Posted on 08/23/2012 1:26:20 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Democrats are trying to use Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin's bizarre and offensive comments about rape and pregnancy to smear GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan. And many journalists are playing along.
According to Chris Good of ABC News:
>>>Now with Akin making headlines, Democrats will seek to tie Ryan to the Missouri congressman by highlighting social-issues legislation on which they've partnered.
Akin and Ryan cosponsored a 2011 bill, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortions Act, that would redefine rape as "forcible rape," narrowing the scope of what's considered rape in cases of abortion.<<<
The ABC journalist reports as fact the claim that the bill would "redefine rape" and narrow "the scope of what's considered rape in cases of abortion." But ABC provides no evidence to support this claim. The intent of the word "forcible" was to prevent taxpayer-funding of abortions in the case of statutory rape--i.e. when a 16-year-old and a 19-year-old have consensual sex, which no one thinks is the moral or legal equivalent of forced sex.
By all indications, the longstanding interpretation of the Hyde amendment's exception that allows Medicaid to pay for abortion in the case of rape has always excluded "statutory rape." The word "forcible" wouldn't have "redefined" rape--it was simply an attempt to codify this longstanding interpretation of the Hyde amdendment. Because the word appeared to be redundant and gave Democrats the opportunity to smear pro-life Republicans, it was dropped from the bill.
The ABC reporter fails to note is that the word "forcible" was removed from the final text of the bill. Has there ever been so much furor over one word in a bill that was never voted on?
The "No Taxpayer-Funding for Abortion Act" was not an extreme piece of legislation--it had 11 Democratic cosponsors and passed the House 251 to 175. If Democrats want to smear Paul Ryan with the false claim he tried to "redefine rape," they must also argue that those 11 Democrats, including Indiana Senate candidate Joe Donnelly, tried to "redefine rape."
In reality, it's Barack Obama's support for taxpayer-funding of abortion that's deeply unpopular. According to one Quinnipiac poll, 72 percent of Americans oppose taxpayer-funding of abortion. When will Obama have to answer questions about his extremism on abortion?
Barack Obama on Abortion "...............On March 30, 2001, Obama was the only Illinois senator who rose to speak against a bill that would have protected babies who survived late term labor-induced abortion. Obama rose to object that if the bill passed, and a nine-month-old fetus survived a late-term labor-induced abortion was deemed to be a person who had a right to live, then the law would "forbid abortions to take place." Obama further explained the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment does not allow somebody to kill a child, so if the law deemed a child who survived a late-term labor-induced abortion had a right to live, "then this would be an anti-abortion statute." ..................
In criminal stautes in most states there are at least 2 rapes defined.
Rape or forcible rape and statutory rape. Least there were listed that way when I worked LEO and Corrections.
This is a NON-ISSUE that the Dems and the Media are using to deflect attention away from Obamas failure as the president.......
Tune it out. Desperate plays by desperate people. The left is scared to death of Ryan. He can cut through their bullshit like a razor blade, and come out clean. The left is showing their hand every time they attack him. It’s the sign of fear.
Outside of MO, only political junkies are aware of this who situation. This thing will die out. We’ll lose the MO Senate seat and have “Her thighness” for another 6 years but I think there are still enough seats in play that we’ll retake the Senate. This too shall pass.
....”The left is scared to death of Ryan. He can cut through their bullshit like a razor blade, and come out clean.”....
Turning this issue back on the Dems is key. They’re the extremists - he can highlight their positions - as Rush said, don’t step into the Dem/MSM trap — turn the tables, ask why the Obama/Dem position on partial birth abortion is not explored by the MSM - FOCUS the light on Obama/Dem unpopular abortion positions.
>> Democrats Falsely Claim Paul Ryan Tried to ‘Redefine Rape’
Definitely not “legitimate”.
He reminds me of Trent Lott here in Mississippi....for years, he bided his time, pretending to be a "Conservative Republican". Yet, at the precise moment he got the Senate Majority slot, he began doing things to help Democrats regain the Senate (don't forget that Lott began as a Democrat before conveniently switching to the Republicans in 1972).
“I'm no expert on rape—maybe you should ask Juanita Broaddrick.”
The meme would end.
>> statutory rape—i.e. when a 16-year-old and a 19-year-old have consensual sex, which no one thinks is the moral or legal equivalent of forced sex.
Except for the fact that Akin could in no way suggest that in defense of his effectively valueless “legitimate” qualifier.
The political reaction to Akin’s remarks is unforgivable. The hysteria only reinforces the unnecessary sense of the unspeakable.
Akin’s clumsy attempt to defend Life produced a national disgrace that objectified the issue of rape. Does anyone truly believe the man is indifferent to the heinous crime of rape?
His Offices will close for lack of funs.
He will resign by the 25th
Excellent info on this!
I could’ve used it yesterday as I was discussing the matter with a left winger. I pointed out the obvious and asked him where UN the bill is the redefinition and he fell silent. I did not know that 11 Dems cosponsored it though. Interesting.
UN = in
Ugh ... stupid small keypad.
I know, but with all that is on the line in this election (our very national existence), one would think the GOP would be able to FORCE Akin out.
With a solid chance to retake the Senate, it would be a travesty if we lost by one seat - Akin's.
Quick. Everyone start demanding the Romney dump Ryan and replace him With a liberal feminist. This election is too important to have an anti abortion conservative on the ticket. My God the media will smear Ryan and we can’t fight back.
Surrender now Ryan! Drop out for the sake of the GOP-e!
DUMP RYAN NOW!!!!!
Man, I hope you are right. It should die out. However, that moron Akin built a big bonfire that is gonna smolder for awhile.
It’s liberals who have redefined rape.
If a woman says yes yes yes all night but 48 hours changes her mind then she was raped.
This is what happened to Julian Assange in Sweden.
If he says an outrageously stupid myth is the truth then I would call for that. Wouldn’t you?
Are you insisting that every RINO that believes in Global Warming should be replaced or that we do a third party write in on RINO Warmists?
Akin is a conservative. There is statistical evidence and scientific theories have been postulated to support the position that victims of forcible rape have hormonal changes which can prevent the permanent implantation of a zygote which is the result of that act.
The problem is that the theory is not really scientifically provable in the absence of a study where women are deliberately raped in a scientific experiment.
However the evidence is there that the incidence of pregnancy from forcible rape is statistically low enough to postulate this theory. It is a much more scientific theory than the stupid global warming theory and the books haven't been cooked to support it.
To be direct: NO. I would not call for someone's resignation over a misstatement or a poorly explained statement.
I would call for their resignation, if, for example, they came out in favor of a gay military, gay adoption, or a gay boy scouts of America.
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