Update to Abortion post

The conservative in question had told me many times that this bill was for "women's health care" using the example of  LASIK surgeons. "Shouldn't these clinics have the same requirements as a LASIK office? Those doctors have to abide by the same regulations b/c they are ultimately performing surgery at these places" Now while I am all for women's health care I couldn't find anything on the net to back up her claim. When she and I started talking it was with an agreement that FACTS MATTER in decisions. So I had asked several times for corroboration of her claim, believing she was being factual. She continued to say "keep looking". When I had exhausted such search engine questions I decided to call LASIK offices and asking. What I was told by the offices I reached was this: There is no regulation which says LASIK surgeons need to have any privileges in their local hospitals or even admitting privileges to perform their surgeries. So it looks like this "fact based" conservative disregards facts in her actual decision making. I did ask her about it but she has declined to answer. At all. Hmmm.

Abortion rights: Conversations with a conservative...

I have recently had to opportunity to "Twitter friend" a conservative Tea Party Texan woman. It is an enlightening prospect. We agreed to follow one another and focus on the facts of things. But soon I realized that it's not just the facts but the conclusions that we come to from those facts. I had never before been so frustrated at the views of another human being who I wasn't related to. She is a nice person. I just have huge problems with the way she sees (and thus I imagine most conservatives) the world. It's astounding to me, but I guess it's the same way for 'them' looking in at me. So here goes a breakdown of what has happened thus far in one of our discussions.

Abortion rights

 I had posted something regarding the TX SB5 bill http://legiscan.com/TX/text/SB5/id/867548 and how I felt it was absolutely wrong. I had not read the entire bill but had seen the summary. SLW (my conservative Twitter friend) sends a message saying that it was a good thing because it brought up the clinics in TX that performed abortions which were surgical in nature. Now I agree that women need excellent care as do all people. However I was astounded at what I saw next. SLW stated that all the attention was ridiculous b/c the bill was being blown out of proportion. If you recall people from all over the USA went to show support for TX women and help save choice. So I said, well if even 5 of the supposed 37 out of 42 closed in a state as large and spread out as TX it's bad, but she continued to state that it was "all about saving women through health care". I was amazed. So I asked "Are you pro-choice?" to which after a few more "it's about health care" tweets she answered "I am up until the 24th week b/c babies have survived when born that early".  
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STUNNED
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This means several things to me a) she isn't pro-choice b/c there aren't limits in choice (as I have been informed numerous times from the gun crazed crowd)  b) there are discussions out there which put women even greater danger b/c of what NICU's can do c) the bill bans at 20 (no response on this)  d), oh it goes on and on.

So I reply and we continue to go back and forth. She says it's just about women's health care b/c doctors should have privileges at hospitals near them. But when I bring up that doctors who perform abortions are not welcomed onto hospital staff when the hospitals are religious (that covers quite a few here) and are doctors who perform LASIK required to have hospital privileges in TX at the hospital nearest them? She says yes but I have yet to find any evidence of it. 

Fundamentally she refuses to see this bill as anything more than a way to enhance women's health. The reality is that the bill also discusses "fetal pain" which is unreal. And the requirements expected from these women's centers are unbelievable. And that doesn't even take into account things like people who don't realize they are pregnant until after wk 20, which we know happens b/c there is an entire series based on the reality of women who didn't know until birth (it's not a fun show). I don't understand women who support and defend these things.

It's truly stunning to me that in a day and age where women have so much to fight for as a group, we fight amongst ourselves about something like choice. There are so many factors in a woman's decision to terminate a pregnancy. Not even 12% of abortions are outside of the first trimester. Does there need to be legislation anywhere that makes even first trimester choice harder? And please don't get me started on how rape kits DON'T work to facilitate pregnancy prevention. 

These are my thoughts on the conversation. Thanks for reading! 

Where is the 'Spirit of the Season'?

What is it with the 'Spirit of the Season' not applying to the road or grocery stores?

So today, coming out of a shopping center I stopped to allow 2 cars that had been waiting at a stop sign for quite a few cars ahead of me, to go b/c I wasn't in a hurry and no one was behind me. Off they drove w/o a look or notice past my waving them through with a smile. And then I got honked at by a person who'd raced up behind me. Obviously the 30 sec they had to wait was just unreasonable. This is not uncommon I know and I know I am not the only person who tries to be kind to others on the road, b/c it happens to me and I try to acknowledge the kindness of others. A little wave or a smile going by is enough, but too hard for many.

And as for the grocery store... Well, it might be easier to shop at the Super Bowl. So many people going to shop on a Saturday, typical for working families and the Double Coupon day makes it even busier. But to run in for some milk and wait in line for the express line watching a woman say to her child loud enough that I heard it 2 carts back that the guy in front couldn't count his 17 items when it says 15. Is the 2 extra items going to make a huge deal? So I moved to the self check-out, waiting behind a woman who was having the ever popular issue with the bag noticing the item that she needed to wait for the manager on duty. As she looked back at me and apologized I said "Don't worry about it." even though my back was bothering me from standing around. She then went into a diatribe about the inability of the self-check outs to work. So I politely said that she could override the bag requirement by pushing a button that seemed obvious to me. I was not polite enough as I was told that "You don't need to be a bitch about it, I'm almost done." And as she left after paying & getting her bags I got called the same name again.

Now I know that people get rushed and things are busy. But if there is going to be a big to do about the 'War on Christmas', maybe we should start with just having civility towards one another maybe during the holiday season.. And here's a great idea: How about year round?

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PBS & Muppets v. Romney

Just makes me smile. :-)

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President Obama's Third & Final Debate

So tonight will be the last debate where we will have the honor of seeing President Obama's skills in action, the way those in the White House & other power centers get to see. I will thus also have to endure Romney and his lies played out for the audience he is expecting. And by FoxNews' reaction tomorrow we will know who really won. Because if President Obama stands up for himself, his record & calls Romney out then the mutants at FoxNews will shout that he was rude. I know that's going to be their war cry tomorrow. Go forth and be the man I am proud to have voted for, Mr. President! And have no fear that you will have my vote again sir! You've earned it and my respect. Thank you.

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The Thrills of GetGlue

So over a year ago I found this website..GetGlue. You create a profile, a lá Twitter/Facebook etc, and start to check in to things you are watching, listening, reading, thinking about, whatever really. The coolest thing at the time was earning stickers for different things checked in to. I have loved stickers since I was a wee girl and it has never stopped. The really cool thing though was not just earning stickers, but making aquaintances who have become friends. Good ones even! It can update to FB/Twitter & FourSquare if you want it too and is really a fun environment. Unless you come across the ever popular name calling 'my view is always right' folks. But no web site is perfect and I must say my debate skills have grown on Glue. So if you have some time & like stickers or just wanna interact with people who share your interests, then I say, give it a shot! They'll even mail you your stickers if you want...currently mine are stored in the ether waiting for me to summon them. So hope to see ya there someday! And have a splendid Saturday! Suz

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2012 Election

I will never understand what the former Gov. of Mass. wants to be President for. It can't be to better the country. That'd take an actual plan. There are those who say President Obama didn't have a plan 4 years ago... I disagree, but any plan went out the window when he became President in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. And at least President Obama has been where so many people find themselves these days. Romney's idea of horrible was when his wife was diagnosed with M.S. And you bet that's terrible. But there are many out there who've faced that kind of devistating news while in the process of losing their homes and possibly their jobs as well. Romney will never understand that kind of terror. Iys partly why, when he tries to relate to 'regular people' he comes off as aloof and plastic. Even last night during the 2nd debate he couldn't show much besides petulance and arrogance. Romney says he knows how to create jobs, but all we have seen and heard is that he creates jobs overseas. And that doesn't really help American's trying to get work...unless they want to leave the country. But that's what Romney thinks will happen to illegal immigrants. Does he not know the reason they came here is because if how awful their lives were before they came here. So inaction is the Romney plan for illegal immigrants. Well done. Then there is the ever re-evolving tax plan. As of last night, families get a $2500 exemption that they can use however they want within the current exemptions. How much do you want to bet Romney & those like him will get much much more than $2500. So the ever evolving Romney plan to 'make it better' is still a joke and will remain so. I guarantee that the die-hard Republicans and the Tea Party are less than happy with Romney, but they'd never vote for someone who has most likely been where they are and really understands how our Constitution and government actually work. But I will. And with sense guiding us instead of hate, President Obama will have 4 more years to put this country back on the path we were on during the Clinton years.

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