Last year's filibuster was just the beginning...
June 20, 2014 2:03 PM Subscribe
For those who are interested, this is the #1 state closest to abolishing abortion.
• In 2011, 99% of Mississippi counties had no abortion clinic. 91% of Mississippi women lived in these counties.
One clinic left and it's trying to stay open. A US district court blocked the implementation of the law that would close the clinic, it's currently in the 5th circuit.
posted by Talez at 2:57 PM on June 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
• In 2011, 99% of Mississippi counties had no abortion clinic. 91% of Mississippi women lived in these counties.
One clinic left and it's trying to stay open. A US district court blocked the implementation of the law that would close the clinic, it's currently in the 5th circuit.
posted by Talez at 2:57 PM on June 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
From my point of view, it's a lot scarier in Texas, because you can get to an adjacent state, and another abortion clinic, within a few hours from most places in Mississippi. That isn't the case if you're traveling from the southern parts of Texas. Which is not to say that Mississippi's attempted laws are OK, but that Texas is significant in a number of ways.
posted by filthy light thief at 3:12 PM on June 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by filthy light thief at 3:12 PM on June 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
i had an idea of the outline of what had happened here. but it was sort of the "previously on last weeks episode of..." version.
there's plenty of stuff in here though that made my jaw drop, like
Sen. Leticia Van De Putte:When I said, “At what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be heard over the male colleagues in the room,” it was out of pure anger and frustration. I raised my hand. I spoke out, and the gallery heard me. The press table heard me. But my mic was purposefully turned off — as I learned later, all the Democrats mics were turned off.
How the fuck is that even legal? how is that not against some hard and fast rules of the legislature?
It sounds like the exact kind of thing republicans would be frothing at the mouth over as an obstruction of democracy and denial of rights if it happened to them.
posted by emptythought at 4:27 PM on June 20, 2014 [8 favorites]
there's plenty of stuff in here though that made my jaw drop, like
Sen. Leticia Van De Putte:When I said, “At what point must a female senator raise her hand or her voice to be heard over the male colleagues in the room,” it was out of pure anger and frustration. I raised my hand. I spoke out, and the gallery heard me. The press table heard me. But my mic was purposefully turned off — as I learned later, all the Democrats mics were turned off.
How the fuck is that even legal? how is that not against some hard and fast rules of the legislature?
It sounds like the exact kind of thing republicans would be frothing at the mouth over as an obstruction of democracy and denial of rights if it happened to them.
posted by emptythought at 4:27 PM on June 20, 2014 [8 favorites]
I'd contribute to a fund set up specifically to transport women to decent health providers outside of these (my term) wirehanger states... Sometimes I think it might be one of the more cost-efficient ways to support Choice and Women's Health.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:52 PM on June 20, 2014
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:52 PM on June 20, 2014
a map from 2013 showing distance to the nearest abortion clinic around America: The Daily Beast. Would be interesting to see it updated.
oneswellfoop, there actually are funds like that. Fund Abortion Now, a national group, and Fund Texas Women which was started after HB2 last year.
posted by the agents of KAOS at 5:26 PM on June 20, 2014 [3 favorites]
oneswellfoop, there actually are funds like that. Fund Abortion Now, a national group, and Fund Texas Women which was started after HB2 last year.
posted by the agents of KAOS at 5:26 PM on June 20, 2014 [3 favorites]
I'd contribute to a fund set up specifically to transport women to decent health providers outside of these (my term) wirehanger states... Sometimes I think it might be one of the more cost-efficient ways to support Choice and Women's Health.
I've thought of this too, and as per agents of KAOS' post above it exists. But my next question would be, how many states have residency requirements? Waiting requirements between the first and second appointment if there are any? etc.
It seems like to an extent, from things i've heard, that at least in some places they've thought of this and you're basically fucked at least in that state/area if you don't live near one of the still operational clinics even if you're coming in from another state.
Wouldn't bork the plan, but would probably make it involve flying a lot further.
posted by emptythought at 6:11 PM on June 20, 2014
I've thought of this too, and as per agents of KAOS' post above it exists. But my next question would be, how many states have residency requirements? Waiting requirements between the first and second appointment if there are any? etc.
It seems like to an extent, from things i've heard, that at least in some places they've thought of this and you're basically fucked at least in that state/area if you don't live near one of the still operational clinics even if you're coming in from another state.
Wouldn't bork the plan, but would probably make it involve flying a lot further.
posted by emptythought at 6:11 PM on June 20, 2014
It sounds like the exact kind of thing republicans would be frothing at the mouth over as an obstruction of democracy and denial of rights if it happened to them.
See also: every parliamentary decision made that night.
I was in the gallery of the Texas Senate the day of Davis's filibuster. I got there at about 4:00 PM that day, but it had been going on since 11:00 AM. I knew about the filibuster from watching the live feed earlier in the day and following the goings-on on Twitter. It was clear to me that this was going to be a "the whole world is watching" scenario, but I wasn't sure if the players in the senate knew that hundreds of thousands of people were watching online. It turns out they did - this past spring, I went to a panel at SXSW that included (then) Lt. Governor Dewhurst's press secretary, who confirmed that she was updating him throughout about the online reactions to the filibuster. He pulled that shit knowing full well that his actions were under scrutiny.
As Rep. Jessica Ferrar mentioned in the oral history, Dewhurst lost his primary bid this year, so he's out anyway. Leticia Van de Putte is running for lt. governor against his virtually-indistinguishable opponent, Dan Patrick, in November.
posted by donajo at 6:25 PM on June 20, 2014 [4 favorites]
See also: every parliamentary decision made that night.
I was in the gallery of the Texas Senate the day of Davis's filibuster. I got there at about 4:00 PM that day, but it had been going on since 11:00 AM. I knew about the filibuster from watching the live feed earlier in the day and following the goings-on on Twitter. It was clear to me that this was going to be a "the whole world is watching" scenario, but I wasn't sure if the players in the senate knew that hundreds of thousands of people were watching online. It turns out they did - this past spring, I went to a panel at SXSW that included (then) Lt. Governor Dewhurst's press secretary, who confirmed that she was updating him throughout about the online reactions to the filibuster. He pulled that shit knowing full well that his actions were under scrutiny.
As Rep. Jessica Ferrar mentioned in the oral history, Dewhurst lost his primary bid this year, so he's out anyway. Leticia Van de Putte is running for lt. governor against his virtually-indistinguishable opponent, Dan Patrick, in November.
posted by donajo at 6:25 PM on June 20, 2014 [4 favorites]
I often wonder if Matt Stone and Trey Parker had any idea when they made "Team America: World Police" that a certain percentage of their audience would think of their theme song every fucking time they read about the cluster fuck that is American politics. Like this.
posted by [insert clever name here] at 10:26 PM on June 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by [insert clever name here] at 10:26 PM on June 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
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posted by filthy light thief at 2:43 PM on June 20, 2014