Abortion Politics Get Ugly in Missouri

 

by Pa Rock

Missouri Voter

Two Republican state legislators from extreme southwest Missouri, one a state senator and the other a state representative, have just shined a very bright light on an ultimate objective of the anti-abortion movement in America.  The two, State Senator Mike Moon of Ash Grove and State Representative Bob Titus of Billings, pre-filed bills in the state legislature on December 1st which would allow for criminal charges to be brought against anyone who gets an abortion or provides abortion care in the state.  The two bills are both called the "Abolition of Abortion in Missouri Act."

Missouri is already one of fourteen states with total bans on abortion in almost all circumstances, but strong efforts are underway to get a measure on next year's ballot that would return some form of abortion rights to women of the state.    Polls show that a majority of people in Missouri want women to have access to abortion services.

The bills introduced by Moon and Titus could lead to women who have abortions being charged with homicide, and that is clearly a bridge too far for many in the state and nation, including quite a few Republicans as well of members of groups on both sides of the abortion issue.  National politicians like the President and Vice-President of the United States condemned the measure, and even Missouri's Republican governor, Mike Parson, said that the bill sends a "bad message."

Quite a stink ensured after word about the bills made it into the national press, and Rep. Titus, a retired insurance broker and father of ten, ultimately chose to withdraw his bill late this past Tuesday evening.

Clearly, however, the struggle to ensure that women have control over their own bodies and their own health care decisions remains far from over.  While this latest assault on the rights of women appears to have been more noise than substance, it is nevertheless a clear indicator of where the anti-abortion movement ultimately wants to go.

Women's health care decisions should be made by the women involved and their doctors - and not by religious zealots and old, starchy white, male politicians with 19th century views on the roles of women in society.

Pay attention, Republicans, because the voters are about to bring you an important message!