Nauseous Republicans choking back their vomit are deep in the throes of a fever dream: Donald Trump drops out (he’s already said he won’t) and Mike Pence somehow replaces him (he can’t—the ballots are already printed). But this delusional fantasy demonstrates just how hollow the GOP’s supposed outrage over Trump’s “grab them by the pussy” remarks really is, because Pence isn’t just a run-of-the-mill conservative misogynist—he’s been a top general in the Republican War on Women for years.
In fact, Pence is the guy who literally invented the idea of defunding Planned Parenthood. He first introduced a bill designed to destroy the century-old women’s healthcare provider all the way back in 2007. During his time in Congress, in fact, he proposed such measures half a dozen times, until one finally passed in 2011. Here’s how he explained his loathing contempt for women at the time:
"If Planned Parenthood wants to be involved in providing counseling services and HIV testing, they ought not be in the business of providing abortions. As long as they aspire to do that, I’ll be after them."
He’ll “be after them”—this organization that tries to provide life-saving services to under-served women. He doesn't give a holy fuck if his crusade deprives women of badly needed healthcare, and that’s not merely hypothetical. During his governorship, an HIV crisis exploded in Indiana after Planned Parenthood clinics were shuttered thanks to budget cuts instituted by Republicans—and Pence helped make it worse by refusing to take decisive action, leading to one of the worst HIV outbreaks in decades.
And that’s really it: Pence’s hatred runs so deep that he is content to let women die as a consequence of his jihad. But please don’t imagine for a moment that Pence’s animus toward women is confined to Planned Parenthood alone:
- Earlier this year, Pence signed a law that would have required funerals be held for fetuses, whether for abortions or miscarriages, and no matter how far along the pregnancy was. (A judge blocked it from taking effect.)
- Last year, he signed the so-called “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” that would have made it easier for Indiana businesses to discriminate against LGBT people, leading to a massive nationwide boycott of the state.
- He supports using taxpayer funds for so-called “conversation therapy” to try to torture gay people into somehow becoming straight.
- He refused to comply with a law passed by George W. Bush to reduce rape in prisons.
- And he tried to prevent desperate Syrian refugees from settling in Indiana, earning a sharp rebuke from a federal court just days ago.
So how, exactly, is Mike Pence any better than Donald Trump? Sure, he might not openly discuss his predilection for assaulting women the way Trump does, but his policies are just as vengeful. And it’s no surprise that the same Republican Party that has declared open season on women has given rise to the likes of Trump. In fact, you could say that the hateful movement Pence has spearheaded for his entire political career is responsible for fathering Trump’s candidacy—and Republicans, of all people, should understand that things are too far along to terminate it.
Let’s put a stop to Republican hatred. Please give $1 to each of these women running in crucial Senate and House races.