Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Planned Parenthood, primary endorsements, Ayatollah Coffey, and Feeling the Bern.


Before Christmas, as some new variety of Neanderthal right-wing offensive against Planned Parenthood seemed to be mounting (I tend to lose track of them), a friend announced that she'd match donations to PP up to a maximum amount.

We had skipped a year or two, and so I tithed ... freely and happily.

Then, as so often occurs, New Albany's city council offered black comic relief. With funding for Blessings in a Backback in the fanny pack, and her legislative "legacy" complete, departing at-large council person Shirley Baird seemed ready to insert a benign resolution into the agenda in support of PP.

Dan Coffey, at the time still clinging to a Vietnamese-rice-paper-thin allegiance to the Democratic Party, readied to unleash the legions of the pious.

The Ayatollah Coffey sharpens his knives for a Thursday evening orgy of ward-heeling religious ecstasy.


Courageous to the last inning, Baird promptly pulled the offensive resolution, perhaps having been told by Adam Disney that keeping Coffey happy would ensure many bountiful returns during the next cemetery registration drive.

Planned Parenthood resolution pulled from Thursday council agenda, so I guess the Coffey spontaneous combustion is off, too.


But there is no rest for progressives in this squalid town. No sooner than we had made our donation to PP, the organization goes and does this.

online-backlash-after-planned-parenthood-endorses-hillary-clinton/">Massive Online Backlash After Planned Parenthood Endorses Hillary Clinton

In a historic move yesterday, Planned Parenthood endorsed Hillary Clinton for President – its first endorsement in a presidential primary in the nonprofit’s 100-year existence.

(Slaps head) ... if we'd wanted to donate to Hillary, it would have been money handed directly to her campaign. This may or may not yet occur, depending on the autumn threat posed by the fascists, with the point being that PP offers this endorsement in the primary, not the general election.

Let there be no misunderstandings about Planned Parenthood. We support it, but the next donation of equal or greater amount is going to Bernie Sanders. As one compelled to suffer through the clownish cerebral decline of the local Democratic Party, I have no desire to finance the ethos of "Let's Out-Republican the GOP."

Fuck a bunch of Dickeyism. Rather, "Feel the Bern."

Meanwhile ... PP reminds us that in One Party Indiana, the spirit of Generalissimo Franco and the Inquisition live on. ‬


Just one week in to Indiana’s legislative session, anti-woman politicians have proposed five bills opposing access to safe, legal abortion – with more likely to follow. It’s time to speak out against extreme restrictions and gross misinformation.

  • SB 144 (Sen. Banks)/HB 1122 (Rep. Nisly) would restrict a woman's access to safe, legal abortion on pregnancies as early as 6 weeks - long before most women even know they are pregnant. If enacted, these bills would result in an effective ban on abortion in Indiana.
  • SB 374 (Sen. Waltz) more than doubles the waiting period between the time a woman receives counseling and the abortion procedure to 48 hours. It also increases penalties on abortion providers. If enacted, this bill could strain the resources of women who access abortion – many of whom already face significant barriers to high-quality health care.
  • SB 313 (Sen. Holdman) distorts the lived experiences of women facing unexpected and difficult decisions during their pregnancy. If enacted, it would force doctors to speculate on a woman’s motives at a time when the urgent need is non-judgmental care and support.
  • SB 314 (Sen. Brown) continues the dangerous rhetoric of anti-abortion extremists. In doing so, it contributes to a hostile climate for health care providers and patients.

These bills make clear that some of our legislators have no respect for Hoosier women and their families or privacy for health care decision-making.


In solidarity,

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana and Kentucky

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