Huge Right Wing Fake Outrage of the Day: There Is No Gosnell “Coverup”

The anti-choice right drives women into the arms of criminals like Kermit Gosnell
Politics • Views: 24,331

You may have noticed that the entire right media machine is shrieking in unison (as usual) about the trial of Kermit Gosnell, the Philadelphia doctor accused of committing terrible crimes against his patients for years. The right wingers are using this case as an opportunity to call for more regulations against abortion — but the simple fact is that criminals like Goswell can only exist on the fringes of society, preying on the desperation of poor and marginalized women, because of the right wing campaign against safe, legal abortion.

Here’s your must-read article of the day, by Irin Carmon at Salon, who makes the issues exceedingly clear: There Is No Gosnell Coverup.

That’s exactly right — this is another huge, overblown fake outrage.

If you’ve never heard of the Gosnell story, it’s not because of a coverup by the liberal mainstream media. It’s probably because you failed to pay attention to the copious coverage among pro-choice and feminist journalists, as well as the big news organizations, when the news first broke in 2011. There would be something rich, if it weren’t so infuriating, about these (uniformly male, as it happens) reporters and commentators scrambling to break open this shocking untold story. You know, the one that was written about here, here and here, to name some disparate sources.

I can’t speak for big news organizations like CNN and the networks, but let’s think about this question another way: How often do such places devote their energies to covering the massive health disparities and poor outcomes that are wrought by our current system? How often are the travails of the women whose vulnerabilities Gosnell exploited — the poor, immigrants, and otherwise marginalized people — given wall-to-wall, trial-level coverage? If you’re surprised that in the face of politicized stigma, lack of public funding or good information, and a morass of restrictive laws allegedly meant to protect women, the vacuum was filled by a monster — well, the most generous thing I can say is that you haven’t been paying attention.

But since you’re here, guys — welcome. Here are some important things to know about the tragedies committed in Gosnell’s clinic, based on the sources you missed. This week, as Virginia-based pro-choice activist Michelle Kinsey Bruns noted on Twitter, “Fitting that the right is trying to whip folks into a frenzy over #Gosnell the same day VA is trying to put safe abortion care out of reach.” She’s referring to so-called TRAP laws, which are regulations aimed at abortion clinics that have nothing to do with safety — say, the size of parking lots — to seek to drive them out of business, and which expected to go forward in a vote today. According to Tara Murtha, a Philadelphia-based reporter who has been covering the Gosnell case from the start, in the aftermath of Pennsylvania’s own TRAP laws, the state went from 22 freestanding clinics to 13. As Murtha puts it, “The bottom line is that politicizing abortion led to Gosnell. Their answer? Politicize it more.”

After all, the question is not just why the state failed to respond to the complaints of women and advocates who visited the clinic, although that matters hugely. It’s why women kept going there anyway: Because they felt they had no alternative.

Gosnell was a straight-ahead criminal. He also allegedly ran a “pill mill” supplying Oxycontin and other drugs. The National Abortion Federation denied him membership because of his sub-standard facilities.

People like this thrive on the edges of society precisely because of the anti-abortion right, who are slowly but surely drying up all legal and safe methods of abortion, in state after state.

People like Kermit Gosnell are the kind of abortion providers we’ll see a LOT more of, if the social conservative movement is allowed to prevail.

Also see

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107 comments
1 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 10:45:23am

The Gosnell coverup is at least as big as Benghazi!
/

2 Dr Lizardo  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 10:46:45am

re: #1 Kragar

The Gosnell coverup is at least as big as Benghazi!
/

BENGOSNELLGHAZI!1!

3 Bulworth  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 10:47:28am
I can’t speak for big news organizations like CNN and the networks, but let’s think about this question another way: How often do such places devote their energies to covering the massive health disparities and poor outcomes that are wrought by our current system? How often are the travails of the women whose vulnerabilities Gosnell exploited — the poor, immigrants, and otherwise marginalized people

But, but, but Believe In America!

//

4 Bulworth  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 10:48:42am

I am pretty disappointed that the new shiny scandal of Gosnell has displaced that other scandal the RWNJ world was upset about the other week or three ago, whatever it was.

5 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 10:54:33am

Republican congressman claims gun background checks will cause Rwanda-style ‘genocide’

South Carolina’s Rep. Jeff Duncan (R) warned Thursday that attempts by the U.S. government to impose comprehensive background checks on gun buyers will lead to a wholesale slaughter of American citizens akin to “the Rwandan genocide.” According to Think Progress, Duncan made the claims on his Facebook page.

“Let’s not kid ourselves,” the Congressman wrote. “Expanded background checks and gun show requirements would have had NO effect on stopping Aurora, Sandy Hook or Tucson. Nor would they have any effect on the violent gun-crime in Chicago.”

If Congress implements tighter controls on sales of firearms to people with previous mental health issues or run-ins with the law, Duncan said, it is because liberals are planning to create a database of Americans they want to kill.

“I use this example to warn that national databases can be used with evil consequences,” he said, then one line later claimed that “Preying on the fears of the American citizenry is not good governance.”

I think he just broke my irony meter.

6 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 10:54:34am
7 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 10:55:32am


8 Dr Lizardo  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 10:57:49am
9 AlexRogan  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 10:59:30am

Sorry to go OT so soon, but Jonathan Winters died yesterday:

nytimes.com

This stuff seems to always happen in threes; first Ebert, then Thatcher, now Winters, all in the past week.

Life sucks sometimes.

10 celticdragon  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:00:14am
People like Kermit Gosnell are the kind of abortion providers we’ll see a LOT more of, if the social conservative movement is allowed to prevail.

That is a feature of the system, not a bug.

You see, shameless harlots don’t deserve to have safe, sanitary medical facilities with experienced care providers. Ken Cuccinelli is only forcing them to confront the consequences of their licentious lifestyle and poor choices by leaving them with back alley chop houses and criminal med school drop outs. If they don’t want to abort, then they shouldn’t go use these places, amirite?

11 celticdragon  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:01:05am

re: #9 AlexRogan

Sorry to go OT so soon, but Jonathan Winters died yesterday:

nytimes.com

This stuff seems to always happen in threes; first Ebert, then Thatcher, now Winters.

Life sucks sometimes.

Winters made people smile. Thatcher, not so much.

12 AlexRogan  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:02:16am

re: #11 celticdragon

Winters made people smile. Thatcher, not so much.

And Ebert too, sometimes.

Like Romney’s BFF Meat Loaf sang, two out of three ain’t bad.

13 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:02:19am

Abortion control should mean only one thing: safe legal affordable access for all who wish it.

14 Bulworth  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:03:02am

re: #7 Vicious Babushka

Wingnuts are right: given this trial in Phila, PA, we should all stop caring about closing the gun show loophole and limiting the firepower of certain semi-auto and automatic weaponry and stop fretting about unfortunate incidents such as Sandy Hook (and Aurora and Va Tech and Columbine).

///

15 wrenchwench  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:05:32am
By all means, be up in arms about Kermit Gosnell. But blame existing policies and public indifference to low-income communities.

Yes. Repeal the Hyde Amendment. Or just fail to renew it for once in its 37 years of woman-killing existence.

16 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:05:42am

re: #7 Vicious Babushka

“How many classrooms of children lost their lives at the hands of #Gosnell?”

Would those be the same classrooms the GOP doesn’t want to pay for?

17 Walking Spanish Down the Hall  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:13:08am

The sign has been given.
The troops are ready

The world will be ours.
It’s time to loose the beavers.

18 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:13:27am

BREAKING: Virginia Board Of Health Passes Regulations Meant To Shut Down Abortion Clinics

The Virginia Board of Health voted 11-2 on Friday “to require abortion clinics to meet strict, hospital-style building codes” that many women’s health advocates say will put abortion providers out of business and prevent women from accessing essential medical services.

Pending final approval by conservative state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) and Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) — which is almost definite — Virginia will join other GOP-led states such as North Dakota, Mississippi, and Alabama in imposing stringent regulations meant to arbitrarily shut down abortion clinics.

The regulations — part of a nationwide anti-choice campaign to adopt so-called Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers, or TRAP, laws — would require clinics that provide abortions to meet the same standards as outpatient hospital facilities, forcing many clinics to choose between expensive and medically unnecessary renovations such as widening halls and doorways or shutting down entirely. While the health board originally wished to grandfather existing clinics from having to comply with the new rules, Cuccinelli threatened to make its members foot the bill for any litigation that resulted from the law.

A pox on your houses, you worthless gutter scum.

19 William Barnett-Lewis  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:15:13am

re: #16 Kragar

Would those be the same classrooms the GOP doesn’t want to pay for?

No, these are the ones the GOP would let starve once born…

20 Lidane  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:16:29am
21 dragonath  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:17:43am
22 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:18:12am

re: #20 Lidane

Just when you think they couldn’t get any dumber…

23 jamesfirecat  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:19:05am

re: #21 dragonath

Oh, for fuck’s sake. The Blaze is a joke. Fake fake fake fakety fake.

Dad Furious After Finding This Crayon-Written Paper in Florida 4th-Grader’s Backpack: ‘I Am Willing to Give Up Some of My Constitutional Rights…to Be Safer’

But hey, the people behind this America White History Month page believe it!

Isn’t that what all of America decided about a decade or so ago when we decided that we were cool with the government wiretapping us without a warrant?

24 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:19:42am

DERP

25 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:21:09am

re: #24 Vicious Babushka

DERP

Enough Michelle, please, she has been given her inch and is going to continue taking miles and miles on it…

26 Mattand  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:21:17am

re: #14 Bulworth

Wingnuts are right: given this trial in Phila, PA, we should all stop caring about closing the gun show loophole and limiting the firepower of certain semi-auto and automatic weaponry and stop fretting about unfortunate incidents such as Sandy Hook (and Aurora and Va Tech and Columbine).

///

As I said in the previous thread, the ironic thing is that here in the Philly metro area, it’s really not making as many waves as you would think.

27 Lidane  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:23:33am
28 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:24:40am

re: #24 Vicious Babushka

From the people who do everything in their power to keep people wage slaves and economically and politically powerless, lets force women to have children they will struggle to raise, while cutting every avenue of support we can for them, then blaming them for getting themselves into the mess.

These people enrage me.

29 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:25:09am

The other combination you will see shortly goes as follows to tie together certain recent events:

a. 20+ stabbed in Texas - now we will get agitation to limit and do background checks for possession of knives.

b. How is this different from Newtown? Well since knives are less dangerous than guns the people are still alive.

c. Except for babies of course! Knives kill a lot more of them as compared to guns!

:p

Saw this chain in FB due to some conservative Catholics I know. Didn’t engage since I knew better due to fact denial seen when I corrected some previous postings. Should unfriend, but this is also a way to keep track of what is bouncing around the echo chamber.

30 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:26:16am

re: #26 Mattand

As I said in the previous thread, the ironic thing is that here in the Philly metro area, it’s really not making as many waves as you would think.

Yea, I’ve seen this “stop gun control, because abortion!” thing as well. Bizarre.

31 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:26:35am

re: #29 Feline Fearless Leader

The other combination you will see shortly goes as follows to tie together certain recent events:

a. 20+ stabbed in Texas - now we will get agitation to limit and do background checks for possession of knives.

b. How is this different from Newtown? Well since knives are less dangerous than guns the people are still alive.

c. Except for babies of course! Knives kill a lot more of them as compared to guns!

:p

Saw this chain in FB due to some conservative Catholics I know. Didn’t engage since I knew better due to fact denial seen when I corrected some previous postings. Should unfriend, but this is also a way to keep track of what is bouncing around the echo chamber.

I use Facebook only for family. Twitter is for Teh Derp.

32 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:29:14am

re: #31 Vicious Babushka

I use Facebook only for family. Twitter is for Teh Derp.

Facebook for me also includes a somewhat sizable network of fraternity brothers. Thus the pretty wide grouping of comments I see and am so far willing to tolerate. That some of them have fallen off the cliff into goofball land along conservative, libertarian, or other lines doesn’t surprise me. I tend to avoid politics there in any case since I also do keep contact with some family there as well.

33 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:31:05am

DERP

34 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:32:33am

re: #26 Mattand

As I said in the previous thread, the ironic thing is that here in the Philly metro area, it’s really not making as many waves as you would think.

Philadelphia has been covering the trial and events over the last two years since the initial arrests. At this point it’s just another on-going horror story in the region.

Outrage over it not being closed down earlier is sort mixed in with “We’re not surprised since the various enforcement services are understaffed, underpaid, and also as a result not that competent. And thus things start slipping through the cracks.”

35 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:33:15am

Georgia’s Republican governor won’t endorse town’s first racially integrated prom

“We thought it would be nice if our elected officials would support these students,” said Long. “They’re taking a great stand in their community. We thought that officials all across the state should send a message to the nation that we’ve moved beyond the racial divisions of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.”

He added, “We were surprised to read that the governor’s spokesperson said that he wouldn’t be ‘taking sides’ on this issue. I didn’t know that there were sides to take.”

Deal spokesperson Brian Robinson told WMAZ on Thursday that Deal is refusing to endorse the integrated prom because of Better Georgia’s bipartisan initiative.

“This is a leftist front group for the state Democratic party and we’re not going to lend a hand to their silly publicity stunt,” wrote Robinson.

36 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:34:35am

re: #33 Vicious Babushka

DERP

You cannot argue with an insane person.

37 122 Year Old Obama  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:36:21am

re: #35 Kragar

Leftist front group? Publicity stunt? What the flying fuck?

38 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:38:29am

re: #37 122 Year Old Obama

Leftist front group? Publicity stunt? What the flying fuck?

Well, they certainly failed in their stated goal of not lending a hand.

39 AlexRogan  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:39:40am

re: #35 Kragar

Georgia’s Republican governor won’t endorse town’s first racially integrated prom

re: #37 122 Year Old Obama

Leftist front group? What the flying fuck?

Deal (and his spokesman) won’t say anything positive about this because they know there’s still a lot of Georgian neo-Confederates that long for those bad ol’ days of “separate but equal” under the color of law.

They know where their bread is buttered.

40 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:42:32am
41 AlexRogan  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:42:36am

re: #38 Kragar

Well, they certainly failed in their stated goal of not lending a hand.

Yeah, really.

By the governor of Georgia trying to play both sides of the fence by being noncommittal, even though this is a subject that shouldn’t even have “sides”, he and his spokeshole blew their feet off with 12-gauge shotguns.

42 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:47:38am

Dim Jim has a post saying the bomb sent to Joe Arpaio could be Obama’s fault.

OFFS

43 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:49:38am

Dana’s just DERPing up a storm today (but doesn’t she everyday?)

44 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:50:30am

DUMBASS: restriction is what CAUSED Gosnell’s crimes.

45 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:51:23am

Washington Times OpED warns about becoming “The United States of Mexico”

Amnesty is a poisoned chalice; Republicans drink it at their peril. By allowing a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants, the GOP is paving the way for permanent Democratic rule. The Democrats’ voting rolls will swell with newly legalized foreigners. States with heavy Hispanic populations will become Democratic strongholds. Texas and Arizona will no longer be red states. Florida will flip from purple to blue. Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin will be unwinnable. The Republicans will be reduced to a regional rump party, clinging to the South and the Prairie states. They will go the way of the Whigs into the dustbin of history.

America is not a Third World nation. It is based on the rule of law. Amnesty rewards mass lawbreaking and undermines national sovereignty. It essentially encodes the pernicious principle that our borders do not exist and that we are unwilling to protect our homeland from a huge southern invasion. The costs have been enormous crowded emergency rooms, exploding crime, gun- and drug-trafficking, the immense drain on social services and cultural Balkanization. Illegal aliens are not refugees. They are criminals. Amnesty is nothing more than surrender.

This is why any amnesty will fracture the GOP, and force millions of conservatives including myself to form a new party. We will not abandon our nation. We will not accept it becoming a socialist empire. We will not embrace a United States of Mexico. Republicans beware: Your political future is at stake.

46 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:52:54am

re: #44 Vicious Babushka

DUMBASS: restriction is what CAUSED Gosnell’s crimes.

Got to put it in terms their addlepated minds can understand:

If abortions are outlawed, only outlaws will get abortions.

47 iossarian  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:53:00am

re: #45 Kragar

OH NO BROWN PEOPLE

Rebranding now at 200%, captain!

48 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:53:42am

re: #47 iossarian

OH NO BROWN PEOPLE

Rebranding now at 200%, captain!

THEY’VE GONE PLAID!

49 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:53:46am

re: #46 Kragar

Got to put it in terms their addlepated minds can understand:

If abortions are outlawed, only outlaws will get abortions.

But if you ban GUNZ teh CRIMINALZ will always HAV GUNZ!1!

50 Charles Johnson  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:55:33am
51 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:55:33am

re: #49 Vicious Babushka

But if you ban GUNZ teh CRIMINALZ will always HAV GUNZ!1!

But Bryan Fischer was saying we want a government which stays out of our way.

Except if you’re a woman, a homosexual, a science teacher, a doctor…

52 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:56:34am
53 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:59:46am

re: #44 Vicious Babushka

DUMBASS: restriction is what CAUSED Gosnell’s crimes.

I will even respond to this derp: these people fear “gun control” because they see it as the first step to banning them entirely

Which is oddly enough also their approach “abortion control”…

54 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 11:59:51am

BTW everyone here at LGF knows that I am totally pro-Life, I have never had an abortion.

55 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:01:04pm

re: #45 Kragar

Washington Times OpED warns about becoming “The United States of Mexico”

“Amnesty rewards mass lawbreaking and undermines national sovereignty. It essentially encodes the pernicious principle that our borders do not exist”

Yep, those people all risked their lives to come over here and work their tails off out of sheer perniciousness…

56 engineer cat  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:03:16pm

How often do such places devote their energies to covering the massive health disparities and poor outcomes that are wrought by our current system?

updings to irin carmen

so many important stories never get covered by the 24/7 cable

57 KiTA  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:03:16pm

Buh, Buh, Buh… I thought once we outlawed Abortion all the sluts would magically go away! Mah Church Leadur lieded to me! /snark

58 jamesfirecat  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:03:54pm

re: #54 Vicious Babushka

BTW everyone here at LGF knows that I am totally pro-Life, I have never had an abortion.

Given the number of stories there have been about abortion protesters needing to use the services of the very building they have previously protested I fail to see how having an abortion or not determines if you are pro life or not….

(Not intended as a slam or attack just a comment /note)

59 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:04:53pm

re: #55 Sol Berdinowitz

“Amnesty rewards mass lawbreaking and undermines national sovereignty. It essentially encodes the pernicious principle that our borders do not exist”

Yep, those people all risked their lives to come over here and work their tails off out of sheer perniciousness…

Well, what do you expect? The Washington Times has been agitating for years that the legal laws regarding enforcement of employment of illegal immigrants be heavily enforced, funded better, and that the penalties for employers knowingly using illegals be made much stiffer. Regardless of how it effects the cost of agricultural products, wages in general, and any other complicating effects on the economy. Oh wait…
//

60 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:05:02pm

re: #54 Vicious Babushka

BTW everyone here at LGF knows that I am totally pro-Life, I have never had an abortion.

I actually support a real discussion about banning some types of abortions, but only if a woman has full and complete access to birth control, allowing her to decide if she gets pregnant in the first place.

62 Lidane  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:06:28pm

re: #45 Kragar

Washington Times OpED warns about becoming “The United States of Mexico”

Did they say the same shit when Reagan was pushing amnesty?

63 Feline Fearless Leader  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:07:02pm

re: #58 jamesfirecat

Given the number of stories there have been about abortion protesters needing to use the services of the very building they have previously protested I fail to see how having an abortion or not determines if you are pro life or not….

(Not intended as a slam or attack just a comment /note)

Not to mention that there is also the viewpoint of personally objecting to abortions on personal religious or moral grounds while also believing that others have full rights to make that decision without interference.

64 Lidane  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:08:01pm

re: #54 Vicious Babushka

BTW everyone here at LGF knows that I am totally pro-Life, I have never had an abortion.

Never had one either. Can’t imagine a situation where I would have one. Still think it’s my choice whether or not to get one.

BTW, that’s not aimed at you. It’s a general statement. :)

65 Lidane  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:10:35pm
66 engineer cat  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:10:49pm

re: #45 Kragar

Washington Times OpED warns about becoming “The United States of Mexico”

what, not a word about canadians coming here with their pernicious communist ideas and corrupting our vowels?

67 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:11:10pm

re: #65 Lidane

OFFS.

68 celticdragon  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:11:55pm

re: #50 Charles Johnson

“Crunchy Con” and dependable moral scold Rod Dreher is doing his bit to help with the messaging on this one.

Then again, his favorite contributor, Erin Manning, wants to outlaw pretty much all artificial contraception in addition to abortion.

69 Vicious Babushka  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:13:11pm

WTF

70 jamesfirecat  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:14:31pm

re: #68 celticdragon

“Crunchy Con” and dependable moral scold Rod Dreher is doing his bit to help with the messaging on this one.

Then again, his favorite contributor, Erin Manning, wants to outlaw pretty much all artificial contraception in addition to abortion.

The sad part is that I would probably buy a cereal named “Crunchy Con”

71 celticdragon  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:14:31pm
72 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:18:10pm

re: #71 celticdragon

Gunman reported at A&T campus in Greensboro, NC.

2 separate incidents?

73 stabby  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:18:25pm

re: #71 celticdragon

If only all of the fetuses on campus were armed and ready to protect their mothers.

74 celticdragon  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:20:56pm

Off topic…

Maria Tallchief, a full blooded Osage* and the first Native American prima ballerina, died Thursday at age 88. She was one of the great ballerinas of the 50’s and 60’s, and was was wife and muse to husband George Ballanchine while at the Ballet Russe. After retiring from active dance, she went on to found the Chicago Ballet and serve as artistic director.

RIP, Maria, You will be missed.

* Apparently I was incorrect on this, as her mother was Scots Irish.

75 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:26:21pm

Republicans Unanimously Approve Anti-Marriage Equality Resolution Without Debate

At a retreat in Hollywood today, the Republican National Committee unanimously approved by voice vote a number of resolutions without any debate, including one opposing same-sex marriage. As ThinkProgress reported Wednesday, this resolution is based entirely on debunked junk science and assumptions that heterosexual relationships are objectively superior to same-sex couples. Here is some of the text:

WHEREAS, the institution of marriage is the solid foundation upon which our society is built and in which children thrive; it is based in the conjugal relationship that only a man and a woman can form; […]

WHEREAS, no Act of human government can change the reality that marriage is a natural and most desirable union; especially when procreation is a goal; […] therefore be it

RESOLVED, the Republican national Committee affirms its support for marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and as the optimum environment in which to raise healthy children for the future of America.

76 engineer cat  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:26:45pm

#BREAKING: 2 found shot outside Trenton hospital. Capital Health Regional Medical Center on lockdown. LIVE COVERAGE: t.co

77 engineer cat  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:27:20pm

#BREAKING: Two women have been injured in a shooting at a mall in southwest Virginia, @WDBJ7 reports. t.co #nrvmall

78 iossarian  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:28:08pm

The thing to do is for everyone who ever goes anywhere to be armed at all times.

Also, to make sure the other guy doesn’t shoot first, always shoot people on sight.

79 Kragar  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:29:06pm

re: #78 iossarian

The thing to do is for everyone who ever goes anywhere to be armed at all times.

Also, to make sure the other guy doesn’t shoot first, always shoot people on sight.

80 Lidane  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:29:50pm
81 AntonSirius  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:31:18pm

re: #7 Vicious Babushka

82 Sol Berdinowitz  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:33:02pm

Again: to the right, “gun control” means the first step in banning them.

And “abortion control” means much the same…

83 leftynyc  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:35:57pm

Anybody know why the price of gold would go down $75 today?

84 wrenchwench  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:36:59pm

This is for Mr. HockeyFan:

85 calochortus  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:38:42pm

re: #83 leftynyc

Anybody know why the price of gold would go down $75 today?

Just a wild guess, but could the Cypriots be raising cash?

86 jamesfirecat  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:40:23pm

re: #83 leftynyc

Anybody know why the price of gold would go down $75 today?

The last truffula tree has fallen.

88 leftynyc  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:43:21pm

re: #85 calochortus

Just a wild guess, but could the Cypriots be raising cash?

Thanks - you reminded me there was some sort of meeting today about Cyprus and the selling of gold their gold was on the table. I had totally forgotten.

89 kirkspencer  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:45:09pm

re: #83 leftynyc

Anybody know why the price of gold would go down $75 today?

Because it’s a bubble finally popping?

Gold peaked at around $1880 back in July of 2011. Since then, despite occasional small run-ups and a significant increase in actual sales units it’s been on a decline. There was a short up-tick in late 2012, but other than that we’ve seen regular declines.

Personally, I think it’s hugely overpriced, but due to emotional attachment it would be utter stupidity to try and short it. Instead, I think we’ll see continued surges both up and down over a gradual downward trend. Barring something extraordinary I don’t think it’ll get to where it should be (sub $900), but under $1300 is probable.

90 wrenchwench  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:45:25pm

This is for Mr. Weigel (and others):

91 calochortus  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:47:20pm

re: #88 leftynyc

Thanks - you reminded me there was some sort of meeting today about Cyprus and the selling of gold their gold was on the table. I had totally forgotten.

I think there’s always some sort of meeting going on about Cyprus…

92 kirkspencer  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:47:58pm

re: #88 leftynyc

Thanks - you reminded me there was some sort of meeting today about Cyprus and the selling of gold their gold was on the table. I had totally forgotten.

Reminder - the EU says Cyprus has to sell part of its gold to pay off debts. Cyprus government says, “no”.

93 AntonSirius  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:49:43pm
94 wrenchwench  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 12:57:37pm
95 Lidane  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 1:01:35pm

Cue the ‘splodey heads:

96 Hal_10000  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 1:15:16pm
preying on the desperation of poor and marginalized women

He was taking enormous sums of money to perform illegal procedures. Poverty was not the key factor here.

Also, it hardly qualifies as coverage when a few feminists wrote lazy factually incorrect articles two years ago and there has been zero coverage by national media for the month this case has been at trial.

This isn’t a pro-life, pro-choice issue. It’s an issue of a rogue doctor butchering patients.

97 wrenchwench  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 1:25:47pm

re: #96 Hal_10000

Poverty was not the key factor here.

Read this:

Another reason women came to Gosnell’s clinic is that he undercut everyone else’s prices. As numerous abortion clinic managers have told me over the years, for very poor women—who are way over-represented among abortion patients—differences of even five or ten dollars can be the deciding factor of where to go. The price list at Women’s Medical Society, listed in the Grand jury report, shows that in 2005, a first trimester procedure was $330.00, while the average price nationally then was about one hundred dollars higher. For a 23-24 week procedure, Gosnell charged $1625.00, while the relatively few other facilities in the Northeast offering such abortions would have charged at least one thousand more.

Go ahead, read the whole thing. Unless you want to stand on your lazy factually incorrect comment.

98 Hal_10000  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 1:33:04pm

I have read it.

For a 23-24 week procedure, Gosnell charged $1625.00, while the relatively few other facilities in the Northeast offering such abortions would have charged at least one thousand more.

This is the procedure he was performing that has generated the most outrage. $1625 is not exactly cheap. And he was performing abortions beyond the 24th week in violation of the law for even higher sums. Gosnell became a very wealthy man with his “practice”. And it wasn’t like people were screaming for tighter regulation of the clinics.

Also keep in mind that third trimester abortion is illegal in almost all states (and in fact, most of the world). Its illegality has 90% support in polling and was specifically mentioned as the place where abortion could be outlawed in the Roe decision. We would have to go an awful long way before that procedure were not marginalized.

99 wrenchwench  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 1:53:38pm

re: #98 Hal_10000

I have read it.

This is the procedure he was performing that has generated the most outrage. $1625 is not exactly cheap. And he was performing abortions beyond the 24th week in violation of the law for even higher sums. Gosnell became a very wealthy man with his “practice”. And it wasn’t like people were screaming for tighter regulation of the clinics.

Also keep in mind that third trimester abortion is illegal in almost all states (and in fact, most of the world). Its illegality has 90% support in polling and was specifically mentioned as the place where abortion could be outlawed in the Roe decision. We would have to go an awful long way before that procedure were not marginalized.

Third trimester abortions are still legal to save the life of the mother.

Since Gosnell was undercutting the price of other clinics, poverty was a factor. Poverty is also a factor in why some abortions are later than they would have been.

100 Hal_10000  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 2:34:56pm
Third trimester abortions are still legal to save the life of the mother.

No mothers lives were in danger here. And, for poor women, Medicaid will cover an abortion if her life is in danger in all states. For 15 others, it covers other medically necessary abortions.

101 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 3:03:27pm

re: #100 Hal_10000

No mothers lives were in danger here.

How do you ‘know’ this?

102 engineer cat  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 3:10:05pm

re: #101 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

How do you ‘know’ this?

it ‘must’ be true otherwise his whole argument falls apart

103 wrenchwench  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 3:22:45pm

re: #100 Hal_10000

No mothers lives were in danger here. And, for poor women, Medicaid will cover an abortion if her life is in danger in all states. For 15 others, it covers other medically necessary abortions.

Every mother’s life was in danger there because Gosnell was a butcher. Gosnell is what you get when you try to make abortions more difficult to get. Medicare should cover all abortions for poor women. Obamacare should cover all abortions. Making it difficult just causes delays and causes some women to try more dangerous options than they otherwise could have used.

104 Hal_10000  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 5:17:28pm
Every mother’s life was in danger there because Gosnell was a butcher. Gosnell is what you get when you try to make abortions more difficult to get. Medicare should cover all abortions for poor women. Obamacare should cover all abortions. Making it difficult just causes delays and causes some women to try more dangerous options than they otherwise could have used.

Those are reasonable points. I’m conflicted on abortion funding. But, to circle back to the topic of the post, shouldn’t we have been having this discussion earlier? The claim that “this was so covered” is that there was an article on Page A17 of the Times (once) and that, when the story broke in 2011, a couple of blog posts were written about it. Philadelphia papers have been covering this story extensively, but the national coverage has been less than you would get over a baseball player spraining his ankle.

Don’t you think this should be national story, if nothing else to make the very points you’ve made above?

105 wrenchwench  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 5:22:07pm

re: #104 Hal_10000

Those are reasonable points. I’m conflicted on abortion funding. But, to circle back to the topic of the post, shouldn’t we have been having this discussion earlier? The claim that “this was so covered” is that there was an article on Page A17 of the Times (once) and that, when the story broke in 2011, a couple of blog posts were written about it. Philadelphia papers have been covering this story extensively, but the national coverage is less than you would get over a baseball player spraining his ankle.

Don’t you think this should be national story, if nothing else to make the very points you’ve made above?

Yes, it should be a national story so people like you can take a good look at the facts and get over being conflicted about abortion funding.

It’s also being discussed in the current thread, if you want to see more.

106 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 5:22:14pm

re: #104 Hal_10000

Those are reasonable points. I’m conflicted on abortion funding. But, to circle back to the topic of the post, shouldn’t we have been having this discussion earlier? The claim that “this was so covered” is that there was an article on Page A17 of the Times (once) and that, when the story broke in 2011, a couple of blog posts were written about it. Philadelphia papers have been covering this story extensively, but the national coverage has been less than you would get over a baseball player spraining his ankle.

Don’t you think this should be national story, if nothing else to make the very points you’ve made above?

This was definitely a national story two years ago.

The guy is on trial. He is likely to be found guilty. Unless there’s something new that comes up at trial, why should a 2 year old story be national news now?

107 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Fri, Apr 12, 2013 5:27:24pm

re: #104 Hal_10000

By the way, you never backed up your claim that none of the women who got late-term abortions at Gosnell’s clinics did so because their lives were in danger. Can you please back up this claim?


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