Romney/Ryan/McDonnell: solidly against women's rights

August 22, 2012

The Washington Post reports, "The Republican platform that Gov. Robert F. McDonnell is helping to hammer out in Tampa contains a 'salute' to states that have, like his own, passed 'informed consent' laws meant to dissuade women from having abortions. Virginia's informed consent law, requiring that women seeking an abortion first undergo an ultrasound, brought unflattering national attention to Richmond this year and forced McDonnell into an awkward balancing act."

Progressive Point: America's women have fought long and hard for their rights, far too hard to allow conservative politicians to control their bodies and intrude into women's private medical decisions--let alone with horribly invasive and medically unnecessary procedures. Gov. McDonnell's previous support for trans-vaginal ultrasounds and McDonnell, Mitt Romney, and Paul Ryan's new anti-women party platform has made it even clearer that they are dead wrong on women's rights.

Mitt Romney says he finds Congressman Todd Akin's recent "legitimate rape" comment "insulting" and "inexcusable," but he just chose a running mate whose views are exactly in line with Akin's. Furthermore, Paul Ryan has cosponsored every extreme anti-abortion bill since he's been in office. Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and Bob McDonnell have purposely focused their party platform on turning back the clock on women's rights. Their extreme positions make one thing clear: they don't share the values of Virginia women. We need leadership that values and will stand up for women's rights, not attack them.

Get the Facts:

• Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, and Bob McDonnell's party platform "salutes" Virginia's new anti-abortion legislation that originally required women to undergo a trans-vaginal ultrasound probe if they sought to pursue their constitutionally protected right to choose. (Washington Post, August 21, 2012)


• Paul Ryan has cast 59 votes on abortion issues--every single one being anti-choice. Furthermore, he has co-sponsored the following extreme anti-abortion bills: "Protect Life Act," "The Sanctity of Human Life Act," "The Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act," "The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act," and "The District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act." (Mother Jones, August 22, 2012)


• Just last year, Rep. Paul Ryan co-sponsored the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act" "which, among other things, introduced the country to the bizarre term 'forcible rape.'" (ThinkProgress, August 19, 2012)

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