The Republican Party's War on Women, the Kansas Front

This is the third in a series of articles on the subject of women, abortion rights and the Republican Party. 

Republicans continue to say they don’t have to change their core principles, they only have to change the language they use to get their message out.  One perception they want to alter is the idea that they are running a “war on women”.  Looking at the news over the past few years, I’d say the Republican Party has a long way to go on this subject.

• Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky): “Talk about a manufactured issue.  There is no issue.” 
• RNC Chairman Reince Priebus:  “It’s a fiction.”

The War in Kansas

the facts:  Last Friday, the Republican led legislature in Kansas passed the "Women's Right to Know Act".  This act declares that life begins "at fertilization" and prohibits abortions related to the baby's sex.  It also eliminates tax breaks for any health care provider who performs abortions.

It is interesting that they state that life begins at fertilization, but do not prohibit all abortions at that point thus avoiding any showdown on constitutionality based on the Supreme Court's interpretation of Roe v. Wade.

The bill also requires that doctors lie to their patients.  Any doctor meeting with a woman who is considering an abortion will be required, by law, to tell that woman about a link between abortion and breast cancer.  In 2003, the National Cancer Institute completed a study that concluded there is no such link, but Kansas doctors will now be required to tell women there is "potential risk".

How can these Republicans, who claim they are all about small government and who continue to complain that the ACA should be repealed because it puts government between patients and their doctors, justify placing their legislative foot firmly between Kansas women and their doctors by requiring those doctors to lie?   This would seem to fly in the face of all common sense...though common sense is not necessarily a major part of the Republican Party's DNA these days.

Finally, the bill prohibits Planned Parenthood from providing any sex education material in Kansas schools.

Because, God forbid, we wouldn't want to prevent any unwanted pregnancies among Kansas teens.

Republican Governor Sam Brownback has indicated that he will sign the bill into law. 

You have to admire Kansas legislature's chutzpah in calling this the Women's Right to Know Act considering that part of the bill requires the withholding of information and another part requires the dissemination of lies.

And Republicans wonder why they lose the female vote.

The Republican War on Women is "fiction"?

WHAT YOU SAY SPEAKS SO LOUDLY
THAT I CANNOT HEAR WHAT YOU SAY.