Another Justified Veto by Governor

As of Thursday, June 30, 2011

Conservative Republicans used to be the ones always worried about Big Brother government meddling in people’s personal lives.

We were surprised, then (or maybe not), when the newly dominant GOP majority in the North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation requiring that government thrust its cold and clammy hands into the most personal decision a woman can make: whether to have a baby.

Good for Gov. Beverly Perdue for vetoing this offensive piece of legislation, which represents nothing but a blatant and ham-handed — and anything but conservative — attempt to impose one faction’s political philosophy on everybody else.

Specifically, the measure (thoughtfully titled “the Woman’s Right to Know Act”) insultingly forces doctors to show any woman seeking an abortion an ultrasound of her fetus while describing the images in specific detail. The woman would also be required to wait for 24 hours after this state-prescribed medical lecture before going ahead with the medical procedure.

Plenty of Ironies

The ironies run pretty deep here. After all, how many times have we heard Republicans at tea party rallies here and elsewhere rail against “Obamacare” on the grounds that it supposedly represents an outrageous attempt to interpose government into what should be the sacred private relationship between an individual American and his or her physician?

That was then and there, apparently. This is now and here, so black suddenly becomes white and up becomes down.

Another striking irony: N.C. lawmakers also passed a bill cutting off state funding support to Planned Parenthood clinics. But that move threatens to curtail pregnancy prevention programs and family planning counseling, especially to the poor — thus depriving them of services that can help reduce the need for abortions in the first place.

The bill sets forth in detail a sort of script that physicians must follow in talking with a patient before she can be considered sufficiently informed to make up her own mind — with no exceptions made even in cases of forcible rape These provisions treat the doctor like a robot and the patient like a child, coming across as downright creepy.

‘Ideological Agenda’

Terminating a pregnancy is a momentous and painful decision that should never be undertaken lightly and should be avoided whenever possible. But it is a decision that should be made by a woman and her doctor, and government needs to butt out.

Perdue, in inking up her veto stamp yet again (she has wielded it so many times lately that she must be suffering carpal tunnel syndrome by now), called the bill a “dangerous intrusion” into that confidential doctor-patient relationship. She added: “Physicians must be free to advise and treat their patients based on their medical knowledge and expertise and not have their advice overridden by elected officials seeking to impose their own ideological agenda on others.” Exactly.

Perdue has to know that the opposition will waste no time making political hay out of her action — which will no doubt include labeling her (ridiculously) as “pro-abortion.” A concerted effort will certainly be made to override her veto, and it may succeed. But at least she can rest in the knowledge that she did the right thing for the right reasons.

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MikeNC 1 year, 10 months ago

Where does the bulk of Planned Parenthoods revenue come from? ABORTIONS ! How do you feel about botched abortions and live fetuses being thrown into the garbage can and doctors not allowed to give a shot to the aborted fetus in the garbage can to take away it's agony? And where are the babies rights in your argument? Basic human rights listed in the Constitution, are not only for those who are able to speak, but also for those, who can not !!!!!!!!!!! Diane

Arestorer 1 year, 10 months ago

The Babies are not having Mothers, the Mothers are having the Babies...How about the rights of people already breathing??

Arestorer 1 year, 10 months ago

I've tried to get retro-active abortions legalized....Did'nt go over very good...Was told it was'nt really an abortion once their breathing...:)

handyssc2 1 year, 10 months ago

The majority of Planned Parenthood's revenue is derived from education grants and clinic services for family planning. All Planned Parenthoods do NOT perform abortions. And abortion services revenue makes up only a fraction of their budgets. Believe it or not, a segment of their sex education program is devoted to educating seniors, especially widows and widowers, who believe that AIDS and STD's are diseases of the young and promiscuous and think they are immune from transmission. If people would take the time to educate themselves about the organization, they would learn that Planned Parenthood saves lives. It is the single health organization that low income women have access to (affordability) that requires that they have a pap smear before providing them with birth control. That screening alone saves countless lives by detecting cervical cancer and harmful STD's like HPV early.

JimHeim 1 year, 10 months ago

When 3% becomes "the bulk of Planned Parenthoods revenue" you will be correct. Until then, there is not a word of truth in this assertion.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 10 months ago

So-called "conservatives" talk about "freedom" they're not talking about freedom for you. When they talk about "limited governmental regulations" they're not talking about regulations on individuals.

TreadLightly 1 year, 10 months ago

Skeleton and muscles of a human. Wakes and sleeps like a human. Kicks dad at night. (At least mine did.). Who protects those too young or weak to defend themselves? Formerly their life was protected by the legal system.

All I know is that if you abort it, no emotion over "unviable tissue." If it was a miscarriage, extreme sorrow because "Our baby is dead."

OR, from another "editoral." "...endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

 That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men..."

That ONE AND ONLY POSSIBLE right of a fetus--INHERITANCE-- could stand legal protection!

Bigguy 1 year, 10 months ago

My wife and I took a friend to Planned Parenthood in Fayetteville, not for a abortion. The person was poor,no insurance whatsoever, spoke little English, was here legally. They gave her proper medical treatment and even helped her find another doctor who could help out a charity case. The people protesting outside did not care why we there, but still found it there right to belittle us for being there. I don't think it's right to have to explain ourselves when going to get medical treatment to anybody other than our physician. I am not "pro abortion" but I do not have the right to tell anyone that they have to go ahead with a pregnancy.

theonewithsense 1 year, 10 months ago

I agree abortions should be legal until the baby pops out. Kill it a day before it is born it you don't want it, maybe two days. It doesn't really matter, it's not a baby yet.

armytrucker 1 year, 10 months ago

So what is it then???

theonewithsense 1 year, 10 months ago

an aborted fetus that is nobody's concern but the doctor and the pregnant woman

irkim13 1 year, 10 months ago

Do you have kids? FYI Fetus is Latin for Baby

honesty2 1 year, 10 months ago

Guess you've never seen a live ultrasound of a fetus in the womb. They actually move, suck a thumb, hiccup, respond to noise (including the mother's voice), etc.