The Texas State Legislature had to lie, cheat and steal to do it, but they have managed to pass their forced-pregnancy bill.
Delusional Rick Perry appears to believe that now that he has taken the criminalization of women and their reproductive rights to new depths in his state, he is ready to give the national stage another try, and so has indicated that he will not run for another term as governor.
What does the passage of this bill really mean?
By making it more difficult for women to seek legal abortions, Texas has opened that door to the dirty, dangerous back-alley abortions of the 50's. Teenage girls and women alike will return to the options that were available when I was a teenager. Word of mouth will lead them to the door of the disreputable doctor, or to those old home remedies for pregnancy, like Lysol and coat hangers. If you are poor and have limited resources, an unsupportive family, or are just terrified, these are the options that will remain open to you in Texas, and in many other states across the country.
These lawmakers have done nothing to provide better education, better health care, better nutrition, a living wage. These are the means through which a moral nation fights abortion. In those states where there is hope and means to a decent life, the incidence of abortion is less. And not surprisingly, teen pregnancy and infant mortality rates are lower.
The sad fact is that the anti-abortion movement has been allowed to use the horrors of Kermit Gosnell's abortion practice and trial to push through the very laws that would make such practices more likely.
Wendy Davis did what she could to bring the real issues and arguments to the national stage. It will take many, many more women, and men, to stand up and loudly speak the truth, else this awful reality of back-room abortions will spread again across our country.
