Texas senator Wendy Davis filibusters against abortion bill

[Correction]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-...abortion-bill/

She deserves a thread at least.

Wearing pink tennis shoes to prepare for nearly 13 consecutive hours of standing, a Democratic Texas state senator on Tuesday began a one-woman filibuster to block a GOP-led effort that would impose stringent new abortion restrictions across the nation's second-most populous state.

Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth began the filibuster at 11:18 a.m. CDT Tuesday. To derail a vote in the GOP-dominated Senate, she must keep speaking on the bill until midnight — the deadline for the end of the 30-day special session.

Before Davis began speaking, her chair was removed. CBSDFW.com reports that Davis must speak continuously -- and stay on topic -- the entire time. She is not allowed to lean against something for support. And she will not be able to stop or take a break, not even for meals or the restroom, during the entire 13-hour ordeal.

When combined in a state 773 miles wide and 790 miles long and with 26 million people, the measures would close almost every abortion clinic in Texas. A woman living along the Mexico border or in West Texas would have to drive hundreds of miles to obtain an abortion if the law passes.

The bill would ban abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and force many clinics that perform the procedure to upgrade their facilities and be classified as ambulatory surgical centers. Also, doctors would be required to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles — a tall order in rural communities.

"If this passes, abortion would be virtually banned in the state of Texas, and many women could be forced to resort to dangerous and unsafe measures," said Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund and daughter of the late former Texas governor Ann Richards.

But the bill's bogging down began with Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who summoned lawmakers back to work immediately after the regular legislative session ended May 27 but didn't add abortion to the special session to-do list until late in the process. The Legislature can only take up issues at the governor's direction during the extra session.

Livestream

[Ksandra]

As a somewhat tangent. Once again stuck watching fox news, and they are going off on the Republicans saying about Obama's climate change fight a, "War on coal, which is a war in jobs." Yet closing all those clinics is not...I welcome those with rere repubs on their Facebook to point this out.

[Korietsu]

Glad to see she's doing what she does best again.

[Headspace]

Good for her and the people she represents. Glad to see an actual filibuster instead of going "oh we filibuster that, let's go eat"

[tyven]

was watching this at work earlier. glad she is still going.

[Vuitton]

Go Wendy! Very proud that someone has the willpower to stand there for 13 hours without a break and without being allowed to lean on anything to stand up and protect womens' rights.

[Anoat]

Apparently the lady got forced down a little bit before 11pm EST, her buddies are hardcore stalling, her opponents are getting mayad, gallery has been warned about outbursts, altogether the room is very tense.

[Eagleheart]

As a somewhat tangent. Once again stuck watching fox news, and they are going off on the Republicans saying about Obama's climate change fight a, "War on coal, which is a war in jobs." Yet closing all those clinics is not...I welcome those with rere repubs on their Facebook to point this out.

Yes, jobs are vastly more important to those who recognize the practice as outright murder than... putting a halt to outright murder.

That's a non sequitur for the ages right there.

This is why I usually do not check the political boards here. o.0 ... it seems to me that few around here are willing to even feign the effort to understand those on the other side of the fence. Is it not supposed to be the hallmark of the Left that they are understanding, and can see things from another's eyes?

Of course, that was never true, at any point in this nation's history, but the lie is propagated on a daily basis. I find it amusing, if a little depressing.

As to Wendy Davis, all I can say is that it takes some serious cajones to stand up and defend Sanger's dark little legacy after the Gosnell trial - or completely willful blindness.

Amongst all things in this nation that Lefties insist upon regulating, the one thing they demand be left alone are abortion clinics. That is what led to Gosnell, and others like him.

Then you have fools like Amanda Marcotte who insist that it was the fault of pro-life folks that women ended up in a facility such as Gosnell's... except that it is fools like Marcotte who vociferously oppose 'regulation' on these 'clinics'.

I suppose that's where "hear/see no evil" comes in. As they say, there are none so blind as those who refuse to see.

EDIT: As an aside, as an individual about as far 'right' as they come, I would like to point out that if you are watching Fox News to get an idea on how conservatives feel, you are doing yourself a disservice.

I tell you truly, there is only slightly less distaste for Fox amongst conservatives than there is for outfits such as MSNBC and CNN.

[Ksandra]

This just in: fighting global warming which could destroy everyone on earth if left unattended has nothing to do with trying to protect the lives of future generations, but pro-life is.




[edit] also, if you say you don't check poli threads then you have no idea what I am talking about when I mentioned re-re facebook repubs which many have complained about. So ya...lurk moar.

As well, I am Catholic and even I know 20 weeks is way too soon and many don't even know they're pregnant by then. To clarify: few may not, but also if you think about it, many don't know their preggo until after the first month, and this is not enough time to make a honest judgement.

[Eagleheart]

Your adherence to Catholic identity is irrelevant. The position you hold is fundamentally at odds with the basic instruction of the Bible.

If you take issue with that statement, you ought to re-examine your professed identity. (o.O ) Additionally, there are many Catholics who believe that abortion ought to be legal up to the time of delivery, yet when pressed, they make the same reply. "Well, I'm Catholic, but..."

If you have to insert the "but" there, there might be an inconsistency in your philosophy.

As for global warming, I leave you with this:

Link to Der Spiegel

for perusal at your convenience.

[Palin]

Amongst all things in this nation that Lefties insist upon regulating, the one thing they demand be left alone are abortion clinics. That is what led to Gosnell, and others like him.

Of all things the Right insist on not-regulating and keeping government out of, the one thing they demand restrictions on is a woman's vagina and uterus.

See two can play that game.

[Correction]

Final hour to go

Of course, that was never true, at any point in this nation's history, but the lie is propagated on a daily basis. I find it amusing, if a little depressing.

It's also the lefties with a rep for being condescending, over generalizing, shadow-boxing cunts but good job on bringing both sides of the aisle into that particular bonfire.

[Rhinox]

anyone else have audio? I don't hear anything

[Ksandra]

My Catholic point is to say that I am not some far left liberal as I have some conservative views and even then I think it ridiculous. Let's not turn this into another bible thread where I have to teach people what Catholic really means instead of what they think it means. There are ten million other threads where you can lurk moar for that.

The climate study is completely irrelevant to this thread. If you want to make a new discussion on the legitimacy of global warming, go for it. My example was to bring out the hypocrisy, and that isn't going to counter it at all. Abortion is a debate about protecting life, global warming is a debate about protecting life. Studies are irrelevant to that comparison.

[Correction]

anyone else have audio? I don't hear anything

Nobody is talking into the mic. It's not as if the senators are wired :D

[Ksandra]

anyone else have audio? I don't hear anything

I just hear static, is that the only feed out atm?

[Ksandra]

I am reading they put a stop to her filibuster.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...is-filibuster/

Texas Democratic Senator Wendy Davis’ nine-hour filibuster may be coming to a quick end — and not due to the senator’s lack of effort.

Lieutenant Gov. David Dewhurst ruled that Davis has three times violated the Texas Senate’s procedural rules for a filibuster, which requires a senator to stand continually without assistance and remain on topic.

“There’s a three strikes, you’re out precedent in the Senate that allows senators two warnings about staying germane to the bill topic,” Texas Tribune reporter Becca Aaronson explains. “On the third strike, a simple majority of the Senate can vote to end debate and the senator must yield the floor.”

The first strike came when Davis mentioned Planned Parenthood’s budget, which was ruled not germane to the conversation. The second strike happened at 7:27 p.m. when a colleague of Davis’ helped her adjust a back brace, which you can watch here:

The last strike came at 10:07 p.m. when Davis began discussing a 2011 sonogram law that Texas passed, according to Aaronson.

This is all a bit in flux: One of Davis’ democratic colleagues has moved to challenge Dewhurst’s ruling. Davis’ filibuster appears to be down, but its not quite out.

[Tyrath]

Maybe I don't understand the political process very well, but what the hell kind of rules are these?

Before Davis began speaking, her chair was removed. CBSDFW.com reports that Davis must speak continuously -- and stay on topic -- the entire time. She is not allowed to lean against something for support.

[Drex]

Yes, shocking, and democrats are concerned about the costs to business of regulatory requirements blah blah. Natural consequences of tribalism and the two party system are blatant cognitive dissonance and lack of critical thinking. We know.

[Ksandra]

Maybe I don't understand the political process very well, but what the hell kind of rules are these?

Well, to be fair, most filibusters tend to be complete bullshit. I think these rules are to try to restrict it to those who are really dedicated to the cause. But yes, they do seem extreme.