Aw, hell no. Remember the so-called “heartbeat bill” from a few months back? The Ohio House of Representatives was considering a bill that would ban abortions after a heartbeat was detected – which can be as early as six weeks into pregnancy. The hearings for the bill were somewhat sensational, given that the legislature allowed a fetus to “testify.” And either that fetus was really persuasive, or Ohio politicians are that dismissive of women, because the bill has passed the House.
If this bill is enacted into law, it will be the most restrictive abortion law in the country. It’s also a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, which clearly sets the standard at viability. And while a six-week fetus may have a heartbeat, there is absolutely no way that it could survive outside the womb.
The bill will now go to the Republican-dominated state Senate; if passed, the bill will then go to Governor John Kasich. Even if Kasich signs the bill into law, legal challenges are expected–as House Speaker William Batchelder said, “We’re writing bills for courts.” Which means that taxpayer money will be used for defending this unconstitutional measure.
One would think that in a state with an 8.6 percent unemployment rate, elected representatives could find more pressing issues to worry about than putting the rights of the fetus above the rights of a woman.
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When she's not writing, Sarah volunteers at her local animal shelter and reads way too much. |
