Texas Fun

(Editorial cartoon by Jack Ohman and published 7/4/13 in the Sacramento Bee.)

It is, to put it in charitable terms, silly season in Texas.  The governor, Rick Perry, has called the state legislature back into a special session so that it can get an anti-abortion law passed.  Because he has announced that he won't be running for another term as governor, I can only assume he wants this law to burnish his credentials for running for president 2016.

From the Los Angeles Times:

The Texas House of Representatives on Tuesday opened up a new round of debate on a restrictive abortion bill, legislation that has galvanized activists on both sides of the issue statewide and nationally in recent weeks.  

House Bill 2 would ban abortion after 20 weeks, require doctors performing the procedure to have hospital admitting privileges within 30 miles, require abortions to be performed in ambulatory surgical centers and regulate abortion-inducing drugs, among other restrictions. 

The measure failed in regular session late last month after Sen. Wendy Davis led a headline-making 13-hour filibuster to derail a Republican vote. But Gov. Rick Perry immediately pledged that the Legislature would pass the restrictions during a 30-day special session, which began July 1.   [Emphasis added]

But wait!  There's more.

Yesterday, the legislators ruled that no tampons would be allowed into the legislative chambers.  Now this is kind of weird because concealed weapons can be brought into the chambers.  I guess some of the legislators are afraid of feminine hygiene products.  Needless to say, hilarity ensued as the eyes of the country were upon the legislature.  Eventually the state senate backed down on that ridiculous ruling.  I think the sound of an entire nation laughing got heard.

I would love to see a picture of Sen. Davis or her supporters wearing a hat with tampons dangling from it a la the Tea Party ladies.