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An example of why lawmaker gridlock is a good thing...

...because it would prevent idiotic lawmakers from making stupid laws like the following, which some nutball is trying to get passed into law in Virginia:

from dailykos:

Quote:

Overview of HB1677, "Report of Fetal Death by mother, penalty"

It sounds preposterous to talk about criminalizing women who suffer miscarriages, but one Virginia legislator is proposing just that. HB1677, "Report of Fetal Death by mother, penalty" is a bill introduced by John A. Cosgrove (R) of Chesapeake. Cosgrove's bill requires any woman who experiences "fetal death" without a doctor's assistance to report this to the local law-enforcement agency within twelve hours of the miscarriage. Failure to do so is punishable as a Class 1 Misdemeanor.

Background: Reporting of Fetal Deaths

Almost all states mandate reporting of fetal deaths to vital statistics bureaus. These statistics are then collected nationally by the CDC. In most states, health care providers must provide reports on fetal deaths after 20 weeks gestation (or at a certain fetal weight approximating 20 weeks gestation). Virginia is one of only 7 states, however, that mandate the reporting of loss of all "products of conception" regardless of gestational age. This includes both spontaneous losses of pregnancy and induced terminations of pregnancy, though the required data elements are different for abortions.

In Virginia, all losses of pregnancy must be reported by health care providers according to current law. The reality, though, is that countless women experience spontaneous abortions in the first few gestational weeks without even being aware of pregnancy, so not all losses of "products of conception" are reported. Women who experience miscarriages at home without a doctor's care may not even think to inform their doctors, especially if the pregnancy is so early that they have not yet even sought prenatal care. Until this bill, though, no one has suggested it was in the interest of the Commonwealth of Virginia to track down these unreported losses of "products of conception".

The Bill Itself

Full text of HB1677: When a fetal death occurs without medical attendance, it shall be the woman's responsibility to report the death to the law-enforcement agency in the jurisdiction of which the delivery occurs within 12 hours after the delivery. A violation of this section shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor.

...Suffering a miscarriage is no crime, but Delegate Cosgrove wants to make it a crime for a woman to fail to violate her own privacy in the first 12 hours after a miscarriage, so let's look at his proposed penalty.

...What other crimes are punishable as Class 1 misdemeanors in Virginia?

* A person 18 years of age or older engaging in consensual intercourse with a child 15 or older not his spouse, child or grandchild (more commonly known as "statutory rape")
* burning or destroying a building or structure if the property therein is valued at less than $200 (arson)
* a bomb threat made by someone younger than 15
* carrying a concealed weapon while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
* possession or distribution of fraudulent drivers' licenses or official identification
* stalking
* threatening any public school employee while on a school bus, on school property, or at a school-sponsored activity
* purchasing or providing alcohol to minors

So Delegate Cosgrove is basically saying that failing to violate your own privacy within 12 hours of a miscarriage is the criminal equivalent of statutory rape, arson, stalking, and other serious crimes.

The authorized punishments for convictions for a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia are "confinement in jail for not more than 12 months and a fine of not more than $2500, either or both." Do women deserve this?

i would like to know what the impetus for this is.

I feel like Cassandra must have felt. You know, the mythological soothsayer blessed with perfect foreknowledge but curse with nobody ever believing her.

As we gain greater ability to bring an ever-younger preemie to full term, the collision between the natural desire to protect babies is going to smack head-on into the freedom of women to control their reproduction. This is an example of what's coming.

I think it's going to undermine may favorite argument--that a baby is viable when it can live independently of mommy. It wont be long before we (men and women) can stir-up a batch of young'un, give it a dash of this and that ability and plop that sucker in an artificial uterus and bring it to term. Soon both men and women will just be incidentally needed for procreation. When I say soon, I mean 30 years. WebWench, that's you son's reproductive age.

What a strange world that will be for us.

I knew a woman, Nicole Maxwell, who was the first girl to speak over the transcontinental telephone. Now a commonplace but then, revolutionary.

My grandmother died about 15 years ago at 101 yrs. She remembered listening to the lamplighters walking the twilight streets of Philadelphia igniting the gas streetlights. Imagine a city so quiet you could hear the POP! of gas igniting three floors below. She took my Mother (a toddler) into vote on the first vote following women's suffrage. Now a commonplace but then, revolutionary.

I didn't know a world without nuclear weapons. My kids never saw an 8-track tape.

Lets all get our copies of "Brave New World" out and read it one more time, with feeling.

Oh for God's sake. The lawmaker that sponsored that bill needs a new job.

Old300D, I'm thinking Cosgrove needs some special packages to investigate for remnants of miscarriage. :mad:

This is just the beginning of the religious fascists moving into the mainstream of politics.

Quote:

Originally Posted by webwench

Old300D, I'm thinking Cosgrove needs some special packages to investigate for remnants of miscarriage. :mad:

Gads! Now there's an idea. :puke:

Quote:

Originally Posted by KirkVining

This is just the beginning of the religious fascists moving into the mainstream of politics.

is that to say all religeous people are fascists?

Quote:

Originally Posted by azimuth

is that to say all religeous people are fascists?

If you label you don't have to listen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botnst

If you label you don't have to listen.

oh....

Quote:

Originally Posted by azimuth

is that to say all religeous people are fascists?

Pro life = fascists

Fascist are a bigger big-tent party than Demopublicans.

This "Demopublicans" thing you got going is an interesting way for you to reflect blame from your beloved Republican Party.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KirkVining

This "Demopublicans" thing you got going is an interesting way for you to reflect blame from your beloved Republican Party.

That's half of your party, it ain't mine. You must embrace the dark side, Luke.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KirkVining

Pro life = fascists

then all pro choice people are Communists..............

And I sure as hell am no communist.