As the Texas state Senate prepares to vote on the sweeping anti-abortion bill that has drawn fierce protest, state Sen. Wendy Davis has written an op-ed getting at why she stood up and filibustered the bill, and whose
interests she was fighting to protect:
I stood up and began talking on the floor of the Texas State Senate not long ago because I hoped the Republicans in power would listen to how their latest cruel health care proposal would hurt the women of Texas. [...]
Real Texans don't want any woman to die of cancer because she can't get decent health care or medical advice. Real Texans don't want any woman to lose control of her life because she can't get birth control. [...]
The "people's filibuster" that put a temporary stop on the misguided bill that powerful Republicans are still intent on ramming through will long be remembered as the moment when regular Texans -- real Texans -- stood up and said "enough" to the self-interested politicians who have run our state for too long.
Gov. Rick Perry and Republicans have stacked the deck heavily enough in favor of this bill that no fight, however passionate, is likely to be able to stop it. But Davis's words highlight that she isn't alone in her fight against it, or against the twisted values Perry and his allies are pushing.
Draft Wendy Davis for governor.