine generators and solar panels. If this was done with the determination to STOP BURNING 95% of the fossil fuels used to support our energy grid, we would be well on our way to solving many of our national dilemmas. A National Will to achieve this goal is just as possible today as it was in past great leaps we have taken as a nation. In those days the corporations thought it important to help the USA in time of great danger. Today they make PROFIT the only important consideration. If, we the people, FORCE,our yet to be elected officials, to make this ENVIRONMENTAL PLANETARY EMERGENCY the number one issue in Congress, the corporations will have lost their power.

PEOPLE, do not waver in this critical time, stay involved, stop complaining about the lack of government officials who don't fix the problem and stop using that as an excuse to not be involved. THIS IS AMERICA's STRENGTH- A United American populace working for the good of humanity- not hangers on-waiting for things to get better.

Work to get people elected who will take money out of politics and put that money to use . REDESIGN, rebuild, totally remake our electrical distribution while removing fossil fuels from the equation.

TO DO THIS WE MUST STOP ALLOWING OUR ELITES TO DIVIDE THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. They use massive misinformation to keep the people divided over numerous single issues we all are familiar with. From guns to drugs to war,to reproductive rights, to sexual orientation. WE ALLOW THIS TO CONTINUE and we must learn to live with these differences in order to deal with the threat to civilization looming in the shadow of climate change. This cannot be ignored or we perish. We must call on the American People to live up to their heritage and take these courageous steps to turn this climate crisis around. HISTORY WILL JUDGE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ON THE OUTCOME OF THIS ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS- no matter which way it goes.

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list,
Checking it twice;
Gonna find out who's naughty or nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you are sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
------------------
And that is just a Paganized version of what the more conventional purveyors of organized superstitions try to imprint on our minds when it warns of the "wrath of God" or the "perils of Satan". God, so they believe, knows who's been naughty or nice...because he "spies" on you...and will punish you if you are naughty and will reward you when you are nice. But, since not all people believe all that claptrap, the NSA steps in to act as a god.

Even those who try real hard to believe in all that nonsense about some supernatural being spying on us all the time, they often slip in their convictions as well...(is it a matter of a real lack of faith beyond just pretend..or a matter of bad habit?) (By the way...Santa has the same letters as Satan...maybe it is Satan that will reward us or punish us?) ;-o.. Whatever....!

Anyway, don't you see the parallels to what is happening today with the NSA? They "see when you've been naughty or nice"....at least they want us all to be "nice"** (whatever that is...according to their dictates of what is "right" and what is "wrong"..based, of course, primarily on whatever is moralistically acceptable to the predominant paradigm. If our predominant paradigm was dictated by the fundamentalist Muslims, instead of fundamentalist Christians, there would be a lot of chopped of hands and heads in America today. But fundamentalist Christians also have a history of scaring the bejesus out of their flocks to keep them in line by burning the heretics to the stake.. or any number of horrendous acts of torture. But it is well known today just how pious these purveyors of superstition really are since many have been caught with their pants down behind their alters. They preach one thing for everyone else but sneak a little iniquity behind the backs of their flocks.

**On the other hand...I've seen the movie Clockwork Orange...I realize that without sin or crime those who make a pretty good living at fighting those, often contrived, concepts really don't want a good thing to end. They'd lose their lucrative jobs otherwise.

DAnneMarc:Regarding the "Synagogue of Satan," I took it it that you were just describing generic evil, not picking on any particular group. My best friend , who was also best man at my wedding 32 years ago is from a Jewish family, so certainly no offense intended. That said, is it even possible to offend the Koch brothers? I think not........ Not sure why this got Palin's attention? I found it all pretty lighthearted to be honest.

By the way, I had to work to get on the blog also.