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Darryl has written about the science (or lack thereof) behind the recent vote to ban abortion at the federal level due to fetal pain. A fetus can’t feel pain, so basing abortion policy on that is going to result in bad policy. But there is someone in the decision to have an abortion who can feel pain, the one who is pregnant.

Even when it goes well, and the child is wanted, pregnancy is often a miserable, painful experience. As is childbirth. That’s might be one reason why more than 60% of the people who seek an abortion have a child: they know what they’re getting into.

So no, if the people who voted for this were concerned about pain, they would have voted to protect abortion rights. The fact that they see imaginary fetal pain as more important than the actual pain of the pregnant woman is really all you need to know.

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Yesterday, Washington state’s Republican delegation joined the House Republicans and voted in favor of a bill that would severely restrict women’s access to safe and legal abortions. Bill H.R. 1797 goes under the Orwellian title “Pain-capable unborn child protection act.”

The bill goes to some lengths to argue that the fetus (referred to in wingnut-speak as “unborn child”) feels pain by “no later than 20 weeks after fertilization.” The claim is scientifically dubious. Recent reviews conducted by bona fide scientists (rather than, you know, wingnuts) cast doubt on this assertion.

For example, in a recent review article, Bellieni and Buonocore (2012, Journal of Maternal, Fetal, and Neonatal Medicine 25:1203–1208) weigh the anatomical, endocrinological, behavioral, and electrophysiological evidence. They cautiously conclude:

Our data show that there is consistent evidence of the possibility for the fetus to experience pain in the third trimester, and this evidence is weaker before this date and null in the first half of pregnancy.

Less ambiguity was found in a 2010 “Working Party” report by The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists titled “Fetal Awareness”. Their conclusions are rather concrete. From the summary…

In reviewing the neuroanatomical and physiological evidence in the fetus, it was apparent that connections from the periphery to the cortex are not intact before 24 weeks of gestation and, as most neuroscientists believe that the cortex is necessary for pain perception, it can be concluded that the fetus cannot experience pain in any sense prior to this gestation. After 24 weeks there is continuing development and elaboration of intracortical networks such that noxious stimuli in newborn preterm infants produce cortical responses. Such connections to the cortex are necessary for pain experience but not sufficient, as experience of external stimuli requires consciousness. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that the fetus never experiences a state of true wakefulness in utero and is kept, by the presence of its chemical environment, in a continuous sleep-like unconsciousness or sedation. This state can suppress higher cortical activation in the presence of intrusive external stimuli. This observation highlights the important differences between fetal and neonatal life and the difficulties of extrapolating from observations made in newborn preterm infants to the fetus.

These recent reviews summarize the broad scientific literature relying on hundreds of previous scientific studies and empirical observations that weigh in on all sides of the argument. The House Republicans relied on cherry picking a handful of papers that favor their position. They come to a “scientific conclusion” for the bill using amateur methods unworthy of an undergraduate term paper, let alone a House bill!

The bill prohibits abortions after 20 weeks post-fertilization, and provides limited exceptions:

• To “save the life of a pregnant woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury…not including psychological or emotional conditions.”
• If “the pregnancy is the result of rape,” but only “if the rape has been reported at any time prior to the abortion to an appropriate law enforcement agency“
• If “the pregnancy is the result of incest against a minor” but only “if the incest against a minor has been reported at any time prior to the abortion“

The scientific record is clear on another aspect of abortion: “Abortion-related deaths are more frequent in countries with more restrictive abortion laws”. The more restrictive the laws, the higher the rates of abortion-related maternal mortality.

The World Health Organization estimates that there are about 20 million unsafe abortions annually. The practice result in about 68,000 unnecessary deaths to women, and an additional 5 million women who suffer long-term health complications from the unsafe practices. The public health consequences of anti-abortion laws are profound.

Republicans, by voting for Bill H.R. 1797, have ignored (in fact, abused) science, and have voted, essentially, to kill women.

And I am sad to see that Washington state’s G.O.P. delegation, Dave Reichert, “Doc” Hastings, Jamie Herrera Beutler, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, all voted in favor of killing women.

Death is a pretty harsh punishment for unintentionally getting pregnant…particularly for women who were too embarrassed to report a rape, or girls too ashamed to report incest.

You know what…It’s time to get rid of these puritanical women-killing fucking troglodytes!

This is a preloaded post from the library. I think I get my computer back Wednesday afternoon, so hopefully I won’t have been too out of the loop to start posting again. They called late today and said that they can get it back, but you never know for sure until you’re there.

In the back of my mind, I had been worried that all of the mayoral candidates would answer the questions all at once with my laptop in the shop, but not to worry Kate Martin is still the only one to answer.

I don’t know if I’ll be back in a groove to do an Open Thread on Thursday morning, but you can consider this one.

Please join us this evening for a “bonus budgetary projection” episode of the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

We meet every Tuesday evening at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00pm. Some people show up earlier than that for Dinner.

Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out another DL meeting over the next week. Tonight the Tri-Cities chapter also meets. The Longview and Lakewood chapter will meet on Wednesday. And for Thursday, the Spokane and Tacoma chapters meet.

With 204 chapters of Living Liberally, including seventeen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter meeting near you.

The Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for environmental review for civil works projects that affect navigable waters—projects like the Gateway Pacific Terminal—“will not take into consideration the green house gases that will be emitted when the coal is burned in Asia.” In testimony before Congress, a Corps spokesperson, described the effects as “too indirect” and therefore outside of the scope of their mandate.

If not the Engineers, then who will be the champion for Mother Earth?

Perhaps, Capitalism and the “Invisible Hand of the Market” will save Her from us? I mean, in the long run, higher profits will be made from an increasingly high-functioning, orderly, safe and healthy world!

Or not….

Bob Watters is with SSA Marine, the company that wants to build the Gateway Pacific Terminal.

He says climate change has no place in the environmental review.

Mother Earth…you are soooooo fucked.

A government shutdown and new revenue forecasts tomorrow. Two of 5 things to watch as Washington state lawmakers head into week 2 of second special session.

WSU researcher starts sperm bank: “”We are able to freeze and thaw well enough to make a whole generation of queens.”

The Freeway Blogger brings a little earth to the motorways of California.

Everybody panic! The NSA is tapping your face.

Uncertainty and worry for state employees as Washington State government shutdown looms (and special thanks to Rodney Fucking Tom for that).

Cool on the outside, Goldy is inwardly titillated by rumors of an NHL team for Seattle.

Better access to Sound Transit stations is in your future!

Last week’s contest was won by milwhcky. It was Duluth, GA.

This week’s contest is from somewhere in Washington state, good luck! And Happy Father’s Day!

Leviticus 20:9
For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.

Happy Goddamn Father’s Day. And discuss.

Thom: The Good, the Bad, and the Very, Very Ugly.

White House: West Wing Week.

The New and Improved G.O.P. War on Women™:

• Sam Seder: GOP lawmaker on men’s brains and women’s brains
• Maddow: Virginia Voters show signs of backlash against GOP anti-abortion extremism.
• Alex Wagner: Misogynist House Republicans advance another anti-abortion bill.
• Why are Republicans so fixated on rape and abortion?.
• Maddow: Republicans of Wisconsin Push Extreme Anti-abortion Laws:
• Sharpton: Wisconsin GOP misogynists push new ultrasound law
• Ann Telnaes: More Republican expertise on the female body.
• Sam Seder: FAUX guest implies Plan B promotes pedophiles

Thom: Even more of the Good, the Bad, and the Very, Very Ugly.

John Oliver: Gaywatch…international edition.

John Fugelsang: He’s 83, single and worth $11billion…..

Young Turks: Ohio State Rep. Dan Ramos proposes a way to end Citizens United without going through Congress.

ONN: Week in Review.

Thom: More Good, Bad, and Very, Very Ugly.

Maddow: Christmas in Texas and protection from the Gays.

Susie Sampson’s Tea Party Report: Week in Review.

NSAy What?

• Ann Telnaes: Gathering metadata.
• Jonathan Mann: NSA is Listening
• Town Square: Is NSA mass surveillance Okay if Obama Does it?
• Young Turks: Record breaking hypocrisy at FAUX News
• Sam Seder: Sean Hannity’s hardcore flip-flopping on NSA surveillance
• Tap It: The NSA Slow Jam.
• Operation everyone talk like a terrorist all the time:
• Young Turks: Bill-O The Clown shows massive hypocrisy over NSA program
• Mark Fiore: United States of Surveillance.
• Ann Telnaes: Spying semantics.

Pap: America’s crumbling infrastructure.

Stephen: Wall Street Journal’s Dorothy Rabinowitz crazy op-ed (via Crooks and Liars).

White House: Celebrating Father’s Day.

Maddow: The GOP’s obsession with sodomy, voodoo, satanism, racism & bigotry.

Sharpton: Obama calls out Republican obstructionism

Issa Idiot:

• O’Donnell: ‘Car thief’ Darrell Issa’s IRS investigation is falling apart!.
• Thom: Is Darrell Issa a bad investigator, or just a big liar?
• Sharpton: ‘Car thief’ Darrell Issa flips on IRS employee interview transcripts

Jeb Bush on those “more fertile” immigrants.

John Oliver: On the media coverage of Edward Snowden.

Politico Playback: The week in late night.

Chris Hayes: Jan Brewer rips Arizona GOP apart over Medicaid expansion (via Crooks and Liars).

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

The “New and Improved” Republican War on Women™ moves to Wisconsin.

Over eight hours Thursday, Republican lawmakers passed not only the ultrasound bill but two other bills restricting access to abortion and contraception. One bans state health care plans from covering abortions and exempts religious groups from the state requirement to provide birth control insurance coverage. The other prohibits sex-selective abortions and imposes fines on physicians.

The ultrasound bill also requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic, which Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin says could force the closure of its Appleton-area clinic.

During a contentious floor session Wednesday, the Senate also passed the ultrasound bill after Republican leaders cut off debate. Gov. Scott Walker has said he will sign the bill into law. The other two abortion bills now head to the Senate, where leaders say they might not get to them until this fall, after the summer recess.
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One of the amendments offered by Democrats that failed to pass would have specified that only an abdominal ultrasound could be required and not the more invasive vaginal probe.

Holy fuck, where do they dig up these troglodytes?

Among other horrible effects of these inhumane bulls, rape victims in Wisconsin will get a little bit extra rape, thanks to Gov. Walker and the esteemed G.O.P. men of the Wisconsin legislature.

Your move, women of Wisconsin….

* I updated the title to reflect the fact that an ultrasound is not medically necessary before the vast majority of abortions. Hence a bill requiring a medically unnecessary transvaginal ultrasound is, essentially, rape. The lawmakers who voted for this bill are rapists.

The Washington state government is headed for a shutdown if a budget is not passed by the end of the month.

Wouldn’t a shutdown make Rodney Tom the Newt Gingrich of Washington State?

So, I threw my computer and a water bottle in a bag and rode off. But it turns out that the bottle wasn’t fully screwed on. So good news my bag is definitely water proof. Bad news my computer sat in a puddle of water for half an hour, and is dying. So just a quick post to say I don’t know when any future posts will be.

It goes without saying that lawmakers should close the estate tax loophole before the Friday deadline, so that the state isn’t out of that money for the education trust. The voters approved it, and the money is needed. It all goes to education, and the Senate Republicans Republicans are ostensibly for education first. But the Republicans are being jackasses because of course they are. So, I hope the state can restore that money by the deadline.

But if the GOP remain intransigent, the money should come out of their school districts. It should hurt their children.

Now that summer is almost here, the cruise ships arrive daily in Elliot Bay. They let tourists off from all over the world. Other tourists are here with their friends or family. Inevitably they come to Pike Place Market. I’ve shown people from the East Coast, from Guam, and from points between the market. When I was 8 and living in New York, my family came and visited and my Dad’s parents out here took us to the market where we had a great time. It’s great, and I’m glad you’re here. But on top of being a tourist trap, the market is also a grocery store for a lot of people in the neighborhoods around it. So here are some tips to not get on their bad side:

Walking can be tricky. The place is small and cramped, and you don’t know what stall you want to stop at. Still, try not to randomly stop when there’s space in front of you. There’s a good chance that if you’re going in a group, that it’ll get separated. Instead of turning around randomly, turn around when you’re stopped by the normal course of walking in a cramped space. Or move to the side to let other people pass.

You’re going to want to take a picture of fruit at some point. I know, I know, it seems strange. My advice is have your camera out ahead of time, so you don’t have to fumble with it.

If you drove here, you may think you can find parking on Pike Place. There is a street there, and in theory there is some parking, but you’re not going to be able to find some. There are parking lots around. And Metro buses that will get you pretty close. Don’t circle through the market looking for a spot, because you’re not going to find one.

Finally, it’s called Pike Place Market. There is a Pike Street nearby, but the market itself is on Pike Place. If you call it Pike Street market loud enough that a local can hear you, they will hate you. Also, if you call it Pike Market, Pike’s Market, or Pike’s Peak Market.

Please join us this evening for, yet, another “special session” of the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

We meet every Tuesday evening at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00pm. Some people show up earlier than that for Dinner.

Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out plethora of other DL meetings over the next week. Tonight there are also meetings of the Tri-Cities and Vancouver, WA chapters. On Wednesday, the Bellingham chapter meets.
On Friday, Washington’s newest chapter, the Centralia chapter of Drinking Liberally, meets. Finally, next Monday, the Yakima chapters meet.

With 205 chapters of Living Liberally, including seventeen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter meeting near you.