Constitutional Law

Government "Should Not Be Meddling" With Women's Health Care Decisions

By Suzanne Ito, ACLU

Last week, legislation that would place onerous new restrictions on women's access to abortion in Wyoming failed in the state senate. Two Republican representatives, Lisa Shepperson and Sue Wallis, who both opposed the measure in the House, said from the chamber floor:

Shepperson: When I go to the doctor, it is the most private thing you can imagine. I want myself, I want my husband, and I want my doctor there. And I don't want any government.

Wallis: What this bill does is say that, as a woman, that I'm not smart enough to know the decision that I'm making, that somehow the state is required in this particular decision where they are required in no other medical decision.

Tuesday night, Rachel Maddow had Shepperson and Wallis on as guests, and asked whether they had an opinion on the anti-abortion bills that passed the House of Representatives last month that defunds Planned Parenthood and Title X family planning programs. Other extreme measures pending in the House also take aim at women's health. Shepperson said:

I do think that we should not be meddling in that. One of the things where I grew up — we are taught the government is supposed to protect us from each other, but government goes wrong when it starts protecting us from ourselves.

And we, you know, as competent adults can make those decisions for ourselves. That's not the role of government in my mind, and I really wish that Washington would focus on things that are going to make a difference to our economy like jobs and true healthcare that will help the common everyday people.

There you have it. Government must trust women. Trust them to make the best decision for themselves and their family, and don't meddle in that decision-making.

If you agree — and we hope you do! — send a message to your senator telling him or her to stop the House's assault on women's health!

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Full post as published by Blog of Rights on March 03, 2011 (boomark / email).