Doug Mataconis (@dmataconis) via Twitter
Hundreds of people gathered outside the capitol in Lansing, Michigan, tonight to listen to a performance of The Vagina Monologues by eleven female lawmakers.
And this sign from tonight’s event said it all: "Vaginas brought you into the world and vaginas will vote you out."
This all stems from a debate over abortion legislation. Rep. Lisa Brown was censured for using the word vagina on the House floor.
"And finally, Mr. Speaker, I'm flattered that you're all so interested in my vagina, but no means no,” Brown said Wednesday.
Republican leaders insisted they were offended by her "rape reference,” not the word "vagina."
Brown was not allowed to speak on the House floor again. The GOP wouldn't let her debate a teacher retirement bill the next day.
Rep. Barb Byrum was also silenced after she tried to suggest an amendment to legislate vasectomies (she was our guest on tonight's show; watch the video below).
Hundreds of protestors gathered on the lawn of the Michigan statehouse to listen to a performance of "The Vagina Monologues". Eleven state congresswomen participated in the performance. The demonstration follows the Republican censure order which silenced two state representatives after a debate about an abortion bill last week. We talk to one of the women who was shut down after the abortion debate, Representative Barb Byrum.
Michigan Republicans say both women simply violated the rules of decorum. And the leader of the House, accused both women of throwing temper tantrums.
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Jerry: Scoff if you want to but the GOP's assault on women will cost you dearly come November. Young women in college are absolutely livid with conservatives over this issue. The radical right has been putting women under attack since 2010. Planned Parenthood was threatened with having its funds cut by the GOP Congress. This was Speaker "where are the jobs bills" Boehner's first actions on the floor. The right wing has placed more restrictions on abortion clinics in any state they have control of the legislature or the Governor's mansion. Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan and many other states have passed a very large number of abortion laws that restrict or make more difficult the right of a woman to go to an abortion clinic. States controlled by the GOP have also passed more new regulations on abortion clinics. Women have a right to abortion and should never have to worry being harassed by antiabortion protesters. The government should also pay for all family planning and birth control programs. This is good public policy and its the same policy that almost all other industrialized countries on the face of this earth follow. But other industrialized countries are too advanced for American conservatives to understand.
Rex
Your liberal mind tells you that all women have a need to live off their fellow Americans. They don't. A lot of women find it insulting that liberals like you tell them that they need to be taken of by the rich. Do yourself a favor. Don't ever tell a Conservative woman that she needs you to blog on her behalf...you'll get your wimpy ass kicked.
But we don't need to have conservatives living off of us, either, with their corporate subsidies, tax breaks, deliberate suppression of wages and unions, using the U.S. military for profit, giving tax breaks to churches, and expecting us taxpayers to take care of their overly numerous offspring. It was the rich who stole from the middle class and we know it. A "conservative woman" is a female who has been brainwashed into worshipping the penis and allowing that organ to make her personal decisions for her. Why would a genital organ be worthy of worship? Go ask that moron Bachmann why she needed her Holy Penis to tell her to be a tax attorney. "Conservative" women are self-hating and brainless. Is the sex that good?
Subsidizing family planning IS good public policy. Pandering to religious cults at the expense of the American public is not, by the way. And most Americans, including the female half, cherish the freedom to choose their own religion rather than establishing a government-mandated one like the GOP wants. I don't want their crappy religion. I've got my own beliefs.
Pattie
Be a good liberal girl and pop a chicken pot pie in the microwave and make sure that beer for Billy Bob is cold.....lol
Here we go with more right wing stupidity, put people in prison at a cost of $3500 per person per month of tax payers dollars to prevent insurance companies having to pay a few dollars.
Whom
I guess you haven't heard of Sheriff Arapaio in Arizona. He can house 50 prisoners for $3500 a month. Arapaio spends 15 cents per meal per prisoner. btw He keeps prisoners in tents in the Arizona desert. He's my kind of guy.
I have a brilliant idea for all those politicians and citizens who think we should get rid of abortion and birth control for women. They want these babies to be born regardless of the circumstances, even in cases of rape or incest.
So, it is time to legislate that. If they force women to have children, then they have an obligation and responsibility to take care of those babies. I suggest that we have laws put in place that would force them to adopt those babies. Give them a home, feed and care for them, love and care for them.. send them to college. For every legislator who signs on to legislation to force women to have them, they have to adopt a certain percentage of them. And for all those who raise their voices on the news or carry protest signs about the rights of the unborn, they need to be forced to adopt them too. I mean, if the babies are born, they need to be cared for right? And you all are such GOOD Christians, right? Well then it is your Christian duty to take care of those babies. Put your money where your mouths are!
So until you people who believe women need to be forced to have children, take them and raise them and provide for them, SHUT UP!
go to bed early to go to work so the dummycrats can get there welfare i replay the prez speech to fall alsleep
like i said early the gals in the march no-way a guy gets next to there vaginas so all the gals can do is wave a sign maybe Ed Shultz or Wasserman-Shultz will join
What does that have to do with anything?
Jerry: We all know you are an idiot conservative who hates women wanting to treat them like doormats or serfs. Family planning and birth control services are not going to be taken away or restricted by the GOP any longer. You don't understand, the conservatives have made young college educated women furious at your assault on their reproductive health rights. In an age of a global economy we need all the scientists, teachers, engineers, and smart business managers that we can educate and train. Women are a critical part of that equation whether they be housewives, mothers, teachers, or engineers. We can not treat women with the utter contempt that you radical Republicans are showing them. We can not expect our country to advance and compete in a global economy of the 21st century when you are living in the 19th century. How is life in a parallel universe of denial suiting you? Remember women vote and the GOP will reap what they sow in November.
Now why would anyone talk to Vatican? Don't you know you are interrupting his travel plans to see Sandusky?