Ultrasound Bill Passes Texas Senate

Two-bit Rush Limbaugh wanna-be, Dan Patrick, is still trying to become the culture war hero of the ultra-right, and he's willing to throw Texas women under the bus to do it. He's now decided that Texas women need his guidance, since they are obviously too stupid to make their own decisions about their own bodies.

In this legislative session, Sen. Patrick (R-Houston) authored a bill which would require a doctor to force any woman seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound, view that ultrasound and listen to the fetal heartbeat. Fortunately even the Republican-dominated Texas Senate is not that cruel.

The bill was blocked, largely due to the efforts of Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth), the Texas Medical Association and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Patrick then scaled back the bill. He would still force the women to have the ultrasound, but they could now refuse to look at it. The doctors still objected. They said this would violate a woman's right to refuse an unnecessary medical treatment.

Patrick obviously cared nothing about the rights of Texas women, but it was clear the bill could not be passed, so he changed it again. He had to get something passed to keep his ultra-right supporters happy. The third version of the bill just says a doctor must offer an ultrasound to any women asking about an abortion, but the woman has the right to refuse it.

Patrick claims he is just trying to protect women's health. Nonsense! The bill has nothing to do with protecting the health of women. As Sen. Davis says, the bill is just "about shaming a woman" who faces a tough and very emotional decision. Other say even this weakest version of the bill is about bullying women.

The bill was finally passed in the Senate, so I guess Patrick gets his pyrrhic victory. Fortunately, Sen. Davis (pictured) and the doctors were able to make sure the bill is toothless.