In An Era Of Abortion Restrictions, Should Viagra Be Restricted For Men?

Fed up with restrictive abortion laws,
a Kentucky lawmaker wants to require men to
have a written note from their spouse
before they can obtain Viagra 

A Kentucky lawmaker is introducing admittably somewhat tongue in cheek legislation that would create some uncomfortable conversations about Viagra. according to a recent article in the New York Times. 

All this has to do with abortion laws.

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Like many conservative states with majority Republican lawmakers, Kentucky has been passing more and more restrictive abortion laws.

The new Republican governor, Matt Bevin, recently signed into a law a requirement that women have a medical consultation 24 hours before an abortion.

Another Kentucky bill, likely to be enacted into law soon, would force women seeking an abortion to undergo an ultrasound and listen to a doctor's description of the image.

All this is couched in language that indicates that they're just trying to protect the health of women. But obviously what's really going on is to make the abortion process so onerous and difficult and expensive and emotionally charged for women that they don't actually go through with the abortion.

I get it that anti-abortion lawmakers' hands are tied because of Roe Vs. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that granted women the right to abortions. But these laws are disingenous. If you're opposed to abortion, say so. Fight Roe V. Wade is you are anti-abortion. Don't be sneaky with these weird laws.

Kentucky Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, a Democrat, wants to make that point, so she's introducing legislation regarding Viagra. Her bill would require that men who are seeking Viagra receive written permission from their spouse before getting the drug, reports the New York Times. 

"I thought if we're going to insert ourselves into women's most private health care decisions, then we should insert ourselves into men's most private health decisions as well," Marzian said. "As a woman and a pro-choice woman and as an elected official, I am sick and tired of men - mostly white men - legislating personal, private medical decisons.....It's none of their business."

Marzian's proposal echo a 2012 Illinois lawmaker's bill that would have mandated men seeking Viagra watch a video detailing some of the possible side effects of the drug, like a prolong erection of the penis lasting several hours that can cause permanent damage.

Yes, Marzian's bill is a stunt and lawmakers should be doing serious work instead of jokes like this. But if you can't get through with reason, sometimes you've got to get goofy, satirical and weird.

It looks like Marzian reached that point. I think many of us of all political stripes have with ineffective, grandstanding politicians.

Jerk Of The Week Slams 4th Graders' Bird Legislation Because Abortion

Fourth graders in New Hampshire wanted to
make the red tailed hawk the state raptor....

As part of a civics lesson, a group of fourth graders in New Hampshire asked the state's legislature to make the red-tailed hawk the state raptor.

Lawmakers shot down the idea, and complained that the legislation was a waste of time when they had more pressing matters with which to contend.

You can debate whether the lawmakers were right in saying the fourth graders were wasting their time, or whether they were shutting down a civics lesson, and turning the kids off from democracy

But, then, enter Republican Warren Groen who just had to make things worse by somehow tying the hawk to abortion:

"The (red-tailed hawk) mostly likes field mice and small rodents. It grasps them with its talons and then uses its razor sharp beak to rip its victims to shreds and then basically tear it apart, limb from limb. And I guess the shame about making this the state bird is it would make a much better mascot for Planned Parenthood."

Way go go Warren! Tying everything to abortion. You must be a real hit at cocktail parties.

Not surprisingly, parents whose kids were in the New Hampshire Statehouse listening to this jerk were not pleased.

According to the Huffington Post, Jodi Linnehan Kriner, the mother of one of the students, wrote a letter to lawmakers saying she was ashamed they are state representatives.

"If any rep can tell me how I should answer a question that was asked to me last nigth by my 10 year old son, Andrew, please let me know. He asked, 'Mom, what does Planned Parenthood have to do with red-tailed hawk tearing apart is prey, and why should it be the mascot,' she wrote.

Instead, the fourth grades got this
moron prattling on about abortion instead.  

Well, Andrew, good question! One I surely don't have an answer to. Neither does Groen, apparently, but he did double down on his comment in a phone interview with the Huffington Post. 

"The selective outrage about this I find quite curious....Every week in Manchester, the fourth grade class from 2025 is killed out.  Babies that would be 10 years old and in fourth grade 10 years from now are aborted in Manchester, and there's no outrage."

Even fellow Republicans are pretty fed up with Groen and his abortion stuff. He's kind of like a weird, sick version of Jan on the Brady Bunch always complaining about Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.   

Lawmakers say they are going to ask Groen during the next legislative session this week to apologize. He probably won't, because maybe he thinks anyone who believes he was out of line is an abortionist?