Tell me more, Brian Kurcaba! (Just kidding.)

“Obviously rape is awful… What is beautiful is the child that could come from this.”

—West Virginia Delegate Brian Kurcaba (R)

If you're a Tea Partier, this is hysterical

Ah, but since you're appalled, I guess you're a human. Steve Stockman (Republican senatorial candidate, Texas) is selling these bumper stickers.

Italo Calvino on abortion

From Italo Calvino: Letters, 1941-1985:

Bringing a child into the world makes sense only if this child is wanted consciously and freely by its two parents. If it is not, then it is simply animal and criminal behavior. A human being becomes human not through the casual convergence of certain biological conditions, but through an act of will and love on the part of other people...

Only those people … who are a hundred percent convinced that they possess the moral and physical possibility not only of rearing a child but of welcoming it as a welcome and beloved presence, have the right to procreate. If this is not the case, they must first of all do everything not to conceive, and if they do conceive (given that the margin for unpredictability continues to be high) abortion is not only a sad necessity, but a highly moral decision to be taken with full freedom of conscience. I do not understand how you can associate abortion with an idea of hedonism or the good life. Abortion is a terrifying thing… 

In abortion the person who is massacred, physically and morally, is the woman. Also for any man with a conscience every abortion is a moral ordeal that leaves a mark, but certainly here the fate of the woman is in such a disproportionate condition of unfairness compared with the man’s, that every male should bite his tongue three times before speaking about such things...

Oh, Texas. *facepalm*

Via.

Via Huffington Post: 

“Texas state troopers are confiscating tampons, maxi pads and other potential projectiles from those who are entering the Texas capitol to watch the debate and vote on a controversial anti-abortion bill. Guns, however, which are typically permitted in the state capitol, are still being allowed.” 

Quote of the Day

"Everyone who's for abortion was at one time themselves a feces." 

—J. Peter Grace, appearing at an anti-abortion rally.

Sir, we regret your abortion too.

 Via. 

Oh, and in other news, Oregon Republicans nearly killed a measure aimed at stopping animal cruelty. Yes, I'm looking at you, House Minority Leader Mike McLane! But at least your GOP branding is going well: "Republicans: Standing for animal abuse and against, well, everything else.")

Pop Quiz!

Gail Collins ran her annual “July the 4^th” quiz yesterday. My favorite three questions:

1. Representative Michele Bachmann made news when she announced she would notrun for re-election. Which of the following was not among her career highlights:

a) Mixed up actor John Wayne with serial killer John Wayne Gacy.
b) Said the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired in New Hampshire.
c) Said that a nonseasonal blizzard in Minnesota was God's warning to politicians to reduce the size of government.

2. Just before leaving town for its holiday break, the House of Representatives finished up work on:

a) The farm bill.
b) Fixing the Voting Rights Act.
c) Naming a Mississippi River bridge after Stan Musial.

3. The House recently passed a ban on abortions after the 20th week of a pregnancy. In a committee meeting, Representative Michael Burgess, a Republican of Texas, supported the bill by claiming:

a) A 15-week-old fetus can masturbate.
b) Pregnant women have to be protected from their hormone-induced bad judgment.
c) The Republican majority's work expanding health care, nutrition and education for poor children makes abortion unnecessary.

Answers: 1.) Trick question (she did them all)  2.) c  3.) a 

And yes, Michael Burgess, you are the Small Mind of the Day.

Phil Berger is the Small Mind of the Day

"The gallery is to remain silent. The senators on the floor are the only voices that matter."  

That's North Carolina Senate Pro Tempore Phil Berger (Republican). See, in a variety of Republican-controlled state legislatures are trying to ram through abortion restrictions. In North Carolina's case, they did so in a rather sneaky way (surprise!).

As critics filled the gallery, Phil Berger tried to silence them with a statement that—well, it sort of reeks, doesn't it?