Lawmaker Defends Plan For Pregnancy Testing Binge Drinkers In Bars
Source: TPM
CATHERINE THOMPSON MARCH 25, 2014, 8:51 AM EDT
An Alaska lawmaker on a mission to eradicate fetal alcohol syndrome is defending his plan to provide state-funded pregnancy tests in bars in case birth control fails "chronic drinkers."
State Sen. Pete Kelly (R) said Monday before the Alaska Senate that birth control may not protect Alaskan women who drink regularly from getting pregnant.
"If you have people who are binge drinking or chronic drinkers, we're hesitant to say 'use birth control as your protection against fetal alcohol syndrome,' because again, as I say, binge drinking is a problem," he said. "If you think you can take birth control and then binge drink and hope not to produce a fetal alcohol syndrome baby, you may be very wrong. Sometimes these things don't work. Sometimes people forget. Sometimes they administer birth control improperly, and you might produce a fetal alcohol syndrome baby."
State Sen. Berta Gardner (D) then asked to correct the record to reflect that birth control is used as a protection against pregnancy, not fetal alcohol syndrome.
Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/alaska-lawmaker-pregnancy-tests-bars-fasd
secondwind
(16,903 posts)obxhead
(8,434 posts)All they care about is controlling the woman the fetus resides in.
cyberswede
(26,117 posts)Now, his idea seems pretty impractical, and Rs do spend too much time thinking about women's wombs, but he does appear to be concerned about actual babies, rather than fetuses in this case.
HockeyMom
(14,337 posts)Women of childbearing age.
blackspade
(10,056 posts)I think it boils down to control. Control over reproduction = control of women.
Voice for Peace
(13,141 posts)Women cause men to have feelings that go against their
religious beliefs (which they have never examined); for
example, we are not here for pleasure.
Even if they are not religious, there is an undercurrent of
anxiety -- just in case stuff turns out to be a bad sin.
So too the abortion issue.. fear that if they don't oppose
abortion, on account of God, they will end up in hell.
So too homosexuality. Fear fear fear of hell and God.
Politicians, especially Republicans, seem to have become
terribly religious in recent years. My theory is that there
is a vast undercurrent of fear -- because when you lie
and cheat day in and day out, something deep inside is
horrifically uneasy.
To compensate for that discomfort or outright terror?
religion, with all its fears and perks. ('Perks' such as
no need to live an examined life -- one only
needs to pray loudly, call oneself a sorry sinner, and
so on.)
blackspade
(10,056 posts)Another good reason to be an atheist.
alp227
(32,060 posts)SamKnause
(13,110 posts)Republicans and the Tea Party;
Guns
Religion
Fetuses
Fracking
Drilling
Deregulation
Zero taxes for corporations
Zero taxes for millionaires and billionaires
Complete control over women and their bodies
bigworld
(1,807 posts)Follow the money and I'm sure you'll find a close associate is in the pregnancy test business.
HockeyMom
(14,337 posts)Drug testing for welfare, civil servants, unemployment. Who owned a drug testing company?
DebJ
(7,699 posts)by going out night after night after night.
AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)Guessing the good Senator wouldn't be so supportive of that.
KansDem
(28,498 posts)Whatever happened to "personal responsibility?"
F*cking Repubs don't even believe their own doctrine anymore...
Not getting what this guy wants?