Remember a few months back when Virginia introduced the “Right to Know and See Act”? Gov. Bob McDonnell proposed a mandate that women seeking abortions should be forced to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound. The bill passed and despite attempts to repeal the law, it still stands. Well, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker wants to pick up where ol’ Governor Ultrasound left off and recently vowed to sign into law an even more conservative bill, SB 206.
SB 206 would close most abortion clinics in the state, greatly limiting or eliminating reproductive choices for women the rural areas, and reducing the number of women who can use health insurance to cover the procedure.
When asked about his support of the bill in a Tuesday Walker stated:
“I don’t have any problem with ultrasound, I think most people think ultrasounds are just fine.”
No, Gov. Walker many women are not okay with being forced to participate in this.
Also on today’s #TWiBRadio, we discussed the removal of the sexual assault measure from the military spending bill, stupid criminals being stupid, and everyone is washing their hands wrong.
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And this morning on #amTWiB, L.Joy, Imani, and the rest of the #TheMorningCrew talk about the legacy of Medgar Evers, Russia’s anti-gay bill, and are graphic images on protest signs free speech?
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Gravenstone
As with the original Gov. Ultrasound, I propose that Walker undergo the very procedure he claims to “not have any problem with”. Of course, the male anatomy would require the probe be inserted someplace else. But he can double up can get his next scheduled prostate exam out of the way at the same time.
Zifnab
“We need a small government. Small enough to fit into every vagina!”
Omnes Omnibus
God damn it, that man is embarrassing.
jl
‘ Walker stated:
“I don’t have any problem with ultrasound, I think most people think ultrasounds are just fine.” ‘
Glad that Walker is just fine with ultrasound. I can think of some interesting medically unnecessary ultrasound examinations for Walker if he wants a medical procedure I do not agree with. I’m glad he is OK with it.
Linnaeus
I was talking the other day with someone who grew up in Wisconsin, and she said that Walker is giving Joe McCarthy a run for the title of Wisconsin’s Worst Politician Ever. That ain’t easy.
scav
Well, I guess Men’s Brains (R) just have a better take on health care issues. Right?
Maine clocking in for outreach.
Gravenstone
@Omnes Omnibus: The local rag in very deep red Sheboygan did one of their “man on the street” questions last week, asking whether they wanted to see Walker run for president. Much to my amazement, they only got one positive response. The majority were deriding him for his actions as governor, particularly the anti-union stuff.
jharp
The only fair compromise is in order for men to get a viagra prescription we’re going to have to shove an arthroscope up your ass to make sure all is OK.
Every time.
lamh35
ya know how dudes cringe when another dude gets hit in the ‘nads? That exactly how I feel everytime I see that damn pic of the vaginal ultrasounds…ugh. Rat bastards
lacerda
I apologize for the derailing/hijacking, but this won’t wait for an open thread:
We have reached the Wingularity.
Here is a law that legalizes something that was already legal everywhere but in the fevered imagination of the wingnuts, drunk on their own paranoia, so divorced from reality that they forgot that their zombie lie about a war on Christmas was a lie.
They legalized something that was already legal. And apparently they think that a state law might supersede the Constitution. This has to be the new standard for wingnuttery eating itself.
Omnes Omnibus
@Gravenstone: I am in Madison, so I don’t really get the vox packeri on these thing. I glad that the red portions of the state are not seeing him a a player for the future. Also, I think this right wing bunch know that they have short window of time in which to do their damage so they are doing as much as they can.
muddy
@Zifnab: You know those abortion seeking slutty sluts have gigantic vaginas, they probably won’t even notice.
Gravenstone
And to add to the black eye our current Republican dominated WI state legislature is giving us, they are also going to put forth a bill that would forbid WI State Police from enforcing Federal firearms regulations.
We’re slowly but surely turning into Arizona, with cold weather.
Alison
THESE FUCKING GUYS. I swear. Jesus take the wheel and drive over these assholes.
How’s about before a dude can get a prescription for boner pills, he has to get a catheter jammed up his wang?
Linnaeus
@Gravenstone:
2010 elections are the gift that keeps on giving, it seems. Places that have a decent record of progressive politics are getting all of that rolled back by wingnut legislatures and governors.
The Other Chuck
@lacerda: Given the stamp these guys have put on Christmas, I’m starting to think that a war on it might not be such a bad idea after all.
GxB
@Omnes Omnibus: As is roughly half our state Omnes. Saw a rusted out Ford Taurus the other day, complete with fender of another color, cracked windshield, funky peeled factory paint, and spare donut front tire. Needless to say, the driver didn’t look to be a man of any means either, The payoff was the trunk, plastered with Duffy, Ron Johnson and of course “Stand with Scott Walker” bumper stickers. Oy vey, like chickens standing with Col. Sanders…
Bokonon
What Walker really means is:
“Whassamaddah you? I talked with the Koch brothers on the phone, and when they gave me my legislative marching orders, they said transvaginal ultrasounds were just fine.”
[Seriously, though – what a monumental prick. I think Walker is TRYING to be offensive, and just rub his political enemies’ faces in this.]
The Other Chuck
Remember when these guys said “we’re just about balanced budgets and sensible spending, we’re not bible banging social conservatives” … I hope the memory of what a gargantuan *LIE* that whole line is lasts more than a couple years this time.
Omnes Omnibus
@GxB: You’re in central WI? My brother once got a robocall to have coffee with Duffy in Wausau; he hung up.
The Other Chuck
@Bokonon:
Of course. These people’s entire raison d’etre is to spite liberals.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
Charlie Pierce is convinced Walker is the GOP’s best hope for 2016, and will be formidable. He’ paid closer attention than I have, but I don’t see it.
I know Walker’s ratings remained pretty steady, just above 50% all through the recall effort. Will this put a dent in him?
I think Wisconsin may have just past Maine in the Most Politically Schizophrenic State Sweeptakes. Tammy Baldwin, Ron Johnson and Scott Walker, with Russ Feingold wandering the streets of Milwaukee casting disapproving looks at strangers? WTF?
ETA: And Sean Duffy! Isn’t he the MTV Republican! Double WTF?
Omnes Omnibus
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Feingold is in Milwaukee? Also, don’t forget that WI was firmly in the Obama column in 2012.
Gravenstone
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
No chance in hell. He’s an upward failing (thus far) fuck up who leaves a trail of broken promises, disastrous financial decisions and judicially overturned executive decisions wherever he’s gone. Make his history widely public and he’ll be lucky to draw the baseline hardcore Gooper vote. Sadly, that’s still roughly 45% of the voting public.
Only reason he survived the recall last year was about half the people voting to retain him were voting against the recall process itself.
zombie rotten mcdonald
of course, this is just another piece of ‘model legislation’ written by ALEC, which is why it’s pretty much the same as Virginia’s.
Scott Walker is a hateful cross eyed doofus (my preferred nickname is “Turdwaffle”, Pierce notwithstanding) who is completely controlled by outside plutocrats and his dim-witted idea that he is Przdential.
Omnes Omnibus
@Gravenstone:
Bingo.
GxB
@Omnes Omnibus: Minoqua metro (I say, that’s a joke son.) Unfortunately, barring some dramatic shift in mentality – or more likely a move to higher office – Duffy will be a lifer. The northwoods is a haven for the nutty tea types – gawd how I miss Madison in some ways.
debbie
This is sure to help them with the “woman” vote.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@Gravenstone:
Agreed. The pace of whackaloon rightwing legislation indicates that the Koch Machine knows the clock is ticking on our failed Eagle Scout’s tenure, and the whole house of cards falls down. So ram through as much of the wishlist as possible, because rolling it back will delay any actual progressive work; plus, not all of it gets rolled back. So it;s an inchworm strategy.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@GxB:
Posse Comitatus home ground.
Higgs Boson's Mate
@Gravenstone:
I’ll give the good gov the exam – and I’ll have both hands on his shoulders.
Omnes Omnibus
@GxB: It’s the guns. The year-rounders who live near my family’s cabin are worried about their guns.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@Omnes Omnibus:
Sure, but do you think any of them feel like idiots NOW? Do they bogroll. Twisting themselves into knots to pat themselves on the back congratulating themselves for their “principled” votes. Yeah, get on the pile with the Jill Stein drones, assholes.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@Higgs Boson’s Mate:
You’ll have to remove one of teh Koch cocks first.
Omnes Omnibus
@zombie rotten mcdonald: That’s Tigerton in in Waupaca County.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@Omnes Omnibus:
Feingold lives in Middleton, but often hangs in Milwaukee.
Kay
I just can’t believe they’re talking about rape again.
They know they can’t do that. They know they’ll say something horrible and dumb and wrong.
It’s like a tic. They can’t stop.
Omnes Omnibus
@Kay: I want Walker to try to do this kind of stuff. I hope it fails, but riles the hell out of voters for 2014.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@Kay:
It’s like Blazing Saddles:
“I like rape”
GxB
@zombie rotten mcdonald:
Feature, not bug, and this differentiates him from Dub how?
That said, I will agree that Walker can’t make it to the big dance. I’m amazed the fucker doesn’t drown in the shower, so yes, it is still possible too be too stupid for the nation in general – see Palin, S. and Perry, R. Additionally, Walker doesn’t have half the “charisma” (in the most superficial sense of the word) of either of those.
Kay
@Omnes Omnibus:
Why do they even think people want to debate this endlessly? They don’t.
My daughter and her friends aren’t even really “political” and they’re disgusted by what they see as old men constantly discussing them. They get apoplectic over it. Do they not get that women who are not even that plugged in politically see this as intrusive and obsessive?
muddy
@Kay: Like all psychopaths, they know they’re right. There’s no reasoning with that.
GxB
@zombie rotten mcdonald: As I recall, that was actually Tigerton Dells (Shawno area). We had Skinheads though, so there is that…
ET-Shake fist at OO, glad somebody else remembers such obscure stuff though.
Patricia Kayden
Wisconsin voters had a chance to vote this clown out of office by recalling him and failed to do so. Let’s see if he gets this bill passed and what else he does before he has to run again. I assume he’ll push his extreme agenda as hard as possible, and who can blame him.
muddy
@zombie rotten mcdonald:
WIth his liking for inappropriately poking plastic things up vaginas, perhaps douchenozzle would be better.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Kay: What would you say the voter participation rate is among your daughter’s friends and acquaintances (I’m gonna guess your daughter votes).
Omnes Omnibus
@Kay:
Fuck if I know. In my mind, this stuff was settled long ago. Rape is bad; not caused by sluts; something that men should not do. Abortion is between a woman and her treating MD (and the guy, if the woman chooses); if she chooses it, it should be available and safe. Not particularly open to question.
Omnes Omnibus
@Patricia Kayden: Note what was said above about people voting against the recall because they didn’t like the process. A surprising number of people saw it as unfair.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@GxB:
Feature, not bug, and this differentiates him from Dub how?
Dubya managed to get a college degree.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@GxB:
I’m amazed the fucker doesn’t drown in the shower,
Or in the rain, staring up at the sky like the dimwitted turkeys…
Omnes Omnibus
@efgoldman: I have no chance anyway. I like my current gig and don’t anticipate leaving it for quite a while.
muddy
@zombie rotten mcdonald: Maybe he didn’t come from the right sort of family to get that fixed for him.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@Omnes Omnibus:
The religious whackaloons will never let it go. Never. And contraception is in the sights also, let’s not kid ourselves.
Higgs Boson's Mate
@Kay:
They don’t. Ever since the Republican party started regarding intellectuals the same way that Pol Pot regarded them they’ve been noticeably short of new ideas or fresh approaches. There isn’t one damn’ thing in their arsenal that wasn’t put there in the Reagan years.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@Omnes Omnibus:
Also, Wisconsin has a REALLY retrograde rural component.
Omnes Omnibus
@Higgs Boson’s Mate: Holy shit, you are right.
gbear
My youngest sister loved living in Minneapolis, but her husband’s family is from the Green Bay area and (like so many WI people in MN) couldn’t stand living here so she moved to a Green Bay suburb to keep him happy. She hates Walker with a passion for what he’s doing to the schools (they have a 10 year old daughter). After this move, I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t lay down the line and say she’s had it, and she doesn’t want her daughter to grow up in a state that’s been so totally fucked over. We’re so lucky in MN that we’ve already had our fill of these creeps and won the state house and senate back in 2012.
Kay
@efgoldman:
I don’t know if they all vote (I suspect not) but she does. She even made calls for Obama in ’12 until her boyfriend’s father told her ” this isn’t Ohio. The Democrat wins in PA Presidential races”
She was going under the assumption all states were 50/50, I think, so she needed to be told “you moved to PA” :)
Omnes Omnibus
@gbear: It’s all the fucking purple. It is neither green nor gold enough for us.
GxB
@zombie rotten mcdonald: Yes, that was part of my point in using your selected quote and then following it up with a “That said…”. There are a ton of parallels between GWB and Walker, but there are some key differences. Current republican thinking equates “qualifications” to connections, and electability. If the Kochs and a few of their multi-billionare lizard-kin reach the consensus that you are their boy then you will get the spot in ’16, whether the rubes in the actual party want it or no.
I don’t think that the Wizards of the GoP are deluded enough to think Walker is electable – Dub, yes (and even then it took some friends in high places.)
gbear
@Omnes Omnibus: Ain’t that the truth. I work with a bunch of cheeseheads who commute across the border. The green and gold thing is religion. I don’t think we’re all that purple; it seems to me like only 5-10% even give a fuck about the Vikings.
Mnemosyne
For the fellas who were wondering why I wasn’t getting all bent out of shape over the NSA revelations, here is Example A. I’d rather have the government intruding in my email than intruding in my goddamned vagina.
GxB
@zombie rotten mcdonald: This times a thousand.
One thing I can’t argue with is the old saw “Madison in an idyllic sixty or so square miles surrounded by reality.” – In other words, it’s real easy to lose touch with the rest of the state when you’re living there. That, and goddamn do we have some hate-filled rubes in the sticks.
Omnes Omnibus
@GxB: Madison is kind of bug filled right now. I keep running into swarms of gnats when I am out cycling. Mmmmm, protein.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@GxB:
Dear sweet FSM, yes. My in-laws are up around Manitowoc, and it’s funny to watch them try to hold the “niggers” in when we are around; notably, my BIL couldn’t even do that when Obama was first running. Direct quote (I haven’t forgotten since it is so repugnant) “If THAT NIGGER gets in, this country is DONE”. He then went on to display some racist coffee cans and other memorabilia he had.
Mike in NC
@zombie rotten mcdonald: But I thought the last election had scared ALEC into putting the brakes on the social con agenda. Obviously Walker would rather give the citizenry a fat middle finger.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@GxB:
“Madison in an idyllic sixty or so square miles surrounded by reality.”
I would actually argue with that. I grew up in Middleton, and went to school in Platteville before winding up in Milwaukee. But Madison is actually well-governed at a local level, regardless of the mess being made by the State Lege. And the surrounding area, like many of the Red states, are negative from teh tax standpoint, sucking the commercial magnets of Madison, Milwaukee, La Crosse, Green Bay. The ones who don’t have a grip on reality are the sparsely populated regions, they misunderstand how the more populated areas of the state support them (and we do it gladly, because the natural splendor of those areas are of benefit to us all).
zombie rotten mcdonald
@Mike in NC:
No, it let them know that their time was limited.
Kay
@efgoldman:
“I don’t have any problem with ultrasounds” will make her mad.
She doesn’t know why he’s weighing in at all.
There’s just no way for them to talk about ultrasounds. They don’t know how. At the very least, he should know enough to leave “I” out of that.
zombie rotten mcdonald
@Omnes Omnibus:
FOUR LAKES.
Of course it is bug filled. Actually, I don’t miss it much. Lake Michigan is much kinder as far as the bugs. Helps, of course, to have a bat house mounted on the chimney….
Another Halocene Human
Scott Wanker.
kideni
And the result today in the WI state senate was the Republicans cutting off debate and forcing a vote after only two senators spoke (since the more this gets debated, the more likely it is that word will get out that it’s happening – the bill was introduced a week ago, had one public hearing with very little notice so that interested parties had to scramble to assess the bill well enough to testify, and was fast-tracked out of committee so that it would go to the floor quickly). A Democrat spoke about the letters she received opposing the bill, and a Republican (a woman) responded by mocking her and calling her speech “theatrics”. Then the vote was called, the Democrats objected, and the senate president screamed at them and banged his gavel so hard that he broke the base. Raw Story has a good round up: .
Along with the ultrasound mandate, the bill will pretty much force the only clinic with abortion services north of Madison and Milwaukee to shut down or at least eliminate those services.
I go back and forth as to whether Walker and his bald spot are contenders. On the one hand, he’s a golden boy to a lot of people and can raise spit-tons of money. On the other hand, he has no charisma, he picks his nose in public all the time, he’s a coward (Unintimidated, my ass), and he’s never been tested by media that doesn’t fawn all over him.
pseudonymous in nc
@jharp:
Nah, it requires a cystoscope: tube up the urethra.
Sloegin
Honestly not trying to troll here but haz question, why can’t these legislators be charged with statutory rape?
I’m surprised (as a political tactic) that this hasn’t happened yet.