The voters have spoken. And apparently what Gov. Scott Walker and his conservative allies heard is that they want to continue the war on women. But instead of “dropping the bomb” on women, as Walker did on public employees, this time they’re planning a sneak attack. In this way, Walker—who’s 100% pro-life—can repay social conservatives while looking more moderate as he positions himself for a presidential run.
First up is more anti-abortion legislation. In the previous legislative session, Walker signed off on stringent new regulations for abortion providers, defunded Planned Parenthood and mandated ultrasounds for women who seek an abortion. This time around, Wisconsin Right to Life wants Walker to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. They’re basing this on the not-quite-accurate theory that fetuses can feel pain at that point. It would also chip away at Roe v. Wade, which is the Walker crowd’s ultimate goal.
In addition, the Wisconsin State Journal reported, Wisconsin Family Action, which pushed the unconstitutional same-sex marriage ban, wants to continue altering the state constitution, this time by adding a conscience clause that would protect medical professionals who don’t want to provide services that violate their religious beliefs.
But not all of the anti-woman action is confined to the Legislature. The state Department of Health Services is alleging that it has overpaid family planning clinics millions of dollars in Medicaid funds for contraceptives, a story originally broken by the Wisconsin Center on Investigative Journalism. If the clinics in question have to repay the disputed money, they may have to shut down. The state has a very weak case, but its threat shows that the Walker administration is very serious about targeting women’s health care and choices.
This sneak attack on women, unfortunately, will be continued in the New Year.
