For quite some time now, Americans across the political spectrum have been wondering why we are paying members of Congress so much money when they can’t manage to do their jobs. Largely because of Republicans and their commitment to party and power over country, nothing beneficial is getting accomplished in Washington, and this has only worsened under Donald Trump’s tenure. In the last four weeks alone, Americans have been dealing with the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes, threats from North Korea, and a mass shooting that killed 58 and injured hundreds more.
Given this, you’d think Congress would be working around the clock to prioritize the safety and well-being of the American people. But to no one’s surprise, they aren’t. Instead they’ve turned right around and decided to pass yet another ban on abortion.
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The House of Representatives passed legislation Tuesday that would criminalize abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for instances where the life of the mother is at risk and in cases involving rape or incest.
The bill passed the House by a vote of 237 for and 189 against, largely on party lines.
The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which is similar to legislation that failed in
2013 and
2015, has support from the White House this time around.
Do we even need to state how ridiculous this is? While Puerto Ricans don’t have enough food, water, medicine, and supplies two weeks after a Category 5 hurricane decimated the island, the White House and Congress haven’t been able to come up with a hurricane relief package. But they can figure out how to deny women the right to an abortion. Even more maddening, they claim this is being done to protect lives. So their philosophy is basically this: screw the living in Puerto Rico, let’s protect a bunch of unborn children while willfully ignoring the rights of the women who have to bear them, who are also living beings. Makes perfect sense.
The White House reiterated its support in a statement of administration policy issued Monday: "The administration strongly supports H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and applauds the House of Representatives for continuing its efforts to secure critical pro-life protections."
House Majority Leader
Kevin McCarthy announced last week that the House would vote on H.R. 36, calling it legislation that "will respect the sanctity of life and stop needless suffering."
"It will protect those children who science has proven can feel pain, and give them a chance to grow and live full and happy lives," McCarthy's statement said. "We have an obligation to speak and defend for those who can't speak for themselves."
Another baffling part to all of this is that, in the wake of the mass shooting in Las Vegas, Republicans keep telling us that now is not the time to get political and that laws are not the answer to keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people. Seriously. So, if not now, when exactly is the right time to address the horrible gun problem we have in this country? And why is it that they seem to think that its perfectly logical to use laws to legislate a woman’s decision and right to have children, something so deeply personal, but that we can’t use laws to legislate guns, a tool for killing, in the name of public safety?
Spare us the incredible hypocrisy, Republicans. We know you have absolutely no interest in protecting anyone’s lives or speaking up for and defending those who need it most. Your policies and actions prove it. Last week, you let the Children’s Health Insurance Program expire, which means that 9 million low-income kids will be prevented from getting the vital health care services they need. This week you’ve moved on to abortion bans, completely ignoring hurricane and gun violence survivors. All this from from the party of family values—the one that supposedly respects all life. Instead of doing anything meaningful to help people, you revert to your tried and true method of deflecting and attacking women. This would be the time for you to finally be courageous and do the right thing by so many vulnerable people in need of help. But you won’t. This is why absolutely no one should be voting for you.