Really, Ohio?

I'm afraid that the legislators in Ohio are so pro-life, they're going to let someone die to prove it.

--Catholic physician Jason Melillo of Kingsdale Gynecologic Associates in Columbus, Ohio. Melillo does not perform elective abortions but testified nonetheless against the abortion restriction regulations that were part of Ohio's 2013 two-year budget, which was signed into law by Gov. John Kasich on June 30. Melillo's commentary aired on the July 2, 2013 edition of To the Point: Abortion: The Law Is Clear but the War Rages On.

The budget bill also included restrictive birth control regulations.

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Beneath the soles of Akin's feet

Rape is about power and control. It's violation extends far beyond the duration of the act.

Before Roe versus Wade, a rapist's power clutched his victim for weeks while she endured the pregnancy scare along with the image of a back alley and coat hanger looming over her head. When abortion became safe and legal, the rapist's power got a little smaller. The advent of emergency contraception reduced it even further.

The GOP may be running from Akin now, but it has been re-empowering rapists for the last decade by enacting legislation that erodes access to abortion and emergency contraception.

Yes, rape victims are being denied access to the morning after pill. It happened to a woman in Oklahoma and another in Florida. In both cases, the violation of rape was extended by "professionals" emboldened by the red tide of the GOP.

A rapist loves the "she asked for it" mentality that bubbles just beneath terms like "forcible" and "legitimate" rape.

Men like Todd Akin and Paul Ryan are a rapist's best friend.

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A spoonful of sugar

It seems a large contingent of the populace has a thing or two to say about NYC's Mayor and his proposed large soft drink ban. While I have to agree that Bloomberg's proposal is a bit harsh, here are a few suggestions from your humble hostess on regulating this completely legal substance:

--Include a mandatory warning label on all sugary sodas that meticulously describes the dangers associated with obesity.

--Include a mandatory graphic label on all sugary sodas that shows the equivalent number of sugar cubes included in the associated container.

--Require persons seeking to purchase a sugary drink to take a blood sugar test and to be weighed--not in order to deny them access to this legal substance, mind you, but just so they are made aware and can be better informed about whether or not to consume this product.

--Institute a mandatory 24-hour waiting period before actually giving a sugary soda to someone who has requested one so the consumer may thoroughly consider his choice.

--Ban all federal funding from any organization that serves high-sugar content drinks.

--Pass legislation that disallows the firing of any employee who chooses to deny serving or selling sugary sodas to someone they think is obese or at risk of becoming obese. After all, obesity kills; and no one should be forced to facilitate it.

Gee. Sound familiar?

Now then, here is the smartest thing I've read regarding Bloomberg's proposed ban (via Politico):

What if his main goal, from the very start, was to help consumers forge a strong connection between sugary drinks and obesity, using the media to help carry his message? What if he wanted millions of people – in New York City and around the country – to become more aware of the connection between Coca Cola and fat? What if he wanted news organizations to report that a 16 ounce soda has the equivalent of a jaw-dropping 20 sugar cubes?

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We're not in Ohio anymore

Behold a dyed-in-the-wool god-fearing Republican during his DUI arrest.



Robert Mecklenborg is an Ohio State Representative.

He managed to keep this little gem under wraps for NINE weeks. His companion was a "young woman." Funny thing is I haven't seen this covered except in local news. Jeez, wasn't Weiner's scandal headline news across the "liberal" media for days?

Mecklenborg was jacked on booze, Viagra and some other drug. Read more about the arrest from his home territory here.

In the vid, you'll see how Mecklenborg seems more worried about what's going to happen to his car than the woman inside of it. Odd, seeing as Mecklenborg just gave an impassioned anti-abortion speech before the state legislature. Looks like that might bite him in the ass. Anyone who thinks this clown cares one toot about unborn children or their mothers is utterly delusional.

Although Mecklenborg can't wait to get his hands on my womb, he doesn't want anyone asking him questions about the woman and what he was doing in Indiana driving a car with Kentucky plates.

"I understand the interest in the DUI part, I guess, but the rest is a personal matter," Mecklenborg said.

He's also very interested in who does and does not get to vote.

Sex scandals usually leave me cold. I agree that a politician is entitled to privacy, but I'm having a hard time keeping my nonjudgemental fence up with this charmer. He is one scumbag full of hypocrisy.

The righties wanted to skewer Weiner for a twitter post and they succeeded. They tried to make it a referendum on the entire left contingent. Even though Weiner's sex scandal was virtually sexless, they were outraged over Nancy Pelosi's slow move to judgement.

Well then, let's dig what Mecklenborg's rightie friends are saying:

Alex Triantafilou, chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party, said Thursday that party leaders are "assessing" the matter.

"It's a tough situation," Triantafilou said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Bob and his family."

Uh-huh.

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Effective new voice for the conservative movement

I'm about fed up with Teabaggers and righties who constantly bark about the Constitution, but can't see anything wrong with the turd of a law Arizona just passed.

Anyone wanting a brilliant and concise explanation about why the Arizona immigration legislation is unconstitutional should listen to the last seven minutes of this podcast. Kevin Johnson, Dean, UC Davis School of Law, and a professor of immigration law, explains why the legislation is headed right down the same path as California's Proposition 187.

It's a Supremacy Clause, thing, baby.

In a nutshell, the Supremacy Clause says you can't have a state regulating and enforcing something that's covered by federal legislation.

CODE RED NEWS ALERT: Immigration law is under the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government.

Then there's the little darlings over in Oklahoma, with a new abortion bill that mandates a woman to undergo a medical procedure against her will. Predictably, your righties have no problem with that.

But forcing medical procedures on women isn't the only wonderful thing in this bit of genius legislation. Per CNN, "The other measure prohibits pregnant women and their families from seeking legal damages if physicians "knowingly and negligently" withhold key information or provide inaccurate information about their pregnancies."

Fortunately for a bunch of lawyers, this too shall go right down the shitter. Don't believe me? These Okie clowns did the same damn thing two years ago, passing, vetoing, and repassing unconstitutional abortion legislation, which was promptly struck down.

Maybe the righties' next law will mandate all women wear burkas.

Nah, that would make it too hard to tell whether we we have brown skin or not.

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Today's YouTube was brought to your humble hostess's attention by Lil' OB.

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Howdy, boys

My essay "The Conception of Slavery" garnered several letters to the editor, four of which were published in today's Scene.* Interestingly enough, they were all penned by men.

Thanks to everyone who writes my editor, past and present. I appreciate all readers, all points of view and all comments all the time, whether they are in print or online.

*Regarding that link, read carefully as the online formatting is a bit glitchy today.

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The Conception of Slavery

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Please send any comments for publication to Cleveland Scene Editor Frank Lewis at flewisATclevesceneDOTcom.

Futureworld

What McCain/Palin's pro-life world really looks like.

Slavery

I apologize for having to remove this post, but I've been asked to expand it for a print piece, which I promise to link here as soon as it publishes. Thanks to all who read and commented.



Erin O'Brien and daughter Jessica immediately after birth, February 18, 1997

Hey Sarah?

"The question for Palin is just how much prison time a woman should serve if she chooses to abort her rapist's baby," said Connie Schultz in today's Plain Dealer.

Right-to-lifers are nothing without choice

First off, to Bristol Palin: hang tough kid and you'll do just fine. Don't take any shit. I'm rooting for you, I really am. So are a bunch of other blue blue liberals just like me. Believe it or not, it's the truth. Godspeed.

But to the right-to-lifers surrounding her, I say this: what is the operative word in your supportive statements? How will you hold anyone holy when taking the hard road is no longer elective? Case in point from CNN:

"Sarah and her husband, Todd Palin, issued a statement saying they are 'proud of Bristol's decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents.'"

"Tony Perkins, president of the influential conservative Family Research Council, on Monday issued a statement supporting the Palin family. 'Fortunately, Bristol is following her mother and father's example of choosing life in the midst of a difficult situation.'"

Hey Sugartits, vol. 2

"If the legislature passed a death penalty law, I would sign it," Palin, November 2006.

So, let me get this straight: You gotta be born, but once you are, if we don't like you, we can take you out.

There. Did I get it right? Good.

I'm learning so much from you, Sugartits! I guess the term "right to life" is a lot more selective than I realized. Who'da thunk it?

Are you there God? It's me, Erin. We both know I don't check in very often, but I had to put this bug in your ear. This asshole is poking around in your territory and it ain't pretty.

Further Reading: Alaskans on the Girl Wonder and dig you some Troopergate.

Hey Sugartits

Heard your big talk yesterday about busting through that glass ceiling in the sky.

Hmmmm ... dunno.

Isn't that sorta hard to do when someone else has their hands in your uterus? I know you can't wait to get your miserable right-to-life paws all over mine.

And my daughter's--especially my daughter's.

I hate to burst your bubble, Sugartits, but the big reason you're floating on such a lofty high is on account of the same attributes that earned you the bouquet in today's pic. McCain couldn't afford to have an ugly broad standing next to him at this stage of the game, now could he?